NORTHUMBERLAND - Juniata Mennonite's 23-point fourth quarter was enough to deliver the Lion boys a 47-43 win over Northumberland Christian in an Allegheny Christian Athletic Association basketball game Friday.
"It was an amazing game. It's been a while since we beat them," Juniata Mennonite coach Dennis Zimmerman said.
Fed by a 22-point second quarter, Northumberland took a 31-14 lead into the locker room. But a 24-point night by Jessie Watts helped the Lions storm back with 23 of their own in the final stanza.
"They were just hitting their shots in the second quarter. They were hitting everything," Zimmerman said. "The fourth quarter we went man to man. We were afraid they were going to stall."
Instead, the pressure forced turnovers and Juniata Mennonite capitalized.
The Lions (6-3, 4-2) travel to Meadowbrook Christian Tuesday.
Boys basketball
Juniata Valley 54,
Mount Union 45
MOUNT UNION - Juniata Valley got the hot hand early in the second period and converted four quick 3-pointers into an advantage, then rolled through the third on the way to a 54-45 Inter-County Conference win over Mount Union in boys basketball Friday.
The Trojans' seven-point lead after a quarter was erased as the visitors outscored them 34-20 in the next two. Mount Union's woes were compounded by the fact that Klayton Heffner was shut down on the floor. Kahlil Fortson (15 points) and Jamal Smith (14) led on the scoreboard for Mount Union.
The Trojans won the JV game, 31-28.
Mount Union (8-4, 3-2) travels to Williamsburg Tuesday.
Girls basketball
Cumberland Valley 72, Mifflin County 49
MECHANICSBURG - A trio of Cumberland Valley players combined for 51 points and Mifflin County struggled to keep possession, factors that played a role in the Eagles' 72-49 win over Mifflin County in a Commonwealth Division girls basketball game Friday.
"The story is, when you're playing highly ranked quality basketball teams, you have to take care of the basketball," Mifflin County coach Kevin Kodish said. "We didn't take care of the ball."
It wasn't just the errors, he said, but that they were what he called passive errors - ill-advised passes, for example, that caused turnovers, rather than give aways of aggression, like driving to the basket.
Logan Snyder and Ashleigh Williams each scored 13 to lead the Huskies. Olivia Halfpenny chipped in 10.
Mifflin County won the JV game, 44-26, with 20 points from Tara Kibe.
Mifflin County (7-5, 3-5) hosts Central Dauphin Tuesday.
Northumberland 57, Juniata Mennonite 25
NORTHUMBERLAND - Juniata Mennonite was able to contain Alyssa Wesner early, but the Northumberland sharpshooter eventually lit up the scoreboard with 27 points - more than the Lions as a team - in a 57-25 Allegheny Christian Athletic Association girls basketball game Friday.
"In the first half we were only down 11," Juniata Mennonite coach Andy Meiser said. "It was our best ball movement of the year."
But turnovers took their toll in the long run, he said.
Juniata Mennonite (4-4, 2-3) travels to Meadowbrook Christian Tuesday.
Greenwood 39, Lancaster Country Day 28
MILLERSTOWN - Greenwood's girls basketball team won its second game of the season, 39-28, with a Tri-Valley League contest against Lancaster Country Day Friday.
The Wildcats improved their margin by seven from the first meeting. Hattie Kuhns and Mallory Fortenbaugh led the offense with 10 points apiece.
Greenwood (2-10, 2-5) hosts East Juniata Tuesday.
Junior high
Boys basketball
9th grade: Cumberland Valley 48, Mifflin County 36. High scorer, Cade Attick 17 points. Mifflin County travels to Park Forest Monday.
Girls basketball
9th grade: Cumberland Valley 35, Mifflin County 24. High scorer, Selene McCaffery 9 points.
