NTL BOYS' BASKETBALL: NEB GRINDS OUT WIN OVER MONTROSE (December 14, 2025)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
ROME — NEB boys’ basketball improved to 5-0 on the season but it wasn’t easy as they had to hold off a strong charge from Montrose, pulling out a 55-46 win during non-league action Saturday.

“It feels good to be 5-0 but were fortunate to be there,” said NEB coach Paul Burgert. “This is another kind of clunky performance. We didn’t find a rhythm offensively, we’re having, but we didn’t take it. We just haven’t been able to play consistently well offensively in any game yet, but it is early in the season. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

NEB led just 24-21 at the half, but led most of the second half except for a short time early in the third when it was tied up at 27-all.

They opened up an 8-point lead at one point midway through the fourth, only to see the Meteors close it to 48-44 with a 1:17 left to play.

The Panthers closed things out down the stretch, out scoring Montrose 7-2, including a 7-for-9 performance from the free throw line in the final frame.

Cooper Brown had 17 points, four boards, and three assists to lead NEB, with Eli Stanton scoring 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting.

Mac Burgert added 11 points on 3-for-5 from deep, plus three assists, and two steals, as Daniel Barrett had six points, and six rebounds.

Clay Wilks netted four points, and Dayton Russell had three points, and eight boards.

Jai Herman had 17 points to lead Montrose, with Sawyer Brown adding 13.

Most of the Meteor offense in the second half came on back cuts, a consequence of NEB’s change in defensive philosophy at the half.

“I was telling them to be more aggressive,” Burgert said. “(Montrose) had a lot of long possessions in the first half, which was lulling us to sleep, and we were playing a little bit too soft. I told them to get after it. We needed to create some turnovers, and hopefully get out and run, and probably some of the back cuts were because they were overplaying on some kids.”

The Meteors led 13-9 after one as Brown had six points for Montrose, while Stanton had four to lead NEB.

The Panthers rallied in the second, out scoring Montrose 15-8 behind three 3-balls, two of them from Burgert.

In the third Stanton had seven points to pace a Panther effort that took a 37-32 lead into the fourth.

Brown had the scorer’s touch in the fourth, netting eight NEB’s 18 points as they brought home the win.

The Panthers will host Wyalusing on Tuesday, a team that has a 2-game win streak of their own.

“Physical games like Wellsboro, this was a physical game, we’re definitely being challenged there, so we hopefully it will only make us tougher,” Burgert said.

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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING

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