By BRETT R. CROSSLEY
For the Loyalsock Lancers
WILLIAMSPORT—Before the Loyalsock’s game against Lewisburg, Lancers coach Ron “CI” Insinger challenged Gerald Ross.
At times, Ross is the most talented player on the court. He displayed those skills throughout the early portions of the season, but a recent bout with sickness forced him to miss a game. He came back with a little rust, but consider that all gone.
Ross scored 13 points in the second quarter alone to finish with a game-high 25 as Loyalsock defeated Lewisburg 67-43 to complete the season sweep and move to 13-4.
“Every time down the floor I wanted the ball,” Ross said. “My teammates are great at getting me the ball. My head coach is great at running plays for me to get me open. All the credit to them.”
Ross was electric through the second quarter. Insinger challenged him to be more aggressive with the ball and Ross showed little to no hesitation when attacking Lewisburg’s defense.
He connected on a three to open the game, but scored 12 of his 13 second quarter points inside the pant. That even included a steal and dunk. In the middle of the quarter, Anthony Pastore intercepted a ball near the foul line and gave a nifty fake to set Ross up for a layup. Ross was fouled on the attempt and canned the free throw moments later to give Loyalsock a 21-11 lead.
“We came out flat and gave up those two buckets at the end of the quarter to cut it to three,” Ross said. “I felt like we needed a little break and wanted to help get the score up. We have a tough game at Montoursville to end the week and we are going to need some rest.”
Ross only missed one shot in the second quarter, but was aided by Connor Watkins, who finished the first half with eight rebounds and a equal amount of points. Watkins helped get Loyalsock overcome a flat start, pulling down five rebounds and scoring four points. The Lancers also blocked three shots in the quarter as Brandon Bauman, Ross, and Klingerman all registered a block.
Loyalsock finished the game with 27 rebounds, six blocks, and limited Lewisburg to single digits in three of the four quarters.
“I knew everybody as a collective unit we had to crash the glass,” Watkins said. “We need to be aggressive on all facets. Offensively, we especially want a lot of second and third chances. That’s just the way we like to play. I just came out tonight with an extra edge and tried to crash a lot.”
Loyalsock scored 40 of its 67 points in the closing quarter of each half. In the opening quarters of each half it was all about the defense. The Lancers posted three blocks in both the first and third quarters of the game.
“Bam and Brandon down low have such long arms,” Watkins said. “They are awesome down low. They both just do a very good job of staying down and waiting for the shot.”
One player plenty jacked up for the game was Bam Brima, who showed off some of his offensive moves through the third and fourth quarters. In the third, Brima stole a ball at the middle of the court and quickly made his way to the basket. He displayed quickness not seen all year as he took a quick step and went for a dunk. He missed and would miss again a few moments later. In the fourth, he wouldn’t miss. Brima took a ball underneath the basket and quickly put it up for a one-handed dunk.
“Just feeling good,” Ross said of the dunks. “My legs were feeling good from practice yesterday. Bam got one to go. It was good for crowd.”

Loyalsock 67, Lewisburg 43
Lewisburg (43)
Ben Liscum 3 0-0 6; Aaron Hoover 1 0-0 3; Coleman Witherite 3 2-2 8; Nathan Dreher 0 0-0 0; Nicholas Shedleski 4 2-3 11; Peter Lantz 3 0-0 7; Andrew Ramirez 1 0-0 2; Calvin Mabry 1 0-0 2; Josh Gose 1 1-2 3. Totals 17 5-7 43.
Loyalsock (67)
Brandon Bauman 3 2-4 8; Gerald Ross 11 1-1 25; Collin Graver 1 0-0 2; Anthony Pastore 4 1-3 10; Connor Watkins 7 0-0 14; Mitchell Klingerman 0 2-4 2; Bam Brima 3 0-0 6. Totals 29 6-16 67.
LEW 9 9 5 23–43
LOY 12 21 15 19–67
3–Point Goals: Lewisburg 3 (Liscum 2, Hoover). Loyalsock 3 (Ross 2, Watkins).
Records: Lewisburg 6-12 (2-6). Loyalsock 13-4 (7-1).
Next: Lewisburg at Danville, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Loyalsock at Montoursville, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
JV Score: 74-55 Loyalsock
High scorers: Lewisburg: Charlie Blough, 11. Rees Watkins, 25.

