KARNS CITY — Ultimately, it was five against three.

While the Karns City boys basketball team had five players score in double digits Thursday night, Moniteau got all but four of its points from three players.

It's not a good formula if you are a Warrior. It's a pretty good one, though, if you are a Gremlin.

Karns City used its balance and hot shooting to grab a 68-54 Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference win.

In many ways, it was "Gremlin Ball," or at least what Karns City coach Steve Andreassi wants it to be.

"The first half we came out smokin,' hitting all those 3s," Andreassi said. "But at halftime, I told them not to rely on that. We wanted to penetrate and pound the ball inside."

That philosophy worked, as KarnsCity (13-6, 12-4) turned a precarious two-point lead at the half into a 10-point advantage midway through the third quarter.

The Gremlins did it with Mike McConnell penetrating, Dan Everetts hitting 8-foot jumpers and Cameron Turner doing everything else.

Turner led Karns City with 15 points and McConnell added 13, including 10 from the free throw line in the final quarter to keep the Warriors at bay.

"That's his game," Andreassi said of McConnell. "He's able to handle the pressure and get that step, and he's strong enough that a bump in there won't knock him off balance. Then he has the vision to make the passes to the big guys."

Everetts scored 12 points and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field in the first half.

But Turner was dominant in the second half, grabbing rebounds, blocking shots, tracking down loose basketballs and scoring points.

Turner scored 11 of his points in the final two quarters.

"He really showed how much he wanted to play tonight when he came from the left elbow and got that rebound on the right side of the lane," Andreassi said. "That was a big rebound."

BrandonCollier and Cory Terwilliger were hot all game from the outside for Karns City, as each scored 12 points and combined to hit seven 3-pointers.

"They were hitting everything tonight," said Moniteau coach Randy Armagost.

Karns City shot 50 percent from the floor while Moniteau (6-13, 5-10) shot 32 percent.

Josh Loos scored 19 points and had 14 rebounds, and Tyler Armagost added 16 points and 13 boards for the Warriors.

Zach McCormick pitched in 15 more points, but the rest of the team was 1-of-15 shooting.

"Karns City's defense was really good," Armagost said. "They came out and they played hard and aggressive, and it was hard for us to overcome that. Their defense put us in a lot of positions we didn't want to be in."

In the second half,Karns City was determined to take Tyler Armagost out of the game. When the senior received the ball in the high post, he was surrounded by three Gremlins.

"Just don't let him have it," Andreassi said. "That's what we talked about. Our other concern was (Loos) on the baseline. They are pretty good players. They made some fantastic shots."

But there weren't enough fantastic shots from Moniteau.

"We're close," Armagost said. "I see a lot of progress."

MONITEAU 54Aaron Randall 0-1 0-0 0, James Shope 0-4 0-0 0, Justin Lackey 0-0 0-0 0, Clay Casper 0-3 0-2 0, Josh Loos 8-16 3-4 19, Tyler Armagost 7-22 2-4 16, Zach McCormick 5-10 2-3 15, Brandon Simmons 1-7 2-2 4, Josh Madru 0-3 0-0 0.

Totals: 21-66 9-15 54

KARNS CITY 68Cory Terwilliger 4-9 0-0 12, Cameron Turner 5-6 5-6 15, Matt McConnell 1-5 0-1 3, Brandon Collier 4-6 1-2 12, Evan Olszak 0-0 0-0 0, Markus Lavan 0-1 0-0 0, Mike McConnell 2-7 11-14 13, DanEveretts 6-10 0-0 12, Josh Callender 0-0 0-2 0.

Totals: 22-44 17-25 68

Moniteau 15 14 9 16—54Karns City 17 14 14 23—683-point goals: McCormick 3; Terwilliger 4, Matt McConnell, Collier 3

JV: Moniteau 54-33

Monday: DuBois Central Catholic at Karns City

Wednesday: Venango Catholic at Moniteau