Tuesday night, Mowry felt good all over. No pain; no stress, just joy. He felt like a champion.

So did his teammates as, together, Lewisburg put together a marvelous fourth quarter and captured the HAC-II championship. Mowry scored 11 of his game-high 21 points in the fourth, the Green Dragons erased a three-point deficit and they captured the league’s first outright league title since 2011, defeating Montoursville, 68-60. Lewisburg earned 2017, 2022 and 2023 league championships but shared those, so this team gained some distinction while also playing a terrific all-around game.

LJ Tucker scored 18 points, freshman point guard Cortland Michaels dazzled with 11 assists, Nazir Meredith produced a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) and Lewisburg (13-4, 8-0) won the championship of a stacked league with two games still remaining.

“They have continued to practice hard and continued to play hard and they’ve continued to listen to us. They’ve never wavered from what we’ve wanted to do,” Lewisburg coach Leon Tucker said. “They’ve stayed the course and tonight was a testament to what kind of a team we are.”

Carson Menne of Montoursville tries to pass the ball under pressure from Cooper Mowry (1) and Leon Tucker (3) of Lewisburg at Lewisburg High School. Lewisburg won 68-60. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“It feels great this year knowing all that hard work has paid off with the guys and the hard work I’ve put in also has paid off,” Mowry said. It’s awesome.”

That’s a good way to describe Mowry in the fourth quarter.

He drained three 3-pointers in the quarter’s first 97 seconds and put Lewisburg ahead to stay. Mowry’s first trey tied the game, the next one moved it in front, 51-50 and the last, a running shot from the left corner made it, 54-50. His final basket gave Lewisburg its biggest lead, 65-57.

A Cam Cintron 3-pointer made it a 5-point game, but Montoursville missed five straight shots with a shot to make it a one-possession game before Meredith and Tucker clinched the title at the foul line.

“Going into the fourth quarter we were losing by three and I had to step up and be a leader,” Mowry said. “I just had to go out there and do what I do best.”

Jay Houseknecht of Montoursville tries to pass the ball around the defense of Leon Tucker of Lewisburg at Lewisburg High School. Lewisburg won 68-60. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Mowry burst onto the scene as a sophomore and was outstanding in a district playoff win at Montoursville as Lewisburg made a surprising run to states. He took another big step forward last season, earning first team HAC-II honors and averaging nearly 15 points per game.

And although Mowry was still contributing throughout the first half, the explosiveness which he displayed a year ago seemed to be missing. As his body has healed, Mowry has regained it and averaged 19.7 points per game the last three contests.

Lewisburg is as balanced as it is good, but it certainly gives the team a boost having another weapon returning to full strength at a perfect time.

“He’s kind of found his rhythm and it seems like he’s all the way back. We knew that he was only one or two games to getting back to where he needed to be and, to his credit, he’s continued to put in the work,” Coach Tucker said. “He probably put in more work than he usually does because he wanted to get himself out of what he felt like was not playing his best basketball. He’s been there as we’ve needed him and it’s great to have him back in the fold where we’re getting this kind of production from him because when he’s on it takes us to another level I believe.”

Montoursville elevated its performance in the third quarter. The Warriors weathered a second quarter Lewisburg storm, fighting back when it appeared poised to break things open and trailing by five at halftime. They then played one of their best quarters this season, moving the ball well, setting up good looks and outscoring Lewisburg, 21-17.

Kingston Fisher of Montoursville puts up a shot against Lewisburg at Lewisburg High School. Lewisburg won 68-60. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Following Mowry’s Curry-like eruption early in the fourth, Montoursville (13-6, 5-3) pulled within one when Shea Ulmer drilled a 3-pointer but could not get any closer. Still, it was an encouraging performance for a team which appears to have righted the course after hitting some turbulence two weeks ago.

“They are a really good team, and we were down five at the half and came out and played a really good third quarter and did some really nice things,” Montoursville coach Mike Mussina said. “Hopefully, we’re going in the right direction. We’re figuring some things out and we’re getting a little more mature playing the game.”

