Belpre’s AJ Copen, left, guards Federal Hocking’s Cameron Joy, Friday night at Belpre High School. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

BELPRE — Belpre’s performance against Federal Hocking on Friday night had all the makings of an amusement park with as many ebbs and flows, twists and turns the Golden Eagles experienced in their 59-56 win.

The outcome wasn’t decided until the final seconds when Mosiah Cottrill’s heavily contested 3-point attempt several inches behind the 3-point arc was altered by Belpre’s Chris Copen and his lengthy wingspan and resulting in air ball.

Malik Currie hauled in the defensive rebound and the Golden Eagles’ quest for a possible Tri-Valley Conference Hocking Division remained intact as league play entered the second half phase.

Belpre, winners in three of its last four games, improved to 8-8 and 5-1 in the TVC Hocking Division. Federal Hocking, which lost to the Golden Eagles by 25 points early in the season, remained winless in the league at 0-6 and 3-12 overall.

“First, Federal Hocking is improving and getting a lot better,” Belpre coach Ryan Leasure said. “We got them early in the year. They are just a different team from what they got now. (Coach Jonathan Thompson) and the the staff over there have done a heck of a job.

Belpre’s AJ Copen, far left, and teammate Carson Moore (33) try to gain possession against a Federal Hocking player during Friday’s game at Belpre High School. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“We told our guys before the game if you let them stay close they will hang around, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Belpre point guard Malik Currie scored a team-high 17 points, while AJ Copen added 10 points. Haiden Tabler contributed nine points, the identical total turned in by teammate Carson Moore off the bench.

The Golden Eagles led 30-20 at halftime but allowed Federal Hocking a 22-point third quarter output.

Cottrill buried one of three second-half 3-pointers and Cameron Joy followed with two of his game-high 25 points to put Federal Hocking in front 47-44 with 6:14 remaining in regulation.

Chris Copen’s presence was felt at the outset of the fourth quarter. Had had a hand in the first eight points, scoring three points and handing out two assists – including one to Nasaih Spencer for a 3-pointer to cap a 7-0 run which put the Golden Eagles to stay at 51-47.

Belpre’s Chris Copen waits for an open teammate during Friday’s game against Federal Hocking at Belpre High School. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“Our energy was a roller coaster,” Leasure said. “When we have high energy offensively and defensively, we’re pretty good. But right now, we are so inconsistent with it.

“We’ve seen it in some games. We’re looked really good then the bottom drops out, and that’s what happened in that third quarter. I wasn’t happy with it, but we survived.”

The high energy Leasure eluded to resulted in nine Federal Hocking turnovers in the second quarter, which included just two field goal makes in the first 7 ½ minutes of the period.

Out of halftime, Federal Hocking laced up its shooting laces and made 10-of-14 (71 percent) from the field while outscoring Belpre 22-13.

“Other than that last second shot, we locked everything up and were playing well there in the second quarter,” Leasure said. “Our defense carried our offense. We came out in the third quarter – not sure what happened, but we just didn’t bring it. Federal Hocking got some easy buckets and there was a ballgame after that.”

Belpre point guard Malik Currie directs traffic during Friday’s game against Federal Hocking at Belpre High School. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Down the stretch of the fourth quarter, both teams found ways to let the other stay in the chase. Federal Hocking committed five turnovers as part of the 20 for the game, while Belpre hit just 2-of-6 free throws in the final minute.

“I remember Bobby Huggins saying all the time, he doesn’t know if he should practice free throws or not – ‘we shoot them all time, but I don’t know what’s going on because when we start going to games it’s a different story,'” Leasure remembers.

After Chris Copen made the back-end of a two-shot foul to give Belpre a 59-56 lead, coach Leasure immediately called timeout at 9.1 seconds.

The original plan called for fouling a Federal Hocking player for a two-shot opportunity rather than allow a possible game-tying three. Joy had possession at one juncture but could not create a look. With time running out, Chris Copen at 6-foot-3 stayed tight on Cottrill and forced him to take an uncomfortable shot from up top.

“It worked out we were able to switch on the screens and get a man on the shooter and force a contested three,” Leasure said. “We were telling the guys to get a stop, get a stop and we win the game. Luckily, we got it done.”

The road for the league title doesn’t get easier for Belpre with four games remaining. One saving grace, the Golden Eagles host a Southern outfit which handed them an eight-point loss.

“If we can just get consistent, we will be OK,” Leasure said. “We’ve won three of the last four and moving in the right direction. We are not close to where we want to be, but we are improving.

“We are chasing this TVC championship. The rest of the way it’s going to be just like tonight. It’s going to be an absolute rockfight.”

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com