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Central Mountain drops Hollidaysburg, 65-63, to take home the District Championship

The Central Mountain High School boys basketball team celebrates winning the District Championship after defeating the Hollidaysburg High School Golden Tigers, 65-63. (The Express/Tim Weight)

CRESSON,PA- With the game tied,wide open and the ball in his hands, Wyatt Bumbarger relied on his impulse as he knocked down a three to extend Central Mountain’s lead 63-60 with 40-seconds remaining in the game.

“I wasn’t really thinking that much,” Bumbarger said on his demeanor before the shot. “Brody [Baker] just passed me the ball from baseline,and I was wide open and took the shot. It felt natural and I made it.”

The basket was critical as it was effectively the game-clinching score in the Wildcats’ 65-63 victory over the Hollidaysburg Golden Tigers in the district 6 championship.The victory is the first district championship in the program’s history.

“I think it was amazing,” Justin Neff said of his team’s performance. “The way we pushed the ball created easy opportunities under the basket, which allowed us to work outside to get our three’s going, which is what we’ve lived off of and died off of all year.”

Neff posted a game-high 16 points, and teammate Wyatt Bumbarger added 14 points. Seven players recorded figures for the Wildcats,and after the game Central Mountain head coach Scott Baker remarked on how each Wildcat inserted into the game had a positive effect on the outcome.

“Every single person that we put in there tonight contributed in some kind of way,” Baker said. “I think about Wyatt’s big shot there in the end, and I think about Trevor Hanna knocking down a big three in a key situation. Guys making plays is what it’s all about and what you’ve got to do at this level”

Central Mountain came up short in its two insignificant meetings with Hollidaysburg in the regular season, but when it mattered most they elevated their game had one of its most complete performances of the season. Baker attributes his team’s win this-go-round to his players out-hustling the Golden Tigers and knocking down shots in crucial moments of the game.

“I really thought tonight that our guys came up with loose balls,” Baker said. “I thought we rebounded pretty well and made some shots in key situations, and really that was kind of the difference. It was two very evenly-matched teams. I just think we came up with loose balls tonight and made some plays we didn’t make in the previous two games.”

Central Mountain entered the fourth quarter with a 46-38 lead, and eventually extended its lead to 54-45 with 4-minutes remaining after Bumbarger drained a three pointer. But with a nine-point edge and four-minutes remaining, Baker wasn’t fooled by what appeared to be a solid lead. After the game, he cited Hollidaysburg’s sharp-shooting as the reason why the lead meant little to him.

“There was absolutely nothing comfortable with the way Hollidaysburg can shoot,” Baker said “We knew that there was a run left in them.”

The Golden Tigers proceeded to go on a 9-0 run, and tied the game after Austin Finiochio’s three-point play following a layup and free throw had the game even at 54 points a piece with 2:15 remaining.

“We turned the ball over a coupled of times there and they were able to hit the threes off of it and you’ve got yourself a ball-game,” Baker said.

Kyle Everhart broke the tie when he drained a three at the top of the key to give CM a 57-54 lead. The three pointer was Everhart’s 140th of his career, placing him at no.1 in school history.

Hollidaysburg responded with a three pointer to even the game, and both team’s dogged it out in the final two minutes before Bumbarger’s game-clinching three with 40-seconds remaining. Matt Storeman converted a pair of free throws in the closing seconds as CM held on for the 65-63 win.

For this senior class, this district championship is special as it has been their ambition since their middle school days.

“We’ve been working on this since sixth grade,” Bumbarger said. “This pressure’s been put on us, but we worked had, fought hard and we got it.”

CM returns Friday March 10 against a soon-to-be announced opponent at a site later to be determined.

Player Scoring

Central Mountain: Justin Neff- 16 points, Wyatt Bumbarger- 14 points, Kyle Everhart- 13 points, Matt Storeman- 12 points, Trevor Hanna- 5 points, Brody Baker- 3 points, Collin Jones- 2 points. Holldaysburg: Sam Servello- 13 points, Corey Storm- 12 points, Ethan Haupt- 12 points, Dominic Frucella- 9 points, JJ Collins- 5 points,Austin Finochio- 5 points, Mason Marks- 3 points, Lennox Pugh- 2 points, Michael Day- 2 points.

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