By BRETT R. CROSSLEY
For the Loyalsock Lancers
WILLIAMSPORT—It was the middle of the first quarter at Ron “CI” Insinger gymnasium and the crowd and players could tell something special was brewing.
Mifflinburg’s Tanner Stoltzfus was closing in the 1,000 career points, which has widely become the mark of a truly impactful player at the high school level. Stoltzfus crossed the plateau with a free throw, giving him exactly 1,000 points on the dot.
Obviously, Mifflinburg players were there to congratulate the newest member of the club, but so were the Lancers, who all came over to offer a hand shake and pat on the back.
After the special moment it was all business for Loyalsock. Gerald Ross finished with 10 points, Connor Watkins added another ten, and Mitchell Klingerman led the way with 15 as the Lancers completed the season swept of Mifflinburg with a 62-57 win.
“They are probably the most underrated team in District 4 right now,” Ron “CI” Insinger said.
Mifflinburg led at the end of the first and at the end of the first half as Stoltzfus and company went on a run after the milestone was reached. Mifflinburg looked much more relaxed after the basket, carrying a one-point lead into the break.
Brandon Bauman has continued to emerge as a go-to player for the Lancers. He helped them gain a little separation throughout the third quarter, scoring six points. He also had a big block in the fourth to prevent Mifflinburg from inching closer to the Lancers.
Loyalsock has struggled from the line as of late, but it canned four consecutive shots in the final minute to secure the win. Both Klingerman and Watkins made their attempts.
“We’ve had these moments before,” Insinger said. “We are just playing well enough to win and it’s going to bite us. We just have to play better for longer periods of time.”
Along with hitting the game’s final two free throws, Klingerman led the Lancers with 15 points. He was all over the floor in the final quarter, scoring seven points and pulling down four rebounds.
“Every time we play we miss free throws that could help put the game away,” Klingerman said. “I still don’t think we’ve played our best game. There’s still room to improve, but we came out big in the end.”
Loyalsock opened the game connecting on its first six attempts from the floor. The result was a 12-6 lead, but Mifflinburg, moments after Stoltzfus recorded his 1,000th point, closed out the quarter hot to end the first up 16-15.

Loyalsock 62, Mifflinburg 57
Mifflinburg (57)
Jordan Tyson 0 0-0 0; Logan Mensch 3 0-0 8; Levi Yoder 5 0-0 11; Tanner Stoltzfus 5 5-10 15; Austin Raymer 6 0-0 12; Chris Day 3 2-4 11; Daniel Zack 0 0-1 0. Totals 23 7-15 57.
Loyalsock (62)
Brandon Bauman 4 0-0 9; Gerald Ross 4 1-2 10; Collin Graver 0 1-2 1; Anthony Pastore 4 1-2 9; Connor Watkins 4 2-5 10; Mitchell Klingerman 4 5-7 15; Bam Brima 2 0-0 4; Hunter Webb 0 0-0 0; Aiden Gair 1 1-1 4. Totals 21 11-19 62
MIFF 16 14 10 17–57
SOCK 15 14 16 17–62
3–Point Goals: Mifflinburg 4 (Mensch 2, Yoder, Day). Loyalsock 5 (Bauman, Ross, Klingerman 2, Gair).
Records: Mifflinburg 11-6, 2-5. Loyalsock 12-4, 5-1.
Next: Montoursville at Mifflinburg, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. Lewisburg at Loyalsock, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
JV Score: 58-47 Mifflinburg
High Scorers: Mifflinburg:Degroat, 11; Doebler, 11. Loyalsock: Herwig, 15.

By BRETT R. CROSSLEY
For the Loyalsock Lancers
WILLIAMSPORT—It was likely the biggest crowd Lycoming College’s Lamade Gymnasium saw all year as Williamsport and Loyalsock got together for what is becoming an annual tradition for the area.
The two teams delivered a triller as a late push by Williamsport helped it erase a double-digit lead, send the game into overtime, and pull away for a 71-68 win over the Lancers.
Marcus Simmons finished with 24 points, Al-Tamar Jason dropped another 20, and Darryl Wilson added 16 points for the Millionaires, who trailed for almost the entire game until a 37-point outburst through the final two quarters put them into position to tie the game late.
Simmons held the ball for nearly a minute as Williamsport shuffled players through Loyalsock’s zone. Simmons appeared to get the matchup he wanted, but a misunderstanding by the official gave Williamsport a timeout with four seconds left in the game. Williamsport coach Allen Taylor told his player to attack, but the official granted him a timeout, causing the timing of the play to go off track.
“We had exactly what we wanted,” Taylor said. “We got the matchup we wanted, the floor was spread, and I said ‘let’s go’. The official then gave me a timeout. Marcus was looking at me, because he wanted to know when I wanted him to go.”
The fourth quarter saw both teams exchange baskets with the biggest players doing most of the damage. Gerald Ross, just a few days removed from a sickness that caused him to miss a game, was sensational. He scored eight of his 13 points. He also blocked a shot and pulled down a rebound.
Anthony Pastore, who led Loyalsock with 18 points, scored 11 points over the final two quarters. Pastore helped Loyalsock get off to a quick start, scoring the first five points of the game for the Lancers.
“Hopefully the experience we had today against a well coached, fast and strong team will help with the rest of our schedule,” Loyalsock coach Ron “CI” Insinger said. “I told the boys that we won’t see a team of this caliber until playoff time. Although we lost the game, I was pleased overall with their composure and performance. If we continue to play at this level we will win some games.”
Once in overtime, Williamsport pulled away thanks to Simmons, who gave his team a quick lead with a three. Hunter Webb, who finished with four rebounds and a block, scored on a tough shot under the basket and then made the ensuing free throw for a three-point play, but it wasn’t enough as Williamsport outscored Loyalsock 11-8 over the final four minutes.

