Starfires christen new court with home victory
BERNE—On Friday night the Stardome was back in action just sixty days after water damage had shut it down. The boys basketball team was able to play their last home game of the season on the new floor as they hosted Eastbrook. It also made Senior night a memorable one for the five senior members of the Starfires as they christened the floor with a win, defeating the Panthers 50 – 44.
Senior Kyle Minger got the honor of scoring the first basket on the new floor on a layup. He was the hot hand early as he scored six of the first eight points for the Starfires who jumped out to a fifteen to 2 lead. Eastbrook scored the next five, but the Stars scored the last six of the quarter to lead 21 – 7 at the first stop in an inspired effort. Seniors accounted for thirteen of the points and freshman Tytus Lehman scored eight.
The second period was tougher scoring for South Adams as they managed just three points in the period, an old-fashioned three point play by Lehman, then went scoreless for the final five minutes. They maintained control of the game, however due to a solid defensive effort by giving up only seven to the Panthers and they held a 24 – 14 lead at halftime.
In the third period, South Adams pushed the lead to thirteen only to have it cut back to eight with thirty seconds left. When the play for the last shot was disrupted by the Panthers, Brady Beall hoisted a twenty-three footer that found the basket giving the Stars an eleven-point lead heading into the final stanza. In the fourth quarter, Eastbrook put on the pressure forcing turnovers by the Starfires. They got as close as four points, but South Adams hit their free throws down the stretch to get the win.
Lehman led the Stars with twenty points for the game. Beall scored seventeen with nine of those coming from the free throw line. Minger had six, Josh Amstutz scored three. Matt Steiner had two as did Conner Fear.