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WCCS Lions knock off Erie Bethel for conference title

Both the Warren County Christian School boys and girls basketball teams captured New Penn Christian Conference Championships over the weekend.

Third time’s the charm.

The Warren County Christian School boys basketball team defeated Erie Bethel 53-41 on Saturday for the New Penn Christian Conference title, getting the best of a team that had beat them twice during the regular season.

Tommy Jones scored 18 points and Josiah Poindexter added 15 to lead WCCS.

“These guys have been working hard, doing the things we have been asking them to do and have improved all season,” said WCCS coach Tom Jones. “It all came together in the final game. Josiah Poindexter was dominant on the boards and Tommy Jones was a huge help on the boards and did an oustanding job at the foul line (8-of-9).”

The Lions trailed 13-9 after the first quarter, but outscored Bethel each of the final three frames, including 17-8 in the second to take a 26-21 halftime lead.

Danny Jones took on the leading scorer in the NPCC and held him to just eight points.

“We played full court man-to-man and he took on the league’s leading scorer, the Rivera boy and held him to just eight points,” coach Jones said. “He shadowed him the whole game.”

Coach Jones also praised the work of his bench, particularly Ethan Kerr.

“The guys coming off the bench all contributed and gave strong minutes,” he said. “Ethan Kerr is our best 3-point shooter and he opens up the defense for us. As long as he was in the game, they had to honor his outside shooting. Stephen Brenner, that’s the best game he’s ever played in terms of defense and rebounding.”

All-in-all, it was a team win.

“They all did what it took to beat Erie Bethel … it was a team effort,” coach Jones said. “This is the same team (Bethel) that won the league championship last year and only lost two games this year. We made adjustments and really stepped up.”

– – –

WCCS (53)

Poindexter 7-0-0-15, T. Jones 5-8-9-18, J. Jones 4-1-4-9, Brenner 1-0-0-2, D. Jones 1-1-3-3, Weidner 0-0-0-0, Kerr 2-0-0-5, Wiles-Shaw 0-1-2-1

ERIE BETHEL (41)

Yourconis 1-1-2-3, Rivera 4-0-0-8, Moyer 4-1-2-9, Grimes 1-1-2-3, Simmons 6-0-2-14, Roveno 1-0-0-2, Heitzerater 1-0-0-2, Totals 18-3-8-41

By Quarters

WCCS 9 17 13 14 – 53

Bethel 13 8 8 12 – 41

Three-point FGs: WCCS (2) – Poindexter, Kerr; Bethel (2) – Simmons 2

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