HOLLIDAYSBURG — Chalk up Tuesday night’s game against Williamsport as one that might help the Hollidaysburg boys down the road in the postseason.

The Tigers got out to a 16-point lead in the first half, just to see it disappear by halftime with the Millionaires actually leading for a brief moment.

Hollidaysburg also led by 10 in the third quarter, but had to hold on for a 59-58 victory over Williamsport to improve its winning streak to seven games.

“That’s the first time we’ve been up by 16 points and we didn’t put a team away,” Hollidaysburg coach Brad Lear said. “(Williamsport) Coach (Allen Taylor) has been doing this for a long time. It’s not his first rodeo. He does a really good job with them, and they just fought their way back in it.

“For a while, we were just kind of stuck in quicksand. It was a good character test for us to be able to win that one.”

Williamsport (6-7) led in the fourth quarter after making the first basket of the period, and the game was also tied with under three minutes to play. The Millionaires weren’t able to pick up a key basket to get them over the hump.

“It’s always a tough loss when you lose by one,” Taylor said. “We take care of the things we can control, and we have a much more favorable outcome. We had too many turnovers against no pressure. Too many self-inflicted wounds.”

For Williamsport to even have a chance at the end was impressive. Hollidaysburg led 25-9 at the midway point of the second quarter, but Williamsport responded with an 18-0 run before it was snapped on a Kasen Metzger 3-pointer.

“This is a young, inexperienced team. For those guys to show that type of resilience and that type of fight and grit, I’m proud of that,” Taylor said. “But we’re not looking for any moral victories. We just have to learn from past mistakes.”

Metzger hit another from long distance to end the first half, giving Hollidaysburg a 31-29 lead at halftime.

Once again, Hollidaysburg built a double-digit lead in the third quarter with Vince Albarano being the catalyst with eight points in the period. Still, the Millionaires chipped away at the lead with a Quincy Williams last-second basket making it 47-46 Hollidaysburg.

Williamsport’s Tevin Williams had a 3-point play to go up 51-47 with 6:14 to play in the game.

Hollidaysburg chipped away at Williamsport’s advantage until Metzger was fouled on his way up to the basket with 2:56 to play. The ensuing free throw tied the game at 55.

A pair of Albarano free throws with 2:37 to play gave the Tigers the lead back.

With Hollidaysburg holding a 59-58 lead, the Tigers played a game of keep-away from the Millionaires before they were hit with a traveling call with 22 seconds to play.

Hollidaysburg got the stop it needed on the defensive end. Ben Zimmerman was sent to the free throw line with one second remaining on the clock. He missed both, but a last-second prayer to the basket fell well short.

Albarano led Hollidaysburg with 23 points on the night. Metzger and JJ Stultz both added 13 points apiece.

“In those type of situations, you have to come together as a team and play as one, and that’s what we did,” Albarano said.

“I thought it was a testament to our kids to come back,” Lear said. “We normally don’t put anyone in the bonus because we pride ourselves in being able to play without fouling. Tonight we just fouled too many times and put them on the line, and that got us out of our flow.”

Tevin Williams had 20 points to pace Williamsport.

Hollidaysburg travels to Johnstown on Friday night.

WILLIAMSPORT (58): Lowe 2 1-2 6, Q. Williams 2 0-0 4, T. Williams 7 6-7 20, Chilson 3 2-2 10, Ulmer 2 0-0 4, Overton 2 1-1 5, Gaston 3 3-3 9, Sweeting 0 0-0 0. Totals — 21 13-15 58.

HOLLIDAYSBURG (59): Albarano 6 7-8 23, Stultz 5 0-0 13, Delerme 1 0-0 3, Metzger 3 5-5 13, Zimmerman 2 0-2 4, Frazier 0 0-0 0, Wolfe 1 0-0 3, Padamonsky 0 0-0 0. Totals — 18 12-15 59.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Williamsport 9 20 17 12 — 58

Hollidaysburg 18 13 16 12 — 59

3-point goals: Williamsport 3 (Lowe, Chilson 2); Hollidaysburg 11 (Albarano 4, Stultz 3, Delerme, Metzger 2, Wolfe).

Records: Williamsport (6-7); Hollidaysburg (9-2).

JV: Hollidaysburg, 55-40. High scorers–Gaston, W, 12; Frazier, H, 16.

Officials: Damon Rickens, Sean Albright, Mike Andrews.