CURWENSVILLE — The Curwensville Area High School boys basketball team bounced back from what coach Shane Pentz deemed to be a sub-par showing in a 30-point victory over winless Harmony Monday night to dismantle St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy 62-35 in a non-league make-up on the Patton Hall hardwood Tuesday night.
“Our effort was much better,” Pentz said after the Golden Tide (13-7) wrapped up a four-game home stand in five days with their fifth win in a row. “We were more focused and came out right from the opening tip with more energy.”
The inside-outside combination of junior center Trey Rauckhorst and senior floor general Tanner Elensky set the tone on offense with all nine of the Golden Tide points in the first four minutes and went on to combine for 39 points.
Rauckhorst posted a career-high with 21 points, eclipsing his previous best of 15 at Harmony on December19, and made it a double-double with 11 rebounds.
“He was attacking the basket like we want him to,” Pentz said. “He wasn’t settling for jump shots and jump hooks. He was finishing at the rim.”
Elensky also tallied most of his 18 points at the basket on dribble penetration and fast breaks.
The duo put the Golden Tide in front 9-6 after St. Joseph’s junior Michael Jabco opened the scoring, Rauckhorst spinning into the lane for a conventional three-point play, Elensky charging into the lane for a floater, Rauckhorst cashing an offensive rebound with a reverse layup and Elensky converting a steal into an easy two.
Two buckets by Brett Gardner, one a pretty reverse layup, around a three-pointer by Elensky completed an 11-point run and showed the Golden Tide was playing at a much higher level than 24 hours earlier.
The hosts were up 18-11 at the first turn after St. Joseph’s playmaker Nunu Buey fired the ball to Evan Young behind the Golden Tide defense for a pair of peeps.
“We kind of got out of position because we were worried about their shooters on the wings,” Pentz explained. “We made some adjustments and were able to find their shooters and play good, sound, fundamental defense.”
Pretty much shutdown defense in the middle two quarters, when the Golden Tide really clamped down on the Wolves to outscore the Boalsburg team 34-13.
Curwensville extended its 2-3 zone in the second period and forced nine turnovers.
“Tanner, Brett and Jake Terry played very well out front and didn’t allow a lot of dribble penetration,” Pentz said.
Rauckhorst had three field goals and assisted on one of Kyle Johns’ two baskets that had the Golden Tide ahead 30-17 at intermission.
Then, they came out of the locker room to catch the Wolves off guard with a 1-2-2 half-court that had the long-armed Rauckhorst on the point.
Seven turnovers and 3-for-12 shooting by St. Joseph’s (8-8) enabled Curwensville to begin the second half with a 13-3 run and close the third quarter with a 52-24 cushion.
“Our half-court trap was much more effective because we kept our hands up and tipped some passes, which we were able to turn into transition baskets,“ Pentz said. “Johns, (Austin) Jacobson, (Alex) Olson, (Nate) Kurtz and Rauckhorst were able to find their shooters even though we were pressing to try to speed up the game and make it more of a scramble.”
Curwensville held St. Joseph’s to 31.1 percent shooting (14-for-45) and caused most of the visitors’ 26 turnovers.
Jabco and Buey each had eight points for the Wolves, who are headed for the District 6 Class A Playoffs in their first season.
The Golden Tide shot 44.3 percent (27-for-61) and certainly would like to match that Wednesday night when they go to West Branch with a chance to grab the Moshannon Valley League championship. They would have to share it with the Warriors if they lose, and Glendale also would finish 6-2 with a win at Harmony Thursday.
The Curwensville junior varsity also breezed to victory, 69-40, over the St. Joseph‘s underclassmen. Terry scored 18 points while R.J. Olson and Quamone Newkirk added 11 apiece.
ST. JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC ACADEMY — 35
Nunu Buey 4 0-2 8, Garrett Bastardi 0 0-0 0, Michael Jabco 4 0-0 8, Stephen Beattie 1 4-8 7, Dominic Gregory 1 1-4 3, Evan Young 3 0-2 6, Mikey Kresovich 0 0-0 0, Sabirr Breon 1 0-0 3, Paul Sepich 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 14 5-16 35.
CURWENSVILLE — 62
Brett Gardner 2 0-0 4, Tanner Elensky 8 0-1 18, Kyle Johns 4 1-2 9, Trey Rauckhorst 9 3-5 21, Austin Jacobson 1 1-2 3, Alex Olson 1 0-0 2, Jake Terry 0 0-0 0, Nate Kurtz 1 1-2 3, Bryce McClure 1 0-0 2, Jason Thorp 0 0-0 0, Noah Strickland 0 0-0 0, R.J. Olson 0 0-0 0, Jonathan Miller 0 0-0 0, Dylan Davis 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 27 6-12 62.
Three-Point Field Goals – St. Joseph’s 2 (Beattie, Breon); Curwensville 2 (Elensky 2).
Score by Quarters
St. Joseph’s 11 6 7 11 – 35
Curwensville 18 12 22 10 – 62
Officials – Chris Sherkel, Rich Gormont and Bill Zupich.
Golden Tide Scoreboard:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 12/06 | MO VALLEY | ppd. | 0 – 0 |
| 12/09 | @ Clearfield | 56 – 38 | 1 – 0 |
| 12/10 | BROCKWAY | 54 – 51 | 2 – 0 |
| 12/13 | @ Ridgway | 25 – 46 | 2 – 1 |
| 12/16 | WEST BRANCH | 63 – 52 | 3 – 1 |
| 12/19 | @ Harmony | 68 – 31 | 4 – 1 |
| 12/20 | @ Kane | 47 – 54 ot | 4 – 2 |
| 01/03 | DUBOIS CENTRAL | 63 – 55 | 5 – 2 |
| 01/08 | @ Mo Valley | 61 – 44 | 6 – 2 |
| 01/14 | @ Elk County | 38 – 67 | 6 – 3 |
| 01/16 | @ Glendale | 55 – 56 ot | 6 – 4 |
| 01/21 | RIDGWAY | 41 – 56 | 6 – 5 |
| 01/24 | @ Brockway | 51 – 41 | 7 – 5 |
| 01/27 | @ DuBois Central | 55 – 64 | 7 – 6 |
| 01/29 | GLENDALE | 64 – 53 | 8 – 6 |
| 01/31 | JOHNSONBURG | 31 – 81 | 8 – 7 |
| 02/04 | @ Sheffield | 59 – 41 | 9 – 7 |
| 02/05 | ST. JOE’S ACADEMY | ppd. | 9 – 7 |
| 02/07 | KANE | 53 – 48 | 10 – 7 |
| 02/08 | MO VALLEY | 83 – 53 | 11 – 7 |
| 02/10 | HARMONY | 51 – 21 | 12 – 7 |
| 02/11 | ST. JOE’S ACADEMY | 63 – 35 | 13 – 7 |
| 02/12 | @ West Branch | ||
| 02/14 | CLEARFIELD |