The 21st Annual Big John Riley Basketball Classic was a win-win show for Blair County at the DeGol Arena in the Maurice Stokes Fieldhouse on the Saint Francis University campus on Saturday night.
In the evening’s first game the Blair County girls continued to show their dominance in winning for the second straight year to extend their record to 17-4 in the Classic with a 76-67 victory over the Cambria County girls. Then in the nightcap, the Blair County boys used a 31-19 third-quarter advantage to rally from a 55-47 half-time deficit on the way to a solid 102-93 triumph that snapped a two-game losing skid to the Cambria County boys.
Bishop Guilfoyle First Team All-State star Angela Greaser led the way for the Blair County girls in the opening contest with 18 points and six rebounds. Altoona teammates Erin Dodson (one block, two steals) and Mandi Pierce added 13 points each and Katie Gardner from Bellwood-Antis, added eight points. Julie Trimarco of Hollidaysburg, pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds and forced four jump balls with her defensive play, and Dodson added nine boards.
The two squads took turns with the lead in the opening quarter. A pair of three-pointers from Greaser spurred Blair County to an early 12-5 lead, but Cambria County came back with 12 unanswered points to jump out in front 17-12. Blair County put on a run of their own, with Greaser netting three the old-fashioned way-a basket and foul shot and Pierce pumped in a short jumper to give Blair County a 21-19 lead after one quarter.
Blair County opened up a 10-2 run and moved into a 31-21 advantage on a Katie Gardner bucket. Cambria County came back to trail by 42-38 at the half on three-pointers by Sara Buchan of Westmont-Hilltop, and Stephanie Skiles of Richland.
The third quarter saw the two girls teams exchange baskets, Cambria County was unable to get much closer and Blair County couldn’t open up a bigger lead, going into the final quarter leading 56-51.
Cambria County closed to two points early, 56-54 on a bucket by Jill Maurer of Johnstown, but Blair County scored the next six points and maintained that margin or better for the final seven minutes of the game for the win.
“I loved this team,” exclaimed Katie Gardner following the game. “I think its a great privilege, being on this team putting together some of the best players in Blair County. It’s just a great privilege to be out here with these girls.”
Gardner added three rebounds to her offensive performance, including two baskets and a two-of-two from the free-throw line. Rachael Meredith of Bellwood-Antis contributed three points on a bucket and one-of-two from the foul line and had a pair of assists.
“It is an honor to play with this great group of girls,” said Rachael Meredith. “It was a fun game and a great way to end our high school careers.”
Cambria County was led by Skiles with 16 points, Maurer with 13 and Crystal Andrews of Johnstown with 10 points, three steals and a block.
The Cambria County boys carried leads of 26-22 and 55-47 after the first two periods, with John Mahler of Westmont-Hilltop, leading the way with eight of his team-best 21 points in the first quarter.
In the third quarter, the Blair County boys led by big men Cory Tubo of Altoona, and Kyle Brudwig of Hollidaysburg, turned the game around, outscoring Cambria County 58-38 to win the ballgame. The Blair County boys went on a 12-0 run near the end of the quarter including consecutive three-pointers by Nate Cadle of Williamsburg, who had three in the game to go with 11 points, Patrick Miller of Bishop Guilfoyle and Brudwig.
Tubo, whose grandparents live in Tyrone fronted the winners with 22 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots and Brudwig added 15 points and six rebounds. One reason Blair County was able to come back was a superiority on the boards. In addition to Tubo and Brudwig, Ty Swindell of Claysburg-Kimmel, scored 15 points and had seven boards and Jimmy Snyder of Central added four points and seven rebounds and Hollidaysburg’s Jeff Sefchok had eight points four rebounds.
For Cambria County Marcus Tullis of Johnstown pulled down eight rebounds and Mahler had five, and Quentin D’Ziabo of Penn Cambria, had four. No other Cambria County player had more than three rebounds.
Tullis excited the crowd with three exciting dunks and showed his range by throwing in a pair of treys, the second of which pulled Cambria County to within three 90-87 late in the game. Blair County finished the game by outscoring the Cambria County contingent 12-5 however to secure the victory.
Tyrone’s Nick Cushion contributed seven points on a trey and two reverse lay-ups in his final high school contest.
“It felt pretty good to be able to have fun,” said Cushion, “and to be able to play with the best in Blair County. It was fun to play with some of the kids that you have been going against all your life.”
Mahler and Tullis were aided by Johnstown’s William Sharpe with 12 points and nine points each from Dominic Vescovi of Cambria Heights, and D’Ziabo.
Shawn Weiand of Bellwood-Antis was also picked for the boys game, but did not attend the game on Saturday.
