Maddie Smith of Hughesville passes against Central Mountain at Central Mountain High School. Hughesville won 65-40. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Hughesville coaches often can save the motivational speeches. They know their players furiously will compete as soon as the jump ball is thrown up.

The Spartans are an excellent team, entering their Mike Fought Christmas Tournament at 5-1, riding a five-game winning streak. They have experience, size, quickness and depth. Above all that, they have an insatiable desire to compete.

And it’s really there, that this winning foundation has been built.

It has been evident again through the first six games with Hughesville players seemingly playing at 100 miles per hour whether winning by a lot, losing or in a close game. Working and playing hard is a choice and the Spartans continue always choosing those options.

“It doesn’t matter what defense we’re running or what offense we’re running, you know you’re going to get 100 % out of every kid,” coach Dustin King said after Hughesville’s 65-40 win at Central Mountain last Monday. If there is a ball on the ground, you’re probably going to have two kids flying to the ball.”

Shots can be off the mark; the opponent can be seemingly making everything and players can be dealing with other issues. But once they hit the court, these Spartans seem to put all that aside and focus on emptying their collective tanks pursuing victory.

Hughesville did that in five wins and also in its lone loss, a 63-62 season-opening heartbreaker against Dallas. Whatever the result, the Spartans do not have to wonder if they could have given more because, at least every time this reporter has watched them play the last three seasons, they have.

That is the biggest reason Hughesville has gone 52-10 during that time, winning its first district championship, as well as three Class AAA state tournament contests. And while coaching is never easy, it sure takes a lot off the coaching staff’s table when it can focus upon strategy and skills, knowing that rarely is their any need to inspire this team.

The Spartans so often bring the fire themselves.

“They’re just relentless and that’s from top to bottom,” King said. “The JV is the same way. They are fun to coach; fun to be around.”

Built upon that ferocious drive is a selfless mentality. Hughesville has piled up the assists early this season and both guards and post players have done excellent work spotting the open player and setting her up for quality looks. Yes, Maddie Smith is averaging 29.5 points per game, but she also had six assists in a 35-point game.

And Smith will be the first one to tell anyone that her scoring is set up by the team moving the ball so well. Smith was one of four Spartans who dealt at least three assists at Central Mountain and point guard Kendall Hamm had six. It’s not about who is shooting to this team, but creating the best opportunity and then pouncing on it.

“Overall, it’s fun to watch the way the girls spread the ball. A lot of it is because of the way the kids are moving and passing. It’s such an unselfish basketball team,” King said. “Everyone on the floor is looking for the next pass and helping us score.”

Last Monday was a celebratory night as Smith scored her 1,000th career point. The junior guard is just the third Spartan during the 2000s to reach that milestone and the quickest to do so, but the milestone is a byproduct of a bigger goal.

Winning is the primary focus. It says a lot, too, that minutes following that victory, Smith was already looking ahead.

It’s like fishing. The Spartans have reeled in some nice ones, but understand the biggest remain swimming out there. They certainly are eager to do whatever possible to reel them in.

“We were not on from 3 (point range), but our post players did a great job finishing and getting extra chances for us and guards did a great job feeding it to the post,” Smith said. “The defense looked good for the most part.

“We get back to work tomorrow, and it’s on to the next game.”

WARM GREETINGS

Less than two weeks ago, Central Mountain coach Scott Baker headed home after practice expecting to see just his family.

But it was a crowded house upon his arrival. It was quite a festive seen, too.

The Wildcat players beat Baker home and greeted him by singing Christmas carols. They stayed for two hours and a close-knit team bonded even tighter while bringing a smile to Baker’s face.

That scene highlights what Baker likes most about coaching this squad. The Wildcats are young, starting two freshmen, but they are doing quality work on and off the court.

“They’re great kids … every single one of them,” Baker said. “There isn’t one problem. It makes it really fun coming to practice every day.”

Central Mountain (1-4) has lost four straight games but two are by single-digit margins. What is exciting is how well freshmen Reagan Weaver and Payton Williams already are playing. Weaver went for 18 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists against Hughesville, while Williams had 10 points and four assists.

Add in three-year starter Camdyn Weaver averaging in double figures and dealing six assists against Hughesville and Central Mountain has a strong nucleus in place. It’s a mammoth jump going from junior high to varsity basketball, so growing pains are expected, but it might not be long until this group starts hitting all the right notes.

