Box Score
Pitt-Johnstown got 21 points and a career-high 17 rebounds from Ian Vescovi and overcame 33% shooting to make it three straight wins with a 56-62 PSAC victory over California (PA), Wednesday night in the Sports Center.  The Mountain Cats improved to 12-10 overall and evened their conference record at 9-9.
 
Scoring came at a premium for much of the first half.  Nearly 13 minutes in, Pitt-Johnstown and California (PA) were tied at 10.
 
Two three pointers from Nate Snodgrass and back-to-back-buckets from Vescovi and A.J. Leahey put the Mountain Cats ahead 10-5.
 
The Vulcans came back to outscore Pitt-Johnstown 8-0 over the next seven minutes to go in front by three.  Richard Smith's dunk and free-throw knotted it at 10, before Smith's free-throw at 6:43 gave California (PA) a 13-10 lead.
 
Pitt-Johnstown quickly tied it on a Matt Palo 3-pointer and the teams went on to exchange the lead nine more times in the last 6:16 of the half.
 
Vescovi's dunk 1:29 gave the Mountain Cats a 24-21 advantage, but the Vulcans went back on top by one, before a pair of Dale Clancy free-throws with eight seconds left gave Pitt-Johnstown a slim 26-25 lead at the break.
 
The second half was just as tight with California (PA) holding the largest lead at five.  After seeing the lead see-saw back-and-fourth for the first eight minutes, the Vulcans got a lay-up from Jake Jacubec to go up 37-32.
 
However, it didn't long because Leahey answered right back two consecutive three-pointers to give the lead back to the Mountain Cats.
 
With 2:48 left, Vescovi connected on two free-throws that gave Pitt-Johnstown a 52-50 lead and the Mountain Cats would never give it up.
 
Two free-throws from Leahey with 15 seconds pushed it out to four, before Leahey hit two more from the line with less than two seconds remaining that put it out of reach.
 
Vescovi had 21 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks to lead three Pitt-Johnstown players who scored in double figures.  Leahey had 15 points and five rebounds, while Snodgreass chipped-in 10 points.  Clancy added seven points, three rebounds, and three assists off the bench.
 
Vescovi currently ranks sixthth on the Mountain Cat All-Time Rebounding List with 622 rebounds.  Vescovi is also nine points shy of becoming Pitt-Johnstown's 26^th 1,000-point scorer.
 
Pitt-Johnstown finished the night shooting just 32.8% (19-58) from the field.  However, the Mountain Cats made 7-21 from behind the 3-point line and 11-13 from the free-throw line.  The Vulcans shot 40.7% (22-52) from the floor, but were 0-6 from 3-point range and just 8-19 from the charity stripe.
 
Smith's 16 points and eight rebounds led the way for California (PA), which fell to 13-11 overall and 9-10 in the PSAC.
 
The Mountain Cats travel to a PSAC game at Gannon on Saturday, before returning home to play their final two regular season home games.  Pitt-Johnstown will host conference doubleheaders with the Lady Cats against Mercyhurst next Wednesday, and Indiana (PA) for Senior Day on February 21.