The Moon Area boys basketball team came out second best in a season-opening battle between defending WPIAL champions, as the Tigers dropped a 74-54 decision to Imani Christian Friday night in the Geneva College/Lincoln Park Tipoff Tournament.
Moon won the Class 5A title a year ago while Imani Christian captured the Class 1A crown and has since moved up to Class 6A for the current season. R.J. Sledge poured in 36 points to pace Imani Christian.
Moon coach Gino Palmosina called it a tough night for the Tigers, as they were hurt by 11 first-half turnovers that Imani Christian turned into easy baskets.
“You have to give them a lot of credit,” Palmosina said of the Saints. “They played their style and sped up the game, and they controlled the game for 32 minutes.”
The Tigers will look to even their record when they battle Knoch at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the second day of the tournament.
Montour 41, Knoch 33
In a girls season-opening matchup, Tiffany Miller scored 17 points and Abby Cleary contributed 15 to spark Montour to a 41-33 victory over Knoch in the first round of the Montour Tipoff Tournament.
The two teams battled on near-even terms through the first two quarters, with Montour holding a slim 20-17 lead at halftime. Cleary scored 10 of her 15 points in the first half and Miller chipped in with eight.
Miller stayed hot in the third quarter, scoring nine points as the Spartans outscored Knoch 14-7 to take an eight-point lead into the final quarter.
Jordan Giles, a Spartans alum returning to coach her first game for Montour, said Miller created some big second-half turnovers and was on the finishing end of a few as well.
“Abby also came up huge for us on defense,” Giles added.
Jada Burgard scored 19 points to lead Knoch.
Deer Lakes 39, Sto-Rox 18
In another girls game, host Deer Lakes defeated Sto-Rox, 39-18. No other details were available.
The Vikings will play again at 2:30 p.m. Saturday against Springdale in the final day of the Deer Lakes Tournament.
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