FLINTON – The Curwensville boys basketball team returned a favor to Glendale Thursday night in Moshannon Valley League (MVL) action by beating the Vikings on their home court 46-42. The Vikings, now 13-9, had won the first game this season, at Curwensville, 71-68 in January. Glendale finishes the MVL season at 3-5 while Curwensville stands at 3-4 in league play.
All five Tide starters scored in the opening period as Curwensville doubled up on their hosts to take a 12-6 lead in to the second frame.
Glendale, behind junior Brad O’Donnell, managed to cut the lead by two in the second eight minutes. O’Donnell had five second quarter points as the Vikings went into the locker room at the half behind just 21-17.
Curwensville came out in the second half and right away established a take charge attitude once again. Mark Dell’Antonio hit a three for the Tide with 2:10 to go in the period to give Curwensville its biggest lead of the night, 33-23. The visitors maintained that ten point margin going into the final stanza, 35-25.
After the teams traded buckets to open the final period and the Tide holding onto that ten point bulge the Vikings decided to play catch up. Trailing 37-27, Glendale went on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to two, 37-35. Derek Dixon ended the run with a two pointer of his own giving the Tide a little more breathing room at 39-35.
With the Tide hanging on 44-42 and 13.6 seconds left, the Vikings needed a foul to get the ball back. Unfortunately, Viking Ethan Cree fouled Sam Gardner of Curwensville a little too hard and was called for an intentional foul.
Gardner hit the two free throws to ice the win for Curwensville who were coached by assistant Shane Pentz in the absence of head coach Matt Wassil.
Curwensville was paced by Gardner with 16 while David Kalgren and Andrew Starr each had eight. Starr came up big with six second half points off the bench for the Tide.
Tyler Jenny led the Vikings, scoring 16 with O’Donnell adding 14.
Glendale won the junior varsity battle by beating the Golden Tide 52-46.
The Tide, with a record of 7-14, wrap up their 2008-09 campaign Friday night when they host the Harmony Owls at Patton Hall in another MVL tilt. The Owls defeated the Tide earlier this season, 79-59. Junior Varsity action will begin at 6 pm with the varsity contest to immediately follow.
The Vikings enter the District 6 A playoffs with an opening round game on Monday night when they meet up with Bishop Guilfoyle at Central Cambria high school. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.
CURWENSVILLE – 46 Sam Gardner 5 5-8 16, Tyler Johns 1 0-1 2, David Kalgren 3 2-5 8, Derek Dixon 2 0-0 4, Ben McGary 2 0-0 5, Andrew Starr 4 0-1 8, Mark Dell’Antonio 1 0-0 3. TOTALS – 18 7-15 46
GLENDALE – 42 Brad O’Donnell 4 5-8 14, Brent Lidwell 0 0-0 0, Tyler Jenny 7 2-4 16, Vance Kimberly 1 2-2 5, Ethan Cree 1 2-2 4, Lucas Westover 1 0-0 3, Ty Stackhouse 0 0-0 0. TOTALS – 14 11-16 42
SCORE BY QUARTERS
CURWENSVILLE 12 9 14 11 46
GLENDALE 6 11 8 17 42
THREE-POINTERS: CURWENSVILLE – 3 Gardner, McGary, Dell’Antonio.
GLENDALE – 3 O’Donnell, Kimberly, Westover.