BLOOMSBURG TOO MUCH FOR ATHENS

By: Tim Birney  /  January 13, 2021

BLOOMSBURG — Defending District 4 champion Bloomsburg jumped out to a big lead early, and rolled to a 59-29 win over Athens here Wednesday night in non-league girls basketball action.

“Bloomsburg is a very talented team,” said Athens coach Brian Miller. “They were bigger and faster and played great team defense.

“It was good for us to get of our league and play a talented team like that,” noted Miller. “We won’t see a team that good unless we make it to the state tournament.

“We played hard and did some nice things against a very good team,” he added. “We will build off it learn and get better from it.”

Rylee Klinger scored 11 points, including a pair of 3-pointers and an old-fashioned three-point play, to fuel Bloomsburg’s 22-7 first-quarter blitz.

The Lady Panthers used a 15-5 second-quarter run to extend its lead to 37-12 at the half.

Senior Kayleigh Miller scored eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers, in the first half for the Lady Wildcats.

Bloom subbed liberally in the second half, and outscored the Lady Wildcats, 22-17. Junior Caydence Macik and senior Megan Collins combined to score all 17 of Athens’ points.

Macik led Athens with 12 points, including 10 in the second half, three rebounds, and four blocked shots, while Miller had eight points and three steals, Collins scored seven points, and sophomore Karlee Bartlow grabbed four rebounds.

The Lady Wildcats committed 25 turnovers in the loss.

Klinger led Bloom with 22 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, while Madeline Evans scored 15 points, and Kelsey Widom added 10 points.

Athens, now 2-1, returns to action Saturday at Wellsboro in a noon start.