Williamsport 71, Loyalsock 68
Williamsport (71)
Ahmir Ellzy 0 0-0 0; Nassir Jones 01-4 1; Keith Jason 0 2-2 2; Marcus Simmons 9 2-4 24; Ethan B. Williams 1 0-0 3; Al-Tamar Jason 9 2-3 20; Darryl Wilson 5 4-5 16; Eric Smith 1 3-5 5; Tyler McCann 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 14-23 71
Loyalsock (68)
Brandon Bauman 0 0-0 0; Gerald Ross 5 2-2 13; Collin Graver 3 0-0 8; Anthony Pastore 5 8-12 18; Connor Watkins 3 2-3 9; Mitchell Klingerman 4 2-3 12; Bam Brima 1 0-2 2; Hunter Webb 1 2-3 4; Aiden Gair 0 2-2 2. Totals 22 18-27 68.
Williamsport 12 11 23 14 11–71
Loyalsock 19 11 16 14 8–68
3–Point Goals: Williamsport 7 (Simmons 4, Williams, Wilson 2). Loyalsock 6 (Ross, Graver 2, Watkins, Klingerman 2).
Records: Williamsport 9-6. Loyalsock 11-4.
Next: Williamsport at Central Dauphin East, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. Mifflinburg at Loyalsock, Monday, 7:30 p.m.
JV Score: 65-29 Williamsport
High scorers: Williamsport: Ellzy, 16. Loyalsock: Watkins, 10.

By BRETT R. CROSSLEY
For the Loyalsock Lancers
WILLIAMSPORT–When Bam Brima joined Loyalsock’s basketball team he was already behind after a highly successful season on the gridiron.
Brima was described by most coaches and fans as raw, but once polished could be an key part of the team. Brima might have exceeded expectations in how fast he has found his spot within the team.
Recently, as Loyalsock took on Danville in a key league game, Brima had his best game of the season. Brima was all over the court, grabbing rebounds, connecting on put back opportunities, and even intercepting a passes near mid court.
“It’s a luxury to have a little height advantage,” Loyalsock coach Ron “CI” Insinger said. “Bam is just learning the game, but he’s been really important for us.”
Brima was outstanding against Danville. He finished with nine points, seven rebounds, and a block. Although the game didn’t go the way the Lancers wanted, it was a breakout moment for Brima.
At the beginning of the fourth quarter Brima stopped a pass headed underneath the basket. He quickly got the ball up court to a teammate for a bucket and 44-38 Loyalsock lead. The block came against Danville’s hottest scorer at that moment and gave the Lancers some defensive energy which they used to limit the Ironmen to eight points in the quarter. Brima finished the quarter with two rebounds and two points. He also made a huge impact defensively as Loyalsock forced five turnovers.
“I just told myself to start things on defense and it led to some good things for us,” Brima said. “I’m starting to get my stride back. It’s always a little rusty after football season.”
Brima was on from the beginning of the game, scoring four points over the first eight minutes. He was able to spell Hunter Webb early after he picked up two fouls. Brima continued to produce in the second quarter. He connected with another basket and pulled down two more rebounds. He added two more rebounds in the third and another two in the fourth.
“My legs feel good and the chemistry is good,” Brima said. “I feel like right now the sky is the limit.”
Brima has been important in more ways than points and rebounds. He has been invaluable helping spell Webb throughout the season. In the early portions of the year, Webb missed a game and Brima got his first chance to start for the Lancers. His impact was felt throughout the game. He didn’t score, but he showed the potential that had so many people calling him raw as he attempted to find his spot on the team.
His journey to becoming one of Loyalsock’s go-to players was difficult at the start. Fresh off football season, Brima struggled offensively. His confidence appeared to be shaky, but that started to change when Loyalsock headed to Mifflinburg for their fifth game.
Against the Wildcats, Brima finished with four points and finished with ten rebounds in a game the Lancers were without Webb, who has been one of their biggest rebounders throughout his time. Brima opened with his best quarter of the season up to that point, scoring two points and grabbing three boards.
“I felt like I’m not that good of a scorer and my talents are more on the defensive side of the ball,” Brima said. “It’s really whatever the team needs.”
If Brima continues to build off the Danville game he might end up being a scorer for Loyalsock. He nearly posted his first double digit game of the season.
He followed that up with two more rebounds and another two points in the second quarter. The game against the Wildcats resulted in a win for the Lancers. It also showed what type of player Brima could be when given the right opportunity.
“He stepped up there and played some quality minutes for us,” Insinger said. “I can’t say enough about Bam.”
In his following game, he opened with seven rebounds in the first quarter as Loyalsock started the game with a 26-point effort. Brima has been more than impactful for the Lancers. He’s worked his way into the lineup and has become a mainstay for the them. His effort, skill, and smarts have helped him throughout the season and will continue to help push him through to higher levels.

