Jan 4, 2025
01/03/25 Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski / Hollidaysburg’s Alissa Heim puts up a shot over Forest Hills’ Ana Spangler.
By John Hartsock
jhartsock@altoonamirror.com
HOLLIDAYSBURG — After a two-week holiday layoff from game competition, it took a little while for the Hollidaysburg Lady Tigers to get their bearings in what was the second game of a boys-girls Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference basketball doubleheader with Forest Hills Friday night at the Hollidaysburg Area Senior High School gymnasium.
Hollidaysburg converted just seven of its 35 first-half floor shots and found itself clinging to a 21-18 halftime lead. But the Lady Tigers turned the page nicely in the third quarter, carrying the period, 30-11 by virtue of some excellent defensive pressure, to post a 58-41 victory.
“We just came out with more intensity on the defensive end in the third quarter, and our defense created some offense for us,” said Hollidaysburg coach Deanna Jubeck, whose team improved to 7-1 overall and 5-0 in conference play. “We forced them into some turnovers, and we got some easy layup opportunities.”
Leading by just five points, 31-26, early in the third quarter, Hollidaysburg broke the game open with a 12-point run to go ahead, 43-26.
Junior forward Makenna Weimert, who scored 16 points, ignited the rally with a steal and layup, and junior post Clare Padamonsky, who chipped in 12 points, followed with a pair of free throws and a fast-break layup,
Hollidaysburg senior guard Bella Vent, who scored 13 of her team-high 17 points in the third period, registered a fast-break layup, and Padamonsky and Vent capped off the 12-point Lady Tigers’ surge with two more field goals.
“We hadn’t played in an actual game in two weeks before tonight, and it took us awhile to get the cobwebs out,” Jubeck said. “But once we got our legs under us in the third quarter, we were in good shape.”
Hollidaysburg had a commanding 51-29 lead after three quarters, and had put the game on ice.
“In the third quarter, their press was killing us,” said Forest Hills coach Carol Cecere, whose team dropped to 5-4 overall and 3-2 in the conference. “Their defense gave us a lot of trouble, and Weimert and Vent combined for 33 points. That’s dang good.”
Junior guard Aivah Maul led all scorers with 18 points for Forest Hills, which also got a double-digit (10) rebounding effort from junior forward/center Eva Myers.
Padamonsky and Weimert tied for game honors in rebounding, as both grabbed 13 for Hollidaysburg, which held a 40-31 overall advantage on the boards.
Forest Hills converted 15 of 44 floor shots in the game for a 34.9 percent clip, while Hollidaysburg made 22 of 69 for 31.8 percent, including 15 of 34 for 44.1 percent in the second half.
“We were able to settle ourselves in the second half, and we had three people in double figures tonight, which we’ve been doing in our last couple of games,” Jubeck said. “If we can continue to do that, we’ll be a tough team to guard down the stretch run of this season.”
FOREST HILLS (41): Maul 6 5-10 18, Spangler 3 0-0 7, Gdula 1 0-0 2, Myers 2 0-0 4, Pcola 1 0-0 2, Carpenter 1 2-2 4, Lashinsky 0 0-0 0, Baumgardner 0 2-2 2, Papcunik 0 0-0 0, Faith 1 0-0 2, Martin 0 0-0 0, Brown 0 0-0 0. Totals – 15 9-14 41.
HOLLIDAYSBURG (58): Stevenson 0 0-0 0, Vent 8 1-3 17, Padamonsky 5 2-4 12, Weimert 5 6-9 16, Heim 1 3-5 5, Steiner 1 0-2 2, Sidney 2 0-0 6, Lear 0 0-0 0, Leighty 0 0-0 0, Basenback 0-0 0, Gearhart 0 0-0 0, Buffone 0 0-2 0, Hayer 0 0-0 0. Totals – 22 12-23 58.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Forest Hills 5 13 11 12–41
Hollidaysburg 6 15 30 7–58
3-point goals: Forest Hills 2 (Maul, Spangler); Hollidaysburg 2 (Sidney 2).
Records: Forest Hills (5-4 overall, 3-2 in the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference); Hollidaysburg (7-1, 5-0).
Officials: Clark Adelman, Randy Burkett, Jack McDougal.
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