Basketball

Seniors spark Tigers to victory over Carroll

HOLLIDAYSBURG -- Hollidaysburg's eight seniors weren't about to let Bishop Carroll Catholic spoil their senior night festivities.

Cole Walters scored 17 points, Jonathan Holsopple contributed a double-double with a season-high 14 points and 13 rebounds and Jake Hileman added 12 points as the Golden Tigers rolled to a 65-54 victory Friday night in a Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference game.

Overall, seniors scored all but seven of Hollidaysburg's points as the Tigers stretched their winning streak to five games.

"It was a good win for us and a good night for me and the rest of the seniors," Holsopple said.

Walters, a 6-foot guard, scored nine points in the opening quarter as the Tigers forged an 18-14 lead, then added eight more in the third as they built a 50-33 cushion on their home floor. He accounted for three of his team's five 3-pointers.

"We were pushing the ball in transition and that was our main focus because they ran that press and we didn't want them to slow us down," Walters said. "We got a lot of good looks, and so did I."

Holsopple, a 6-5 center, scored 10 of his points in the opening half while dominating against the Huskies' much smaller lineup.

"We knew coming in we had a huge size advantage," Hollidaysburg coach Brad Lear said. "We didn't really run anything special for Jon, but we had him slip down on a few plays to the post and they didn't really have an answer for him.

"He's such a great team player. He works his butt off and does anything we ask of him. He's the third and last Holsopple that has played for me and they have all been really solid players and fine young men."

The Tigers (14-4) led by as many as 21 points in the fourth quarter at 61-40 with a little under four minutes to play.

But the Huskies went on a 14-2 run over the next three-plus minutes, thanks to three 3-point field goals by Jace Casses to pull within nine with 20.7 seconds left. Hileman's two free throws a short time later set the final score.

Casses led the Huskies (10-8) with a game-high 20 points, while Luke Repko added 14. Bishop Carroll had just eight two-point field goals but 10 3-pointers.

Walters, Holsopple and Hileman were honored with the other seniors -- Mason Goodman, Leyton Weimert, Conner Kirsch, Carson Rhodes and Jacob Snyder -- before the game on the court. Manager Victoria Batzel also was recognized.

"Each and every one of our seniors means so much to us and to the program," Lear said. "They've all been a very big crucial part of my life for four years and for this school and we really appreciate their effort, even though we still have more basketball to play."

Hollidaysburg travels to Central Cambria Tuesday, while Bishop Carroll is at Bedford Wednesday.

BISHOP CARROLL (54): Casses 7 2-2 20, Repko 4 4-8 14, Tremel 2 1-2 5, Oravec 2 0-0 6, Alexander 2 0-0 6, Sekerak 0 1-2 1, Becquet 1 0-0 2. Totals -- 18 8-14 54.

HOLLIDAYSBURG (65): Goodman 2 0-1 5, Hileman 5 2-2 12, Weimert 2 0-0 4, Walters 6 2-2 17, Holsopple 7 0-0 14, Metzger 1 4-4 7, Snyder 0 0-2 0, Albarano 0 0-0 0, Rhodes 1 4-6 6, Steiner 0 0-0 0, Kirsch 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 24 12-17 65.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Bishop Carroll 14 11 8 21 -- 54

Hollidaysburg 18 14 18 15 -- 65

3-point field goals: Bishop Carroll 10 (Casses 4, Repko 2, Oravec 2, Tremel 2), Hollidaysburg 5 (Walters 3, Metzger, Goodman).

Records: Bishop Carroll (10-8), Hollidaysburg (14-4).

Officials: Rich Gergely, Cliff Kitner, James Racchini.

JV: Hollidaysburg, 64-40. High scorer: Zimmerman, H, 21, McCluskey, BC, 10.