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The North-Penn Liberty Mounties hosted the Northeast Bradford Panthers in NTL small school division action on Wednesday January 25th. Northeast Bradford outlasted the Mounties in a nip and tuck game 54-44.

North-Penn Liberty was able to build an early lead behind a patient offense and solid defense. The Mounties big men, Garrett Bickhart and Brandyn Choplosky, set the tone in the first quarter combining for 11 points, lifting North-Penn Liberty to a first quarter lead 14-9.

Northeast Bradford didn’t allow the Mounties any breathing room, using a balanced scoring second quarter to close the gap. Five different players scored for the Panthers in the quarter. Tyler Boyer buried a three-pointer, to push the North-Penn Liberty lead to 6 points with 5:30 left in the quarter. The Mountie big men continued to play well in the second, each scoring a bucket, but a late steal and score by the Panthers cut the Mountie halftime lead to 2 points, 21-19.

The game was back and forth in the third quarter. Northeast Bradford tied the game up early in the third after a David Ford bucket. Choplosky came back moments later with a basket of his own, reclaiming the lead for the Mounties. David Ford continued his big quarter (9 points) to push the Panthers ahead, until Choplosky gave the Mounties the lead again with a three pointer. But the Panthers would finish the third with the lead 41-35, after a shot at the buzzer from Austin Senn-Bishop.

The Panthers would not relinquish the lead. Their pressure defense finally wore down the Mounties, resulting in several turnovers. On offense the Panthers employed a delay offense, forcing the Mounties out of their zone defense. The Mounties were forced to foul late, and the Panthers made them pay from the charity stripe, going 7-9 in the quarter, and solidifying a 54-44 victory.

Northeast Bradford was led by David Ford’s 19 points. Austin Senn-Bishop added 10 points.

North-Penn Liberty was paced by Brandyn Choplosky’s 18 points. Garret Bickhart and Tyler Boyer also scored in double figures, with 11 points and 10 points, respectively.

North-Penn Liberty will be back on the court on Friday January 27th when they host the Canton Warriors.