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By Michael Boytim
mboytim@altoonamirror.com
EBENSBURG -- Thirteen of Bishop Guilfoyle Academy's first 14 baskets were layups Wednesday evening against Central Cambria.
Unfortunately for the Red Devils, things didn't get much tougher for the Marauders the rest of the game in a 78-58 win.
"The No. 1 thing we wanted to do coming into this season was learn how to play with more pace," Bishop Guilfoyle coach Ryan Lestochi said. "We wanted to really get up and down the court, because we have a lot of great athletes. We pushed the pace tonight, and I still think we can be even faster."
Even when Central Cambria made a basket, BG still often beat the Devils down the court for a layup -- and it wasn't just one player.
Tyson Lestochi had 14 of his 18 points in the first half, Taurean Consiglio scored a game-high 19 points and Troy Ruggery and Nick Foor each added 10 points.
"It was our game plan to attack the hoop tonight, and I thought we really executed that well," Lestochi said. "All year, we've had pretty balanced scoring. We have had three, four or five guys in double figures. Tonight we had four. It was a great effort."
After trailing by 16 following the first quarter, Central Cambria got back within nine points on back-to-back layups from Gabe Burkett and Grady Snyder, but Lestochi responded with two fastbreak layups to balloon the lead back to 34-21.
"We talked about slowing them down in transition," Central Cambria coach Adam Stephan said. "We knew they liked to get out and were really good off the dribble. We didn't do a very good job of that, especially in the first half. We did a little better in the second quarter, but then they started getting to the rim and we weren't closing out correctly. They are a very quick and solid team. You can't give up easy buckets like we did in the first half."
Brayden Swope led the Red Devils with 17 points. Burkett added 12 points and Snyder had 10 points before fouling out with 6:31 to play.
Central Cambria fell to 6-5 and has some impressive wins this season, but Stephan said the Devils will need to improve prior to the postseason.
"We have to get better defensively all the way around," Stephan said. "I think we have enough offensive firepower to play with anyone. The nights we are off a little defensively, we have these type of nights right here. They have to start playing together as a unit. If we do that, we'll be OK."
BISHOP GUILFOYLE (78): Lestochi 6 6-6 18, Consiglio 9 0-1 19, Ruggery 4 1-4 10, Foor 4 2-2 10, J. Kissell 3 2-2 9, G. Okonak 3 0-0 6, C. Kissell 0 1-2 1, Marasco 0 0-0 0, Nachtman 1 1-2 3, Reilly 0 0-0 0, Krimmel 0 0-0 0, Gioiosa 1 0-0 2, Cacciotti 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 31 13-19 78.
CENTRAL CAMBRIA (58): I. Bradley 0 2-2 2, Snyder 3 4-7 10, Brouse 3 3-4 9, Swope 7 2-3 17, Burkett 5 1-1 12, Barra 1 0-0 2, H. Bradley 1 0-0 3, Kutchman 0 0-0 0, Sinosky 1 0-0 3, McCloskey 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 21 12-17 58.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Bishop Guilfoyle 26 17 20 15 -- 78
Central Cambria 10 18 16 14 -- 58
3-point goals: Bishop Guilfoyle 3 (Consiglio, Ruggery, J. Kissell); Central Cambria 4 (Swope, Burkett, H. Bradley, Sinosky).
Records: Bishop Guilfoyle (7-3); Central Cambria (6-5).
Officials: Anthony Brezovec, Don Moss, Corey Theys.