Hot-shooting first half by 1,000-point duo sparks Trojans
California's Tanner Huffman (12) tries to keep the ball from Beth-Center's Anthony Gilpin during Friday's game at Beth-Center.
Beth Center's Adam Walters (20) takes a shot over California's Austin Wingo during Friday's game at Beth-Center.
Holly Tonini
Beth-Center’s Anthony Gilpin (1) makes a pass around California’s Demetri Clements (3) and Austin Wingo (44) during Friday’s Section 5-AA game at Beth-Center.
Holly Tonini
California’s Tanner Huffman (12) drives the ball past Beth-Center’s Anthony Gilpin during Friday’s game at Beth-Center. Huffman finished with a game-high 23 points to lead the Trojans to a 59-28 victory over the Bulldogs.
FREDERICKTOWN — California’s 1,000-point scoring duo of Tanner Huffman and Brian Fisher put on a hot-shooting first half performance Friday to lead the Trojans to a 59-28 Section 5-AA win at Beth-Center.
Huffman scored 17 of his game-high 23 points and Fisher scored 14 of his 16 points in the first 16 minutes to help California (6-0, 11-1) build a 33-18 lead. The only other points scored by the Trojans came on a field goal by Malik Jackson to end the half.
Beth Center (3-3, 6-6) took its only lead on the opening basket by Cody Durant.
Huffman put the Trojans ahead with two free throws and a basket before Adam Walters scored for Beth-Center to tie the score.
Huffman and Fisher put the Trojans ahead to stay on consecutive 3-point baskets for a 10-4 lead.
Beth Center scored its only consecutive points of the game on baskets by Walters and Zach Miller to cut the lead to 10-8.
Huffman hit consecutive treys and Fisher added a free throw before BC’s Anthony Gilpin hit the Bulldogs’ only trey of the game to close the quarter with California leading 17-11.
Fisher and Miller traded two baskets each to start the second quarter as the Trojans led 21-15.
But Huffman scored, Fisher scored a 3-point play on a pass from Huffman and added another free throw for a 27-15 lead.
Durant scored for the Bulldogs to break the six-point run, but Fisher and Huffman each scored again, Gilpin sank a free throw for B-C, and Jackson closed the half with a basket that gave the Trojans a 15-point lead.
Miller’s basket to open the second half provided the Bulldogs’ only points of the third quarter.
California scored 12 points to close the period on a Huffman basket, two free throws by Demetri Clements, then baskets by Evan Patterson, Clements, Austin Wingo, and Clements again for a 45-20 Trojan lead entering the fourth quarter.
Miller led Beth-Center in scoring with 10 points, and Walters was the next closest player with six points.
Beth-Center coach Gary Amos said Huffman and Fisher “were making everything” they shot in the first half. He said the Bulldogs “have been doing this all year against the top teams like Brownsville, Charleroi, and California. We hang in there for a half and then things get away from us in the third quarter. We came out in the second half and scored only two points (in the third quarter) and that hurt us.”
Of Fisher and Huffman’s effort, California coach Phil Pergola said, “That’s what they do. After we opened up the lead, we told the other guys `You can take part in the offense too.'”
Pergola said the Trojans work just as much on defense as they do in scoring.
“(Defense) is something we’re never satisfied with as a coaching staff. But we held them to 28 points.”
California’s 11-1 start is its best since the 2006-2007 team started the season 22-2 on its way to the WPIAL Class A championship game.
Boys Basketball Sum
Section 5-AA
California 17-16-12-14 — 59
Beth Center 11-8-2-7 — 28
California: Tanner Huffman 23, Brian Fisher 16. Beth Center: Zach Miller 10, Adam Walters 6. Records: California (6-0, 11-1), Beth Center (3-3, 6-6).