Mahanoy Area won against Pen Argyl last Saturday with 55 points and they decided to stick to that point total again on Tuesday. The Mahanoy Area Golden Bears came out on top against the Tamaqua Blue Raiders by a score of 55-44. Given the Golden Bears' advantage in MaxPreps' Pennsylvania basketball rankings (they are ranked 78th, while the Blue Raiders are ranked 392nd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Mahanoy Area to victory, but perhaps none more so than Ryan Zilker, who went 7 of 11 en route to 15 points and five boards. What's more, Zilker also racked up two assists, the most he's had since back in December of 2024. William Mayberry was another key player, putting up 17 points.
Mahanoy Area smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 12 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in five consecutive matches.
Tamaqua's loss came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Cooper Ansbach, who posted 13 points. Another player making a difference was Ace Schickram, who earned eight points.
Golden Bears
| 01/28/25 vs Tamaqua | 55-44 |
| 01/21/25 vs North Schuylkill | 58-32 |
| 01/07/25 vs Pottsville | 62-47 |
| 12/27/24 vs Schuylkill Haven | 77-39 |
| 12/16/24 vs Minersville | 47-30 |
| + 17 more games |
Mahanoy Area's victory was their 22nd straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 19-1. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 65.5 points per game. As for Tamaqua, they have traveled a rocky road recently having lost six of their last seven games, which put a noticeable dent in their 6-14 record this season.
Mahanoy Area has already played their next contest, a 36-34 defeat against Pottsville on the 31st. As for Tamaqua, they also didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next match, a 69-45 win against Panther Valley on the 31st.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
