BETHLEHEM - In the early going, Bethlehem Catholic had some difficulties adjusting to Jim Thorpe’s 3-2 floating zone defense.

Once they did, the Golden Hawks validated their top seed in the District 11 Class 4A playoffs and their advancement to the bracket’s fifth straight championship game with a 60-39 win on Monday.

Both teams were scrappy in an up-tempo format through the first quarter until Becahi created separation with an 8-2 spurt to begin the second quarter.

The Hawks gained momentum toward a 31-17 halftime advantage when forward Caden McClary, their lone senior, swished three consecutive three-pointers in the final three minutes to provide the fifth-seeded Olympians with a challenging second-half deficit.

Thorpe’s zone paced a defensive effort that carried them to a 52-42 victory over Pine Grove a few days earlier, but it didn’t withstand the Golden Hawks’ attack that netted nine three-pointers on the night.

“They hit some shots, and they got into the paint on us,” said Olympians’ head coach Jason McElmoyle. “Their athleticism and size flew over our zone, but they played like a No. 1 seeded team.

“We were hoping they would miss some shots, but they got hot and knocked some down. They’re the top seed for a reason, but we battled them the whole night.”

Becahi was led by junior guard Edixton Gomez, who paced a somewhat balanced attack with 14 points. Fellow junior Steven Recchio had 13.

Bethlehem Catholic head coach Scott McClary saw his team get a little over anxious at the start, especially with its impressive win over North Schuylkill in the quarterfinals a few days earlier.

“We played really well Friday night, and our defense generated some quick offense,” said McClary. “We were forcing some things early, but we were driving the zone.

“In the second quarter, we started making better decisions at the point of attack and that got us the looks. When we knocked them down, we exhaled a little. We loosened up more in the second quarter and got the ball more in the paint.”

Despite the loss, it was a successful season for the Olympians, who rebounded from a slow start to reach the district semifinals.

“They were bigger and faster than us. They just got in the paint and hit shots,” said Jim Thorpe’s Caiden Hurley. “But, I definitely think we did a lot better than people thought we would this season.

“We started off 0-4, and then went on a seven-game win streak. From there, we kept winning more games. We lost a lot of games last year, so it was a great comeback season for us.”

SAYING GOODBYE ... The Olympians had five seniors on their roster this season. Hurley, Jared Marykwas, Sonny Ivey, Chris Condly and Tanner Gillar.

STATS ... Sophomore Kaiden Herron led the Olympians with 15 points.

RECORDS ... Bethelehem Catholic improves its record to 12-4. Jim Thorpe closes its season with a 13-8 record.

UP NEXT ... The Golden Hawks will go after their fourth D-11 4A championship in the last five years when they face defending district champion Allentown Central Catholic at the PPL Center in Allentown on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. The contest is a rematch of last year’s title game.

JIM THORPE

Condly 2-0-0-4, Hurley 1-0-0-3, Fisher 2-0-2-4, Herron 3-9-15-15, Marykwas 1-1-2-4, Warner 2-1-2-6, Ivery 0-0-0-0, Gilliar 1-0-0-3. TOTALS: 12-11-21-39.

BETHLEHEM CATHOLIC

Cercado 2-0-0-5, Gomez 4-5-5-14, Glassmacher 3-0-0-7, McClary 3-0-0-9, Vidal 3-2-2-10, J. Richardson 1-0-2-2, M. Richardson 0-0-0-0. Recchio 4-4-5-13. TOTALS: 20-11-12-60.

Jim Thorpe 9 8 13 9 - 39

Bethlehem Catholic 10 21 16 13- 60

Three-pointers: Jim Thorpe - Hurley, Warner, Marykwas. Bethlehem Catholic - Cercado, Gomez, Glassmacher, Recchio, Vidal 2, McClary 3.