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Rebounding woes plague Trojans

HOLLIDAYSBURG — Rebounding problems hurt the Mount Union boys basketball team in Monday’s District 6 Class 3A semifinal loss to Ligonier Valley.

It haunted the Trojans again Wednesday in the consolation game to decide third and fourth place.

Central Cambria secured third place with a 65-47 win over Mount Union Wednesday at the Hollidaysburg Area High School gym.

Mount Union (14-11) already clinched a state berth, and now awaits the outcome of the WPIAL (District 7 tournament). The Trojans will play the winner, either Lincoln Park or Seton Lasalle, who play for the title tonight. The first-round game will be March 10 in Pittsburgh.

“We couldn’t rebound. The second and third chances were killing us. That killed us against Ligonier Valley, too,” Mount Union coach Scott McClain said. “We just didn’t do the little things. We didn’t block out well at all. We played decent enough defense, but we just didn’t block out. I don’t know if we were concentrating too much on (6-foot-6 center Matt) Holsinger, if it was lack of effort, if it was just losing our guy or a combination of all three.”

After falling behind 8-0, Mount Union got buckets from Mykell Smith, Peyton McClain and Quintin Posey to tie the game 10-10 late in the first quarter but trailed by a bucket or two through the second and third quarters.

Trailing 42-36 entering the final quarter, River Terry knocked down a 3-pointer to cut the deficit in half, but Central Cambria answered with a 13-1 win to pull away for the win.

“Mentally, you would think (the consolation game) would be easier because there’s no pressure, but we sort of went the other way. “If we could have got over the hump, I think it would have been been different, but we were down a bucket or two all night,” McClain said.

Holsinger started the run with a layup off a pass from Tanner Melnyk then the 6-foot-6 center saved a rebound from going out of bounds and got a pass to Luke Bennett for an 18-foot jump shot.

On Mount Union’s ensuing possession, Holsinger grabbed the defensive rebound and quickly got the ball to a streaking Melnyk for a fast break bucket.

Bennett then made a steal and went coast-for-coast for a layup, and Melnyk finished off the run with a 3-pointer in transition.

“You could see the wind go out of our sails when they put that little run on us, and we couldn’t get it back,” McClain said. “As a whole, it was the same as the other night. When we lose our mental toughness for a two, three, four minute stretch, that’s the game. You can’t do that against good teams.”

Smith led Mount Union with 20 points. He also grabbed seven rebounds. Pusey added seven points, and McClain knocked down a pair of 3-pointers for six points.

Terry led the team with eight rebounds.

Holsinger totaled game-highs in both points and rebounds with 23 and 15, respectively. Luke Bennett scored in double digits as well with 16 points.

“Consolation games are always tough to get up for,” Central Cambria coach Adam Stephan said. “We kind of came out OK, but then the crowd’s not into it. Both teams are kind of blah. No emotion. Not playing with a lot of energy. It took us into the fourth quarter to wake up there and start playing the way we’re capable of playing.”

By reaching the district semis, both teams qualified for the the state playoffs. Central Cambria gets the WPIAL runner-up.

Central Cambria 65, Mount Union 47

MOUNT UNION

Terry 1 2-6 5, Posey 3 1-2 7, McClain 2 0-0 6, Martin 1 0-3 2, M. Smith 6 7-8 20, Gearhart 0 1-2 1, S. Smith 1 2-2 4, Trice 1 0-0 2. Totals 15 13-23 47.

3-point goals: Terry, McClain 2, M. Smith.

Did not score: Hand, Seacrest, Heffelfinger, Brumbaugh, B.Smith.

CENTRAL CAMBRIA

Persio 2 1-2 7, Bennett 6 3-4 16, Bezek 3 0-0 6, Melnyk 4 0-0 9, Holsinger 9 5-5 23, Pellegrino 0 2-2 2, Garzarelli 1 0-0 2. Totals 25 11-13 65.

3-point goals: Persio 2, Melnyk, Bennett.

Score by quarters

Mount Union 10-11-15-11 — 47

Central Cambria 13 14 15 25 — 65

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