HOLLIDAYSBURG — Hollidaysburg boys basketball coach Brad Lear considers himself a perfectionist, even on the days where it doesn’t look like there’s a lot to worry about.

“I just always feel like we can play better,” Lear said. “I guess that’s a good thing. You don’t want to sit back and get complacent.

“I’m always worried about what’s next,” Lear said. “I think that’s a testament to my dad. He always said, ‘You have to look past the tip of your nose.’ I always feel like we have something to work on.”

Although there’s still work to be done in Lear’s eyes, there likely won’t be a lot to complain about in the next film session after the Tigers’ 71-35 victory over Huntingdon on Thursday evening.

Kasen Metzger had 25 points to lead Hollidaysburg, which improved to 7-2 on the season and has won five in a row. The first four games of the streak were done on the road at Bellefonte, Central, Penn Cambria, and Tyrone.

“It was good to get back home with four straight road games,” Lear said. “There is a buzz going with the teachers and staff, and I think we can be a really good team. We got those five wins against some pretty good competition.”

The Bearcats (6-6) dipped back to .500, a mark that they have hovered around all season. This week was especially tough as it started with a loss at home to Bishop Guilfoyle.

“We’ve had two rough games this week,” Huntingdon coach Jordan Fortson said. “We have to do some reflection, and figure some things out. We have to make some decisions here down the stretch because this can’t keep up.”

Although the Bearcats never led in the game, they kept it close through most of the first quarter. Elliott Guisler’s 3-point play in the final minute made it 14-9, but the Tigers’ Tyson Delerme picked up the last four points of the period to go up 18-9.

The run extended into the second quarter as Hollidaysburg put up the first seven points to take a 25-9 lead.

Huntingdon’s Tyler Zauzig responded with his team’s lone 3-pointer of the game to stop the run, but the Tigers went on another 9-0 run to take a 34-12 lead.

Hollidaysburg took a 41-16 lead to halftime, and Metzger made sure there would be no comebacks after pouring in the first nine points for his team in the second half. That was after he had 14 in the first half.

“It’s definitely starting to click for me,” Metzger said. “First couple games were rough. I wasn’t in basketball shape coming off football. I’m feeling better, back in shape, making the extra pass. We’re definitely playing a lot better as a team.”

Huntingdon picked up nine points apiece from Guisler and Kobe Carthen.

Ben Zimmerman also scored in double figures for Hollidaysburg, finishing with 10 points.

Both teams are back in action on their home floors on Monday. Hollidaysburg hosts Bellwood-Antis, while Huntingdon entertains Philipsburg-Osceola.

HUNTINGDON (35): Morris 0 0-0 0, Carthen 2 5-5 9, Guisler 4 1-1 9, Lane 2 0-0 4, Rutter 2 1-1 5, Anders 1 0-0 2, Nance 0 1-2 1, Zauzig 1 0-0 3, Uhrich 0 0-0 0, Humphrey 0 0-0 0, Mathur 0 0-0 0, Valentine 1 0-0 2, Ghaner 0 0-0 0. Totals — 13 8-9 35.

HOLLIDAYSBURG (71): Albarano 4 0-0 9, Stultz 3 1-2 7, Delerme 3 0-0 6, K. Metzger 10 3-3 25, Zimmerman 4 2-3 10, Wolfe 1 0-0 3, Padamonsky 1 0-0 2, Frazier 0 1-2 1, Rhodes 1 0-0 2, McDade 2 0-0 4, Steiner 0 0-0 0, Wansley 1 0-0 2, Sullivan 0 0-0 0, Miller 0 0-0 0. Totals — 30 7-10 71.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Huntingdon 9 7 13 6 — 35

Hollidaysburg 18 23 21 9 — 71

3-point goals: Huntingdon 1 (Zauzig); Hollidaysburg 4 (Albarano, Metzger 2, Wolfe).

Records: Huntingdon (6-6); Hollidaysburg (7-2).

JV: Hollidaysburg, 54-34. High scorers–Rhodes, HO, 11; Humphrey, HU, 9.

Officials: Bill Pfeffer, Craig Andros, Brandon Hoover.