Comets jump on Mounts early
- 11 December 2007
The first minute and 38 seconds told the story for the Ephrata Mounts boys basketball team, as they would spend the rest of the night playing "catch-up" with Austin Alecxih and the Penn Manor Comets. But the Mounts (1-2, 0-1) were never closer than they were at the end, losing 54-50 Tuesday evening in Millersville. Click "Read More" for the rest of the story. After winning the tip, the Comets (4-1, 1-0) came down and missed a three, but the basketball was pulled in by Andrew Greenslade who quickly converted the layup. Following a missed layup by Ian Bippus (15 points), Alecxih drained his only three of the night to give the Comets a 5-0 lead 51 seconds into the game.
Two free throws by Cody Booth (13 points) and a three point play by Mike Treier, his only points on the night, and the Comets led 10-0 at the 5:22 mark of the first quarter, causing Ephrata coach Dave Dubbs to expend a time out to talk things over.
After losing the first quarter 19-8, the Mounts would go on to win the three remaining quarters, but despite chipping away at the score, the Mounts were unable to ever get back in contention to win the game.
Every time the Mounts cut the lead to single digits (which they did seven times) the Comets were able to stretch it back out to double digits on a cornucopia of Mounts turnovers, rebounds and loose balls.
The Mounts were beaten on the boards 27 to 17. Not quite as unbalanced as the scoring, Ephrata's Greg Forstater and Bippus combined for 10 of those boards.
Forstater was a one man show for the Mounts in the 2nd quarter scoring 11 of their 13 points, shrinking a comet lead that had swelled to 15 points back to 10 at the break. Forstater finished the game with 24 points for the Mountaineers. He combined with Bippus to score 39 of the Mounts 50 points.
The Comets Sam Cornell and Treier held the Mounts guards in check, holding them without a field goal until senior Morgan Bartholomew drained a three pointer with 1:14 left in the game. Senior Adam Reimel who came into the game averaging 11.5 points per game was held scoreless, allowing with senior Kyle Nelms.
The Mounts guards combined for 3 for 21 shooting, including 1 for 12 inside the three point line.
Alecxih led the Comets with 24 points including a stretch between the second and third quarters where he scored 13 of 15 Penn Manor points.
The Mounts are back in action on Friday night when they host the Manheim Township Blue Streaks (2-2, 1-0).
We here at www.ephratamounts.com are proud sponsors of the Dodgeball for Diabetes tournament.