Barringer used a 9-3 third-quarter run to pull away from Belleville and post a 33-24 victory over the Bucs in girls basketball action at Belleville High School on Thursday evening.

            Jessica Benacquista led the Bucs with nine points, while Vanessa Gomez added six. Kelly Farmer led Barringer with 10 points, while Ashley Williams and Brianna Ward scored seven apiece.

            The Bucs (1-6) have been struggling though some growing pains early on this season and were looking to Thursday’s game to provide a potential lift as they headed back on the road for a key three-game swing.

             “Sometimes you need a wakeup call. Hopefully that’s it,” said coach Jill Fischman. “We had an opportunity. We have to battle. We didn’t battle well today. This one hurts a little bit. It stung, but we still have a long way to go and we’ll be alright.”

            Belleville’s lone win thus far came at Newark East Side on Dec. 22. Benacquista and Chassity Sousa scored 10 points apiece to lift the Bucs to a 40-19 victory. Amber Bulna added nine points.

            Belleville, which fell to Livingston, 37-30, in the season opener on Dec. 17 despite 17 points from Sousa, has lost four games in a row.

            The team will play its next three games on the road, beginning with a trip to West Side on Saturday afternoon and continuing with games at Science Park and Millburn next week.

            “It’s about taking baby steps forward, and not taking any steps back,” added Fischman. “That will come with maturity.”