In terms of setting the tone, the Jersey Shore boys basketball team hit the ground running on Wednesday. Three Bulldogs finished in double figures, and the team scored 36 points through the first quarter alone, 59 through the half, as they routed CMVT, 75-34, to open the season with an emphatic win at home.

Junior Khani McCray took charge, leading the team scoring-wise with 16 while also adding five assists and three steals. Carson Watkins notched 15 alongside him, and sophomore Ty McDermit added 14 points alongside three steals.

Despite erupting for 20 points in the fourth quarter and 34 through the second half, Bald Eagle Area boys basketball fell just short of overcoming a slow start, falling to Philipsburg-Osceola, 57-54, in its home opener on Wednesday night. Five Eagles scored in the fourth but a six-point first and shaky free-throw shooting held it back.

Jackson Millward led the way for the Eagles, scoring 20 points behind five three-pointers, three which came in the second quarter. James Cowan notched 15, and Jayden Yeaney added ten, leading the team with six points through the fourth.

The Penns Valley boys basketball team saw three players score in double figures, as it bulldozed Saint Joseph’s, 72-44, to kick off its campaign on top. Noah Patel led the way with 18, and Julian Battaglia and Fletcher Ironside added 15 and 13 respectively. The Rams will look to build on the win against Chestnut Ridge on Friday.

In girls basketball, a hot start allowed Penns Valley to a 43-24 lead by halftime and it’d hold firm from there, defeating Bellwood-Antis, 68-56, to get back to .500 after an opening loss.

Ellie Romig went 7-for-7 from the free throw line, leading the Rams with 23 points and notching ten points in the second alone. Elle Dinges scored 15 and hit three threes by halftime, finishing with 19. And Paige Johnson added 16, also going perfect on five free-throw attempts.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Jersey Shore 75, CMVT 34

Shore 36 23 10 6 – 75

CMVT 9 15 2 8 – 34

CMVT (34)

Elijah Treon 1 0-0 3; Myles Koser 3 0-0 6; Myles Koser 3-6; Jacob Mitzer 1 0-0 3; Andrew Molick 3 0-0 8; Wayne Goldsworthy 4 0-0 8; Isiah Carr 0 0-2 0; Eli Torres 2 0-0 6; Paul D’Angelo 0 0-2 0. Totals 14 0-4 34.

JERSEY SHORE (75)

Carson Watkins 6 2-2 15; Mazden Lupton 1 0-0 2; Khani McCray 6 4-6 16; Kaihl Harlan 2 0-0 4; Orrin Pennycoff 1 0-0 3; Jacob Lorson 1 2-2 4; Breylon Guerrero 4 0-0 8; Ty McDermit 6 1-1 14; Tucker Hanna 4 0-2 8. Totals 31 7-13 75.

Three-pointers: CMVT 6 (Molick 2, Torres 2, Treon 1, Mitzer 1). Jersey Shore 6 (McCray 3, Watkins 1, Pennycoff 1, McDermit 1).

Record: Jersey Shore 1-0.

Philipsburg-Osceola 57, Bald Eagle Area 54

PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA (57)

Zack Meyers 11 8-9 31; Mason Klingler 1 2-8 4; Nick Desimone 3 0-0 7; David Kendziora 2 0-2 4; Joseph Kendziora 3 1-4 7; B. Mason 1 0-0 2; Lucas Beish 1 0-0 2. TOTAL 22 11-23 57.

BALD EAGLE AREA (54)

Jackson Millward 7 1-2 20; Luke Hosband 2 0-0 4; Kane Wolf 1 0-0 3; James Cowan 6 3-8 15; Jayden Yeaney 2 6-8 10; Wyatt Klinefelter 1 0-0 2. TOTAL 19 10-18 54.

P-O 13 16 14 14 – 57

BEA 6 14 14 20 – 54

Three-pointers: P-O 2 (Meyers 1, Desimone 1); BEA 6 (Millward 5, Wolf 1).

Record: Bald Eagle Area 0-1.

Penns Valley 72, Saint Joseph’s 44

Penns Valley leading scorers: Noah Patel, 18; Julian Battaglia, 15. Fletcher Ironside, 13.

Record: Penns Valley 1-0.

Next Game: at Chestnut Ridge on Friday, 7:30 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Penns Valley 68, Bellwood-Antis 56

PENNS VALLEY (68)

Paige Johnson 5 5-5 16, Sydnie Dalton 2 3-4 7, Lilly Smith 1 0-0 3, Ellie Romig 7 7-7 23, Elle Dinges 7 2-8 19. Totals 22 17-29 68.

BELLWOOD-ANTIS (56)

Lily Gerwert 8 2-4 22, Marissa Cocciotti 2 0-0 5, Ava Worthing 2 0-0 4, Isabella Sloey 3 4-4 10, Peyton Hammond 2 0-0 5, Maya Plummer 3 4-4 10. Totals 20 10-12 56.

Penns Valley 22 21 12 13 – 68

Bellwood-Antis 10 14 14 18 – 56

Three-pointers: Penns Valley 7 (Dinges 3, Romig 2, Smith 1, Johnson 1); Bellwood-Antis 6 (Gerwert 4, Cocciotti 1, Hammond 1).

Record: Penns Valley 1-1 (1-0 Laurel Highlands).