DUBOIS, Pa. – Jordan Wasko exploded for 14 third-quarter points to put Elk County Catholic on the doorstep of the D9 League title with a 50-36 win at DuBois.
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With the unbeaten Crusaders (18-0 overall, 7-0 D9 League) leading by six, 16-10, at halftime after each team scored just two second-quarter points, Wasko went off in the third quarter to help ECC outscore DuBois (11-6, 3-3) 23-15 in the frame to take a 39-25 lead into the fourth quarter.
Wasko hit three 2-pointers and a 3-pointer while also going 5 of 9 from the line, scoring 14 of his game-high 19 points in the quarter.
Lance O’Neill, who hit a pair of third-quarter 3-pointers and scored seven points in the quarter, added 13 points with Wil Wortman chipping in eight tallies.
Tyson Kennis scored all 15 of his points in the second half to lead DuBois, who also got eight points from Noah Farrell.
With just three D9 League games left, including the season-ender against Brookville, ECC holds a two-game lead in the loss column over Brookville for the league title having already beaten the Raiders once.
OTTO-ELDRED 69, AUSTIN 25
DUKE CENTER, Pa. – With its second win in as many days over Austin, this time beating the visiting Panthers, 69-25, Otto-Eldred claimed its third consecutive NTL regular-season title.
Landon Francis knocked down seven 3-pointers and scored a game-high 25 points for the Terrors (18-1 overall, 14-0 NTL), who beat Austin in Austin Tuesday, 57-23.
Manning Splain chipped in 19 points for Otto-Eldred, who hold a two-game lead in the loss column over Cameron County with two games left having swept the Red Raiders.
Brax Caldwell added 14 points for the Terrors, who will be the top seed in the inaugural NTL postseason tournament.
Brayden Stucket led Austin (3-15, 3-10) with 11 points with Dawson Hooftallen adding eight.
KEYSTONE 59, NORTH CLARION 39
KNOX, Pa. – Racing out to a 15-2 lead, Keystone never trailed on its way to a 59-39 win over visiting North Clarion in non-conference action.
Rewatch the game
The Panthers (5-13), actually scored the game’s first 11 points on their way to the early lead.
North Clarion (5-14) did close within 10, 41-31, going to the fourth quarter but never got any closer.
On Senior Night, senior Aiden Patrick continued his late-season surge with 13 points and 15 rebounds and was named the Allegheny Grille of Foxburg Player of the Game.
Patrick talked about his recent strong play, the win, and other things on the Cole Orthodontic Associates Postgame Interview,
Drew Keth, who hit three first-half 3-pointers while scoring 10 first-quarter points, led Keystone with 17 points, while freshman Eli Nellis chipped in 15 points.
Ethan Carll led North Clarion with 13 points with Drake Irwin and Logan Bish each adding eight.
Aiden Patrick was the Allegheny Grille of Foxburg Player of the Game for Keystone
COCHRANTON 72, CRANBERRY 65
COCHRANTON, Pa. – Trailing by 11 after three quarters, Cochranton outscored Cranberry 26-8 in the fourth to rally for a 72-65 win.
Brady Rynd was the catalyst for Cochranton (7-9), scoring a game-high 26 points as the Cardinals rallied from a 57-46 deficit after the third.
Dawson Carroll pumped in 20 points for the Cardinals, while Walker Carroll tallied 16, as the trio of Rynd, Walker, and Walker combined for 62 of Cochranton’s 72 points.
Ethan Merryman led three Cranberry players in double figures with 19 points, while Cole Findlay tallied 18 and Landon Baker 10.
SHEFFIELD 57, BROCKWAY 42
SHEFFIELD, Pa. – Dylan Hardwick had 20 points, eight rebounds, and two steals to lift Sheffield to a 57-42 AML win over visiting Brockway.
Leihden Wotorson added 16 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and three steals for the Wolverines (6-12 overall, 1-6 AML North), who won for the first time in league play.
Caleb Daugherty scored 18 points for Brockway (1-15, 0-6 AML South).
AML
RIDGWAY 40, KANE 22
KANE, Pa. – A 20-point night from Hunter Beeler lifted Ridgway to a 40-22 AML road win over Kane.
Beeler scored 11 of his points in the third quarter when he hit three 3-pointers. That helped the Elkers (8-8 overall, 3-3 AML South) outscored the Wolves (7-11, 2-6) 14-3 in the quarter after Ridgway led by five, 15-10, at halftime.
