Valley Sports ReportATHENS — Juniors Nick Grazul and Adam Kemp spark Athens in a big third quarter that propelled the Wildcats to a 45-41 win over Towanda here Friday night in NTL Large School Division boys basketball action.
With the win, Athens improves to 8-10, and avenges a 63-49 early-season loss. It is the Wildcats' fifth straight win.
"It was another very good night defensively for the Wildcats," said Athens coach Jim Lister.
"We struggled again tonight offensively putting the ball in the basket in the first half," he noted. "We had good looks, but the shots were just not falling.
"However, with our defense we are never out of it and tonight was no different
"We told the kids at halftime, 'we are good ... now it’s time to make a run. We win this game in the third quarter' and we won that quarter 17-7," said Lister. It's another nice team win for the 'Cats tonight, I'm proud of them."
Towanda led 11-7 at the end of the first quarter, but Athens cut into the lead in the second quarter with an 11-10 advantage to trim the deficit to 21-18 at the half. Junior Talon Baglini knocked down a 3-pointer and scored five points in the stanza.
Grazul scored six points, and Kemp added five points, including a 3-pointer, to fuel a 17-7 run to give the Wildcats a 35-28 lead heading into the final eight minutes.
Senior Jase Babcock and Grazul each scored four points in the fourth quarter as the Wildcats maintained the lead for the remainder of the closing stanza.
Grazul led Athens with 15 points, while Babcock scored 11 points, and Kemp, junior James Friend, and Baglini added five points apiece.
"Tonight’s shout out goes to junior Nick Grazul, who was just all over the court tonight," said Lister. "He played one of his best games of the season."
Markel Garner led Towanda with 14 points, and Darrius Farrell added nine points.
Athens returns to action Wednesday at North Penn-Mansfield.
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IN PHOTO 1: Athens junior Nick Grazul. IN TOP PHOTO: Athens senior Peter Jones. ... PHOTOS BY MATT PATTON.
