Wildcats claim second straight D6 hoop crown
CRESSON, PA – Let it be said the Central Mountain basketball program is continuing the best run in school history. The Wildcats on Saturday claimed their second District 4-6 title in the last two years, holding off a determined Bellefonte team for a 59-56 win.
It was the Wildcats’ veteran duo of Jack Hanna and Hayden Pardoe who carried the ‘Cats down the stretch in a back-and-forth game that wasn’t decided until the final seconds.
Central Mountain jumped to an early 10-0 lead while the Raiders struggled to put the ball in the basket. Bellefonte came back behind four 3-pointers in the first half to draw within 24-20 at halftime. The lead went back-and-forth for much of the second half, including ties at 24, 29, 34, 44 and 47; neither team able to get any separation.
The Wildcats took the lead with three minutes to go when Hanna hit two foul shots, making the score 51-49. Bellefonte answered for a 51-51 tie, then Hanna hit a layup for a 53-51 ‘Cat lead with 1:01 remaining. Then came a huge play from Pardoe who read an up-court Raider pass, intercepted it and took it in for a 55-51 lead at the 0:32 mark. Hunter Hoy hit a foul shot seconds later to put the lead at 56-51; Bellefonte hit two foul shots to get to 56-53. An Essex Taylor foul shot stretched the lead to 57-53 and Pardoe hit two more free throws to make it 59-53. A successful 60-foot heave from the Raiders’ 6-9 Cole Crissman at the buzzer set the final at 59-56 in favor of the Wildcats.
CM is now a school record 24-2 on the year and has won its third district crown under coach Tyler Bardo in his six years as head coach.
Hanna and Pardoe took charge in the second half, answering everything Bellefonte threw at the Wildcats. Hanna, held to 5 points in Central Mountain’s semifinal win over Hollidaysburg, scored 18 points in all, 14 of them in the second half. He hit several twisting layups in heavy traffic to keep things close. Pardoe finished with 16, 10 in the second half and had another strong day on the boards.
Taylor ended with 11 points, Hoy with 7 and Levi Schlesinger with 4. Dom Longworth nailed a 3-pointer in a reserve role as CM again struggled from 3-point range, although both Hanna and Pardoe buried threes in the second half.
3-point shooting kept Bellefonte in the game as they hit eight overall, spread among five different players. Crissman, not a factor in two December wins for the Wildcats over Bellefonte, did his best to keep the Raiders in the game. He finished with 20 points, including two treys.
Afterwards, coach Bardo told The Record, “I am incredibly happy for the members of this team. I believe that sustained success is one of the hardest things to obtain. So for this group to handle the stretch of wonderful programs over the course of the last three weeks and achieve a goal that they set for themselves immediately following last season is special to them. It is hard to put into words the value that each of the 16 members of this group bring. They are such an incredibly coachable group.”
Central Mountain with the win earned a first-round PIAA playoff game, expected to be at home against the sixth place team from District 3 on Friday, March 10. A pleased coach Bardo said he hopes to line up a scrimmage during the extended break to keep his team sharp.
Bellefonte finished 14-11.
CM 16 8 13 22 = 59
B 5 15 16 20 = 56