By BRETT R. CROSSLEY
For the Loyalsock Lancers
WILLIAMSPORT—It’s that time of year when sickness and questionable health situations arise to strike the masses.
Loyalsock basketball, despite being filled with young athletes in peak physical shape, couldn’t avoid the unsee illnesses lurking throughout the world as leading scorer Gerald Ross missed Wednesday’s game due to sickness.
Ross, who should be back for the Saturday’s game against Williamsport, was missed, but it gave other players a chance to step up and fill the void. Mitchell Klingerman lead all scores with 23 points, Collin Graver added nine points on three treys, and Connor Watkins was his steady self with 14 points.
It all added up to a 72-54 win for the Lancers over Milton. It also guaranteed Loyalsock a spot in the District 4 playoffs. Every player who saw time for the Lancers scored at least two points.
“We had a good practice yesterday coming into this game,” Graver said. “We had good ball movement going in the beginning of the game. It was in the flow of the offense. It just happened it was me.”
No player embodied the opportunities more than Graver and Brandon Bauman. Graver, who finished with nine points off three treys, opened the game with the first six points to get Loyalsock up early.
“That was a great start,” Loyalsock coach Ron “CI” Insinger said of Graver’s triples. “You don’t know what you’re going to get every time, but he’s got great range for us.”
Graver helped Loyalsock close the first out with an 11-point lead. He finished the opening quarter with nine points, a steal, and two rebounds.
As Graver got Loyalsock off to a fast start Bauman helped maintain that lead through out the night. He saw the most minutes of any game of the season and made the most of the chance, scoring eight points, pulling down three boards, and blocking a shot.
“He can play any position and I have confidence in him,” Insinger said. “Hopefully, when he gets both his legs under him he’ll be even better.”
What won’t show up on the stat sheet is Bauman bringing the ball up the court and running the offense. Bauman was crucial to the Lancers success over the final two quarters. In the third, he scored six points and added a rebound as the Lancers scored 25 points over the stretch.
“It was a lot more rotation, getting guys in the rhythm of the game was a key part,” Bauman said. “I just always try to play my role no matter what. It was an important win to take us into the Williamsport game. We moved the ball around well. Stuff like that usually gives you the easy buckets.”
Loyalsock was outstanding at the start of each half. Of the Lancers 72 points, 50 came in the first and third quarters combined. They also out-rebounded the opposition once again as Klingerman and Webb led the way. Klingerman led all scorers with 23 points. He also grabbed seven rebounds, six of which came in the third quarter.
Klingerman appeared to be on right from the get go, scoring seven points in the opening quarter off a trey and two 2s.

Loyalsock 72, Milton 54
Milton (54)
Eric Council 1 0-0 3; Tony Manzano 9 3-5 24; Qamar Bradley 2 2-4 7; Quaylin Rice 2 0-0 4; Alex Garcia 5 2-4 14; Brandon Feltman 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 7-13 54.
Loyalsock (72)
Brandon Bauman 3 2-2 8; Collin Graver 3 0-0 9; Anthony Pastore 4 2-2 10; Connor Watkins 5 3-4 14; Mitchell Klingerman 9 4-6 23; Bam Brima 1 0-4 2; Hunter Webb 1 1-3 3; Aiden Gair 0 3-4 3. Totals 26 15-25 72.
MIL 14 13 14 13–54
SOCK 25 9 25 13–72
3–Point Goals: Milton 7 (Council, Manzano 3, Bradley, Garcia 2). Loyalsock 5 (Graver 3, Klingerman, Watkins).
Records: Milton 2-11 (0-6). Loyalsock 11-3 (5-1)
Next Lewisburg at Milton, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Loyalsock vs. Williamsport at Loycoming College, Saturday, 3 p.m.
JV Score: 81-55 Loyalsock.
High Scores: Milton:Allen, 22. Loyalsock: Herwig, 21.

 

 

 

By BRETT R. CROSSLEY
For the Loyalsock Lancers
SHAMOKIN—It was the middle of the third quarter and Loyalsock needed something big to happen offensively. Enter Aiden Gair.
At the 2:04 mark of the quarter, Gair pulled up and let a three pointer fly as a defender came down on top of him. A quick foul was called as the ball swished through the net, barely touching the rim in the process. Gair quickly jumped up and converted the four-point play for Loyalsock. He later canned another trey and scored on a layup to close out the quarter with a five-point spurt.
The shots seemed to give Loyalsock energy as it put together one of its best defensive quarters of the night to close out a 58-52 win over Shamokin. Gair, who finished with 17 points to lead the Lancers, sparked the offense with a hot hand he seemed to have during warmups all the way through to the final quarter.
“I felt like I shot well in warmups,” Gair said. “I’m glad I could continue it into the game.”
Loyalsock built a 15-7 lead at the close of the first quarter. Gair accounted for six of those points as he converted both 3-point attempts in the opening quarter. The offense struggled a bit in the early goings. Gerald Ross missed his first two shots, Anthony Pastore missed his first shot, and Hunter Webb missed his first two shots, as well.
Where the Lancers (10-3) did excel was rebounding. Webb finished the opening eight minutes with seven rebounds. Mitchell Klingerman and Connor Watkins each had two apiece.
“Frustration sets in when we don’t control the glass, because we are so used to it,” Loyalsock coach Ron “CI” Insinger said. “It’s a good position to be in when you have that type of depth on the glass.”
Loyalsock out-rebounded Shamokin (6-9) throughout the game, which made each and every possession that much more important for the Indians. After scoring just seven points in the opening quarter and getting dominated on the glass, Shamokin opened the second strong, outscoring Loyalsock 22-17 over the stretch.
“We had a lot of opportunities in the first quarter,” Shamokin coach Chris Zimmerman said. “Loyalsock’s length is deceiving. They have some pretty good athletes and length and a few of our guys were hesitant to go to the basket.”
That length became an issue in the second half as Loyalsock deployed a full court press in the third quarter. Shamokin turned the ball over six times over the stretch and the offense was quick to take advantage of the turnovers.
Gair scored nine points, including a four-point swing after getting fouled on a 3. Gair buried the foul shot and helped Loyalsock gain some separation from the Indians.
“As much as he’s building confidence the coaching staff is building confidence in him,” Insinger said. “He’s athletic enough and good enough of a basketball player to make contributions for us all over the court. Tonight he fit in beautifully and did a tremendous job. He kept us close the whole game.”
If there’s one knock on Loyalsock as it defeated Shamokin after nearly a week off, it was foul shooting. The Lancers struggled to put the game away in the fourth quarter as they missed ten attempts from the line. Despite the misses, rebounding was still there for the Lancers. Webb finished the final quarter with four rebounds and a steal and Watkins added three rebounds to go with two points.
“Connor (Watkins) is leading our team in rebounding and shooting percentage,” Insinger said. “He just has a nose for the basketball and gets the job done.”
The Lancers will head back for a day of practice before taking on Milton in the final of two league meetings with the Black Panthers.

