Tigers outlast Hornets in NTL Showdown final

By: Ed Weaver  /  February 17, 2019  /  Photo: Charlie Berch

In their third meeting of the season the North Penn-Mansfield Tigers held off Wellsboro for a 43-41 win in the NTL Showdown finals on Saturday, February 16.

From start to finish the game was close as neither team led by more than 5 points. Wellsboro led 11-10 after the first quarter and trailed the Tigers by 2 with seconds remaining until senior Brandyn Tuttle hit a three as the buzzer expired to put the Hornets up one, 22-21.

Wellsboro held that lead through the third quarter until the Tigers tied up the game at the end at 35-35.

The fourth quarter, another low scoring one, however belonged to the Tigers. North Penn-Mansfield held Wellsboro to just two field goals and built up a five-point, 43-38 lead as the quarter wound down, until a three by senior Holden Kennedy cut the Tigers' lead to 2, 43-41 with 24 seconds remaining. The Hornets had one last crack at the win, but a three-pointer and follow missed, giving the Tigers the NTL Showdown championship and ending the Hornets' 21-game win streak.

Dylan Meyer led all scorers and the Tigers with 19 points on the night, followed by 9 points from Jayden Andrews and 7 points from Garrett David.

Senior Andrew Brelo led Wellsboro with 12 points, Tuttle had 11 points and 16 rebounds, sophomore Joseph Grab had 8, Kennedy finished with 6, and senior Hunter Brown added 4.

Grab added 4 assists to his point total, Brown had 4 rebounds, and Brelo pitched in 3 steals.

Wellsboro (21-3) and North Penn-Mansfield (18-6) will return to action next week in the District IV Class AAA playoffs.