In a matchup of two outstanding teams who both entered the game with 17-3 overall records, Bishop Guilfoyle Academy emphatically got the better of things against Hollidaysburg at the Pleasant Valley gymnasium.

Placing four starters in double figures, led by speedy junior guard Troy Ruggery’s game-high 21 points, Bishop Guilfoyle enjoyed a double-digit lead for most of the game en route to a 62-41 victory over the Golden Tigers.

Along with Ruggery’s game-high contribution, three other BG players — Grant Okonak and Jake Kissell, along with Alex Krimmel — chipped in 10 points apiece for the Marauders, who broke out to 19-10 lead after one quarter, a 31-17 halftime advantage, and a 46-28 lead after three quarters.

“I’m just really proud of our guys — they played great tonight,” BG coach Ryan Lestochi said. “We always talk about trusting your teammates, and tonight, we really trusted each other, and we played a fantastic game.”

Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski Bishop Guilfoyle's Troy Ruggery is defended by Hollidaysburg's Kasen Metzger (left) and Tyson Delerme.

Their scoring balance makes the Marauders difficult to defend.

“That’s kind of been where we’re at,” Lestochi said. “We don’t care who scores, we just care about making the right basketball play most of the time, and we end up with four or five in double figures in the game.”

That certainly happened Monday for the Marauders, as different players showed off a hot hand for BG at various points in the game.

Kissell scored seven points in the first quarter, and Connor Okonak — Grant’s brother — tallied five. Krimmel scored a couple field goals in the second quarter, while Ruggery totaled seven points and Grant Okonak five in the third quarter for BG, which converted eight 3-pointers and used its pressure defense to produce steals and layups.

“We always say team first,” Grant Okonak said. “We all work together as a unit, we’re all brothers who have been playing together since we were little. We stick together, and we work hard.”

Hollidaysburg (17-4, LHAC 13-4) had a huge deficit to overcome in the second half, and the closest that the Tigers could get was to within 12 points, 53-41, on a 3-pointer by sophomore Vince Albarano early in the fourth quarter.

BG (18-3, 16-1) responded by scoring the final nine points of the game.

“I think that’s the best that I’ve seen them play all year,” Hollidaysburg coach Brad Lear said of the Marauders. “They were able to speed us up offensively, and their defensive pressure really bothered us tonight.”

Hollidaysburg was led by senior Kasen Metzger’s 11 points and 10 apiece from junior J.J. Stultz and Albarano.

Hollidaysburg made 17 of its 34 floor shots for an even 50 percent, while BG converted 26 of its 49 shots for 53 percent. Senior Ben Zimmerman had a game-high eight rebounds for the Tigers.

“I thought that we had a lot of good shots around the rim tonight, but we just didn’t finish many of them,” Lear said.

Both teams host conference games tonight to conclude their regular seasons. Hollidaysburg welcomes Bald Eagle Area, and BG hosts Huntingdon. The Marauders will begin competition in the semifinal round of the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference Tournament on Thursday night.

“You want to start peaking as a team at this time of year, and I feel like we’re just hitting our stride right now, and that we’re right on track,” Lestochi said.

HOLLIDAYSBURG (41): Albarano 4 1-2 10, Zimmerman 3 0-0 6, Stultz 4 1-4 10, Delerme 0 0-0 0, Metzger 5 0-0 11, Wolfe 1 2-2 4, Frazier 0 0-0 0, Padamonsky 0 0-0 0, Steiner 0 0-0 0, Miller 0 0-0 0, Sullivan 0 0-0 0, Rhodes 0-0 0. Totals – 17 4-8 41.

BISHOP GUILFOYLE (62): Kissell 4 1-1 10, Ruggery 9 1-2 21, Consiglio 3 0-0 6, Krimmel 4 0-0 10, G. Okonak 4 0-0 10, C. Okonak 2 0-0 5, Shellenberger 0 0-0 0. Totals – 26 2-3 62.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Hollidaysburg 10 7 11 13 — 41

Bishop Guilfoyle 19 12 15 16 — 62

3-point goals: Hollidaysburg 3 (Albarano, Stultz, Metzger); Bishop Guilfoyle 8 (Ruggery 2, Krimmel 2, G. Okonak 2, Kissell, C. Okonak).

Records: Hollidaysburg (17-4, 13-4 LHAC); Bishop Guilfoyle (18-3, 16-1 LHAC).

Officials: Chris Rickens, Damon Rickens, Sean Albright.

JV: BG, 46-40. High scorers–Evan Rhodes, H, 10; Tyler Lightner, BG, 14