MERRY HILL – Bethel Christian Academy secured third place in the Lt. Nick Brantley Scholarship Tournament here Thursday.

The Lady Eagles defeated Thursday’s host school, Lawrence Academy, by a final of 45-21 to secure the third place finish.

Kelsie Conner led the offensive attack for the Lady Eagles with 16 points followed closely by 14 from Jessica Howerton and nine from Elizabeth Farmer. The Lady Warriors were paced by 13 from Hayden Thompson.

Bethel got off to a good start, claiming a 22-2 lead midway through the second quarter.

Conner had the first bucket of the game for the Rams, but was answered moments later by Thompson.

Bethel, however, rolled off the next 20 points unanswered. Farmer started the spurt with a hoop that was followed by buckets from Howerton and Charitee Dunlow that made it 8-2 with 3:55 left in the first quarter.

Howerton added two buckets in the last two minutes of the quarter and Conner added a free throw to give Bethel a 13-2 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Farmer added the first bucket of the second quarter which was followed quickly by a three-point play from Conner. Farmer then buried a triple and Conner added a hoop for the 20-point edge.

Thompson scored the final two hoops of the first half to close the Lady Warriors within 22-6 at the intermission.

The teams exchanged hoops over much of the third quarter with Bethel hitting the first four points followed by six straight from Lawrence. Conner stopped the Lady Warriors spurt with a hoop at the 2:15 mark of the third period as Bethel took a 28-12 lead.

Hallie Corbett responded for Lawrence, but Farmer had a hoop that was followed by a three-point play from Kristen Adams which gave the Lady Eagles a 33-14 edge. They led 35-16 after three periods.

Lawrence scored the first three points of the fourth quarter, but Conner and Howerton responded with back-to-back hoops that pushed the lead back to 20 (39-19) with 3:03 to play.

Lawrence got a bucket from Thompson, but the Eagles scored the final six points to secure the win and third place.

The Lt. Nick Brantley Scholarship Tournament is in its fifth year and is sponsored jointly by the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald and United Country Joe Murray Realty.