Laurel Highlands trips Brownsville
Mark John sees a lot of curves still ahead on the basketball road, but he’s counting on a five horsepower Mustang to get him around them and on the straightaway again. Laurel Highlands and Browns-ville had a battle royal going Saturday before the host Mustangs pulled away in the fourth and rolled to a 79-57 win in the Laurel Highlands Shootout Basketball Tournament.
The Mustangs took the lead for good late in a seesaw first quarter and led by 15 early in the second, but Brownsville wasn’t about to capitulate.
The Falcons battled back to within four and were down by six at the half, 40-34.
In the third, the Mustangs built the edge to 11 and 10, around comeback moves by the Falcons, who got back within five, 53-48, late in the third.
Then LH got two free ones from Tim Hirsch and baskets by Ken Riddell and Andre Ramsey to hike their edge back to 11 after three, 59-48.
Brownsville pulled within 10 early in the fourth, 61-51, but then the Mustangs shifted into high gear and held a 12-6 edge over the next five minutes, coupled with some fine clock-killing ball passing, to wrap up the win.
John said, “We got away to a good start, but we still have a lot of curves along the road ahead that we have to get around. However, our good work ethic will take care of those curves.”
John was also happy with “our good night on the foul line (24-for-28). You have to make your free throws no matter what the game situation is.
” I told our players at halftime that they would have to block out better in the second half and they did. Pete (Coach Logan) has a good program at Brownsville and they showed it today.”
Logan said, “Fouls got us in trouble again. We played hard, but we committed too many fouls and they made their chances on the line. I wanted to make sure our big guys played well and they did. Hopefully that will carry on from here for we have a tough road ahead, starting Tuesday with North Catholic, then Albert Gallatin, and Uniontown. It won’t get any easier for us.”
Paul Hlatky led Brownsville and game scoring with 16, Joe Cardine had 13, and Mark Bogden 12. Paul Briczinski led the balanced LH offense with 15, Ramsey had 13, including three three-pointers, Riddell and Brian John had 12, and Corey Nesser 11 free throws.
For their play over the two-day event, John, Briczinski, and Hlatky were named to the all-tournament team, along with Kevin Bell and James Hairston of Connellsville, and Dave Gesinski of Mount Pleasant.