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By Ron Musselman
For The Mirror
HOLLIDAYSBURG -- Bella Vent is one of three seniors on the Hollidaysburg girls basketball team.
The 5-foot-6 guard and IUP recruit also is one of the team's best playmakers.
Vent was at her best Monday night, scoring 24 points and collecting 12 steals in a 59-33 Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference victory over visiting Bellwood-Antis.
The win was the 14th in a row for the Lady Tigers (16-1, 14-0 LHAC) and their second against the Lady Blue Devils (8-9, 7-7) this season.
"Our ball pressure was really good in the first half and it allowed us to get a number of layups," Hollidaysburg coach Deanna Jubeck said. "Bella did the things we expect Bella to do, and she had a lot of people helping her out."
Vent scored 16 points in the first half, with most of her seven baskets coming off steals that led to easy layups. She added a pair of free throws.
The Lady Tigers went on a 24-0 run early in the second quarter to stretch their lead to 43-11 at halftime.
"We're a fast defensive team and we figured we could get some points off steals," Vent said. "It was one of my better games this year, I think so. I definitely am happy with where we are, but I think there's definitely room to improve."
Bellwood-Antis coach Kyley Longo, a Hollidaysburg alum, said her team had trouble matching up against the Lady Tigers' press and quick guards in the opening 16 minutes.
The Lady Blue Devils, who have dropped five of their past six games, managed just four baskets on 15 shots in the first half.
"(Hollidaysburg is) pesky as all get-out," Longo said. "Their guards feed off each other really well. I think (Makenna) Weimert jumps passing lanes as well as anyone in the state. Vent obviously does, too.
"(Lauren) Stevenson's a great on-ball defender. And Alissa Heim gets cleanup points for them on the weak side. The first half, they had us completely rattled with their ball pressure. Hollidaysburg is playing great basketball."
Weimert, a 5-10 junior, also had a hot hand in the first half for the Lady Tigers, when she scored 12 of her 13 points.
Hollidaysburg has netted at least 50 points in all of its wins.
"We have had pretty balanced scoring most of the year," Jubeck said. "We've been playing some pretty good basketball for the most part."
With a running clock to start the second half, Bellwood-Antis played much better.
Senior guard Leigha Clapper scored all 10 of her points in the final two quarters as the Lady Blue Devils outscored the Lady Tigers, 22-16.
"I think if we played with effort like we did in the third (quarter), it's a totally different first half," Longo said. "We had a much better flow and we looked to attack in the second half."
Vent said the Lady Tigers want to finish strong in LHAC play and then carry that momentum into the playoffs.
"It's my senior year," she said. "I'm hoping we can go farther than we have been before in the playoffs."
Hollidaysburg is at Bellefonte Wednesday, while B-A travels to Central.
BELLWOOD-ANTIS (33): Clapper 4 1-4 10, Norton 3 0-2 6, Gerwert 3 0-0 6, Sloey 1 2-2 4, Sweigert 3 1-1 7, Turek 0 0-0 0, Waite 0 0-0 0, Campbell 0 0-0 0, Plummer 0 0-0 0, McNelis 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 14 4-9 3.
HOLLIDAYSBURG (59): Stevenson 3 0-0 7, Vent 11 2-2 24, Padamonsky 2 0-0 4, Weimert 5 2-4 13, Heim 1 1-2 5, Sidney 1 0-0 2, Lear 0 0 0-0 0, Bailey 0 0-0 0, Steiner 2 0-0 4, Gearhart 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 26 5-8 59.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Bellwood-Antis 6 5 12 10 -- 33
Hollidaysburg 19 24 6 11 -- 59
3-point goals: Bellwood-Antis 1 (Clapper); Hollidaysburg 2 (Stevenson, Weimert).
Records: Bellwood-Antis (8-9, 7-7 LHAC); Hollidaysburg (16-1, 14-0 LHAC).
Officials: Chuck Glasser, John Nepsha, Chris Garritano.
JV: No game.