Huntingdon, Pa.- Juniata exploded for 48 first half points en route to a 96-54 win in the Juniata Holiday Tournament Championship Game, Friday evening at Memorial Gymnasium.
Tournament MVP Seth Brewer (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) had 19 points, six assists and four rebounds. Marcus Lee (Carrolltown, Pa./Bishop Carroll) had 18 points, while Brandon Martinazzi (Cresson, Pa./Bishop Carroll) had 16 points and five assists. Damon Rickens (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) added 13 points and four rebounds. Marcus Hall (York, Pa./Trinity) contributed eight points, five rebounds and two blocks off the bench.
Martinazzi drilled a three from the left wing off a pass from Lee, Brewer swished a three after receiving a pass from Rickens before Martinazzi found Rickens for three as JC jumped out to 9-0 lead just over two minutes into the game, forcing a Manhattanville timeout. The Eagles kept scoring, highlighted by a Martinazzi lob to Rickens under the hoop who rose up, grabbed the ball and laid it in in one motion to make it 15-7. Later, a Brewer layup off a pass from Nathan Markey (York, Pa./Central York) was followed quickly by a Paul Martello (York, Pa./York Catholic) layup off a feed from Brewer to make it 22-7 with 11:42 to go in the half.
The Eagles led 48-20 at halftime after a truly special half of basketball on the offensive and defensive end. JC assisted on their first nine baskets and 13 of their 19 makes overall while also committing a paltry two turnovers. They shot 67.9% from the field and 60.0% from three. They held Manhattanville to 25.9% shooting from the field and 33.3% from three-point territory.
The Eagles kept up their lights-out shooting in their final contest of the calendar year and will head into the new year 11-0, the best start ever in team history.
The Eagles return to action at Lancaster Bible, January third.