BETHANY — Defending 4A runner-up Crossings Christian surged past Bethany in the third quarter for a 60-50 win Tuesday (Dec. 2) in the Bronchos’ season opener.

“That’s a good ball club (Crossings) over there, man,” Bethany coach Joshua Holliday said after his first game at the helm for the Bronchos. “You can tell that a lot of guys on that team have played some high-level groups throughout their high school career. 


“We went into there expecting to win. We expected to win every possession, and we fell short. 
So back to the drawing board.”

The Knights led by as many as 10 points in the second quarter before the Bronchos (0-1) made a run just before halftime.

Sophomore Dempsey Neal hit back-to-back shots late in the quarter (including a 3-pointer). The Bronchos whittled the deficit down to two points (26-24) by halftime.

In the third quarter, Crossings extended the lead. The Knights outscored Bethany 10-5 over the last three minutes of the quarter to take an 8-point lead into the final quarter.

The Bronchos wouldn’t get any closer and Crossings sealed the win in the fourth quarter.

Sophomore Breck Brady paced Bethany with 19 points. He also was a force down low, swatting away shots.

“I still think he’s capable of so much more. I think he’s just scratching the surface of what his true potential could be,” Holliday said of Brady. “Obviously football is his number one. But, he gives us everything he has. We’re just trying to let him know that he’s got more in there. That just makes us very as a team and that makes him better as a player and gets us too closer to our goal. 


“He’s a heck of a player, man. Just glad Breck Brady’s on our side.”

Sophomore Dempsey Neal added 14 points. He scored five points in the third quarter to keep the Bronchos close.

Senior Denton Jaggers followed with nine points. Five of those points came in the fourth quarter.

Junior Malachi Chatman added six points on two 3-pointers.

UP NEXT

The Bronchos host 3A Star-Spencer (0-3) Friday (Dec. 5) at 8 p.m.

The Bobcats fell to Ardmore, 59-56, Tuesday.

 (PHOTO: Kristie Escoe/Life in Action Photography)

	1	2	3	4	F
Crossings Christian (1-0)	14	12	19	15	60
Bethany (0-1)	5	19	13	13	50