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By Matt Michelone
For the Mirror
JOHNSTOWN -- Depending on how the bracket falls, it's possible that next weekend both Hollidaysburg and Johnstown could meet with their season on the line in the District 6 Class 5A playoffs. Both teams were sitting in the top two spots at the points deadline.
Thursday night, though, both teams were meeting for a chance to grab Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference supremacy, and it was the Trojans who had almost everything go right from the opening tip.
After a back-and-forth start to the game, Johnstown went on a 14-5 run and never looked back as it pummeled the Golden Tigers, 81-58, at Doc Stofko Gymnasium.
"You can't simulate that kind of pressure and that kind of speed on offense," Hollidaysburg coach Brad Lear said. "Our kids really battled. We always are on them about finishing strong. Our conversation we had at the end of the third quarter was our plan is to see them again, so pick up something. Learn something out here that you can take if we're fortunate enough to make it to the district title game."
Much of that damage was powered by Donte Tisinger, who set the tone early with a layup. He scored 12 of his game-high 34 points in the opening frame.
Amire Robinson added on as he drained a putback to help put the Trojans up 26-12 after the opening frame. Robinson finished with 29.
"We're a selfless team," Johnstown coach Ryan Durham said. "Our guys recognized right off the bat that Amire and Donte had it going. We passed up some open ones to get them some good looks and they were just on. That's just a good team, good teammates and just understanding this guy's got it going, let's feed him the basketball."
Hollidaysburg did find some offensive groove early in the second. Vince Albarano knocked down a turnaround jumper with about six minutes left in the half. Kasen Metzger scored 10 of his 15 in the frame for the Golden Tigers.
The turnover game, however, came back to bite the Tigers, as Robinson put away a lay-in off a take away, which helped give the home team a 46-26 lead at the break.
"Pressure is our staple and I think to play against us you've got to have basketball players who can make plays under duress," Durham said. "At times in the second half they were able to do that, credit to them. But in the first half, I thought we just dictated the game right from the beginning."
In the third quarter, Johnstown sustained the momentum as Messiah Armstrong buried a 3-pointer as he scored eight points, giving the Trojans a 63-42 lead after three.
"The press that they ran was not what was bothering us," Lear said. "It was like when we would pick the ball up and they would deny the other players, then we would throw it away. There were three possessions, unfortunately they were in a row, where we didn't execute our press break.
"When we did execute it, we got the ball to the middle, kicked out, wide open three," Lear said. "It became like you look up and you're down 10, then you foul, they make a three-point play, now you're down 13, we turn it over, now we're down 16."
Brady Steiner scored 10 in the third quarter to lead the Golden Tigers. He finished with 18. Jay Albarano chipped in with 11.
Lear is proud of how his team has grown so far after only returning three letterwinners and clinching a spot in the LHAC playoff. But, he knows even greater rewards are still possible.
"Most people thought we'd win 10 games, no one thought we would be here after what we lost (players) especially last year," he said. "There was no one penciling us in to be in the LHAC playoffs, let alone playing in a district championship game."
The Trojans will meet Bishop Guilfoyle Academy again for the LHAC title tonight at 7 p.m. at Penn State Altoona's Adler Arena.
HOLLIDAYSBURG (58): Steiner 7 0-0 18, Metzger 6 1-2 15, Zimmerman 3 0-0 6, J. Albarano 4 1-2 11, V. Albarano 3 2-2 8, Wolfe 0 0-0 0, Delerme 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 23 4-6 58.
JOHNSTOWN (81): Robinson 14 1-3 29, Tisinger 14 5-8 34, Armstrong 3 0-0 8, Alberter 2 0-0 6, Braswell 0 2-2 2, Ashcom 0 0-0 0, Carr 1 0-0 2. Totals -- 34 8-11 81.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Hollidaysburg 12 14 17 15 - 58
Johnstown 26 20 17 18 - 81
3-point field goals: Hollidaysburg 8 (Steiner 4, Metzger 2, J. Albarano 2), Johnstown 5 (Tisinger, Armstrong 2, Alberter 2)
Records: Hollidaysburg (20-3), Johnstown (22-0).