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PATTON -- Cambria Heights assumed a 13-point lead with less than four minutes to go, and then held off a belated comeback bid to claim a 62-57 victory against Glendale in the first round of the Cambria Heights holiday basketball tournament on Thursday night at Cambria Heights High School.
The Highlanders will meet Heritage Conference rival West Shamokin in the tournament championship game this evening. Tonight's game figures to match teams with similar styles.
"They do have a style that is similar to us. We just have to eliminate turnovers, make sure we take care of the basketball," Cambria Heights coach Eric Nagel said. "That's what we have to do. We have to defend."
"I know coach (Eric Nagel), I know his program. It's a very prideful, defense-minded program. Both teams -- us and them -- pride ourselves on defense. If we can (avoid) turnovers and put some points up on the board, we're tough to beat. But it could be a grind," West Shamokin coach Judd McCullough said.
Cambria Heights struggled mightily against Glendale's press in the first four minutes. The Vikings rolled to a 9-0 lead before freshman Nolan Clawson hit the first of two free throws at the 3:34 mark.
"Nolan's going to be all right. The game is starting to slow down for him," Nagel said.
Clawson ignited a 12-1 run that carried the Highlanders to a 16-12 lead at the end of the first period. He did much more than that, however.
"We had a freshman in the game. And he played like a man tonight. And those are situations you want him in," Nagel said.
The Vikings made good on eight 3-point field goals and remained within four, 47-43, until Garrett Jasper and Clawson hit back-to-back hoops to push the Highlanders' lead to 51-43 at the end of the third period.
Baskets by Isaac Weiland, Ian Nagel and Clawson advanced the Highlanders' lead to 58-45.
Nagel and Jasper fouled out before the 4-minute mark, however.
Mason Eckenrode hit a pair of 3-pointers to highlight a 14-2 run that pulled the Vikings within 60-57.
"It was one of those things that kind of snowballed. We got up (by) 13. We weren't playing really good defense. They got to the foul line," Nagel said. "We turned it over a bit at the end."
"Our defense in the full court was pretty sound. We finally started to force them into spots thatthey didn't want to be in, and that we wanted them to be in," Glendale coach Gregg Mazenko said.
Joey Kitko led the Vikings (3-5) with 18 points. Rhylan Hopsick-Bell added 15 points, followed by Landen McGarvey (11).
"I was pleased with our effort. We just have to be a little smarter in those end-of-game situations, which we will, obviously, get better at as the season progresses. But for now, this one kind of stung a little bit," Mazenko said.
Stephen Nelen produced five steals to go with his eight points. Weiland added 13 points. West Shamokin (6-2) breezed to a 60-46 victory against Williamsburg in the tournament
opener. Alex Talmadge led the Wolves with 16 points. Braydyn Rodgers contributed 14 points.
"(We have to make sure) we don't let Alex and (Rodgers) get in a rhythm. That's what we have to do," Nagel said.
Logan Brantner led the Blue Pirates (4-3) with nine points.
GLENDALE (57): Eckenrode 2 2-2 8, Kitko 7 1-2 18, Frowner 0 0-0 0, Hamilton 2 1-3 5, McGarvey 1 9-10 11, Hoopsick-Bell 6 0-0 15, Myers 0 0-0 0, Smith 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 18 13-17 57.
CAMBRIA HEIGHTS (62): Abrams 3 2-4 9, Nelen 4 0-0 8, Weiland 5 2-3 13, Nagel 1 0-0 3, Jasper 3 1-2 7, Clawson 7 5-6 20, Baker 1 0-0 2. Totals -- 24 10-15 62.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Glendale 12 19 12 14 -- 57
Cambria Heights 16 22 13 11 -- 62
3-point goals: Glendale 8 (Kitko 3, Hoopsick-Bell 3, Eckenrode 2), Cambria Heights 4 (Abrams, Weiland, Nagel, Clawson).
Officials: Christopher Walter, Denny Detwiler, James Campbell.
Team records: Glendale (3-5), Cambria Heights (2-5).
WEST SHAMOKIN (60): Rodgers 6 0-1 14, Talmadge 6 2-2 16, Johns 4 0-0 9, Olinger 5 0-1 10, Barrett 1 0-0 2, Oeslerling 2 0-0 4, Klonoski 0 0-0 0, Marshall 0 0-0 0, Fowler 2 0-0 4, Harkenroad 0 1-2 1. Totals -- 26 3-6 60.
WILLIAMSBURG(46): Brumbaugh 2 4-4 8, Brantner 4 1-2 9, Parks 0 0-0 0, Reffner 3 2-2 8, Isenberg 1 0-0 3, Mock 0 2-4 2, Uplinger 3 0-0 8, Corl 0 0-0 0, Becker 0 0-0 0, Barroner 1 0-0 3, Harker 1 2-2 5. Totals -- 15 11-14 46.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
West Shamokin 17 21 11 8 -- 60
Williamsburg 9 9 7 21 -- 46
3-point goals: West Shamokin 5 (Rodgers 2, Talmadge 2, Johns); Williamsburg 5 (Uplinger 2, Isenberg, Barroner, Harker).
Records: West Shamokin (6-2); Williamsburg (4-3).