Simpson comes up big late and Montoursville edges Loyalsock in cross-creek thriller
- MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville head coach Mark Mussina.
- MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville’s Jimmy Mussina (10) shoots around Loyalsock’s Braydon Cioffi (33) in the fourth quarter.
- MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville’s Jimmy Mussina (10) tries to drive around Loyalsock’s Braydon Cioffi (33) in the fourth quarter.
- MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville’s Kingston Fisher drives the ball down court ahead of Loyalsock’s Braydon Cioffi (33).
- MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock’s Braydon Cioffi shoots betweeen Montoursville’s Jimmy Mussina (10) and Shaw Simpson (14) in the third quarter.
- MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville’s Kingston Fisher intercepts a pass at mid-court in the fourth quarter.
- MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville’s Kingston Fisher (34) shoots over Loyalsock’s Cadyn Plank (30) and Saoj Jones (34) in the second quarter.
- MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville’s Shea Ulmer tries to drive around Loyalsock’s Isiah Jennings (23) in the third quarter.
- MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville’s Kingston Fisher (34) shoots around Loyalsock’s Saoj Jones (34) in the second quarter.
- MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock’s Jalil Coates (5) shoots around Montoursville’s Todd Crawford (22) in the first quarter.
- MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock’s Isiah Jennings (23) chases down a loose ball in the first quarter.
- MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock’s Isah Jennings (23) drives between Montoursville’s Elijah Eck (25) and Jimmy Mussina (10) to shoot in the first quarter.
- MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville’s Brennan Inbro (13) is greeted by fans during introductions before their game against Loyalsock Monday night.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Brennan Inbro (13) is greeted by fans during introductions before their game against Loyalsock Monday night.
Even Hollywood executives might have trashed the script presented Monday night. The tenacious underdog player earning a prestigious student award and then making the game’s biggest defensive play before hitting two last-second free throws against his team’s biggest rival?
Come on, now. Even Rocky Balboa did not win multiple prizes when he took the title belt from Apollo Creed.
But on Monday night, Montoursville senior Shaw Simpson lived the dream. And the crown fit.
After being named “Mr. Montour,” at halftime, Simpson partially blocked a potential go-ahead 3-pointer with 21 seconds remaining. He then hit the biggest foul shots of his career four seconds later, helping Montoursville edge visiting Loyalsock, 70-64 in one of the best cross-creek rivalry games in recent memory.
Shea Ulmer hit two more vital free throws with 11 seconds left and was one of four Montoursville players who scored in double figures, joining Kingston Fisher (career-high 23 points), Jimmy Mussina (15) and Elijah Eck (13), as the Warriors (8-6) defeated Loyalsock for the first time since 2018 in front of a large, loud and energetic crowd.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville head coach Mark Mussina.
“It’s crazy. For my high school career, this was like a cherry on top,” Simpson said. “I couldn’t ask for anything else.”
“It was perfect,” Montoursville coach Mark Mussina said. “It doesn’t get any better.”
A thrilling ending felt like a huge stretch when Montoursville built a 19-point third quarter lead, but Loyalsock (5-8) thundered back and cut the deficit to one on an Isiah Jennings to Saoj Jones connection with 85 seconds left. Mussina hit a free throw on Montoursville’s next possession and Loyalsock brought up the ball with 40 seconds remaining.
Cadyn Plank (15 points) caught fire in the second half, draining three fourth quarter 3-pointers and Montoursville fans likely held their collective breath when he launched a 3-pointer from the top of the arc. Simpson, however, fought threw a screen, jumped high and partially blocked the shot.
“It was one of those do-or-die situations,” Simpson said. “They set the screens, and I was at the top of key and just knew I had to step it up.”

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Jimmy Mussina (10) tries to drive around Loyalsock's Braydon Cioffi (33) in the fourth quarter.
The cameras continued rolling and the spotlight again found Simpson seconds later. A player who had attempted no shots in four quarters now went to the line for two monster shots, and a chance to make it a two-possession game. On a night he played a massive defensive role as Montoursville opted for speed over height to match up against Loyalsock’s quickness, Simpson suddenly was playing the biggest offensive role.
As a massive Montoursville student section stood to his left, Simpson let the first shot fly, and it bounced off the front end of the rim before rolling in. The second one hit the back end before bouncing in and Montoursville led 68-64. A Loyalsock 3-pointer was off the mark and Ulmer helped seal victory, swishing two free throws with 11 seconds remaining.
“Honestly, not thinking I would be there, my mind was pretty empty. I was thinking it’s just like practice, so knock them down,” Simpson said. “I hear the fans in the back of my head and it’s just white noise. It’s just line it up and put them in. After the first one hit the rim and bounced in, I was hyped up. After that I knew the second one was going in.”
Following a Loyalsock miss, Montoursville started dribbling out the clock and jubilant students stormed the court. Because there were 2.3 seconds remaining, however, a technical foul was assessed. Loyalsock missed the foul shots, so Montoursville essentially was able to celebrate twice, this time waiting until the horn sounded before rushing toward the players as all shared a moment they will not soon forget.
“I’ve played Loyalsock a lot of times in my life and hardly ever beat them. Doing it in that kind of fashion, even though it was that close, there’s nothing better than to celebrate with your friends and in that locker room,” Ulmer said after scoring 17 points. “It shows that everybody cares. If you have energy like that, you obviously want to win. That’s what high school basketball is all about.”

