Badger, Red Raiders top Juniata to capture Ram Winter Jam

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: December 29, 2018

By Kenny Varner

MILL CREEK – Defense wins championships.

Though it might not be a post season title, the Bellefonte Red Raiders’ boys basketball team clamped down tightly early in their match up with the upstart Juniata Indians in this year’s Penns Valley Ram Winter Jam championship game and refused to let up as they picked up the title in a 53-29 victory.

Leading the way for the Red Raiders was Noah Badger. Badger, who was voted tournament MVP, finished with a game high 14.

His teammate Nate Tice chipped in with 11.

Juniata’s sharpshooter Bryson Clark was blanketed all night by the Red Raiders’ defense but still was able to led the Indians in the scoring department with eight.

Bellefonte’s defense held Juniata to 11-for-48 from the field on the night. It was just a night after holding Penns Valley to an 8-for-48 night and keeping the Rams leading scorer Logan Snyder to just six points.

“I thought we made a few adjustments that really served us well. I thought our guys followed the game plan in both games. Defense is what ultimately won ya the tournament,” Bellefonte coach Kris Glunt said. “It put us in a great position to finish the game.”

Early on, the Indians battled tough, keeping within in striking distance as the second quarter would get underway.

Bailey Decker, who was voted the Defensive MVP award, went right to the hole to get the scoring going.

Badger made it 4-0 as he took a page from Decker and went right into the middle of the Indian defense.

Juniata pulled it to within one when Jamie Bailer stepped out from beyond the arc and sent it home for the triple, 4-3.

Juniata took an early lead on the following possession when Tylor Gomez went strong to the paint, making it a 5-4 advantage.

Badger gave his team the lead once again, posting a leaner in the lane with 3:30 left in the first.

Gomez showed he could net the three as well, putting his team back up by two, 8-6.

However, the Red Raiders defense would hold the Indians scoreless the rest of the way in the period while its offense scored the final seven, at 13-8.

“We didn’t quit. We kept trying. When you can’t put the ball in the hole your not going to win many games. We didn’t put it in the hole tonight. We have to work in that,” Juniata coach Al Ream said. “We need to get some more continuity. We took a step forward last night. Today we took a step backward on some things. But I was pleased with the effort. They fought hard.”

Using its defense as a spring board, the Raiders continued to roll offensively, scoring 14 in the period and held Juniata to just a free throw and a field goal.

When the two teams went into the intermission, Bellefonte held a 27-11.

In the third quarter, Bellefonte continued to blanket Clark, allowing him just two shots in the period.

Clark was 1-of-2 as he smoked a triple midway through the period.

However, the Red Raiders would only allow another bucket by Jace White before shutting the Indians down.

Offensively, Bellefonte used its transition game to a “T” scoring 11 and taking a 38-16 advantage going into the fourth quarter.

In the final stanza, the Indians and Red Raiders were in a shoot out as Juniata scored its highest amount of points in the game, posting 13.

Bellefonte continued to be just one step ahead as it had 15.

With the win, Bellefonte takes the title after the two previous years coming in as runner ups.

Rounding out the tournament was Nate Tice as he received the Offensive MVP of the Ram Winter Jam.