That showed in how Montoursville never backed down whenever Lewisburg heated up. The Warriors kept hitting back and took their first lead since the first quarter when Ulmer made consecutive steals, first dishing to Eljah Eck, then going for a layup and making it, 36-34. Eck then drained a last-second 3-pointer which put Montoursville ahead, 48-45 entering the fourth.

Ulmer played an excellent game, scoring 20 points, dealing three assists and making three steals. Cintron scored 17 points and made three steals, while Eck scored 12 points and dealt five assists. Kingston Fisher was tough inside, grabbing a game-high 15 rebounds.

Montoursville’s biggest issue was turnovers. The Warriors lost 21 and several helped set up Lewisburg scoring opportunities. Still, it was a matter of a few turnovers here, a few missed shots there. Those are fixable items for a team which also is having a strong season in that is closing in on hosting a first round 4A playoff game.

Kingston Fisher of Montoursville tries to put up a shot against Lewisburg at Lewisburg High School. Lewisburg won 68-60. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“We still have sophomores out there playing and even though they’ve played a lot of basketball, you still have to make good decisions and sometimes you try to do a little too much,” Mussina said. “I’m not disappointed in how we played. We just have to stop turning the ball over so much and make a couple shots. We’ll just keep working and trying to get better.”

Lewisburg has put in a lot of work since starting the season, 5-4. The Dragons have won eight straight since and used those early setbacks as fuel. They continue fanning the flames and every player continues doing his part.

That includes Michaels who made a massive impact without scoring much. Instead, he set up so much of the scoring with his 11 assists. The explosive freshman frequently beat defenders, then like a quarterback sizing up a blitz coming, kept completing passes to the open man. He dished seven second-half assists, including on Mowry’s go-ahead fourth quarter 3-pointer.

“That’s what Cortland does best,” Mowry said. “He’s really shifty and can get by his man. He makes the right read all the time.”

All five starters average more than seven points per game, so opponents cannot build their game plan around slowing just one or two players. That was the case again Tuesday with super sub Jaylen Walker scoring seven points and adding six rebounds. He and Jemana each hit clutch 3-pointers during the second half, Jemana answering Ulmer and making it, 57-53.

Cam Cintron of Montoursville puts up a floating shot against Lewisburg at Lewisburg High School. Lewisburg won 68-60. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

The stretch run and playoffs await. But Lewisburg having five players compete as one has helped it check off one big goal. Together, all those Dragons know they will now be linked as champions.

“Montoursville battled all night. They took a lead and it was a gut-check time for us to see who we were,” Coach Tucker said. “The kids played amazing in the fourth quarter. The shots that were taken and made in that fourth quarter were unbelievable.

“They continue to listen and take coaching we’ve given them and here we are.”

MONTOURSVILLE (60)

Shea Ulmer 8 0-0 20, Cam Cintron 7 2-2 17, Kingston Fisher 2 2-2 6, Elijah Eck 5 0-0 12, Isaac Erlandson 2 1-1 5, Jay Houseknecht 0 0-0 0, Brennen Imbro 0 0-0 0, Zack Neill 0 0-0 0, Carson Menne 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 5-5 60.

LEWISBURG (68)

LJ Tucker 5 7-9 18, Nazir Meredith 4 2-3 10, Cooper Mowry 8 0-0 21, Rebira Jemana 3 1-2 8, Cortland Michaels 2 0-0 4, Jaylen Walker 3 0-0 7, Jack Siegel 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 10-14 68.

Montoursville 10 17 21 12–60

Lewisburg 11 21 13 23–68

3-pointers: Montoursville 7 (Ulmer 4, Eck 2, Cintron); Lewisburg 8 (Mowry 5, Tucker, Jemana, Walker).

Records: Lewisburg 13-4, 8-0 HAC-II. Montoursville 13-6, 5-3.

Cam Cintron of Montoursville drives to the basket against Lewisburg at Lewisburg High School. Lewisburg won 68-60. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Isaac Erlandson and Elijah Eck of Montoursville fight for control of a rebound with Nazir Meredith of Lewisburg at Lewisburg High School. Lewisburg won 68-60. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette