Basketball

BG upends Johnstown in final

Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic's boys basketball team has gone through some changes over the past year that could have broken some programs.

Saturday night at Penn State Altoona's Adler Arena, the Marauders made a statement that their goals and expectations are the same and they plan on bringing them to fruition.

Thanks to several clutch shots by Jude Haigh and tremendous defense in the paint from Trevor Rehm, Bishop Guilfoyle defeated Johnstown, 63-56, in the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference championship game.

"We set out goals at the beginning of the year," said first-year Bishop Guilfoyle coach Ryan Lestochi. "We wanted to win the Laurel Highlands regular season, we want the conference title, we want to win our district and we want to win states. We put that out to the team, and we're not going to shy away from it. That's what we want, and this is just another step toward that."

Lestochi was hired last May after former coach Chris Drenning and the school parted ways following last season's first-round exit in the PIAA playoffs.

Saturday's win and BG's undefeated run through the LHAC this regular season has cleared up any questions on how the team would respond.

"This means a lot. Coming into this season with a new coach, we weren't sure how well we would do this season," Rehm said. "To come out and win the Laurel Highlands (Athletic) Conference championship feels great."

Having a player with the shooting ability of Haigh certainly helps. With Johnstown focused on the junior three-year starter in the first half, Haigh got off only two shots and scored three points. But in the second half, he caught fire and finished with a game-high 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including a key 3-pointer with 2:41 left to expand BG's lead back to eight after the Trojans had trimmed a 15-point lead to five.

"Obviously he's going to be a focus," Johnstown coach Ryan Durham said. "He's a really good basketball player. That was our focus to make sure it was difficult on him. I think in the second half, we lost responsibility a little bit and he got some open looks and got going. It happens. That's what happens when two good teams play each other."

Haigh was happy with Saturday's win but said he's focused on a strong performance in the upcoming postseason.

"It's very important," Haigh said. "We have to stay together. Our chemistry has really come a long way since the summer. This team has been through a lot, and I'm proud of us."

One of the players who helped Bishop Guilfoyle build its 15-point lead was Taurean Consiglio, who finished with 13 points. His 3-pointer in the final seconds of the first half gave the Marauders a 30-22 advantage going into the locker room.

"Taurean was awesome," Lestochi said. "I tell him before every single game to be aggressive offensively. We feel like we have a lot of guys that can play and can score. When they try and take away one, we try and hit you with another. He was the guy tonight."

Consiglio's first half likely opened things up for Haigh in the second half as Johnstown was forced to key on him more than it did early in the game.

"He was very high on our scouting report," Durham said. "I think he's improved a lot. I think his ability to knock down open jump shots has drastically improved throughout the season, and we knew that. We gave him open shots, and it drove us crazy. He played really well and hit timely shots in the first half to keep us from pushing out to a little bit of a lead. The one he hit going into halftime was very big as well."

Just before Haigh's 3-pointer to all but seal the game, Johnstown's Jahmir Collins was whistled for a charge going to the basket after a steal.

"We got called for that charge in a five-point game," Durham said. "It was right under the basket, and those are deciding plays in the game. If we convert that and it's an and-one opportunity, it could have been a two-point game. It becomes a different game, but that's basketball."

Rehm finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and several blocks, and Jake Kissell added nine points off the bench for the Marauders, who will enter the District 6 Class 3A playoffs as the top seed later this week.

"We knew they would make runs," Lestochi said. "The first thing we talked about the first day we were together was mental toughness. We have been trying to instill mental toughness in this team for when we run into situations like this so it doesn't faze us and we're ready. Tonight we really showed that."

JOHNSTOWN (56): Collins 5 4-6 14, Tisinger 6 1-2 13, Dixon 6 1-3 13, Am. Robinson 3 1-2 9, R. Braswell 2 0-0 4, Alberter 1 0-0 3, Armstrong 0 0-0 0 . Totals -- 23 7-13 56.

BISHOP GUILFOYLE (63): Lestochi 3 0-0 6, Haigh 6 2-2 19, Tr. Rehm 5 1-3 12, Gates 1 0-0 2, Consiglio 5 0-0 13, J. Kissell 4 0-0 9, C. Kissell 1 0-0 2. Totals -- 25 3-5 63.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Johnstown 10 12 18 16 -- 56

Bishop Guilfoyle 11 19 20 13 -- 63

3-point goals: Johnstown 3 (Am. Robinson 2, Alberter); Bishop Guilfoyle 10 (Haigh 5, Consiglio 3, Tr. Rehm, J. Kissell).

Records: Johnstown (20-4); Bishop Guilfoyle (20-3).

Officials: Shawn Sinclair, Brock Kaufman, Anthony Brezovec.