By Jim Lane

For the Mirror

BELLWOOD — High school basketball is back, and so are the fans.

Long-time Blair County sports rivals Tyrone and Bellwood-Antis tipped off the new hoops season Friday night and the Golden Eagles posted a 59-50 non-league win before a big crowd at the B-A gym.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, games were played to near-empty gymnasiums last season and both coaches, George Gripp of Tyrone and Patrick Cassidy of Bellwood, were happy to see fans back in the seats.

Both teams were supported by student cheering sections as well as adult fans.

“It’s great,” said Cassidy. “That’s what high school sports are about. We don’t have many kids back with experience and I thought we played well.”

“It’s always a battle when you come here,” said Gripp, whose Golden Eagles started slowly, then built a big lead only to see B-A make a game of it in the fourth quarter. “It was good to see the fans back.”

Bellwood led 15-13 after one quarter and held a 17-14 advantage early in the second before Tyrone went on a 13-2 run to jump on top, 27-19, at the half. Cortlynd Rhoades led the Eagles with 11 first-half points.

Rhoades added eight more in the third quarter as Tyrone hiked its advantage to 50-32 .

There was no quit in Bellwood, though, as the Blue Devils, sparked by Sean Mallon’s 13 second-half points, pulled to within 54-47 late in the fourth. Mallon finished with19 points.

Tyrone held on though and David Lang scored the Eagles’ final five points to ice the win.

Rhoades finished with 19 for Tyrone and knocked down three 3-pointers along the way.

“It’s always tough here.” Rhoades said.

“No matter what, they (Bellwood) always make it tough here.”

Rhoades is one of the top players returning from Tyrone’s 17-3 team that won the Mountain League and the Eagles will be relying on his scoring this season.

“I practice shooting any time I can,” Rhoades said. “The off-season or regular season, I shoot whenever I can.”

It showed in Friday’s opener.

TYRONE (59): Rhoades 6 4-6 19, Gampe 4 0-0 8, Lang 5 3-6 14, Gwinn 6 2-6 14, LeGars 1 0-1 2, Ronan 0 0-0 0, Johnson 1 0-0 2, Crowell 00-0 0. Totals — 23 9-19 59.

BELLWOOD-ANTIS (50): Mallon 6 6-8 19, Miller 4 0-0 8, Beiswemger 3 1-2 8, Wagner2 2-2 7, Shanafelt 1 4-4 6, Pellegrine 1 0-0 2. Totals — 17 11-16 50.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Tyrone 13 14 23 9 — 59

Bellwood-Antis 15 4 13 18 — 50

3-point goals: Tyrone 4 (Rhoades 3, Lang); Bellwood-Antis 3 (Mallon, Beiswenger, Wagner).

Records: Tyrone (1-0); Bellwood-Antis (0-1).

JV: Tyrone, 60-28.