Box Score
First-year program Carlow University gave the Mountain Cats an early test, but Pitt-Johnstown pulled away and built a 23-point second half lead on its way to an 84-67 non-conference victory over the Celtics, Saturday afternoon in the Sports Center.  Matt Palo scored 13 points, and Ian Vescovi had 13 points and 13 rebounds to help the Mountain Cats improve to 5-3.
 
Back-to-back lay-ups from Vescovi and A.J. Leahey helped the Mountain Cats run out to a 9-2 lead to start, but Carlow was able to keep most of the first half close.
 
The Celtics scored the next eight to take a 10-9 lead on a Jacob St. George 3-pointer.
 
However, that proved to be Carlow's only lead of the day, as Pitt-Johnstown went on to outscore the Celtics 29-14 the rest of the half.
 
Another basket from Vescovi gave the lead right back to the Mountain Cats, before Dale Clancy's fast break lay-up increased it to 28-19 at 6:22.
 
Pitt-Johnstown got in into double digits with just under two minutes left, before two Palo free-throws and a Rich Audu jumper with four seconds remaining put the Mountain Cats in front 38-24 at the break.
 
Jordan Pratt's free-throw a minute into the second half got the Celtics to within 11, but Pitt-Johnstown quickly pulled away.  The Mountain Cats outscored the Celtics 20-11 over the next five minutes to build the lead to 60-40 on Vescovi's basket at 13:42.
 
Pitt-Johnstown's advantage ballooned to as many as 23 on Levi Masua's convention 3-point play at the 212:33 mark, and the Mountain Cats never let Carlow get closer than 13 the rest of the way.
 
Along with Palo and Vescovi, Audu and Ajan Smith each had nine points for Pitt-Johnstown.  Leahey finished with eight points and nine rebounds, and Clancy chipped in eight points in a balanced Mountain Cat attack.
 
Pitt-Johnstown, which held a 42-29 advantage on the glass, shot 46.2% (30-65) from the floor, 5-19 from 3-point range, and 19-24 from the free-throw line.  Carlow was held to just 39.7% (23-58) shooting for the game.  The Celtics connected on 10-25 from behind the 3-point line and 11-12 from the charity stripe.
 
Charlie Scharbo scored a game-high 15 points, and Taylor Zack had 13 points to lead three Celtics who scored in double figures.  Carlow fell to 1-6.
 
The Mountain host PSAC Crossover doubleheaders with the Lady Cats against Lock Haven on Tuesday and Bloomsburg on Wednesday, before closing out the first semester at East Stroudsburg on Saturday.  Both home doubleheaders will tip-off at 5:30 p.m. in the Sports Center.