Bethlehem enters playoffs as top seed in region
BETHLEHEM, Fla. (WMBB) – The Bethlehem boys basketball team is entering the playoffs as the top seed in Rural Region 1 and looking to ride home-court advantage to the Final Four.
The Wildcats (23-2) are riding a 10-game win streak heading into regionals and coming off a district championship victory over Graceville, their first district title under head coach, Aaron Mollet.
Bethlehem is a young group, mostly sophomores and juniors, led by junior Kolton Amerson, averaging 21.6 points per game.
Amerson has the second most points scored in the Rural Classification this season and Coach Mollet said he is also their top defender.
'He's done a really good job of taking that next step forward and becoming our captain and our leader and guy we can lean on in the offensive and defensive,' Mollet said. 'There's night in and night out where he's guarding the best player on the defensive end. A lot of people see the scoring, but we enjoy having him on the defensive as well because he uses this length so well. He does a heck of a job.'
The Wildcats will host the same team they beat in the district final in the opening round of the playoffs.
Coach Mollet said beating Graceville three times in one season is very difficult, especially with a state championship-caliber coach in command, Mike Gates.
'Coach Gates is a fiery competitor,' Mollet said. 'He gets his kids up to play. That was a big game for them to defeat Chipley in the district final. I know he had those guys ready because that was for their season essentially. Now everyone is 0-0, the records, throw them out the window. Anybody can beat anybody on any given night. So, he'll have these guys ready to go.'
Bethlehem will host Graceville on Wednesday, February 12, tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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