NTL JV BOYS BASKETBALL: ATHENS FOURTH-QUARTER RALLY COMES UP SHORT IN 51-45 LOSS TO NORTH PENN-MANSFIELD (13 PHOTOS) (2020-01-24)
Valley Sports ReportATHENS - Athens used a furious fourth-quarter rally to trim a 21-point second-half deficit to three points, but came up just short in a 51-45 loss to North Penn-Mansfield here Thursday night in junior varsity boys basketball action.
NP-M used a 20-4 second-quarter blitz to take a 31-12 lead the halftime intermission.
Chris Mitchell scored six points in the third quarter for the junior Wildcats, who trimmed three points off the NP-M lead, which was 39-22 entering the final eight minutes.
The junior Tigers maintained a 14-point lead, at 43-29, midway through the fourth quarter, but 3-pointers by Carson Smith and Luke Craft, a conventional three-point play by Mitchell, and another bucket by Carson Smith in an 11-0 run trimmed the deficit to 43-40 with 2 minutes remaining.
NP-M, however, made five of six free throws in the final minute to preserve the win.
Jonathan Smith led Athens with 14 points, while Mitchell scored 13, Carson Smith added 11 - all in the fourth quarter, and Kraft chipped in with seven points.
Eli Shaw led NP-M with 16 points, Brody Burleigh had 14 points, and Sam Lawrence added 12.
Athens returns to action Friday at Towanda.
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IN PHOTO 1: Athens' Chris Mitchell. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
