NTL BOYS BASKETBALL: NP-MANSFIELD UPENDS ATHENS, 46-44 (January 6, 2026)

Valley Sports Report
MANSFIELD — North Penn-Mansfield took the lead late in the third quarter and made enough free throws in the fourth quarter to pull out a 46-44 win over Athens here Tuesday night in NTL Large School boys basketball action.

"There are always two things that are guaranteed when you head out west," said Athens coach Jim Lister. "The first thing is, it’s always a very difficult place to play at. 

"The second thing, well I can't say anything because I would get in trouble," noted Lister. "We will leave it at that. 

"I tell the kids all the time we need to score 60-plus points per game to beat good teams and tonight we only scored 44," he said. 

"We did not shoot the ball well tonight, especially in the second half. We are struggling shooting the ball on the road and tonight was no different," added Lister. "We need to get that figured out."

Freshman Aiden Briggs knocked down a trio of 3-pointers in the first quarter, and senior Adam Kemp added five points, including a 3-pointer, to lead the Wildcats to a 14-12 lead after the opening eight minutes.

Junior Lucas Schultz scored six points in the second quarter as Athens used a 9-8 advantage to take a 23-20 lead into the halftime locker room.

Seniors Nick Grazul and James Friend scored four points apiece in the third quarter, but the Tigers used a 12-8 spurt to take a 32-31 lead into the final eight minutes.

Athens kept the game close in the fourth quarter thanks to old-fashion three-point plays by Grazul, Friend and Schultz, but NP-M's Jason Harer scored eight points, and his teammates made 6 of 9 free throws down the stretch.

Schultz led a balanced Athens offense with 11 points, three rebounds and two steals, while Friend had 10 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots, and Grazul had nine points and three assists.

Briggs had nine points and two steals for the Wildcats, while Kemp added five points and three blocked shots, and junior Kam Wheeler grabbed three rebounds.

Harer led NP-M with 23 points, including 16 in the seconds half, and Andy Hermansen added seven points.

Athens, now 5-4, returns to action Thursday when it hosts Troy.

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IN PHOTO: Athens' Lucas Schultz. ... VSR STOCK PHOTO.

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