Jan 16, 2025
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski Bishop Guilfoyle’s Tyson Lestochi puts up a shot by Hollidaysburg’s Jay Albarano.
By John Hartsock
jhartsock@altoonamirror.com
HOLLIDAYSBURG — The Bishop Guilfoyle Academy Marauders are a fast, athletic team that poses a supreme challenge for its opponents to defend.
The Marauders feature balanced scoring, an excellent transition running game, they rebound well, and they shoot the ball from all spots on the floor equally well.
Bishop Guilfoyle pushed the pace for most of four quarters Wednesday night, staving off a feisty Hollidaysburg team, 58-49, in a Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference game at the Hollidaysburg Area Senior High School gymnasium.
Three players reached double figures for the Marauders, who improved to 10-3 overall and 9-0 in the conference. Junior guard Tyson Lestochi scored a game-high 18 points for BG, which also got 17 points, eight rebounds and four steals from junior forward Taurean Consiglio and 10 points and eight rebounds from junior forward Jake Kissell.
“I thought all three of those players were very good tonight,” BG coach Ryan Lestochi said of Consiglio, Kissell and Tyson Lestochi, who is the coach’s son. “We always want to be aggressive in the paint and we were tonight. And our M.O. (modus operandi) has always been balanced scoring, with three, four or five players in double figures in our games.”
BG led by as many as nine points twice in the third quarter before Hollidaysburg used a 10-4 run capped off by senior forward Kasen Metzger’s field goal to pull to within 37-34.
BG responded by scoring 16 of the game’s next 24 points, however, building a 53-42 lead early in the fourth quarter. After Tyson Lestochi closed the third quarter with a steal and layup, Consiglio opened the fourth quarter with a bucket on a putback and then scored on a fast-break layup to give the Marauders a 44-34 edge.
A 3-pointer by Hollidaysburg junior guard Jayden Wolfe pulled the Tigers to within 44-37, but Consiglio converted a Hamilton Gates assist into a field goal, Tyson Lestochi scored on a nifty spinning shot from the key, and Consiglio scored another layup off the fast break to put BG up, 50-39.
Affter Metzger hit a 3-pointer, Kissell scored on a putback and Tyson Lestochi made one of two free throws to stake BG to the 53-42 advantage.
“We had some pace in the first half, slowed down a little, and we wanted to get back to playing with a little more pace in the second half,” Ryan Lestochi said. “Give Hollidayburg credit – every time they got down, they fought their way back.”
Tyson Lestochi felt that it was a good back-and-forth game.
“I thought we played well, but I still don’t think that we played at the level that we are capable of playing,” Tyson Lestochi said. “We were able to go on runs, but they’re a solid team for sure, and they kept recovering.”
Consiglio scored 10 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, helping the Marauders close the deal.
“I think it’s all about mental toughness and not giving up,” Consiglio said. “We wanted to keep our pace up through the game, and I think that we did that well tonight.”
Hollidaysburg (12-2, 9-2) got 12 points apiece from Wolfe and senior guard Brady Steiner, and 11 from Metzger.
“I think that, other than that run they put together from late in the third quarter to early in the fourth quarter, we played pretty well,” Hollidaysburg coach Brad Lear said. “They’re averaging close to 70 points a game this year, and we held them to 24 in the first half.
“But for a period there in the second half, Consiglio kind of took over for them and got to the basket whenever he wanted,” Lear added. “Our effort is always going to be there, and our guys don’t quit and they keep coming at opponents. It was a great game, but hats off to BG – they were the better team tonight.”
Game notes: Metzger’s six rebounds led Hollidaysburg, which is idle until next Wednesday night, when the Golden Tigers visit Tyrone … BG visits Penn Cambria Friday night.
BISHOP GUILFOYLE (58): Lestochi 6 5-7 18, Consiglio 8 1-2 17, Ruggery 2 0-0 4, Foor 2 0-0 6, J. Kissell 4 1-2 10, C. Kissell 1 0-0 2, Gates 0 1-2 1, G. Okonak 0 0-0 0. Totals – 23 8-13 58.
HOLLIDAYSBURG (49): Steiner 5 0-0 12, Metzger 4 2-4 11, J. Albarano 3 2-4 8, V. Albarano 0 0-0 0, Zimmerman 2 0-0 4, Bell 1 0-0 2, Wolfe 3 4-4 12, Delerme 0 0-0 0, Stultz 0 0-0 0. Totals – 18 4-8 49.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Bishop Guilfoyle 17 7 16 18 — 58
Hollidaysburg 11 19 14 15 — 49
3-point goals: Bishop Guilfoyle 4 (Foor 2, Lestochi, J. Kissell); Hollidaysburg 5 (Wolfe 2, Steiner 2, Metzger).
Records: Bishop Guilfoyle (10-3 overall, 9-0 in the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference); Hollidaysburg (12-2, 9-2).
Officials: Brad Martz, Justin Frear, Joe Hanna.
JV: Bishop Guilfoyle, 52-41. High scorers–Troy Nachtman, BG, 18; Landen McDade, H, 13.
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