HOLLIDAYSBURG - A lot of teams would be in dire straits with their two starting forwards on the bench in early foul trouble. For the Hollidaysburg girls basketball team, it was just a momentary blip on the radar, and then it was gone.
When Morgan Griffith and Courteney Storm each picked up two fouls in the first quarter, Susie Ellis and Morgan Jennings picked up the slack and then some.
The two combined for 35 points off the bench to lead the Lady Tigers past Baltimore's Bryn Mawr, 74-36, Thursday in the first round of the 2012 Golden Tiger Roundball Classic.
"When they got in foul trouble that made us really nervous because they do such a great job cleaning up the paint and make it easier for our guards to score," Hollidaysburg coach Deanna Jubeck said. "Morgan Jennings and Susie Ellis came in and really picked up the scoring. Susie from the outside, and Morgan from both inside and outside."
Trailing 16-14 late in the first quarter, Hollidaysburg ripped off 27 of the next 30 points to blow the game open by halftime. Ellis and Jennings accounted for 18 of those points.
"We rely on Griff [Morgan Griffith]. She's our best player," Jennings said. "I just told myself that it's time to step it up and let her know that I have her back when she gets in trouble."
Fact Box
Golden Tiger Roundball Classic
TODAY
BOYS
at Hollidaysburg
Consolation: Bishop McCort vs. Erie McDowell, 4:30
Championship: Hollidaysburg vs. Brooklyn (N.Y.) Transit Tech, 7:30
GIRLS
at Hollidaysburg
Consolation: Erie McDowell vs. Baltimore Bryn Mawr, 3
Championship: Forest Hills vs. Hollidaysburg, 6
Storm started the Lady Tiger surge late in the first quarter with a jump shot from just inside the top of the key and pair of free throws before getting her second foul.
Ellis entered the game and picked up right where Storm left off, sinking a 3-pointer from the top of the key and scoring on a driving layup that gave Hollidaysburg a 23-16 lead at the end of the opening quarter.
Jennings recorded seven of Hollidaysburg's next nine points, showing her ability to score from almost anywhere on the court. The 6-foot junior hit a 3-pointer to open the second quarter, scored on a jump shot from the right elbow, and put in a layup off a lob pass from Hannah Mercer.
Ellis immediately followed with back-to-back 3-pointers, and when Ashley McClain sank a trey from the corner, Hollidaysburg was ahead 41-19. The Lady Tigers took a 51-25 advantage to halftime and led 72-31 at the end of the third quarter.
"Things were going well for us early. We're in the game, and two of their stronger players are on the bench with early fouls," Bryn Mawr coach Mimi Walters said.
"We did not react on defense that was the key. They have a lot of players that can hurt you in many different ways. I was really happy how we came out ready to play, matching up with them, but then the bottom fell out."
The sharp-shooting Ellis finished with five 3-pointers on her way to a game high 19 points, and Jennings had 16 points. Despite the early foul problems, Griffith and Storm also scored in double digits with 11 apiece.
Madeline Crowell and Zoe Zawisa led the Lady Mawrtians with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Earlier Thursday, Forest Hills beat McDowell on the other side of the girls bracket, 58-44.
The Lady Tigers play Forest Hills 6 p.m. this evening in the girls championship game. Bryn Mawr and McDowell play in the consolation game at 3 p.m.
In the boys bracket, Hollidaysburg plays Transit Tech in the tournament finale tonight at 7:30 p.m. Hollidaysburg defeated Bishop McCort Wednesday to advance to the championship game, and Transit Tech came from behind to knock off McDowell in overtime Thursday.
McDowell and Bishop McCort play in the boys consy game today at 4:30 p.m.
BRYN MAWR (36): Groenke 2 1-2 5, Snouffer 2 0-0 5, Crowell 4 2-4 11, Zawisa 3 2-4 10, Greene 2 0-0 4, Philippou 0 1-2 1, Danko 0 0-0 0, Carroll 0 0-0 0, Aaronson 0 0-0 0, Bayer 0 0-0 0, Johnson 0 0-0 0. Totals - .
HOLLIDAYSBURG (74): Servello 3 0-0 6, Storm 3 4-6 11, Muir 0 0-0 0, Mercer 1 1-2 3, Griffith 3 5-5 11, Jennings 7 1-4 16, S. Ellis 7 0-0 19, McClain 1 1-2 4, Tomassetti 0 0-0 0, Palfey 1 0-0 2, Kirsch 1 0-0 2, Hurliman 0 0-0 0, C. Ellis 0 0-0 0, Davis 0 0-0 0, Scheel 0 0-0 0, Haupt 0 0-0 0, Stitt 0 0-0 0. Totals - 27 12-19 74.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Bryn Mawr 16 9 6 5 - 36
Hollidaysburg23 28 21 2 - 74
3-point goals: Bryn Mawr 4 (Zawisa 2, Crowell, Snouffer); Hollidaysburg 8 (Ellis 5, Storm, Jennings, McClain).
Records: Bryn Mawr (3-5); Hollidaysburg (5-0).
Officials: Dan Gale, Jeff Fisher, Kevin Lewis.
