KEVIN RAUCH/For the Express South Williamsport's Andrew Walter swats away a lay-up attempt by Bucktail's Teagan Stone, as South picked up a 64-34 win in Farwell on Friday night.

With both South Williamsport and Bucktail boys’ basketball teams having not played a game since before the Christmas break, some holiday rust showed when they went back into action Friday. However, it was South running away with a 64-34 win.

The win improves the Mounties to 4-3, while the young Bucks fell to 2-7.

Bucktail’s bench was extremely short Friday as they made just two substitutions to the starting five all game, the second one coming in the final minutes when the game was well in hand for South.

South Williamsport coach Joe Simon, whose team is now one game into a 14 day stretch that will seem them play eight games, appreciated how his team ultimately found their way despite the sluggish start.

“Overall, it went well, we started off a little slow, then we got out running our fast breaks, transitioning to having more offensive opportunities” Simon said has his team climbed above .500.

“We didn’t shoot very well, but you know it seems like we always struggle a bit with the bus ride up here and then playing in the small gym” the South Williamsport coach continued. “Our big guy (Jaymes Carpenter) came back from injury and gave us solid minutes which is really nice to see. We did well pressing and causing turnovers which gave us some easy buckets, overall, I’m very pleased with our performance.”

Bucktail’s Gavin Pick hit a three-point shot at the end of the first quarter, capping a mini Bucktail comeback that pulled the game into one possession at 14-11. South would limit the Bucks to just four points in the second quarter, before the visitors outscored the home team 23-9 in the fourth quarter effectively putting the game away.

Levi Butler scored a game-high 21 points in the win while Pick notched 15 for the Bucks in the losing effort.

South Williamsport will head to Line Mountain on Monday, while both the Bucks boys’ and girls’ teams will host their annual Pink Out Night in Farwell on Monday with the JV girls tipping the evening off at 3:30 p.m.

South Williamsport 64, Bucktail 34

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT (64)

Bobby Regan 4 0-0 8: Andrew Walters 3 1-4 7: Neeko Bowman 3 0-0 7: Jake Miller 0 3-4 3: Kyree May 3 0-0 6; Chance Quimby 1 2-2 4; Kaiden Porulhamus 1 0-0 3: Levi Butler 9 1-1 21; Kasim Davenport 1 0-0 3. Totals 24 7-11 64.

BUCKTAIL (34)

Gavin Pick 6 2-4 15; Corbin Pentz 5 1-1 11; Aidan Ditty 0 2-8 2; Otis Emerick 3 0-0 6. Totals 14 5-13 34.

South W. 14 16 11 23 – 64

Bucktail 11 4 10 9 – 34

Three-pointers: South Williamsport 5 (Butler 2, Bowman 1, Porulhamus 1, Davenport 1); Bucktail 1 (Gavin Pick 1).