Bethlehem Catholic’s girls’ basketball team defeated one of its city rivals, Freedom, for the second time this season by a score of 52-45 last Tuesday at Freedom.

“This felt more aggressive,” said Becahi senior guard Jaleesa Lanier. “They knew some of our plays, they knew where to trap, so we had to think a little bit more this game.”

The night began with three straight three pointers, one apiece from Becahi’s Taliyah Medina and Abby Brown, and one from Freedom’s Brenna Ortwein, the game’s top scorer.

After consecutive turnovers in the second quarter, the Patriots called a timeout but were still held to six points in the second while Becahi’s Stephanie Donato hit a three to end it. It was also Kourtney Wilson’s biggest quarter for the Hawks, scoring a total of 14 in the game.

“We like to do a four corner set. We try to play hard defense to get some deflections and that helps us get a lot of transition baskets,” Lanier said.

Freedom senior Jennifer Kokolus scored six straight points early in the second half when Lanier hit a three soon after.

“I kind of faked it and came out and I was wide open so I just shot it,” she said.

The Patriots’ full court pressure in the fourth quarter created more scoring opportunities with five straight points by Ortwein, the last two on a turnover by Corrin Gill.

The Pates pulled to within seven points when Jewel Levy rebounded a Hawks’ miss and passed to Kailey Turpening who found Kokolus underneath.

“It was a little bit difficult to beat their press because we’re jumpy,” Lanier said. “We just need to relax and settle down a little bit. We want to make it as far as we did last year, for sure. I feel we’re very confident in our game.”