HOLLIDAYSBURG — A week after losing Kasen Metzger to injury in a loss at Johnstown, the Hollidaysburg boys basketball team had to show it can embrace a next man up mentality.

After a little early turbulence their depth showed as they took control in the first quarter and never looked back as they went on to crush Bishop McCort Catholic, 66-39, in LHAC action at the Hollidaysburg High School gym.

Vince Albarano powered the offensive efforts as he scored a game-high 21 points.

“We have multiple kids that can step into a different role,” Hollidaysburg coach Brad Lear said. “Vince is Vince, he’s going to have the ball in his hands a lot of the game and on most of the nights he’s able to make some plays for other people and he’s able to set himself up for some shots.”

There is no timeline for Metzger’s return.

Albarano started sparking the offense in the first as he scored on a runner which helped set off a 13-4 run to end the first. Jayden Wolfe later added a 3-pointer to make it 15-6 Golden Tigers.

Hollidaysburg added on during the second as Wyatt Frazier got the and-1 opportunity with a little over four minutes left in the frame to make it 35-15 at the break.

“They came out, they pushed us around, they established their will,” Bishop McCort coach Chris Pfeil said. “We didn’t play very well. A lot of credit to them, they were prepared for us and they beat us in every facet of the game including coaching.”

Hollidaysburg kept Nick Dressick in check as he scored 10 points while Angello Gallucci led the Crushers with 16.

“Our goal is to try and hold them to single digit points in every quarter,” Lear said. We did in three out of the four. In the third, Dressick got loose us and (drained) a couple of 3s on us.

“We need to find a way to keep playing without fouling. We’re in the mode right now where we’re trying to press full court and playing up on people and not playing without using our hands.”

JJ Stultz helped put the icing on the cake in the fourth as he buried a 3-pointer on his way to scoring 14 points to close the game out.

“I thought in the first quarter and in the fourth quarter JJ really separated himself a little bit with two-foot finishes in and around the basket and getting to the rim,” Lear said. “When he drives and gets downhill, (along with) Stultz and Tyson (Delerme) they’re pretty hard to stop.”

Pfeil was impressed with how the Golden Tigers handled Metzger’s absence while extending best wishes for his return.

“He’s a great player,” he said. “We hope he gets back soon and hope he’s back for the playoffs. They have depth in those guys that stepped in their role tonight and they were hungry.”

BISHOP MCCORT (39): Laughard 1 0-0 2, Page 0 2-6 2, Dressick 4 0-1 10, Gallucci 7 1-3 16, Kovalchic 0 0-0 0, Forest 1 0-0 2, Taylor 3 0-0 6, Newcomer 0 1-2 1, West 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 4-12 39.

HOLLIDAYSBURG (66): Delerme 4 0-0 8, Stultz 5 1-1 14, Albarano 9 3-3 21, Zimmerman 2 0-0 4, Wolfe 2 1-1 5, Rhodes 2 0-0 6, Frazier 2 1-1 5, McDade 1 0-0 2, Steiner 0 0-0 0, Padamonsky 0 0-0 0, Sullivan 0 0-0 0, Wansley 0 0-0 0. Totals: 28 5-5 66.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Bishop McCort 6 9 16 8 – 39

Hollidaysburg 15 20 14 17 – 66

3-point field goals: Bishop McCort 2 (Gallucci 2), Hollidaysburg 5 (Stultz, Rhodes 2, Wolfe 2)

Records: Bishop McCort (10-6), Hollidaysburg (11-3).

Officials: Cliff Kitner, Jason Moschgat, Rich Gergley

JV: No game.