The local high school hoops season is off and running in Centre County. All six area teams now have games under their belts.
Bald Eagle Area
The Bald Eagle Area Eagles opened the season with a home victory over Penns Valley on Dec. 12, 43-30. The Eagles overcame a four-point first quarter and 19-17 halftime deficit by clamping down the defense in the second half. Penns Valley scored just 11 points in the last two quarters.
BEA will travel to Philipsburg-Osceola on Friday, Dec. 15.
State College
The Little Lions 2017 boys’ basketball team is one to keep a close eye on after two season-opening wins in the Skip Coleman Memorial Tip-Off Tournament, facing out-of-state opponents.
State College defeated The High School of Economics and Finance from New York, Dec. 8 in the tournament’s opening night.
The second win, a 58-42 victory over Maryland’s St. James, earned the Lions the first place finish. Drew Friberg and Keaton Ellis led the Little Lions in scoring, each posting a game-high 14 points.
The Little Lions host Harrisburg in a home conference game Friday, Dec. 15.
St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy
St. Joe’s tipped-off its 2017-18 boys’ basketball push to the playoffs with a 66-19 win over cross-town rival Grace Prep on Dec. 8.
The Wolves’ R.J. Marsh was the game’s leading scorer, with 12 points.
Three days later, the Wolves grabbed another victory, 53-42, at home against Penns Valley.
St. Joe’s will host Ridgway on Friday, Dec. 15.
Penns Valley
Matthew Tobias helped Penns Valley defeat Mifflinburg in the Rams’ season opener, scoring 12 points in the 43-32 win Dec. 8.
The team’s first defeat of the season came at the hands of the St. Joe’s Wolves on Dec. 11, 53-42. On Dec. 12, the team was defeated by Bald Eagle Area, 43-30. The Rams scored just 11 second-half points in the loss.
The Rams will be back in action Sunday, Dec. 17, with a home conference game against Tyrone.
Philipsburg-Osceola
The Mounties of Phillipsburg-Osceola won their first game of the season after defeating Moshannon Valley on Dec. 8, 58-47.
Marcus Wisor led the force for the Mounties. The senior had 22 points in the win.
The Mounties will be back in action, at home, Friday, Dec. 15, to take on conference opponent Bald Eagle Area.
Bellefonte
The Red Raiders of Bellefonte dropped its season opener to the Wildcats of Central Mountain on Dec. 8.
In the face of the loss, Caleb Rockey led Bellefonte in scoring with 19 points on the night.
The Wildcats’ 65-45 victory earned first-year head coach Tyler Bardo his first career win.
On Dec. 12, the Red Raiders were defeated by Huntingdon, 51-43.
Bellefonte will next see action Friday, Dec. 15, at Jersey Shore.