Loyalsock 58, Shamokin 52
SOCK 15 17 16 7–58
SHA 7 22 13 10–52
Loyalsock (58)
Brandon Bauman 0 0-0 0; Gerald Ross 2 2-4 6; Collin Graver 0 0-0 0; Anthony Pastore 3 4-4 11; Connor Watkins 5 2-7 12; Mitchell Klingerman 5 0-4 4; Bam Brima 3 0-4 6; Hunter Webb 0 1-2 1; Aiden Gair 6 1-1 17. Totals 24 10-26 58.
Shamokin (52)
Collin Bowers 2 3-4 8; Tariq Braggs 1 0-0 2; Jahleke West 7 2-4 16; Chris Stewart 2 0-1 4; Lenny Kreski 0 0-0 0; Mason Filarski 5 0-1 13; Matt Schiccatano 1 0-0 2; Joe Masse 2 3-4 7. Totals 20 8-14 52
3–Point Goals: Loyalsock 5 (Gair 4, Pastore). Shamokin 4 (Bowers, Filarski, 3).
Records: Loyalsock 10-3. Shamokin 6-9.
Next: Milton at Loyalsock, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. Shamokin at Shikellamy, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
JV Score: 80-60 Shamokin.
High Scorers: Loyalsock: Watkins, 12; Hertwig, 12. Shamokin: Bowers, 21; West, 21.

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

Loyalsock’s Anthony Pastore drives into the paint during a game against Montoursville. Pastore finished with 16 points for the Lancers. He also helped key a second quarter run after getting fouled during a three-point attempt.

 

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

Loyalsock’s Brandon Bauman looks on after attempting to make a layup through the middle of Montoursville’s defense. Bauman scored five points in the fourth quarter for Loyalsock as it knocked off Montoursville 82-49.

 

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

Loyalsock’s Collin Graver looks on after a fourth quarter foul during a game against Montoursville. Graver scored seven points for the Lancers, who beat Montoursville 82-49 to move to 9-2 on the season.

 

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

Loyalsock’s Connor Watkins fights through a crowd of defenders to make a difficult layup underneath the basket. Watkins pulled down five rebounds and finished with 14 points to help the Lancers defeat Montoursville, 82-49.

 

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

Loyalsock’s Gerald Ross goes in for a layup during a game against Montoursville. Ross posted 14 points for the Lancers as they beat Montoursville, 82-49.

 

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

Loyalsock’s Ryan Sullivan looks on during the fourth quarter as Brandon Bauman goes in for a layup.

 

By BRETT R. CROSSLEY

For the Loyalsock Lancers

WILLIAMSPORT—The long road home was well worth the trip for Loyalsock, which survived its first extended time away from home of the season with six wins against just two losses.

The trip might have provided some adversity early in the season, but a relieved Loyalsock appeared ready to play once again for its home fans. The Lancers opened with 23 points over the first eight minutes and really never looked back as it downed Montoursville, 82-49.

“The first couple minutes of the first quarter and the first couple minutes of the third quarter can dictate the tempo of the game,” Loyalsock coach Ron “CI” Insinger said. “It was imperative for us to hit the first couple shots.”

After outscoring the Warriors 23-14 over the first eight minutes of the game, Montoursville started to make a run that cut Loyalsock’s lead down to five points. The surge fizzled out when Anthony Pastore, who scored the first five points of the game, was fouled while attempting a three-pointer.

Pastore pulled back for the long attempt, but was knocked down in the process of shooting. He quickly fell to the ground as the ball nearly made its way to the hoop. Once at the line, Pastore drained all three attempts to spark a 7-0 run to put the Lancers back up by double-digits.

“Whenever you’re going to the line it’s really important,” Pastore said. “We work everyday on free throws and if we miss we run. It’s something that we have to make a guarantee when we go to the line.”

Pastore then scored four points over the final two quarters, but was pulled midway through the fourth as Loyalsock built a big lead. All five of the Lancers’ starters were pulled in the middle of the fourth and walked to the bench with the crowd cheering for their efforts.

Brandon Bauman, Collin Graver, and Aiden Gair all scored off the bench for the Lancers. Bauman, who finished with five points, was outstanding from the free throw line. He connected on five of his six attempts to help cushion the Lancers’ lead. He also did a good job of distributing, finding Gair twice for three pointers late in the game.

Loyalsock gained separation in the third quarter when Connor Watkins scored eight points. He also grabbed five rebounds in the quarter as he and Bam Brima, who blocked a shot and scored two points, controlled the glass.

“He’s a silent leader that leads by example,” Insinger said of Watkins. “He just has great instincts. He knows were the well is and now that he has confidence he just keeps getting better each game.”

Brima is another player who has continued to improve each game. In the third quarter, Brima was a strong force under the basket. He even displayed some quickness by intercepting a pass near midcourt and taking it back for an offensive possession.

