Bishop Guilfoyle Academy beats Altoona in Blair YMCA boys basketball final
HOLLIDAYSBURG -- Bishop Guilfoyle Academy graduated three starters from its District 6 Class 3A championship team that made it to the PIAA semifinals last season, but the Marauders team that dismantled Altoona in the Blair Regional YMCA boys title game Monday night looked more than capable of repeating that feat in 2027.
Incoming senior Grant Okonak led the way with 26 points as Bishop Guilfoyle cruised to a 57-39 victory.
"We have been working our butts off every single day this summer," Okonak said. "We come into open gym every day and compete with each other. Most of us play travel (ball) together, so we have a great connection and know how to play basketball through each other. We know each other's strengths and work with them."
The Marauders outscored Altoona in each of the first three quarters before they pulled their starters with two minutes to play and the Lions scored the final 10 points of the game.
"We have had a pretty good summer and done a lot of travel and played some really high quality teams," Bishop Guilfoyle coach Ryan Lestochi said. "This group, they have played a lot of games together since they have been young. So there's a lot of cohesion with this group. They really play for each other and are very unselfish."
Connor Okonak, who made three of BG's 10 3-pointers, was the only other player to reach double figures with 12 points, but Lestochi expects that to change when the regular season begins.
"Typically, we have been a team that will have four or five guys in double digits," Lestochi said. "I think we're going to be the same way this year. We have a lot of guys who can score the ball. We might be a better shooting team all around than we have been in the past. We need our seniors to step up and take some leadership roles. We need Alex Krimmel taking another step forward in his game. There will be some new players with Tyler Lightner playing some minutes, Elias Baker and Landon Shellenberger -- kids that don't have much varsity experience that are going to get their chance to show what they can do."
Lightner, who scored six points on Monday, is also someone who has caught Grant Okonak's eye this summer.
"Tyler Lightner is going to be big this year," Grant Okonak said. "He's grown this summer and is more confident with the ball. He's way better at ball handling. Obviously Alex is improving his shooting and working on his inside game. Connor, my brother, is doing really well and working on his inside game and we've got Troy (Ruggery) who you can always depend on."
Bishop Guilfoyle led just 12-7 after one quarter but pulled away in the second.
"I didn't like how we started. We were a little passive to start," Lestochi said. "Once we got into the rhythm of the game and started playing aggressive and fast, I was happy with that. For us, that's where everything starts -- the defensive end. These kids know if you don't guard, you don't play here."
The Marauders had knocked off top-seeded Central to make the championship game, and Altoona upset Hollidaysburg. Lions coach Doug Pfeffer felt the team that played Monday's championship game did not look much like the one that won in the semifinals.
"We shot the ball better," Pfeffer said. "Today we missed, I thought, some easy shots for us, shots we usually make. Give BG credit, they knocked down open shots. We had open shots and didn't make them. Some of that has to do with defense. BG played really good defense against us. But, I think having confidence and not letting one or two missed shots change your game is something we need to work on."
Cody Chathams and Lucas Helsel led Altoona with eight points each. Kayden Gergley added seven points.
"We have had a pretty good summer," Pfeffer said. "The kids have been working hard, putting time in. We just need consistency. We're not a very consistent team right now. From game to game, it's tough to know which team is going to show up for us. The effort is always there, but the execution has not always been there. That's what summer leagues are for. We're going to stress what we need to work on and be in the gym tomorrow working on the things that need improvement."
ALTOONA (39): Pfeffer 1 0-0 2, Bush 1 0-0 3, Curry 2 0-0 4, Chathams 3 0-0 8, McCloskey 1 0-0 2, Gergley 3 0-0 7, Crawford 0 0-0 0, Helsel 3 1-1 8, Caldwell 0 0-0 0, Fennessy 1 0-0 2, Kessinger 1 0-0 3. Totals -- 16 1-1 39.
BISHOP GUILFOYLE (57): Krimmel 1 2-2 4, G. Okonak 11 0-0 26, C. Okonak 3 3-3 12, Lightner 2 0-0 6, Ruggery 3 0-0 6, Baker 1 0-0 3, Misiura 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 21 5-5 57.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Altoona 7 7 8 17 -- 39
Bishop Guilfoyle 12 16 18 11 -- 57
3-point goals: Altoona 6 (Chathams 2, Bush, Gergley, Helsel, Kessinger); Bishop Guilfoyle 10 (G. Okonak 4, C. Okonak 3, Lightner 2, Baker).
Officials: Sarah Fye, Wally Reimer, Ethan Vipond.