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Kingston Fisher drives the ball down court ahead of Loyalsock's Braydon Cioffi (33).
Every great sports movie needs a strong, determined rival and Loyalsock embraced that role. The defending District 4 Class AAA champions could have crumbled after Montoursville blitzed its way to 47 first-half points and built a 19-point lead nearly midway through the third quarter. Instead, the Lancers showed off their heart and fought back.
Loyalsock cut the lead to 10 by the third quarter’s conclusion and kept chipping away throughout the fourth. A Jennings reverse cut it to 60-57 midway through the quarter, but Mussina and Fisher scored the next four. Again, Loyalsock refused to go away, and Plank followed up an onions 3-pointer by making a steal which led to a Jennings putback, making it, 64-62.
After Mussina hit a free throw, Jennings spotted Jones cutting across the baseline and hit Jones in stride who converted the layup that made it, 65-64. Yes, Montoursville fought off the comeback, but a young Loyalsock team showed how dangerous it can be throughout its rally and may have taken a big step forward in defeat.
“This was a great sign to see from the team just as a collective unit. We’ve been waiting to see that type of fight from the guys and tonight they showed that,” said Loyalsock assistant coach Jahad Thomas, who filled in for coach Ron Insinger, out with the flu. “I just told the guys in the locker room, despite the loss be proud of yourselves for the way you fought back. You proved to yourselves that you’re willing to fight in tough situations and tough environments. Now use that as confidence and a lesson to build on for the rest of the season.”
Like Montoursville, Loyalsock had a lot of different players deliver in crucial situations. Jalil Coates scored a career-high 17 points and dealt six assists, keeping Loyalsock in the game for much of the first half. Plank (15 points) drained four second-half 3-pointers and freshman Braydon Cioffi produced a big breakout performance, hitting three 3-quarter 3-pointers to ignite the comeback on his way to a career-best 14 points.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Braydon Cioffi shoots betweeen Montoursville's Jimmy Mussina (10) and Shaw Simpson (14) in the third quarter.
Jennings ran the offense well and his second half defensive played a vital role in Loyalsock rallying. The senior finished with 11 points, seven assists and five rebounds.
“As long as they just continue to build off each other and continue to believe in each other, we still are making strides in the right direction,” Thomas said. “We had everybody collectively contributing offensively like we’ve been hoping for. If we keep building collectively, I think we’ll be in a good position.”
Montoursville looked like it was in super position to end its seven-year drought against Loyalsock when it put on a first-half shooting clinic which would make Larry Bird envious. The Warriors drained 10 first-half 3-pointers, turning an early five-point deficit into a 47-30 halftime lead. Eck made it 11 of 17 early in the third and that trey pushed the lead to 50-32.
Ulmer was especially locked in that first half, making five 3-pointers. After missing his first attempt, Ulmer missed just once in his next six. Mussina and Eck also drilled multiple 3-pointers and Eck’s last-second one gave Montoursville its 17-point halftime advantage.
“It feels like you’re shooting at the biggest rim in the world when you’re shooting like that,” Ulmer said. “Sometimes you just can’t miss and that’s how I felt at that time.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Kingston Fisher intercepts a pass at mid-court in the fourth quarter.
Montoursville’s outside shooting opened up the paint and Fisher took over in the middle quarters, scoring 18 of his career-high 23 points. The junior forward also produced his second straight double-double, going for 14 rebounds and three assists. Mussina joined in him the double-double club, frequently setting up Fisher and/or the outside shooters, while piling up 12 assists.
Then there was Simpson who did all the little things to help Montoursville earn a big win seven years in the making. Movies last forever, and here’s thinking that is how long Simpson and his teammates will remember this game.
“You couldn’t ask for anything better,” Simpson said. “The student section as big as we’ll ever have, and Loyalsock showed up too with its student section. It was a great environment.”
“On any successful team, there are days that some guys have to step up. That’s what I’m proudest of today. Free throws notwithstanding, this was Shaw’s best game of the year, and we needed it because of the matchup,” Mussina said. “I was here when we beat Loyalsock in 2018. That was a special night for us back then. Any time that we beat Loyalsock in basketball, it’s a special night for us.”
Roll credits.
LOYALSOCK (64)
Isiah Jennings 4 2-4 11, Jalil Coates 6 2-2 17, Cadyn Plank 5 0-0 15, Saoj Jones 2 0-0 5, Isaac Blackwell 1 0-0 2, Jadyn Wagner 0 0-0 0, Braydon Cioffi 4 3-6 14. Totals 22 7-12 64.
MONTOURSVILLE (70)
Kingston Fisher 10 3-7 23, Shea Ulmer 5 2-2 17, Jimmy Mussina 5 2-4 15, Elijah Eck 4 2-2 13, Brennan Imbro 0 0-0 0, Carson Menne 0 0-0 0, Shaw Simpson 0 2-2 2, Todd Crawford 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 11-17 70.
Loyalsock 16 14 18 16–64
Montoursville 22 25 11 12–70
3-pointers: Loyalsock 13 (Plank 5, Coates 3, Cioffi 3, Jennings, Jones); Montoursville 11 (Ulmer 5, Mussina 3, Eck 3).
Records: Montoursville 8-6. Loyalsock 5-8.


MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Kingston Fisher (34) shoots over Loyalsock's Cadyn Plank (30) and Saoj Jones (34) in the second quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Shea Ulmer tries to drive around Loyalsock's Isiah Jennings (23) in the third quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Kingston Fisher (34) shoots around Loyalsock's Saoj Jones (34) in the second quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Jalil Coates (5) shoots around Montoursville's Todd Crawford (22) in the first quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Isiah Jennings (23) chases down a loose ball in the first quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Isah Jennings (23) drives between Montoursville's Elijah Eck (25) and Jimmy Mussina (10) to shoot in the first quarter.