Valley Sports ReportATHENS - North Penn-Mansfield built a nine-point halftime lead, and put the game away in the third quarter en route to a 57-46 win over Athens here Tuesday night in NTL Large School Division boys basketball action.
NP-M led 11-6 after the first eight minutes, then extended their advantage to 29-20 at the half, thanks to a pair of 3-pointers by Jacob Green and five points from Brion Smith. Senior Aric Westbrook led Athens with eight points in the first half, including a pair of 3-pointers, and junior Aaron Lane added five points.
The Tigers' defense limited Athens to just one field goal in the third quarter, and the Wildcats hurt their own cause by making just 4 of 10 attempts from the free-throw line.
Lane scored eight points in the fourth quarter, and junior Keegan Rude added six points, but the Wildcats were only able to trim five points off their deficit as the Tigers made 6 of 8 free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
Dylan Meyer led NP-M with 16 points, while Green and Sawyer Freeman scored 10 points apiece, and Smith added nine points.
Lane led Athens with 18 points, while Westbrook scored 12 points, Rude added 10 points, and sophomore Benny Gambrell chipped in with six points.
Athens, now 11-6, travels to Towanda Thursday.
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IN PHOTO 1: Athens junior Aaron Lane. ... PHOTOS COURTESY OF MATT PATTON.
