Tyrone went to 5A Central Mountain on Monday, January 27 as heavy favorites, but no one must have told Central Mountain, because the Wildcats kept it close with hot outside shooting, almost taking down the Golden Eagles.
The Wildcats took a six-point lead into halftime, but the Eagles came out stronger in the second half to survive with a 70-67 win.
Tyrone was led by senior Sam Crilly with 24 points. Kendall Lehner and Andrew Escala also reached double digits, scoring 12 points each.
“Going forward our defense needs to improve and if we didn’t have a second-half defensive surge we could have lost this much-needed win for points in the playoff race,” senior Kendall Lehner said.
The first quarter started as a high-scoring affair and ended in favor of Central Mountain by one point, 22-21.
After another back in the fourth quarter Central Mountain just kept knocking down 3s to gain the lead going into halftime 39-33.
“We need to make defense a focus and not give up the drive as much,”-said Sophomore Mason Emigh.
After a halftime talk, the Golden Eagles came out better prepared in the second half and determined to win this game.
The team picked up the defensive effort holding Central Mountain to just 16 points in the third quarter which was improved from the first half.
Once the fourth quarter started Tyrone came back to Tie it at 57. From there the two teams traded baskets respectively.
This continued until Sam Crilly got a steal in the press defense and hit Eli Woomer in the Corner for a 3 which he made for Tyrone to take the lead 68-65.
Tyrone ended up winning 70-67. Tyrone advanced to 13-3 after this win and they are next in action Friday at 6pm against the undefeated Greater Johnstown Trojans.
BOX SCORE
TYRONE (70): Crilly 9 4-8 24, A. Walk 1 0-0 2, Escala 5 1-2 12, Lehner 6 0-0 12, Woomer 4 0-0 11, A. Emigh 3 1-4 7, Hamer 1 0-0 2, M. Emigh 0 0-0 2, Parsons 0 0-0 0, Oakes 0 0-0 0. Totals – 29 6-16 70.
CENTRAL MOUNTAIN (67): Walker 3 7-8 14, Verkells 3 1-1 8, Hoy 8 3-6 19, Mahoney 8 1-5 17, Wells 1 1-1 3, Couturzaux 0 0-0 0, Durman 0 0-0 0, Shade 2 0-0 6. Totals – 25 13-22 67.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Tyrone 21 12 16 21 – 70
Central Mountain 22 17 15 13 – 67
3-point goals: Tyrone 6 (Woomer 3, Crilly 2, Escala); Central Mountain 4 (Shade 2, Walker, Verkells).
Records: Tyrone (12-3).
JV: Tyrone won 52-41.
