Cole Walters drives to the basket and gets a shot up as Trevor Rehm goes for the block.

By Matt Michelone

sports@altoonamirror.com

Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic and Hollidaysburg largely played a balanced first half Saturday night during the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference boys basketball matchup at the Jaffa Shrine.

However, the Marauders’ offense found its groove fast in the second half and didn’t let up as BG went on to run away with a 64-41 triumph over the Golden Tigers.

“They’re a good, talented team,” BG coach Ryan Lestochi said of the Tigers. “We knew they’d play us hard and tough. Our kids are finally starting to get our defensive concepts. The kids are a little more confident on where they’re supposed to be so they can just naturally react and make plays versus having to think.”

Trevor Rehm echoed his coach’s sentiment.

“We’ve adapted to him,” Rehm said. “Adapting to his plays helps us a lot. (Everything from) spacing on the floor, so we can create shots for our teammates and just moving the ball.”

The Marauder offense found its footing near the midway point of the first quarter as Jude Haigh scored on a dribble drive and Tyson Lestochi came up with a takeaway and a layup to give their team an 11-5 advantage.

Jon Holsopple, though, helped power a response as his drive to the bucket helped cut the deficit down to three at 13-10 through the opening quarter.

“I just told the kids (if) we just capsule that first half, two really good basketball teams playing a good half of mistake-free — for the most part — basketball, except for two of our possessions,” Hollidaysburg coach Brad Lear said.

The BG balance continued to be a problem in the second quarter as Taurean Consiglio drained a putback with around five minutes to go in the half.

Hollidaysburg did take the lead for a moment late in the first half, but that was snatched away as Troy Ruggery buried a 3-pointer to help the Marauders take a 26-22 advantage to the locker room.

Haigh exploded during the third as he drained a 3-ball on his way to soring 11 of his game-high 17 points. Lestochi later added a runner for two his 12 points.

Mason Goodman — who got into foul trouble while scoring a team-high 16 points — tacked on a 3 for the Tigers in the third, but it wasn’t enough to hold off the Marauder outburst.

Haigh later added a hook shot to make it 45-34 after three.

“He was hot there,” Lestochi said of Goodman’s shooting success. “Once he picked up foul trouble, he had to come off. If he’s not in foul trouble, who knows how that game plays out?”

Cole Walters also ended the night in double figures for the Tigers with 12 points.

In the fourth, Ruggery and Consiglio added a pair of 3s to help put the game away.

“In the second half, we just missed too many layups,” Lear said. “We ran four different sets for layups — three of them we missed — and the other we kicked out and a made a 3. You get to the situation as a coach, and you’re like ‘what we’re running is working, but we’re not finishing, so do we change and try something else?”

Game notes: It was another “I Can Cup” event in connection with Sideline Cancer. Through the combined efforts of Bishop Guilfoyle, Hollidaysburg and Penn Cambria, the organization is donating $2,500 to help Destiny Hite of Altoona. … BG will start a three-game road trip on Wednesday at Huntingdon, while Hollidaysburg returns home for two games starting with Tyrone on Tuesday.

HOLLIDAYSBURG (41): Goodman 5 2-2 16, Hileman 1 0-0 2, Weimert 1 0-0 2, Walters 4 2-4 12, Holspopple 3 1-2 7, Albarano 0 0-0 0, Rhodes 0 0-0 0, Steiner 1 0-0 2, Kissel 0 0-0 0, Metzger 0 0-0 0. Totals — 15 5-8 41.

BISHOP GUILFOYLE (64): Lestochi 5 0-0 12, Haigh 8 0-0 17, Rehm 4 0-0 8, Gates 0 0-0 0, Consiglio 4 0-0 9, C. Kissell 1 1-2 3, T. Ruggery 3 0-0 8, J. Kissell 2 0-0 4, Foor 0 0-0 0, K. Ruggery 1 0-0 3. Totals — 28 1-2 64.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Hollidaysburg 10 12 12 7 — 41

Bishop Guilfoyle 13 13 21 17 — 64

3-point field goals: Hollidaysburg 6 (Goodman 4, Walters 2), Bishop Guilfoyle 7 (Lestochi 2, Haigh, T. Ruggery 2, Consiglio, K. Ruggery).

Records: Hollidaysburg (9-4, 7-3 LHAC), Bishop Guilfoyle (10-2, 10-0 LHAC).

Officials: Clark Adelmann, Jack McDougal, Randy Burkett.

JV: Bishop Guilfoyle, 63-50. High scorers–Jake Marasco, BG, 18; Jason Hartsock, H, 12.