Wildcats Move to D6 Finals with Wild 47-44 Win over Bellefonte

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP — Monday night was the first time Central Mountain ever hosted a District 6 playoff game and the Wildcats and visiting Bellefonte gave the large crowd a contest they will long remember.

Central Mountain led for much of the contest but a furious rally from a young Bellefonte team erased a 16 point first half deficit, the Raiders taking the lead midway through the final quarter. But a final five points from Wildcat veterans Brody Baker and Kyle Everhart proved enough to pull out a 47-44 win.

The victory put Central Mountain at 16-8 and in the District 6 Class 5A title game at Mount Aloysius College in Blair County on Saturday night, the opponent Hollidaysburg.

Bellefonte was off its game early, Central Mountain forcing turnovers and opening a 10-5 first quarter lead. The margin was increased to 28-12 midway through period two but Bellefonte closed to a 28-16 deficit by halftime.

Period three saw the Raiders ride the 3-point shooting of freshman Benjamin McCartney and sophomore Nathan Tice to get back in the game. They combined for five 3’s and at the end of the third the Wildcat lead was down to 39-35. Then it was back and forth, tied at 39 early on. Bellefonte would take the lead for the first and only time at 44-42 on a 3-ball from Tice. Up stepped the Wildcats’ Baker and Everhart to score the game’s final five points. The ‘Cats regained the lead for good when Baker drained a 3-pointer with 1:43 to go. Bellefonte would not score again and fouled Everhart with 32.5 seconds to go; he made both foul shots to set the final at 47-44. Bellefonte would get a final second opportunity but could not convert

Central Mountain struggled with Bellefonte’s 2-3 zone defense and was held to six three-pointers on the night, none in the second half until Baker drilled his game-winner. Baker led the Wildcats with 13 points, Everhart next with 10. Justin Neff and Wyatt Bumbarger each scored 8. Junior reserve guard Izzy McCann scored 4 and played strong defense. Collin Jones and Nick Carpenetti each had 2 points. Reserve guard Trevor Hanna also helped out with solid defensive play as CM forced 22 Bellefonte turnovers. Trice paced Bellefonte with 14 points, followed by McCartney with 9.

A relieved Wildcat coach Scott Baker said, “This time of the year, you find a way to win, a way to advance.” He said there was “nothing magical” about the victory, it was about making a couple plays down the stretch and playing well defensively. Baker said when the score for each team is in the 40’s, it is a “recipe for an upset.” The Wildcats just did avoid the upset. Bellefonte finished the year at 11-12, the team’s best season in eight years.

Central Mountain will meet top seed Hollidaysburg (16-6) in Saturday’s 8 p.m. final. The Golden Tigers won their Monday night contest by an 84-51 margin over DuBois (11-13).
Hollidaysburg won both regular clashes with the Wildcats, the scores 61-54 at Hollidaysburg on Dec. 20 and by a 56-49 margin at the CM gym on Jan. 27. Saturday’s winner advances into the PIAA state tournament.