At the beginning of the season, the Lebanon boys’ basketball team wasn’t sure where it was going or how it was going to get there. The Cedars were in need of players to step up.

 Although there’s been plenty of bumps along the way, Jean Carlos Gonzalez-Belen has certainly done his part.

 This week, Gonzalez-Belen’s emergence and inspired play continued. Gonzalez-Belen tallied a total of 49 points, though it wasn’t enough to prevent the Cedars from absorbing three tough losses.

 On Saturday against highly-regarded Wilson, Gonzalez-Belen struck for 15 points in a 58-52 setback. An evening prior, the junior forward had pumped in a team-high 17 points during a 66-53 setback at Elizabethtown.

 Gonzalez-Belen began his week on Tuesday, by notching 17 points in a 69-59 home loss to Manheim Township.

 With senior Scottie Porter out with an injury, Gonzalez-Belen has come through with a 12 points-per-game scoring average for the Cedars.

 Gonzalez-Belen’s presence inside and on the glass has opened things for teammates outside. But Gonzalez-Belen also possesses the ability to step out beyond the three-point line and hit threes of his own.

 – Jeff Falk