Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

After beating the Mounties handily on Tyrone\’s court 54-17 back on January 6, the ninth grade Golden Eagles didn\’t expect to get much of a test from Philipsburg-Osceola. But boy, were they wrong.
Starting out a little passive, the Eagles found themselves behind 6-0 until Nate Dane turned in the post and found John Shaffer on the baseline for a short jumper and their first score. Then a putback under the offensive board by Dane made it 6-4. But that was the last score this usually quick-starting Tyrone team would get in the first quarter, as they went to the bench down 8-4.
Coming out a little more energized in the second period, Kyle Updyke cut the lead to 2 with a driving layup. But P-O came right back with two scores to go up 12-6 at the 4:15 mark. A 3-point play by Shaffer got the Eagles within one 12-11 by 2:03, and then he tied the game at 13-13 at 1:32 with another jumper from the side. Tyrone finished the half with a 3-pointer by Ben Ingle and a putback by Kyle Updyke to go into the locker room up 18-15 at the half.
The Mounties wasted no time in coming after the Eagles starting the second half, as they sensed an upset, and scored down low to get within one point at 18-17.
They followed that up with a jumper for the side to retake the lead at 19-18. But Travis Peterman, on successive possessions, scored on two jumpers for four quick points and a 22-19 Tyrone lead with 3:30 left in the third period. After the two teams traded baskets, the Mounties squeaked in a shot down low with 8 seconds left to get within two points of Tyrone, 26-24, at the end of the quarter.
Nate Dane scored on a jump hook to start the fourth quarter 28-24, but Philipsburg came right back with their own score to make it 28-26. A couple of minutes later at 3:07, Updyke scored a putback off an Ingle missed layup to make it 30-26, and then made one of two free throws to get the lead to 31-26. John Shaffer got good weakside position under the basket to scoop up a missed shot attempt by Dane, and put it back for a 33-26 advantage. Frustrated, the Mounties started to foul, and Tyrone\’s Updyke sank five of six, and Ingle one of two, to put the game out of reach.
The Eagles survived 38-26, and raised their season record to 17-1.
Kyle Updyke lead the Eagles with 13 points with 9 added by John Shaffer.
9th Grade
Tyrone 38 Philipsburg-Osceola
Score by quarters
Tyrone 4 14 8 12 – 38
Philipsburg 8 7 9 2 – 26
Tyrone – Updyke 13, Shaffer 9, Dane 6, Ingle 6, Peterman 4
In the second game, the Tyrone eighth graders got off to an 8-5 first quarter lead, riding Jordan Taylor\’s post play as he scored all of the Eagle\’s points. But in the second quarter, five other teammates got into the act as Tyrone blitzed the Mounties 13-0 to take a 21-5 halftime advantage.
The Eagles followed that up with a 13-2 run in the third period for a 34-7 lead before allowing the bench to finish the game. Tyrone won 37-10, to raise their record to 16-3. Taylor\’s eight points led eight Eagle scorers, including seven by Tyler Hertzler, and a nice 3-pointer by Evan Lewis to close out the game.
8th Grade
Tyrone 37 Philipsburg-Osceola
Score by quarters
Tyrone 8 13 13 3 – 37
Philipsburg 5 0 2 3 – 10
Tyrone – Taylor 8, Hertzler 7, Walker 6, Lewis 5, Bryan 5, Desch 2, Bearfoot 2, McKeehan 2
This week the Tyrone Junior High teams will travel to State College to take on Our Lady of Victory on Wednesday Feb. 8, and travel to Hollidaysburg on Friday, Feb. 10 to take on the Tigers.

By Rick