Bellefonte falls in overtime thriller over Hollidaysburg
Jan 27, 2023

By Kenny Varner

BELLEFONTE – They left it all on the court!

After trailing by 25-15 at the half, the Bellefonte boys basketball team came out and changed their fortunes  exploding for 23 third quarter points and taking the contest to overtime tied at 52 against Hollidaysburg.

The Tigers battled through and outlasted the Red Raiders, 59-56.

“I’m always proud of the kids efforts. We just didn’t execute in the first half and be down by ten at the end of the first half but then we started picking away and then start playing faster,” said Bellefonte coach Rick Hall. “We became a lot more aggressive shooting wise in the second half that put us in a position to win.”

In the third quarter, Bellefonte came out strong starting out with a Cole Crissman triple to get things off and running. Crissman would lead the team posting a double double scoring 22 points, 10 rebounds and two steals.

The Tigers took their next possession down and got the ball in the middle and got it to Brady Steiner for the bucket.

Luke Fisher cut the contest to 27-20 as he took the ball straight to the basket, cutting it to seven.

Hollidaysburg extended the lead to 10 on a triple by Steiner.

From there the Red Raiders would roll going on a 17-0 run, taking the lead for the first time 38-33.

In that run Crissman was very active scoring 12 of the Bellefonte points in the run.

Hollidaysburg would pick up five points to end the period tying things at 39.

The two would take the battle in the fourth period, the two teams went back and forth.

Ryder Hamilton got things started offensive as he picked up Tigers’ pass and took it in for two.

After another Hollidaysburg turn over, Bellefonte’s Alex Abeling took it to the hoop and in, upping it to a 42-38.

Both teams would keep the contest within two.

Hollidaysburg trailed up by only one after a dunk by Crissman, the Tigers pushed back, taking the lead by a Cole Walters shot down low that hit off the glass and in, with 15 ticks left.

However, Bellefonte was able to get the ball to sharp shooting Jacob McConnell and with 10 seconds to go he hit a clutch triple.

With the Red Raiders holding onto a 52-50 lead.

Hollidaysburg had the ball with time running out in regulation. With the ball.

When the buzzer sounded, it would be an off balanced shot by the Tigers Leyton Weimart, tying it and putting the game into overtime.

In the overtime period, the Tigers would outscored Bellefonte 8-5 to take the contest.

Offensively, Bellefonte had two players finish in double figures. Crissman and McConnell.

In the JV contest, Bellefonte rallied late to take home the 58-56.

Hollidaysburg 59, Bellefonte 56 (OT)

HB 16 9 13 14 7 –  59

BE   7 8  23 12 5 – 56

Scoring: Bellefonte – Ryder Hamilton 2 0-0 4, Luke Fisher 2 0-0 4, Alex Abeling 3 3-4 9, Jacob McConnell 5 2-4 13, Cole Crissman 6 7-9 22, Ethan Tomasacci 2 0-0 4. Totals – 20 12-18 56.

Hollidaysburg – Mason Goodman 4 4-8 14, Carson Rhodes  4 0-0 8, Brady Steiner  6 2-2 18, Leyton Weimart 2 1-3 5, Cole Walters 5 2-3 14. Totals 21 9-16 59.

Played but didn’t score: Bellefonte – Jacob Corman 0 0-0 0, Derek Cox 0 0-1 0. Hollidaysburg – Kyle Graham 0 0-0 0, Kasen Metzger 0 0-0 0, Jay Albarano 0 0-0 0,.

Three-point shots: Bellefonte – Crissman, McConnell. Hollidaysburg – Walters 2, Steiner 4, Goodman 2.

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