Boys basketball: Bell brothers shine in big moments as Jacobs hands Cary-Grove first FVC loss

Elijah and Malachi Bell’s chemistry extends beyond basketball.

The two brothers delivered in crucial moments Tuesday evening, when Jacobs held a 37-30 lead after three quarters and found itself eight minutes away from handing Cary-Grove its first Fox Valley Conference loss of the season.

Sharing the basketball, both Elijah and Malachi made tough shots down the stretch as Jacobs stunned the Trojans 50-46 in a tight battle in Cary.

“We’ve got that brotherly chemistry,” said Elijah, who led Jacobs with 19 points. “We’ve been working on that since the offseason, and now it’s coming into play. Even during the tough times, even if he’s a freshman, I pull him off to the side so we can slow ourselves down. We stay together and that affects him, me and the team.”

In a matchup that featured brothers on both sides, the Bell boys made their presence felt throughout the night. Elijah Bell ignited Jacobs (11-10, 4-6 FVC) in the first quarter, drilling a trio of 3-point shots and slamming a one-handed dunk off a C-G turnover. Malachi Bell, who had 17 points for Jacobs, buried a clutch triple in the fourth quarter and iced the victory at the free-throw line.

“I wasn’t really in it during the first half, but my teammates were able to pull me to the side and they told me to keep my head up,” said Malachi, who had seven rebounds. “They were there for me to help me get back in my zone. ... Growing up, Elijah and I created this chemistry during the good times and the hard times. Having him on the court is like having a constant voice telling me I got this.”

Adam Bauer, a 6-foot-7 center and one of three Bauer brothers on the C-G side, used his size well in the second quarter. With the Trojans (20-3, 10-1) in need of a spark, Bauer attacked the basket, making a trio of shots to help C-G take a 25-22 halftime lead. Bauer had 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

“We had a size advantage that we didn’t utilize to our full ability,” Bauer said. “They played very physical today and we didn’t get the calls we wanted, but we should’ve executed more down low. We should’ve taken care of their two guards better. They were getting the buckets they wanted and we should’ve defended them better.”

Twin brother Brady Bauer chipped in four points and four rebounds, while sophomore brother Evan Bauer converted a difficult shot with contact to cap off a 6-0 run early in the fourth quarter. Senior guard AJ Berndt, who buried two triples for the Trojans early, hit a pair of 3s in the fourth quarter to help C-G remain in the mix.

“We moved the ball really well to start the game,” said Berndt, who had 17 points and five rebounds. We came out with a lot of energy and a lot of attention to detail. We got out in transition and the ball was moving. I thought we lost a little of that as the game went on."

Action went back and forth in the fourth quarter, where Elijah Bell flew up and under for a reverse layup before Adam Bauer faded away for a mid-range basket to bring Jacobs within a point at 39-38. Late in the quarter, Brady Bauer took a pass from teammate Jackson Berndt, AJ’s younger brother, and floated in a shot off the glass.

Trailing 48-46, C-G burned a timeout and set its defense up for a trap or a turnover. But the Eagles, who entered Tuesday’s matchup on a four-game losing streak, didn’t succumb to the pressure. Malachi Bell drained the game’s final free throw and C-G missed its final shot of the night, ending an 11-game win streak.

“We finished as a team,” Malachi said. “There were times we got down, but then we got the lead and we were able to finish strong. We kept our poise, stayed in control and brought it back together.”