Cambridge Spings duo too much for Leechburg boys

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, March 10, 2018 | 10:33 PM

MEADVILLE — It's one thing for a team to be unaccustomed to guarding a 6-foot-8 player.

But Leechburg had the task of dealing with two 6-8 players in Saturday's first-round PIAA Class 2A boys basketball playoff game.

The tall Cambridge Springs duo proved to be too much as Turner Kurt and Reese Eakin combined for 38 points — shooting guard Noah Reisenauer added 28 points — in a 77-54 Leechburg loss.

Cambridge Springs (21-5) won its first PIAA game since 1998 and will play Jeannette in the second round Wednesday at a site and time to be determined.

Leechburg, making its first state tournament appearance in 11 seasons, finished at 14-8.

Cambridge Springs outrebounded Leechburg, 33-18.

“We saw them on film and on paper at 6-8,” Leechburg coach Corey Smith said. “We just couldn't get it done. The game plan was to box them out, and we didn't do it tonight. I tip my hat to those guys, they executed very well.”

It didn't take long for the District 10 runner-up to establish itself. Four seconds into the game, Kurt dunked the ball.

Leechburg junior John Miskinis scored on a steal halfway through the first quarter to cut an early Cambridge Springs lead to 12-11, but Cambridge Springs ended the quarter on a 15-3 run.

“We did a nice job of executing our offense and working the ball inside,” Cambridge Springs coach Kevin Kurt said. “We had guys accepting their roles and doing their jobs tonight.”

It didn't help that Leechburg standout Christian Hack picked up two early fouls and Miskinis, battling the much taller Eakin for a rebound, crashed to the floor on his right shoulder with 7 minutes, 8 seconds left in the second quarter and didn't return.

Without Miskinis and with Jake Blumer, who reached double-digits in first half on the bench with three fouls, Leechburg rallied. A pair of 3-pointers by sophomore Connor McDermott cut the Cambridge Springs advantage to 41-29 at halftime.

At the start of the third quarter, Cambridge Springs committed turnovers on each of its first three possessions, but Leechburg couldn't take advantage, missing its first six shots before Blumer got loose for a fast-break layup.

“That was a key,” Kevin Kurt said. “We called a timeout and told them we were lucky they weren't scoring on those turnovers. It was lazy passes and not being focused.”

Three consecutive baskets by Reisenauer and two more free throws — one a converted miss after a Leechburg lane violation — put Cambridge Springs on top, 49-29, with 4 minutes, 27 seconds left in the third.

“I've preached all season that the first three minutes of the third quarter dictates the rest of the game,” Smith said. “They went quickly to 20 points, and we couldn't get any closer.”

Hack, who has verbally committed to Carlow, fouled out with 1:18 left in the game after scoring 15 points. He was given a standing ovation by Leechburg fans.

Blumer finished with 25 points and eight rebounds.

George Guido is a freelance writer.

Tags: Leechburg