AHOSKIE – As they season rolls on Hertford County High School seems to continue to improve.

The Bears stepped out of league play here Wednesday night and knocked off Wilson’s Beddingfield High School 79-74.

In the process, HCHS basketball boss Charles Simmons again saw his team place four in double figures, led by 23 points from senior big man Tydreke Powell.

Marcus Burnell and Lamar Monger contributed 14 points each to help pace the Bears while Darren Everett hit for 11 points.

While the Bears were able to record victory number 19 on the season, the issue was in doubt to the end.

With exactly one minute to play, Beddingfield’s Mike Anderson, who had 23 points of his own, hit a bucket to trim the Bruin deficit to 75-74.

The Bears, however, didn’t fold as Powell hit two late buckets to seal the victory for Hertford County, who improved to 19-2 on the season.

“We did a good job in our half court offense by making good decisions,” Simmons said. “I was pleased with our effort and with the victory.”

Monger started the Bears off well, hitting the first shot of the game which, coupled with hoops from Burnell and Powell, gave HCHS a 6-2 lead.

Beddingfield pulled within one point (12-11), but Hertford County responded with a 6-0 run as Burnell, Everett and Patrick Downing each hit field goals to make it 18-11.

The Bruins weren’t done, however, as Brian McNair, the game’s leading scorer with 32 points, hit a triple and a deuce on successive shots to pull his team within 18-16 at the end of the first quarter.

Jarmal Artis tied the game with the opening hoop of the second quarter. Despite his effort, the Bears stormed back, scoring eight unanswered points. Four different Bears found the bottom of the net during the spurt as Powell, Burnell, Danny Dembry and Monger all scored to give HCHS a 26-18 advantage.

HCHS went on to close out the first half on a 6-1 spurt that was sparked by Antonio Branch’s three-pointer, and led 44-31 at the half.

The Bears basically had the same lead (holding a 65-51 advantage) after thee quarters of play, but the Bruins came back thanks to a 10-0 run midway through the fourth quarter that got them within four (67-63).

The visiting team was able to stay close until getting within one at the one minute mark.

HCHS (79): Tydreke Powell n 23, Lamar Monger n 14, Marcus Burnell n 14, Darren Everett n 11, P. Downing n 5, A. Branch n 5, L. Jenkins n 4, D. Dembry n 3

ETB (74): Brian McNair n 32, Mike Anderson n 23, S. Locus n 8, J. Artis n 4, K. Spells n 2, G. Ayers n 2, Q. Smith n 2, T. Davis – 1