CENTRE COUNTY — In local boys’ basketball news, Bald Eagle Area upended Mount Union, 59-32, Penns Valley broke a losing streak with two wins, and State College was 1-1 with win over Cumberland Valley and a close loss to Central York.
Here’s a closer look at those games and the other local scores:
BEA 59 Mount Union 32.
The BEA Bald Eagles broke an eight-game losing streak with a resounding 59-32 victory over Mount Union at home on Monday night.
The Eagles, tied after the first quarter, 10-10, began asserting themselves before halftime with an 11-5 run and then began pulling away in the third quarter.
Then, leading 40-25 heading down the stretch, BEA took the game with a 19-point run that set the final score at 59-32.
James Cowan led BEA with 23 points on 10 field goals and 3-for-3 from the line. He was followed by Kane Wolf with 9 points, Jayden Yeaney with 8 and Jackson Millward with 5.
BEA’s defense also showed up in the game, limiting Mount Union to single digits in both the second and fourth quarters and a total of just 17 points in the second half.
Next up for the Eagles will be a cross-town rivalry game against Penns Valley on Friday in Wingate followed by another local clash at Bellefonte on Monday.
Penns Valley 84 Bishop Carroll 46
The Penns Valley Rams left little doubt in their LHAC game on Friday night against Bishop Carroll at home.
The Rams shot out early and kept going in an 84-46 victory over Carroll that improved the team’s record to 12-6.
PV was led by Julian Battaglia and Noah Patel who both scored 24 points while Fletcher Ironside added 15.
Battaglia nailed four 3-pointers, and Patel hit 10 field goals, a 3-pointer and 2-for-5 from the line.
The win improved PV to 9-6 in the LHAC for the season and was the Rams’ second consecutive win after a two-game losing streak.
Two days earlier, the Rams broke that streak with a close, 64-57 victory at Bellwood-Antis.
Penns Valley put four players in double-figures in Bellwood led by Patel with 17 points. He was followed by Battaglia with 11, Fletcher Ironside with 12, Spencer Althouse with 11 and Carter Ironside with 10.
Next up for PV will be away games at BEA and Clearfield.
The Rams are presently No. 6 in the District 6, AAA Rankings behind Penn Cambria and just ahead of No. 7 Tyrone (10-6).
Bishop Guilfoyle, 14-3, is ranked No. 1 and Forest Hills, 17-2, is No. 2.
Central York 62 State College 54
The State College Little Lions started slowly at Central York on Monday night, battled back to within a point down the stretch, but ultimately could not hold on in a 62-54 loss to the Panthers.
SC went down by 10 after the first quarter, 22-12, but the Lions kept at it.
By halftime, they were down just 33-25 and then going into the final eight minutes it was 43-41.
But a 20-point fourth quarter run by Central York, led by Ryan Jackson and Gavino Grove, secured the win for the Panthers.
SC did get six points by Micah Jones in the quarter and a 3-pointer by Connor Baldwin, but it was not enough.
Jones led the Lions with 20 points, with Spencer Nelson scoring 14 and Baldwin 10.
The loss set the team’s record at 11-8 overall and 8-5 in the Mid-Penn Commonwealth.
On January 29 at home against Cumberland Valley, SC notched its 11th win with a consistent 58-45 victory over 12-7 CV.
The Lions used a solid defense, holding Cumberland to single digits in two quarters, and a consistent offense to pull off the Mid-Penn Commonwealth victory.
After taking a 41-32 lead going into the fourth quarter, SC held off CV by going 7-for-10 from the line and getting three baskets from Jones.
Jones led the team with 20 points, 12 in the second half, and Chase Rhoades chipped in with 11.
The Little Lions will now face Erie McDowell, away, on February 7 in their final regular-season game of the season.
The Lions are presently No. 1 in the District 6, AAAAAA Rankings ahead of No. 2 Mifflin County and No. 3 Altoona.
In other boys’ basketball, Bishop McCort outlasted Philipsburg-Osceola at Philipsburg on Jan. 30 by a score of 51-46. BMCHS pulled away in the second half for the win.
P-O is now 4-14 for the season.
Saint Joseph’s Catholic Academy fell in overtime to Line Mountain on Monday night, 68-65.
The WolfPack and Line Mountain tied at the end of regulation, 54-54, but the ‘Pack was outscored 14-11 and fell to their 8th loss of the season with 12 wins.
SJCA is No. 3 in the District 6, Single-A Rankings behind Conemaugh Valley. Williamsburg, 16-3, in No. 1.
Finally, Bellefonte is now at 2-16 after a close, 73-61 loss at Tyrone on Jan. 31. The Raiders will next face Bellwood-Antis away before hosting BEA on Feb. 9.
