PHILIPSBURG – A flair for the dramatics!

Falling behind early in their contest against Philipsburg-Osceola, the East Juniata girls basketball team rallied from an 18-15 deficit on the rebounding a shooting prowess of center Landyn Cramer and teammate Sara Brackbill to tough out a defensive laden 29-25 contest Saturday night.

Brackbill provided the offensive for the Tigers posting a double-double with 14-point and 12-rebound effort on the night.

Cramer chipped in four points but was a force on the boards collecting 12 rebounds en route to the victory.

Philipsburg-Osceola was led by Emily Gustkey who finished with eight. She hit two triples in the contest.

Teammates Reagan Thorp and Lily Warlow added five each.

In the first, the Mounties held the lead outscoring the Tigers 4-2.

Thorp finished with both buckets for PO. Brackbill had the lone field goal for East Juniata.

East Juniata outscored PO in the second 11-9 as the two teams went into the intermission, tied at 13.

Coming out of the half, Philipsburg-Osceola took back the lead as it used its defense to a 5-0 period.

The excitement continued into the final stanza.

Trailing 18-13, Brackbill took the first step in the comeback, coming out with with a strong run to the lane.

PO went back up by five when Warlow hit a jumper on the lane at 6:30.

Grace Hibbs cut the deficit to three as she pulled down an offensive rebound and hit the put back, 20-17.

The Mounties answered the Tigers basket as Gustkey also pulled down an offensive board and put back.

Going into the final four minutes the Lady Mounties led by five.

Brackbill brought down the deficit to three at 3:30.

With 2:41 left, Cadee Becker stood tall and sent a triple from beyond the arc, tying the contest at 23.

East Juniata forced a turnover and they got the ball back to Brackbill. Brackbill was fouled and went to the line. She hit 1-of-2, giving EJ the lead to 24-23.

Cramer put her team up by three as she pulled down a rebound and hit a shot, making it 26-23.

Philipsburg-Osceola continued to battle as Maddy Malinich hit a tough runner in the lane, making it a one-point Tigers’ lead.

But East Juniata would get the victory ending the game on a 3-0 run.