Nice to see Central Cambria boys basketball back on top: District 6-AAA champs


… now time for football resurgence 

Central Cambria athletes have been making headlines over the past decade, but often, they are runners on the cross-country and track teams that have performed well on district and state stages.

However, the Red Devil boys basketball program rose from the ashes and pulled out a tremendous victory last week at Mount Aloysius. They upset the top seed, Richland, 54-43, to earn their first district title since 2008.

The victory gave the Devils a 20-6 record entering the state playoffs, and it was their ninth consecutive win, according to the Altoona Mirror.

The Mirror story by Phil Cmor noted that they won this title with defense, with Richland averaging more than 62 points per game but scoring 19 points under that average.

Cmor writes, "It shouldn’t have come as much surprise. In Central Cambria’s four playoff games, Devils’ opponents averaged 43.8 points. The Devils held Westmont Hilltop nearly 30 points below its average in the quarterfinals and Juniata 11 under its in the semis."

Senior Nate Gillen led the Red Devils' scoring with 23 points, hitting five treys, and 6-6 junior center Matt Holsinger pulled down 12 rebounds and blocked six shots, according to the Mirror.

Central had defeated the Rams earlier in the season, but Richland won the Laurel Highlands title with a victory over Bishop Guilfoyle and earned the number one seed in the playoffs.

The last district title for the boys was in 2008 under now retired Coach Steve Traino. His assistant coach at that time was Adam Stephen, who is now the CC head coach and earned his first district championship.

The Devils will next face District 3 Columbia on Friday at 7:30 at Richland High School.

Now, it is time for the CC football resurgence to take place.

Some photos of the team are available here.

https://cencam.org/school/high/sport/boys-basketball/

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