Golden Tigers Hold off Wildcats, 56-49

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – For three quarters at the Central Mountain High School gym Friday night visiting Hollidaysburg looked more like the home team, more tenacious, more physical, the Golden Tigers racing to a 47-30 lead in a District 6 Class 5A showdown with the Wildcats.

But period four proved to be a whole new ball game for Central Mountain. The Wildcats became more physical, throwing themselves around the hardwood, forcing turnovers to climb back into the contest before finally succumbing by a 56-49 score.

The Hollidaysburg win left the Golden Tigers at 10-6, the loss putting the Wildcat record at 12-4, breaking a seven game winning streak. It also meant a sweep of the regular season series, Hollidaysburg downing CM by a 61-54 count on Dec. 20. But as Wildcat coach Scott Baker noted afterwards, “We got to beat these guys one time and that is still to come.” Baker was referencing next month’s district playoffs where the Wildcats and Hollidaysburg will be favored to meet for the district title.

Coach Baker said he was “Extremely pleased with the team’s fight” in the final period but said his squad was not prepared for Hollidaysburg’s physicality in the early going, but matched the visitors as the game progressed. He said the final eight minutes showed the Wildcats “Have the ability to be physical with them.”


Central Mountain went back and forth early-on, its last lead at 13-12 late in the first period. But the Golden Tigers were hot in the first half, opening up a 36-25 halftime lead and the 47-30 margin after three. Then the Wildcats got hot, helped by two 3-pointers from Kyle Everhart who sat out a portion in the middle of the game after being hit with a technical foul.

An 11-2 Wildcat run cut the lead to 52-46 with just over a minute to go and got to a 53-48 deficit with 32 seconds to go but could get no closer as Hollidaysburg made enough foul shots to maintain the lead to the 56-49 final.

Brody Baker paced a balanced CM offense with 14 points, followed by Matt Storeman’s 11 and Everhart’s 10. Wyatt Bumbarger and Justin Neff each had 6, Collin Jones with 2.

Next up for Central Mountain is a Heartland Conference showdown at home on Wednesday, Feb. 1 with first place Selinsgrove (7-0; 14-3). The Wildcats are 7-1 in the Heartland and will have to avenge a 57-56 first cycle loss to the Seals to gain a share of first place as the conference season winds down.