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Wildcats defeat Black Panthers

MILL HALL — The Central Mountain girls basketball defeated Milton, 43-32, in girls basketball. The loss ended the Wildcats’ four-game losing streak and improved their record to 5-6.

The victory completed the series sweep versus Milton, as the Black Panthers provided the Wildcats quality competition in both contests.

“I give Milton some credit, they got better,” Central Mountain coach Scott Baker said. “We really had to battle there and I give them credit because they got after the offensive boards pretty hard.

“It was tough going there for a while. But in the beginning of the fourth quarter we were probably able to stretch it out a little bit. So I’m pleased with the fact that we stuck with it, even though it wasn’t easy-going for awhile.”

Avery Baker’s name was called often and the sharpshooter delivered. She scored a season-high 19 points and had a balanced-shot selection on the floor.

“She’s starting to get a better idea that there’s more to the game than the three-point shot, which is clearly her strength,” Scott Baker said of Avery. “But she’s starting to get a clue that if you get into the lane you can get to the foul line a little bit and you came make some other things happen. And there’s no question that after her first couple of shots she was feeling really good about her shot.”

After leading 31-27 entering the fourth, Central Mountain got a huge momentum-boosting play when Mia Kopysciansky drew a charge to negate a Milton layup. Soon after, Kopysciansky connected with Avery Baker for a basket to stretch Central Mountain’s lead to 33-27. After Milton responded with a score, Central Mountain retaliated with a 7-0 run. Quinlynn McCann connected with Kiahna Jones for a score, Baker drilled a mid range shot then McCann proceeded to hit a trio of free throws to build Central Mountain’s lead, 40-29.

McCann, the team’s leading scorer this season, finished second on the Wildcats with 15 points. She scored the Wildcats’ first six points of the evening, and along side Avery Baker she’s dominating the scoring for Central Mountain this year.

“Those are our two top scorers, and they’ve been that every game so far,” Scott Baker said. “We need them to score. But there’s some other girls that we think can score a little bit, and we talk about that all the time.”

Central Mountain finished the game with a trio of free throws to earn the team’s first victory since a 40-33 win against Bald Eagle Area on Jan. 2.

Central Mountain (5-6) returns Monday with a home matchup versus Hollidaysburg. It’s the first of three scheduled home games next week for the Wildcats.

“It’s definitely nice that we’re playing at home (all week),” Baker said. “Hollidaysburg is a good team, so we’ll come out and it gives us the opportunity to play against a good team and see where we’re at.”

Central Mountain 42, Milton 32

CENTRAL MOUNTAIN (43)

Avery Baker 6 5-6 19, Quinlynn McCann 4 6-7 15, Mia Kopysciansky 1 2-2 5, Kiahna Jones 1 0-0 2, Faith Carter 1 0-0 2. Totals 13 13-15 42.

MILTON (32)

Kiersten Stork 4 2-2 10, Crystal Hamilton 1 4-6 6, Tori Brink 3 0-0 6, Taylor Snyder 2 0-0 4, Leah Walter 1 0-0 3, Raulerys Vega-Garcia 1 1-2 3. Totals 12 7-9 32.

Milton 9 10 8 5 — 32

Central Mountain 8 11 12 12 — 43

3-point goals: CM 4 (Baker 2, McCann 1, Kopysciansky 1), Milton 1 (Walter 1).

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