BELLWOOD — From where the season was at the start of the year to where it is now for the Curwensville Golden Tide basketball squad has been one of change, cohesiveness, and desire. With a new coaching staff, and a new attitude, growing pains were evident, as Curwensville lost five of their first seven games. However, since that time, the Tide fought back, only losing two of the last five games entering Friday night’s showdown with Bellwood-Antis.
This game could be summed up by bending, but never breaking, as Curwensville would fight hard in the second half, taking home a 66-58 victory.
Curwensville got rolling right away in the opening quarter, with all five starters getting in on the scoring to take an early 19-13 advantage.
However, things were not all cozy for the visiting squad. The Blue Devils came back in the second quarter to make things interesting. Parker Wood would be the high-scorer for the Tide in the quarter, putting up eight of the squad’s 12 points. But, Bellwood-Antis found its groove putting up 17 points on the opposing end of the court. Heading into the halftime break, Curwensville’s two-possession lead suddenly was erased. The 31-30 advantage was not what the Tide had hoped for going into the locker room.
That all changed in the third.
The one thing Curwensville has struggled with all year has been coming out of the locker room energized to start the second half. Although improved, it has not all come together completely. Yet, when it mattered most, Curwensville would come up strong.
Curwensville’s biggest production came in the third, as Wood, Davis Fleming and Dan McGarry all got going. Wood finished the night with a game-high 22 points, while Fleming added in another 17, seven coming in the third.
In a stark contrast to what has been the team’s achilles heel this year, the Tide held the Blue Devils to seven points, while putting up 18 to take a 49-37 advantage into the fourth.
The game was not done, as Bellwood tried to get back into it during the final quarter. The Blue Devils did not have much choice except to foul and put Curwensville to the line. The Tide only put up eight points from the floor in the final quarter, but entering the fourth had only gone to the line three times, making only one shot.
When needed, the Tide made sure to put the ball in the net when able, going 9-for-15 in the final quarter. Despite being outscored 21-17 in the fourth, those nine points made the difference to give Curwensville its third consecutive win.
With the victory, the Tide are now above .500 for the first time since early December, sitting at 8-7. The four-game road trip continues for Curwensville next week as they will travel to Juniata Valley on Tuesday night. It will be the first time the two teams have met all season after the first contest between the Tide and Hornets was postponed twice due to weather.
- NOTE: Curwensville’s postponed game with Juniata Valley that was to be on January 25 has officially been rescheduled to Wednesday, February 15, as the regular-season finale.
SCORE BY QUARTER
Curwensville 19 12 18 17 – 66
Bellwood-Antis 13 17 7 21 – 58
Curwensville – 66
Andrew Wassil 0 0-0 0, Dan McGarry 2 4-7 9, Grant Swanson 1 2-2 4, Davis Fleming 5 4-9 17, Chandler English 5 0-0 10, Hunter Tkacik 0 0-0 0, Ty Colton 1 0-0 2, Parker Wood 11 0-0 22, Ayden Sutika 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 26 10-18 66.
Bellwood-Antis – 58
Brayden Wagner 3 0-0 6, Caleb Beiswenger 5 3-3 13, Corry Shanafelt 4 1-2 11, Vincent Cacciotti 0 0-0 0, Holden Schreier 7 1-2 16, Anthony Caracciolo 4 0-1 10, Chance Schreier 1 0-0 2, Andrew Nycum 0 0-0 0, Connor Bardell 0 0-0 0, Canyon Neyman 0 0-0 0, Lance Robinson 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 24 5-8 58.