After getting steamrolled by an undefeated Central Cambria squad on Friday night to spoil their bid for a fifth straight County Seat Tournament title, the Bellwood-Antis boys basketball team came back on Saturday night to trim Portage 55-49 to claim third place.
Shawn Weiand, held to a season-low eight points against Central Cambria, came back to pour in a season-high 31 points against the Mustangs, including five three-pointers and pulled down seven rebounds. Blue Devil junior Paul Greiner added a dozen points.
The Blue Devils won the game with 12-9 and 15-11 scoring advantages in the first two quarters to take a 27-20 advantage into the locker room at the half. In the second half, Portage held Bellwood-Antis even in the third quarter 11-11 and won the fourth quarter by a point 18-17. The Blue Devil defense would allow the Mustangs to get no closer however as B-A improved their season mark to 3-8. Portage fell to 4-7.
Sophomore Randy Spaid led Portage with 17 points.
In the opening game of the tournament, Central Cambria jumped on Bellwood-Antis for advantages in each of the first three quarters to lead 30-12 at halftime and 50-17 after three quarters. Central Cambria’s Wade Kelzak hit two treys, a regular basket and was 5-of-six from the foul line to lead all scorers with 13 points. Teammate Adam Miller chipped in 12 points and Tom Brolly added 10, including a pair of three-pointers as the Red Devils put three scorers in double figures.
Weiand led the Blue Devils with eight points and Tyler McClellan added four points.
Central Cambria (10-0) waltzed through the tournament to win the County Seat crown for the first time since 1998 (Bellwood-Antis won the tournament from 1999-2002) with a 67-41 win over Bishop Carroll. Four Red Devils reached double figures, led by Augie Rodkey and Matt Mesaros with 12 points. Kelzak added 11 and tournament MVP Adam Miller pulled down a game-best 13 rebounds.
Joel Tackacs led Bishop Carroll (4-2) with 13 points.
Bellwood-Antis 55 Portage 49
PORTAGE – McQuillan 3 2-4 8, Trimbeth 2 1-2 5, Nagy 2 1-2 6, Kulik 1 0-0 2, Hazlett 1 0-0 2, Spaid 6 4-6 17, Maw 2 1-2 5, Hershberger 2 0-0 4, Keim 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 19 9-16 49.
BELLWOOD-ANTIS – Bell 1 0-0 2, McClellan 0 1-2 1, Weiand 12 2-4 31, DelGrosso 1 1-3 3, Greiner 5 2-4 12, Plummer 2 0-2 4, Blazier 0 0-0 0, Edmiston 0 0-0 0, Brunner 0 2-2 2, Boone 0 0-0 0, TOTALS 21 8-17 55.
Score by Quarters
Portage 9 11 11 18 – 49
Bellwood-Antis 12 15 11 17 – 55
Three point goals: Portage 2 (Nagy 1, Spaid 1)
Bellwood-Antis 5 (Weiand 5).
