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By Ron Musselman
For The Mirror
HOLLIDAYSBURG -- The Hollidaysburg boys basketball got off to a fast start against Huntingdon Friday night and the Bearcats never recovered.
The red-hot Golden Tigers hit 11 of their first 17 shots, mostly from within close range of the basket, and sprinted to a 17-point lead after one quarter.
Huntington got to within 10 at halftime, but the Tigers kicked it into high gear once again in the second half and cruised to an 80-60 Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference victory.
Hollidaysburg (11-4, 9-3 LHAC) improved to 7-1 on its home floor this season, and has won five of its past seven games overall.
"We got off to a real good start in the first quarter and that was big," said senior forward Leyton Weimert, who came off the bench and led the Tigers with 16 points.
"I think we were getting a lot of easy shots in transition and making them, then getting back and playing good defense. That's the big reason we were up (26-9) after one quarter.
"Sharing the basketball was the key tonight, along with hitting the open shots."
The Tigers cooled off in the second quarter, connecting on only 7 of 19 shots. That allowed the Bearcats (6-8, 5-7 LHAC) to pull within 41-31 at the midway point.
"The second quarter was a little slower for us, but we started to pick it up after halftime and we played like we did in the first quarter,:" Weimert said. "I feel like we're playing more as a team and we're playing faster."
Sophomore Elliott Guisler converted a rebound into an easy layup 20 seconds into the third quarter, pulling the Bearcats to within eight points at 41-33, but they would get no closer.
Huntingdon has lost five in a row and seven of their past nine games.
Weimert was one of four Tigers to score in double figures, and netted 10 of his points in the second half. Seniors Mason Goodman and Cole Walters contributed 12 points each, and Jake Hileman added 10.
"This is the third different starting lineup we've used in the last three games and we had good balance with the scoring," Hollidaysburg coach Brad Lear said. "All the kids turned in a good effort."
Senior Jackson Foster led the Bearcats with a game-high 19 points, including 12 in the second half. He also hit three of his team's seven 3-point shots. Junior Ty Boyer added 16 points.
"We put full-court pressure on all night long," Lear said. "We want to get people's attention for all 32 minutes. To be able to put up 80 points, it's obvious we were very comfortable with what we were doing.
"I think early in the season that was kind of lacking. But everybody has bought into that style of play the past few weeks and we're playing harder than we were before."
Hollidaysburg returns to action Monday at Bellefonte.
HUNTINGDON (60): Foster 8 0-1 19, Boyer 5 5-8 16, Susko 2 0-0 4, Alexander 2 0-0 5, Guisler 3 2-2 7, Dell 2 0-0 5, Rutter 0 2-2 2, Norris 0 0-0 0, Moore 0 0-0 0, Joseph 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 22 9-12 60.
HOLLIDAYSBURG (80): Goodman 6 0-0 12, Hileman 5 0-3 10, Walters 4 2-5 12, Metzger 3 1-4 8, Steiner 2 2-2 8, Albarano 1 0-0 2, Rhodes 3 1-1 7, Weimert 6 4-6 16, Kirsch 1 1-2 3, Snyder 0 0-0 0, Holsopple 1 0-0 2, Wolfe 0 0-0 0, Sral 0 0-0 0, Allen 0 0-0 0, Zimmerman 1 0-0 2, Anderson 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 32 11-20 80.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Huntingdon 9 22 17 12 - 60
Hollidaysburg 26 15 24 15 - 80
3-point field goals: Huntingdon 7 (Foster 3, Boyer, Alexander, Dell, Guisler), Hollidaysburg 5 (Steiner 2, Walters 2, Metzger).
Records: Huntingdon (6-8, 5-7 LHAC), Hollidaysburg (11-4, 9-3 LHAC).
Officials: Brock Kaufman, John Sinclair, Anthony Brezovec.
JV: Hollidaysburg, 54-36. High scorer: Wolfe, H, 20 points.