NTL BOYS' BASKETBALL: TOWANDA CONTINUES TO ROLL WITH WIN OVER WYALUSING (2025-01-02)
BY CHRIS MANNINGNorthern Tier Sports ReportWYALUSING — Towanda boys’ basketball kept rolling as they beat Wyalusing, 64-33, in NTL boys’ basketball action Thursday to win their third straight game.
“This is our eighth road game out of our nine games to open up the season so I think our guys have done a really good job of navigating this unique situation,” said Towanda coach Landon Henry. “We’re just happy to win a game on any given night.”
The Knights had 12 assists on 22 field goals on the game, particularly with guards Boom Thompson and Darrius Farrell working with center Markel Garner.
“I think our guard play as been developing throughout the year, and guys are gaining more confidence as they get in more and more situation with the pick-and-roll,” explained Henry.
Garner finished with 16 points on the night, while Farrell had 16 points and three assists. Thompson added 13 points and five assists.
As a team five different players had helpers.
“We’re just doing a good job of playing, of moving the basketball, and getting good looks,” said Henry. “I think that Boom, in particular, does a great job. Tonight was the best I’ve seen him playing pick-and-roll offense, where’s just being patient, and if the help doesn’t come, he’ll finish. And if not, he’s finding the big on the roll, but, overall, I’m pleased with the shots that we’re getting.”
Ben Shrawder finished with nine points, as Bayley Poll, Connor Barnes, and Josh Maye had three points apiece. Graham Welles chipped in with one point.
Shay Gartland had 12 points to lead Wyalusing, while Hunter House finished with 11, including three 3-balls. Will McBride netted six, and Zabiah Walton returned to the line-up to score four.
It was back and forth early as Myles Kershner found McBride for two points to put the Rams up 2-0.
Barnes tied it up off a Garner helper, then Garner scored off a Thompson assist to put the Knights up 4-2.
A House 3-pointer off a Gartland assist put the Rams up 5-4, but things began to spiral from there for Wyalusing.
Thompson put Towanda back up with a runner, then three straight transition buckets - two by Farrell - saw the Knights take a 12-5 lead.
Baskets by Garner and Farrell made it 16-5, but Gartland hit a deep ball just before the half for a 16-8 score at the end of the first.
A House 3-pointer cut the lead to 16-11, but Farrell answered with a 3-ball of his own. A Walton jumper made it 19-13.
Towanda would answer with a 13-0 run as six different players scored during that stretch, giving the Knights a 32-13 lead.
Gartland added a lay-up late for a 32-15 score at the half.
Towanda continued that momentum into the third with a 10-2 run, with six points out of Garner, and four from Thompson, pushing their lead to 42-17.
Wyalusing got back to back 3-balls from House and Gartland, cutting it to 42-23.
A Thompson 3-ball, though, sparked a 12-0 Towanda run to put the game into the mercy rule.
Wyalusing (1-6) will look to regroup as they host Wellsboro on Tuesday, while Towanda (6-3) will see what they’re made of as they have Troy, Wellsboro, and NP-Mansfield for their next three games, beginning with the Trojans at home on Tuesday.
“We treat every day as the same, we just want to put our best foot forward,” Henry said. “We’ve got to have a great practice tomorrow, and we obviously know that. Troy’s a good team, and they have a lot of good players. They’re well coached, but we need to focus on ourselves, and just continue to get better.”
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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING
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