Photo by Kim North Bellaire’s Kole Swierkos (4) drives in for a layup as John Marshall’s Preston Watkins (10) defends Monday night inside the ‘House of Champions’ in Bellaire. The Big Reds outscored the Monarchs, 85-78.

BELLAIRE — When a key player for a team is out for whatever reason, that team usually rallies around that to its advantage.

Bellaire did just that Monday night and Raekwon Pettigrew was a huge factor in the Big Reds’ 85-78 shootout victory over visiting John Marshall inside the ‘House of Champions.’

The 6-1 sophomore recorded career-bests of 46 points and 21 rebounds as Bellaire (4-4) snapped a 66-all deadlock midway through the fourth quarter with a game-ending 19-12 run to pull away.

“When I was warming up before the game, I just felt that tonight was going to be a good night for me,” Pettigrew said. “I felt good.”

The Big Reds were without the services of senior Caleb Jewell who did not dress due to an undisclosed injury.

“I’m playing a new position down low,” Pettigrew explained. “It’s all new to me, but I’m adjusting and learning as we go.”

The back-and-forth contest was knotted 11 times and saw the Ohio River rivals exchange the lead on 17 occasions.

“Raekwon played really well tonight, but some of our other guys picked up the slack, as well,” veteran Bellaire head coach J.R. Battista said. “Caleb couldn’t play tonight because of an injury. He averages about 15 (points) a game for us, but the other guys stepped up and hit some really big shots.

“Keegan played well. Mo (Maurice Webb) played really good defense and Riley (Robbins) hit three big foul shots down the stretch,” Battista noted. “Trey Dunn hit some big shots tonight. It was a good team effort.”

John Marshall held a 59-57 advantage after three quarters. Following stalemates at 59 and 61, the Monarchs’ led 63-62 before the Big Reds went ahead 66-63. A three-point basket by John Marshall’s Preston Watkins drew the visitors even.

A bonus bomb by Keegan Davis ignited a game-changing 11-0 run as Bellaire surged to a 77-66 bulge. Trey Dunn hit a jumper in the lane, Pettigrew had a conventional three-point play and Davis added a pair of free throws that John Marshall could never recover from.

“We had a lead and they went on a run. We couldn’t stop the bleeding,” first-year John Marshall head coach Michael Thomas said. “We were still hitting shots, but we couldn’t stop them. They took the lead and never gave it back.”

Pettigrew tallied 25 of his game-high total in the first half, but the Big Reds trailed 40-39.

There were nine ties in the first half, with six of them coming in the second quarter. The lead changed hands six times, as well.

Watkins tried to rally the Monarchs as he netted 19 of his team-leading and career-high 31 points after the intermission, including a dozen in the fourth quarter on a a quartet of treys. He finished with seven bonus goals as John Marshall knocked down a dozen.

Bellaire scored 28 points in the fourth quarter, with 13 coming from the charity stripe. Pettigrew tickled the twine eight times and Riley Robbins hit three in the closing seconds to seal the deal.

In addition to his points and rebounds, the cat-quick Pettigrew charted five steals.

“We couldn’t press them. Our defense wasn’t bothering them until late in the third quarter and early in the fourth,” Battista added. “We’re just thankful to have the win going into Christmas.”

Davis backed Pettigrew’s output with 19 and Dunn had 10 off the bench.

“We didn’t play well the other night in Weirton, but we came back tonight and played our type of game,” Thomas said. “We just need to get a little better on the defensive end.

Joining Watkins in double figures were Landen Snyder (15) and Bryar Haught (11). Haught added 14 rebounds for a double-double.

John Marshall held a slim, 39-36, edge off the glass and charted one more turnover with seven.