Alex Merritt added 12 points in the victory.
Connor Brown led Kane with nine points.
ST. MARYS 59, BRADFORD 54
ST. MARYS, Pa. – An 18-8 second-quarter advantage helped St. Marys beat visiting Bradford, 59-54, in D9 League action.
The Dutch (7-9 overall, 2-4 D9 League) led 21-19 at the end of a quarter but got a pair of Quin Gavazzi 3-pointers and six Ben Paul points to open up a double-digit, 39-27, halftime lead.
Bradford (7-10, 1-5) clawed back into the game but couldn’t overcome the halftime deficit.
Paul led the Dutch with 16 points, Gavazzi, who hit four 3-pointers, added 14, and Matt Davis had 13.
Jake Franz paced Bradford with a game-high 18 points while Chase Winberg added 14 and Talan Reese 12.
CAMERON COUNTY 79, COUDERSPORT 59
EMPORIUM, Pa. – Josh Smith led a trio of Cameron County players in double digits with 28 points in a 79-59 win over visiting Coudersport.
Ryan Shaffer added 20 points in the victory for the Red Raiders (14-3 overall, 10-2 NTL), while Landon Farren chipped in with 12 points.
Reilly Streich paced Coudersport (9-9, 8-5) with 20 points, Mason Roessner added 16 points, and Drew VanWhy had 14.
GALETON 62, SMETHPORT 47
SMETHPORT, Pa. – Braiden Cimino had 18 points to lead Galeton to a 62-47 road NTL win over Smethport.
John Martin added 14 points and Corey Anderson 12 for the Tigers (7-9 overall, 6-6 NTL), who kept their hopes at an NTL playoff berth alive with the victory.
Jack Sherry led Smethport (2-17, 1-13) with 13 points with Carson Dunn adding 12.
PORT ALLEGANY 60, OSWAYO VALLEY 23
PORT ALLEGANY, Pa. – Jake Causer and Jarrod Funk combined to score 31 points to help Port Allegany all but wrapped up a spot in the inaugural NTL playoffs with a 60-23 win over visiting Oswayo Valley.
Causer scored 16 points and Funk 15 for the Gators (10-7 overall, 9-4 NTL), who hold a two-game lead over fifth-place Galeton in the race for the top four with three games to play in league play, including with the Tigers Feb. 9.
Dawson Welch scored six points for Oswayo Valley (2-13, 2-11).
JOHNSONBURG 56, NORTHERN POTTER 24
ULYSSES, Pa. – Isaiah Jackson scored 15 points to help visiting Johnsonburg to a 56-24 win at Northern Potter, in a rare non-conference matchup between the schools.
Eli Perez added 11 points for the Rams (11-6).
Ty Daniels led Northern Potter (7-11) with seven points.
MONITEAU 65, LAUREL 54
NEW CASTLE, Pa. – Three different players each scored 14 points to help visiting Moniteau to a 65-54 road win over Laurel.
David Dessicino had a double-double for the Warriors (9-8) with 14 points and 12 rebounds while Chason Rugg and Landon Kelly also scored 14 points apiece.
Andrew Zepeda chipped in 13 points and seven assists in the win.
Luca Santini had a game-high 17 points for Laurel (2-16).
MT. UNION 53, CURWENSVILLE 46
MOUNT UNION, Pa. – Down by three going to the fourth quarter, Mount Union rallied past visiting Curwensville, 53-46.
The Trojans (5-12) trailed 35-32 going to the fourth quarter but George Bilger scored eight of his 15 points in the fourth quarter to lead the comeback.
Bryce Danish also scored 15 points for Mount Union.
Davis Fleming had a game-high 22 points for Curwensville (9-7).
CENTRAL-MARTINSBURG 45, CLEARFIELD 38
MARTINSBURG, Pa. – Going 9 of 10 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter, Central-Martinsburg held off Clearfield, 46-38, in LHAC East action in Martinsburg.
The Dragons (16-3 overall, 11-1 LHAC East) led 35-30 going to the fourth quarter before Clearfield (4-13, 2-9) closed within two. But the great work at the charity shot secured the win for Central.
Eli Muthler led the Dragons with 17 points with Hunter Smith adding 11.
Parker Collins paced Clearfield with 12 points, and Braison Patrick had 11.
