Belpre’s Malik Currie dribbles around a Federal Hocking defender during Thursday’s game in Belpre. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

BELPRE — The topsy-turvy season that Belpre boys basketball has experienced in the early portion of the regular season reared its ugly side on Thursday night.

Playing in their home confines where they are accustomed with the rims, the Golden Eagles struggled mightily from the field and fell to Federal Hocking 42-33.

Belpre shot 28% from the floor and only 11% from 3-point land. Despite their woes getting the ball to go through the nets and falling behind by as many as 16 points in the third quarter, the Golden Eagles’ ability to force turnovers and convert in transition left the outcome in doubt until the final two minutes.

“We didn’t shoot it very well and we allowed the ball not going into the basket to dictate our emotions and how hard we played,” Belpre coach Ryan Leasure said after his club slipped to 3-3 and 1-1 in the TVC Hocking Division. “We weren’t really efficient offensively. We took quick shots then we got into our feelings a little bit and didn’t play defense. Federal Hocking was raking it up on the other end.

“This is probably one of the worst home losses in my tenure.”

Belpre’s Jayden Gibbs (11) and Malik Currie (14) apply the double team on Federal Hocking’s Dillon Haynes (3) during Thursday’s game in Belpre. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Under first-year coach Josh Vernon, who is making his second stint in that same role with Federal Hocking, the Lancers stuck to an iron-man rotation of six players – all seniors. Four players combined for six 3-pointers, including two apiece from Gabe Bray and Noah Blake.

Bray scored a game-high 12 points and 11 from Cameron Joy.

“We really have six guys and that’s really it,” said Vernon after his team opened conference play with the win and improved to 2-3 overall. “We have two freshmen that we have been trying to work into the rotation and this might have been their night they get in, but they both got hurt in the junior varsity game.”

Belpre’s lone 3-pointer of the first half put the Golden Eagles in front 5-2. Federal Hocking answered with a 15-2 run thanks to three 3-pointers by three different players.

Belpre scored just two points in the first seven minutes of the second quarter and trailed 23-9 before Malik Currie scored a pair of buckets in the final minute to cut the deficit to 23-13 by halftime. Currie was the lone Golden Eagle to score in double figures for the game after finishing with 11 points.

Belpre’s AJ Copen looks for an open teammate during Thursday’s game against Federal Hocking in Belpre. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Federal Hocking ambushed Belpre to start the third quarter with a quick 7-0 spurt. Cameron Joy, who finished with 11 points, capped the series scoring on the Lancers’ third offensive rebound on the same trip downcourt. Belpre promptly called timeout.

“We did a good job responding, but we have to do a better job of throwing the first punch and not counter punch,” Leasure said. “It’s been that way for a couple of games, and we’ve been able to slide by and win close games.”

Down 30-13, Belpre amped up the full-court pressure and Federal Hocking’s offense into 12 second-half turnovers.

Beginning with a 3-pointer from AJ Copen, the Golden Eagles went on a 16-5 run and closed to within 35-29 early in the fourth quarter.

After a series of trading baskets, the margin remained six points when Federal Hocking’s Noah Blake came up with the dagger – a 3-pointer from the corner which put the Lancers in front 42-33 with only two minutes remaining in regulation.

Belpre didn’t do itself any favors turning the ball over twice in its next three possessions.

“We have the potential to be really good, which we have shown at times, and sometimes we show that we are not very good,” Leisure said. “So it’s been a roller coaster of emotions this year. We never know what we are going to get. We have to be more consistent.

“We will figure it out.”

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com