“We know this is a year of growth, but we think next year we can be really good,” Baker said. “We’ll see. They’re are hard workers, they like each other and they’re great kids.”

PUTBACKS

Jersey Shore showed its grit in a comeback win against Benton, winning, 47-38. The Bulldogs had lost consecutive close games, so closing on an 18-8 run was a nice step forward for a team with four new starters this season. Kylie Schall scored a career-high 16 points; Sadie Schall 11 and Marlee Lehman 10 … Bucktail senior Kendall Wagner had a big game in defeat against Muncy, scoring 19 points, grabbing 14 rebounds and dealing five assists. Eva Sockman nearly had a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds … Milton’s Liz Schrock is among the area’s leading rebounders and had 12 more in a 37-27 loss against Northeast Bradford … Wellsboro sophomore Ady Frantz scored a career-high 20 points, helping the Hornets defeat Williamson, 36-28. Wellsboro (2-4) avenged a loss from the previous defeat against the Warriors.

Chris Masse may be reached at cmasse@sungazette.com. Follow him on Twitter at @docmasse

DR. MASSE’S TOP 5 RANKINGS

1. Hughesville (5-1): Hughesville will be trying to three-peat as the Mike Fought Tournament champions. They open against Selinsgrove tonight and will play either Wyalusing or Milton Tuesday. Hughesville and Wyalusing both are likely Class AAA playoff teams and met two weeks ago, so if they cross paths Tuesday, there is the possibility they could play three times this season.

2. Loyalsock (4-3): The defending 3A state champions had lost week off and that came at a good time, giving some of the team’s injured players more time to heal. The Lancers head to Jersey Shore tonight and will be playing the Bulldogs for the fourth time in two years. Loyalsock won all three games last year, but the two regular season contests both were thrillers with the Lancers rallying in the fourth quarter each time.

3. Muncy (5-0): Muncy closed strong on the road against Bucktail, pulling away for a 50-28 win last Monday. Anna Zalonis scored a season-high 13 points; Ava Eyer had four steals and Emma McCormick six rebounds. Muncy has won its last three games by double-digit margins and will face its toughest test yet this season Tuesday when it heads to Line Mountain. The Eagles are 6-1 and this has been a fiercely competitive series the last few years. Win or lose, this game should help Muncy as it moves forward and tries depending Mid-Penn West Division and District 4 Class AA championships.

4. Montoursville (3-3): Montoursville heads to the Dionna Satteson Tournament at Montgomery on a high after thumping South Williamsport, 50-28 on the road and snapping the Mounties’ four-game winning streak. Montoursville has won consecutive games and will try capturing the Satteson Tournament title in its first year participating, facing Midd-West today and then either Montgomery or Meadowbrook Christian tomorrow. Emily George made eight steals against South and Trinity Belle added seven points and seven rebounds. Marleigh Bainbridge also had seven rebounds and five steals. Following the two games in Montgomery, Montoursville will have played five straight on the road.

5. Canton (5-1): Canton has held its last two opponents to 46 combined points and that strong defense helped it win a hard-fought 34-28 game against North Penn-Mansfield. The Warriors have won three consecutive games and Cailyn Van Noy is averaging 20.3 points during that time. Canton plays surging Sullivan County tonight and that looks like an intriguing game. A year after reaching the Class AA state tournament, Canton is third in the district standings, in a close race with Muncy and Northwest.

Players of the Week

Rosie Zalonis, Muncy and Kayleigh Sheleman, Montoursville: Zalonis is running the offense well in her first season as the team’s starting point guard and scored a career-high 22 points at Bucktail. Zalonis made 8 of her last 9 foul shots in the fourth quarter and also fueled the defense, making eight steals. Sheleman will play softball at Massachusetts but is enjoying a strong senior basketball season and produced her third double-double at South. Sheleman scored a game-high 17 points and pulled down 12 rebounds, giving Montoursville a strong advantage inside. Sheleman has totaled 28 points and 25 rebounds during the Warriors’ last two wins.

Game of the Week

Muncy at Line Mountain: Line Mountain is the last team to beat Muncy in District playoff action, doing so in the 2023 district quarterfinals. Tuesday’s game is a showdown between teams who are a combined 11-1 The Eagles have won five straight games, so something has to give Tuesday. These teams have split the last four games in the series, so call this the rubber match.