Boys’ Southern Section Basketball Playoffs : SMALL SCHOOLS

Bel-Air Prep 74, Grace Community 56--The flu bug caught up with Grace Community, forcing starter James Soliz to the bench and hampering the play of fellow starters Chad Hankinson and Chris Kerr in the quarterfinal at The Master’s College.

Grace Community’s man-to-man defense clamped down on guards Ahmad Clayton and Zaid Al-Hakim and held Bel-Air Prep scoreless for the first two minutes of the game.

The Bruins missed their first five shots and Grace Community (18-5) jumped to a 9-0 lead.

Clayton, however, broke away from the Hawks’ defense in the final three minutes of the quarter, scoring six points during an 11-4 run that narrowed the lead to 16-13.

Bel-Air Prep led at halftime, 31-29, but the Hawks surged to a 35-34 lead early in the third quarter when Matt Teachout drilled two consecutive three-point baskets.

But Bel-Air Prep (18-8) scored the next seven points and built a 51-44 lead after three quarters. The Hawks pulled to within 53-48 on baskets by Kerr and Scott Lechuga three minutes into the fourth quarter.

But Bel-Air Prep outscored the Hawks, 16-6, over the final five minutes.

Clayton scored a game-high 28 points and Lechuga, who averages 27 points a game for Grace Community, scored a team-high 18 points.

“I knew that somewhere along the line, they’d be the team to beat,” Gibson said. “It’s unfortunate we had to face them now, but it’s a heck of a way to finish the season.”