 

Loyalsock 82, Montoursville 49

MTV 14 15 12 8—49

SOCK 23 20 18 21—82

Montoursville (49)

Eddie Rodriguez 0 0-0 0; Owen Keiss 3 0-0 6; Colin Lachemayer 0 0-0 0; John McCarthy 3 4-4 12; Dylan Bower 2 0-0 4; Tyler Reidy 2 1-2 3; Jason Good 2 2-2 6; Luke Warnecke 3 0-0 7; Austin Loe 5 1-1 11. Totals 20 8-9 49.

Loyalsock (82)

Brandon Bauman 0 5-6 5; Gerald Ross 6 0-0 14; Collin Graver 3 0-0 7; Anthony Pastore 6 3-3 16; Connor Watkins 6 2-2 14; Mitchell Klingerman 6 0-0 13; Bam Brima 2 0-0 2; Hunter Webb 0 2-2 2; Aiden Gair 3 2-2 11. Totals 33 14-17 82.

3—Point Goals: Montoursville 3 (McCarthy 2, Warnecke). Loyalsock 8 (Ross 2, Watkins, Pastore, Klingerman 2, Gair 3).

Records: Montoursville 4-3. Loyalsock 9-2.

JV Score: 56-48 Montoursville.

High scorers: Montoursville: Burger, 17. Loyalsock: Reed Watkins, 12.

 

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

Loyalsock’s Bam Brima guards a Central Columbia player during the Lancers’ road game against the Blue Jays. Brima finished with six points as Loyalsock defeated Central Columbia, 75-49.

 

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

Loyalsock’s Brandyn Bauman gets into position to guard a Central Columbia player bring the ball up the court.

 

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

Loyalsock’s Connor Watkins passes a ball out from deep underneath the basket. Watkins scored eight points, blocked two shots, a steal, and pulled down five rebounds as the Lancers defeated the Bluejays, 75-49.

 

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

Loyalsock’s Gerald Ross goes in for a layup as defender close in around him during a game at Central Columbia. Ross led the Lancers with 20 points.

 

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

Loyalsock’s Hunter Webb goes in for a layup after making a steal near midcourt during a game against Central Columbia.

 

By BRETT R. CROSSLEY

For the Loyalsock Lancers

CENTRAL COLUMBIA—Loyalsock’s return to the PHAC was marked by multiple clutch shots as the Lancers headed to Central Columbia to renew their rivalry with the Blue Jays.

Mitchell Klingerman nailed a jumped as the buzzer sounded on the first quarter and Hunter Webb collected a rebound to put back a shot as time expired on the third quarter. The offense was there for Loyalsock and so was the defense as the Lancers returned to form with a 75-49 win over Central Columbia.

“It’s exciting, because it helps the momentum carry over from the last quarter,” Ron “CI” Insinger said of the clutch shots. “We work on a lot of that last second stuff in practice so we have those opportunities. They aren’t accidents.”

As for the key makes from the floor, they helped the Lancers offense overcome an 11-point first quarter that gave them just a one-point lead over the Bluejays. Klingerman’s bucket to beat the buzzer seemed to give the Lancers confidence through the opening minutes of the second quarter.

“It was good that we came out and did what we had to do to make it not much of a game in the fourth quarter,” Klingerman said. “We tend to have big quarters each game whether it’s the first, second, third, or fourth. We’d rather have it early than late.”

Insinger and company have appeared to find the perfect balance for rotating Hunter Webb and Bam Brima. The two defensive and rebounding machines didn’t mesh well together on the court, but now that the coaches have both subbing throughout the game it works perfectly. Anytime one needs a break the other is there to spell him.

In Wednesday’s game, both players looked fresh throughout all four quarters. Webb, along with hitting the shot to beat the third quarter buzzer, was outstanding underneath the basket. He led the Lancers in rebounds with ten and scored six points. Brima also finished with six points, a block, and four rebounds.

Prior to Webb converting his rebound into points at the conclusion of the third, Brima added some offensive juice. With a little more than 30 seconds left in the third, Brima grabbed a rebound and made a tough put back to give the Lancers a 46-36 lead.

“I just went in there and did the job they wanted me to do and there’s no better feeling than that,” Webb said. “It’s easy to rebound when everybody is boxing out and playing good defense and that’s what we did tonight. We were just having fun out there in the second half.”

Ross once again paced the offense, scoring 20 points to lead the team throughout the night. Ross was held scoreless over the opening eight minutes, but flew through the second. He started to attack the basket more, which yielded three trips to the line where he converted all but one attempt. He also nailed a three-point play when he was fouled after making a basket. He quickly made the free throw to complete a nine points quarter. He also added a block and two rebounds over the stretch.

Ross closed out the final two quarters with 11 points as the Lancers outscored Central Columbia 45-23 to end the game.

 

 

Loyalsock 75, Central Columbia 49

SOCK 11 20 18 25—75

CCOL 10 16 10 13—49

Loyalsock (75)

Brandyn Bauman 0 0-0 0; Gerald Ross 6 6-8 20; Collin Graver 2 0-0 5; Anthony Pastore 5 3-4 14; Connor Watkins 2 4-6 8; Mitchell Klingerman 3 1-2 7; Bam Brima 3 0-0 6; Hunter Webb 3 0-0 6; Aiden Gair 3 0-1 9. Totals 27 15-21 75.

