Santa was in the Tiger Cage. One last boys basketball game was played before Christmas on Thursday as Continental traveled to Holgate for a non-league matchup. Things did not go the Pirate way early as Holgate put in the first basket which was followed by a 3 from Trevor Williamson. That 3 was matched by a Tiger 3 point play. A Jacob Williams basket evened the score to 5 all when the Tigers started to pull away. A Tiger 3 pointer gave them the early lead that they would hold for a while. Williams put in another basket to make it Tigers 8 -7. Holgate poured in 6 of the last 7 points of the quarter to make it Tigers 14, Pirates 8 at the end of one.
The Tigers scored the first 2 of the second to take an 8 point lead 16-8. A pair of free throws and a basket by Caleb Olds along with a Wade Stauffer basket were matched each time by a Tiger basket as the 8 point margin held and was now Tigers 22, Pirates 14. The Pirates went on a 6 point run (baskets by Williams, Stauffer and a pair of free throw by Williams) to made it a 2 point game 22-20 Tigers. Holgate put in the last basket of the half to secure a 4 point lead heading into the locker room.
The Pirates came out on fire in the third as they scored the first 5 on an Olds 3 and a Stauffer 2 to take their first lead since early in the first 25-24. Holgate regained the lead with a basket but the Pirates put in the next 7 points (a 3 by Olds, a pair of free throws and basket by Stauffer) to take a 6 point lead 32-26. A pair of Tiger baskets made it a 2 point game 32-26. The teams traded baskets before Williamson ended the third quarter scoring with a 3 point play with less than a second left in the quarter. Pirates 37, Tigers 32 after three.
The Tigers opened up the fourth with a pair of free throws to make it a 3 point game. A Williamson basket was countered by Tiger free throw making the score 39-35 Pirates. Both teams split the next 8 points as Stauffer and Williamson put in 2 each to make it 43-37 late in the fourth. A pair of field goals by the Tigers made it Pirates 43-41 with just over a minute to go. A Stauffer free throw would finish the game scoring. Pirates 44, Tigers 41.
Wade Stauffer lead the Pirates with 14 points while Trevor Williamson and Caleb Olds both had 10. Jacob Williams scored 8. Tyler Brecht had 2. Caleb Olds had 2 three pointers and Trevor Williamson had 1.
The Pirates are now 5-1 while the Tigers fall to 3-2. The Pirates are at home on Tuesday when Liberty Benton makes their first trip to the Cove.
The Pirate Platoon was super charged with a Christmas theme. Christmas Songs were sung during the Tiger free throws. All the students were donned in their best holiday sweaters. Santa and a pair of elves made the early trip down from the North Pole.
The game against Antwerp has been rescheduled to January 23.
–Mike Jones, Sportswriter
