DUBOIS- A lack of rebounds and defensive struggles led to a painful loss as the DuBois Area Beavers were hammered by the Hollidaysburg Golden Tigers 91-37 Tuesday, December 9 at the DuBois Area Middle School.
The Beavers did have a small spark in their step as they stayed with the Golden Tigers for half of the first period. As time went on though, the Beavers dominating speed slowed to a halt, as Hollidaysburg was driving the lanes and scoring on almost all offensive possessions. The Beavers ended the first period in a terrible position trailing 26-10.
At the start of the second period, the Golden Tigers came out blasting with a new pass scheme that delivered the ball back and forth five or more times before shooting an easy lay in under the net over a DuBois big man. After the Beavers were worn down trying to stop the pass and the driving plays, the Golden Tigers advanced their lead rapidly with quick drives outscoring the Beavers 51-19 by halftime.
The idea of a win was fading away at an alarming rate, as the crowd was quiet and the Beavers team didn’t seem to bring the intensity that they brought with them to the Keystone Tip-Off Tournament. After a brutal first half beating, the Beavers took the court again in the second half, only for more defensive struggle, and the inability to rebound. It was not that DuBois could not score. It was that they were only scoring on shots made on a first effort, and occasionally on a rare rebound. The Hollidaysburg offense was not having the same problem, as the Golden Tigers trucked through the Beavers making the score a crowd silencing 76-28 at the end of the third period.
Hollidaysburg and DuBois both began putting in the back-up players early in the 4th period, but it did not stop the Golden Tigers from putting the nail in the Beaver coffin to end the game 91-37.
DuBois was averaging 33.5 rebounds a game, which was higher then the 28.6 national average, before Tuesday’s massacre. The Beavers pulled down a miserable 15 boards as most came from the back-up crew late in the fourth period. Senior Jordan Labue kept fighting for the Beavers putting up 9 points to lead DuBois in scoring. Labue\’s shooting was a little off in the first period, as he scored most of his points in the second and third. Senior Cody Schalk also played hard throwing down 8 points himself over the tough Hollidaysburg defense. On the other side of the ball Hollidaysburg forward Pat Cassidy scorched the net with an impressive 19 points.
The DuBois Area Beavers (1-2) look to change their luck as they travel to Altoona on Thursday to play the Lions (1-1), who take the court off a loss to Perry Traditional Academy.