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Ê TRAVERSE CITY- Bellaire's basketball season officially came to an end last Wednesday night with a hard-fought, 48-46 loss to the Leland Comets.

Bellaire led 45-44 after Brad Guy hit a free throw with 1:25 remaining in the game. The Eagles made a defensive stop and regained possession, but they turned the ball over to Leland with 50 seconds left. The Comets scored on a fast break to go ahead 46-45.

"We had a few too many turnovers," Bellaire head coach Stan Sexton said in the locker room after the game. "They (Leland) play very good pressure defense.

"You've got to give them credit."

Bellaire tied the game at 46-all with a free throw with 24.2 seconds left, but on the ensuing possession Leland junior Eric Larsen scored a driving layup with just three seconds left to secure the win.

ÊÊ "I felt it was a very good ball game," Sexton said. "We wish them (Leland) the best of luck É It's a talented team."

Bellaire only had three fouls in the first quarter, but unfortunately the officials called them all on Guy, who was then forced to sit out the last three minutes of the first quarter and the entire second quarter.

"Brad picked up his three fouls, and that hurt for him to go out," Sexton said.

After Guy left the ball game, Leland went on a 17-7 run to take a 24-16 halftime lead.

The Eagles came out firing in the third quarter. Ryan Hebden hit two 3-pointers and Matt Dreves also connected on a long ball.

Chris Dewey scored with 3:40 left in the third to bring Bellaire back within one, 30-29.

One minute later, Guy scored on one of his signature breakaways to give Bellaire a 31-30 lead.

Leland responded in kind, however, and the third quarter ended with the Comets ahead 35-31.

With six minutes left in the fourth, Dreves hit a shot from the right corner to lock the game at 38-all. With just under five minutes to go, Dreves knocked down a free throw to give Bellaire the lead once again, 39-38.

With less than four minutes to go, Guy scored on an inbounds pass to put Bellaire up by three.

After a basket by Leland, Guy nailed a spot up three to extend the Eagles' lead to 44-40 with 2:32 left.

That basket would prove to be Bellaire's final field goal, however, as Leland battled back to set up the game's dramatic finish.

"We had our chances, but we were playing a very aggressive and athletic team," Sexton said. "We played a very good basketball team out there and took 'em down to the wire."

Although the loss stings right now, Bellaire ends their season with an excellent 21-4 record.

"The kids are disappointed (with the loss); I'm disappointed, but we'll get over it," Sexton said. "We had a very competitive year, and we'll recognize that in a day or two."

Bellaire graduates eight seniors off this year's team: Dewey, Riku Lempio, Dreves, Guy, Casey Kowatch, Jared Rames, Tom Evans and Hebden.

"They're a good bunch of kids," Sexton said. "They provided good senior leadership."

Guy led Bellaire with 13 points. Hebden added 11.

Marcus Whittaker paced Leland with 13 points.