HOLLIDAYSBURG - The Hollidaysburg boys basketball team has been in every game its played so far this season, but late turnovers have proven costly for the Golden Tigers.
That was the case again Friday as Brashear dropped Hollidaysburg to 1-3 with a 42-36 win at the HAHS gym.
"Crucial turnovers have buried us in the first four games," Hollidaysburg coach Mick Pentoney said. "We were in a position to win against Altoona and Central Catholic. We just need to take care of the ball and execute. It's a learning process."
With a little over a minute to play and the scored tied 36-36, Davon Taylor sank a runner in the lane to give the Bulls the lead.
Moments later, Deyshawn Martin made a steal near midcourt and was fouled going in for a slam dunk. Kaleb Springer was called for an intentional foul, giving Brashear two free throws plus possession of the basketball.
Martin made one of the foul shots with 1:05 to play, and Mike Williams hit two more free throws on the ensuing possession to seal the win.
Martin dominated the paint for the Bulls, finishing with a triple-double. The 6-foot-7 center scored 15 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and blocked 11 shots.
"Number 23 [Martin] got between our ears. It just consumed everybody," Pentoney said. "We became more hesitant going to the rim, which left us shooting pullup jumper and 3-pointer, and we couldn't make any of those."
Eric Miller and Zach Ottaway led Hollidaysburg with 12 points each.
Miller and Brian Urban had some success getting to the basket early on against Brashear's man defense, but a switch to a zone putting Martin in the center of the lane at all times ended that.
"Deyshawn really bothered them. His blocks get us going," Brashear coach Carey White said. "They were beating us off the dribble, using high screens to create movement and getting easy looks. It would have been a long night if that continued."
Tied 14-14 at the end of one quarter, Hollidaysburg scored the first seven points of the second quarter.
Zach Ottaway opened the quarter with a bucket, and Miller followed with a steal that he turned into a layup for another two points. Nick Consiglio sank a 3-pointer that gave the Golden Tigers a 21-14 lead.
Those were the last points Hollidaysburg would scored until the five-minute mark of the third quarter. Brashear put together a 12-0 run to close out the half with a 26-21 lead.
Hollidaysburg got its offense back on track somewhat midway through the third quarter.
After Urban made two free throws, Miller put in a layup off a pass from Colton Ruggery.
Urban then hit an off balance runner from just inside the free throw line that pulled Hollidaysburg within a point, and an Ottaway hook shot over Martin gave the Golden Tigers a 31-30 lead late in the quarter.
Brashear quickly reclaimed the lead with a pair of buckets. Martin slammed home an alley oop pass from Taylor. Taylor then stole the inbounds pass and made a layup over Urban.
Ottaway tied the game 36-36 with two free throws at the 4:28 mark of the fourth quarter, but those were the last points Hollidaysburg would score.
BRASHEAR (42): Lagnese 0 0-0 0, Taylor 5 0-1 11, Molinaro 1 0-0 3, Martin 4 7-14 15, Faulk 1 0-0 2, Williams 1 2-2 4, Altieri 0 0-0 0, Petite 0 3-4 3, Smith 1 0-0 2. Totals - 13 14-23 42.
HOLLIDAYSBURG (36): Miller 4 4-6 12, Urban 2 2-3 6, Viduya 0 0-1 0, Ottaway 5 2-2 12, Springer 0 3-4 3, Mason 0 0-0 0, Consiglio 1 0-0 3, Ruggery 0 0-0 0, Holsopple 0 0-0 0. Totals - 12 11-16 36.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Brashear14 12 8 8 - 42
Hollidaysburg14 7 10 5 - 36
3-point goals: Breashear 2 (Taylor, Molinaro); Hollidaysburg 1 (Consiglio).
Records: Brashear (3-1); Hollidaysburg (1-3).
Officials: Dan Gale, Mike Conrad, Justin Frear.
