Fast start leads Hornets past Black Knights

By: Ed Weaver  /  February 6, 2021

A 16-point first quarter start by the Wellsboro Varsity Boys Basketball team led the Hornets to a 64-33 NTL Large School Division win over Towanda on Friday, February 5.

"Good team win," Hornet head coach Steve Adams said following the win. "Anytime you have four guys in double figures it shows the unselfishness of a team. Tonight was a great team win."

Unselfish is right. All five starters scored in the opening quarter then turned on the juice even more in the second and third quarters, outscoring the Black Knights 39-19 to open up the game and place it firmly in the Hornets' control. In those two quarters Wellsboro turned to their big man, junior Liam Manning. Manning finished with 19 points on the evening to lead all scorers, with 13 of his points coming in the middle two quarters.

Following the Hornets' 22-point third quarter the Hornets had their sixth straight win.

Junior Darryn Callahan finished the night with 13 points, sophomore Peyton McClure hit four three-point shots to finish with 12, and sophomore Conner Adams added 10. Juniors Drew Manning and Isaac Keane chipped in four points each and junior Ryan Sweet rounded out the scoring with 2 points. McClure added 6 rebounds and 6 assists to his point total, Manning grabbed 7 boards, Callahan added 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals, and Keane added 4 assists and 4 rebounds.

In the JV game the Hornets won 49-36 to improve to 7-0 on the season. Freshman Hayes Campbell led the team with 20 points and sophomore Cameron Brought added 15.

The win improves the Hornets' record to 6-1 (6-1 NTL Large School Division). The team is back in action on Monday to kick off a tough stretch against North Penn-Liberty, North Penn-Mansfield (Wednesday), and Athens (Friday).