Host Mount Hebron and St. Frances advanced to today's Holiday Classic championship game at 7:30 p.m. in different fashions.
In last night's tournament opener, fifth-ranked St. Frances (7-1) had problems getting its transition game going against a South Carroll team seeking its first win. But the Panthers finally got untracked and pulled away to a 69-51 victory.
Mount Hebron, 18th-ranked with a 5-2 record, used all 13 players and received 12 points off the bench from 6-2 senior forward Kevin Tonkins, who has fully recovered from a strained abdominal muscle that sidelined him earlier this season, to run past Archbishop Curley (1-4), 74-42.
"We were kind of flat tonight and we'll need more intensity tomorrow night," Tonkins said.
Mount Hebron coach Scott Robinson scheduled St. Frances in the tournament to raise the Vikings' level of play before the county season kicks off next month.
"I know St. Frances is a great team and a challenge for us," Robinson said. "If we can play as hard as we can, I'll be happy. Thankfully this is the first time all season we've been healthy."
With Curley packing a 2-3 zone defense to thwart the inside presence of 6-6 junior Mount Hebron center Patrick Ngongba (eight points, five rebounds), Tonkins came off the bench in the second quarter to score four points. With a Kurtis Jestes three-point play that capped a 17-4 second-quarter run, Mount Hebron went to the locker room at the half with a 36-18 lead.
Jestes, who finished with 19 points, led the Vikings' three-point attack (7-of-14) with three three-pointers to match junior guard Russell Drake (nine points).
Curley pulled to within 46-29 on senior guard Greg Loftus' jumper, but Tonkins sandwiched two emphatic dunks around a Drake three-pointer to put Mount Hebron comfortably ahead, 53-31.
Robinson's reserves limited Curley to two fourth-quarter field goals and outrebounded the Friars, 18 to seven.
St. Frances' 6-4 sophomore forward, Mark Karcher, showed why he is one of the area's top underclassmen with 12 points, 15 rebounds and seven steals before fouling out with 3:05 left in the game.
After South Carroll pulled to within 41-35 behind 6-4 senior center Matt McGrane's 12 third-quarter points, St. Frances' man-to-man defense and trapping zone press limited the Cavaliers to four of 14 shooting in the fourth quarter.