Central Columbia (49)

Zach Boyd 0 1-6 1; RJ Metzger 1 0-0 2; Nick Brunozzi 2 0-0 4; Jason Sokol 3 0-0 6; Matt Grozier 1 0-0 2; Shawn Deitrick 4 0-3 8; Cade Devlin 7 9-13 26. Totals 18 10-22 49.

3—Point Goals: Loyalsock 7 (Ross 2, Graver, Pastore, Gair 3). Central Columbia 3 (Coombe 3).

Records: Loyalsock 7-2. Central Columbia 3-5.

Next: Loyalsock at Lewisburg, Friday, 7:30 p.m. Lebanon Catholic at Central Columbia, Friday, 7:30 p.m.

JV Score: 61-51 Loyalsock.

High Scorers: Loyalsock: Tyler Herwig, 19. Central Columbia: Dylan Harris, 27.

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

Loyalsock’s Anthony Pastore gets ready to shoot a free throw during the State College Christmas Tournament.

 

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

Loyalsock’s Brandyn Bauman takes a shot against Germantown during the State College Christmas Tournament.

 

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

After pulling down a rebound, Loyalsock’s Connor Watkins puts a shot back up during a State College Christmas Tournament game against Germantown Academy.

 

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

Loyalsock’s Mitchell Klingerman takes a difficult shot against Germantown during the State College Christmas Tournament.

 

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

Loyalsock’s Anthony Pastore cuts through a crowd of defenders to put up a difficult layup against Owen J. Roberts during the Consolation Game of the State College Christmas Tournament.

 

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

Loyalsock’s Gerald Ross dribbles the ball down the baseline for a quick look underneath the basket during a State College Christmas Tournament game against Owen J. Roberts.

 

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

Loyalsock’s Hunter Webb heads back down court after a Lancer’s basket from Gerald Ross. Webb finished the consolation game of the State College Christmas Tournament with six rebounds.

 

BRETT R. CROSSLEY/FOR THE LOYALSOCK LANCERS

Mitchell Klingerman stands with his parents after receiving the Most Valuable Person award prior to Loyalsock’s consolation game against Owen J. Roberts.

By BRETT R. CROSSLEY

For the Loyalsock Lancers

STATE COLLEGE—Loyalsock’s players, coaches, and fans knew heading into the State College Christmas Tournament it was going to be a tough set of games.

Loyalsock entered as the smallest school of the tournament in terms of classification as Owen J. Roberts, State College, and Germantown Academy filled out the bracket. The smaller size seemed to matter little to Loyalsock as it entered with a perfect 6-0 mark.

The Lancers competed tough throughout both games, but came away empty handed, suffering the first two losses of the season. Loyalsock dropped its opening game against Germantown Academy, 56-52. In the second game, Loyalsock finished with mixed results as it posted a two-point third quarter, but managed a small rally to fall 56-45 to Owen J. Roberts.

“We’ll turn a negative into a positive,” Loyalsock coach Ron “CI” Insinger said. “We could have got into tournaments closer to home and with teams our size. We might have even won it, but that doesn’t prove anything. We have to go against faster, stronger kids and be challenged.”

Loyalsock (6-2) was certainly challenged throughout the two-day tournament. In the end, the Lancers might have recorded its first two defeats for the season, but a lot was gained against the quality opponents.

Mitchell Klingerman continued to produce, building on a strong start to the season after being named MVP of the Tip-off Tournament. Klingerman scored 16 points through two games on his way to being named his team’s “Most Valuable Person”.

As for the games, Loyalsock opened a little flat against Germantown Academy, scoring just 26 points through the first two quarters. Loyalsock struggled throughout the second half, making just four shots from the floor in the third quarter as Germantown Academy built a lead it would hold the rest of the way.

“We come up to this tournament and we’re clicking on all cylinders and it’s like we almost ran out of gas at moments,” Insinger said. “I’m frustrated. I’m disappointed. I’m certainly disenchanted with the outcome of this tournament, but we’ll get some leverage out of this. We’ll have some good practices and hopefully this will springboard us into the new year.”

After falling to Germantown Academy (4-6), Loyalsock took on Owen J. Roberts (6-3) in the consolation game of the tournament. It was a contest filled with highs and lows, with the final breaking point costing the Lancers the game.

Throughout the first half the Lancers appeared to be getting back to form. Gerald Ross finished with 13 points, Anthony Pastore excelled through the second quarter for six points, and Connor Watkins added four rebounds to go with four points. Once the third quarter started everything changed as the Lancers were held to a season low two points over the eight-minute stretch.

“We’ll be fine,” Insinger said. “There were moments when they just didn’t execute. It frustrates me, but we’ll get through it.”

Ross, Loyalsock’s leading scorer, finished the tournament with 28 points through both games. Watkins posted 17 and continued to be a rebounding force, finishing the tournament with a combined 13.

Loyalsock will head to Central Columbia next Wednesday to take on the Blue Jays in the hopes of reversing it current two-game slide.

“Central is a very tough place for Lancers to play,” Insinger said. “It’s a snake pit for us. It will be a challenge, but I have good feelings. We are ready for the PHAC.”

 

Owen J. Roberts 56, Loyalsock 45

SOCK 11 14 2 16—45

OJR 15 13 15 13—56

Loyalsock (45)

Brandyn Bauman 0 1-4 1; Gerald Ross 7 0-1 15; Collin Graver 0 0-0 0; Anthony Pastore 3 4-6 10; Connor Watkins 2 3-4 7; Mitchell Klingerman 2 0-1 5; Bam Brima 0 0-0 0; Hunter Webb 0 0-0 0; Aiden Gair 2 0-0 5. Totals 16 8-16 45.

OJR (56)

Sean Praweckyj 2 0-0 4; Marcus Martin 0 0-0 0; Shyheed May 7 2-4 18; Ryan Sayers 3 4-4 13; Nick Massa 3 2-3 10; Dawson Stuart 2 1-2 5; Sa’Vaughn Davidheiser 2 0-0 4; Justin Bailey 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 9-13 56.

3—Point Goals: Loyalsock 3 (Ross, Klingerman, Gair). OJR 7 (May 2, Sayers 3, Massa 2).

Records: Loyalsock 6-2. Owen J. Roberts 6-3.

Next: Loyalsock at Central Columbia, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. Owen J. Roberts at Methacton, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.

By BRETT R. CROSSLEY

For the Loyalsock Lancers

MIFFLINBURG—Loyalsock entered its game against Mifflinburg missing three key pieces of their team.

In the absence of the one starter and two key members of the bench, Loyalsock had players step up to fill the void to fight off a strong fourth quarter push by the Wildcats to win 73-64. It was the second consecutive loss for Mifflinburg, which falls to 2-3 on the season.

A slow start put the Wildcats on the heels early as Loyalsock overcame an early six-point deficit to take the opening quarter 20-12. The Wildcats continued to adjust, limiting Loyalsock’s fast break points, but finally giving way to Loyalsock’s speed at the end.

“The fourth was a little different from the first, because we stressed coming into the game that we had to eliminate or as least limit their fast break points,” Mifflinburg coach Andre Roupp said. “We gave a lot of fast break and transition points to them and we did not take care of the ball.”

Bam Brima finished with four points, but found his place with the defense as Hunter Webb was one of Loyalsock’s missing players. Brima added 10 rebounds to his totals. He also played an outstanding game defensively, changing shot directions and collecting missed attempts.

“With Webb going out I wanted to be a little better than I was the last game,” Brima said. “I tried extra hard in practice and worked on the little things.”

It was Brima’s big chance for the Lancers. He’s entered as a sub throughout the early portions of the season, but had a chance to give significant minutes to the Lancers against Mifflinburg.

“I feel blessed,” Brima said of the chance. “I just wanted to do my best for the team.”

Mifflinburg ended the game with 13 turnovers, but did manage to have a strong showing in the fourth to pull within five points of tying the game.

A string of technical fouls opened the fourth quarter. It also opened the door for Mifflinburg. Tanner Stoltzfus took all four of the free throws awarded from Loyalsock’s technicals. He made each free throw to cut into Loyalsock’s advantage. The Wildcats were awarded nine free throws in the final quarter. They converted seven over the stretch after hitting just two in the previous three quarters.

Stoltzfus was outstanding for the Wildcats. He played a tough game inside the paint. He was outsized underneath against Loyalsock’s Connor Watkins and Brima, who combined to pull down 23 rebounds for the Lancers.

Despite the size disadvantage for Stoltzfus, he showed little fear going into the paint, helping the Wildcats offensively with 17 points.

Jordan Tyson led all Wildcats scorers with 20 points and much like Stoltzfus, he showed little to no fear driving into the paint to create contact or easy layups. Tyson drained three free throws and added seven points from the floor as the Wildcats attempted to make their comeback in the fourth quarter.

A big reason for the Wildcats success down the stretch was their ability to stop Loyalsock’s Gerald Ross.

“He’s a guy who can knock them down from the outside or beat you with dribble penetration,” Roupp said. “We wanted to step up and try to eliminate both of those options for him.”

Ross, after leading the Lancers to a big win over Milton, scored just five points over the final two quarters.

“He will have big nights for us,” Loyalsock coach Ron Insinger said. “Tonight, was not one of those nights, but we had other people step up. It was nice to see.”

Watkins finished with 22 points to lead all scorers. Ross finished with 11 and Anthony Pastore chipped in another 14 for Loyalsock.

 

Loyalsock 73, Mifflinburg 64

SOCK 20 16 18 19—73

MIFF 12 16 14 23—64

Loyalsock (73)

Gerald Ross 4 3-3 11; Collin Graver 0 0-0 0; Anthony Pastore 6 0-0 14; Connor Watkins 9 4-9 22; Mitchell Klingerman 5 1-1 13; Bam Brima 2 0-0 4; Aidan Gair 2 5-6 9. Totals 28 13-19 73.

Mifflinburg (64)

Jordan Tyson 8 3-4 20; Logan Mensch 1 0-0 3; Levi Yoder 5 0-0 11; Adam Mcardle-Coe 3 0-2 6; Seth Kline 0 0-1 1; Tanner Stoltzfus 6 5-9 17; Austin Raymer 3 0-0 6. Totals 26 9-16 64.

3—Point Goals: Loyalsock 4 (Pastore 2, Klingerman 2). Mifflinburg 3 (Tyson, Mensch, Yoder)

Records: Loyalsock 5-0 (2-0). Mifflinburg 2-3 (0-2)

Next: Loyalsock at Southern Columbia, today, 7:30 p.m. Selinsgrove at Mifflinburg, Jan. 3, 7:30 p.m.

JV Score: 88-48, Mifflinburg.

High Scorers: Loyalsock: Rees Watkins, 15. Mifflinburg: Isaiah Valentine, 18.