By RON PONIEWASZ JR.
rponiewasz@ncnewsonline.com

BEAVER FALLS — It was the Antoine Childs show once again last night.

Childs, Blackhawk High’s boys basketball senior standout, torched New Castle for 33 points and 11 rebounds in an easy 67-37 decision in the first round of the Blackhawk Christmas Tournament.

“Childs is a good player and he’s built like a man,” Red Hurricane coach Mark Stanley said. “He can do what he wants to out there.

“I respect what he does but when you’re playing guys of that caliber, you want to step up and see how you measure up.”

Childs, a New Jersey Institute of Technology recruit, also notched a game-high four blocks to go along with his game-high numbers in points and rebounds. The school is in its second season competing at the NCAA Division I level as an independent.

“Antoine was dominant and I thought he was the best player on the floor,” Cougars coach Andy Hedrick said. “He has the ability to take over the game.

“When he’s on his game, he plays like he did tonight.”

It was the second time the teams have met this season. The Cougars won the first meeting on Dec. 3, 67-44 in the first round of the Beaver Falls Tipoff Tournament. In that game, Childs netted 23 points.

New Castle (3-7) will take on Knoch at 5:30 p.m. today in the second round. The Knights lost to Father Lopez (Fla.), 83-61.

The ’Canes trailed 20-11 after the first quarter. They got off to a tough start, turning the ball over nine times and just nine more the rest of the way.

“They jumped on us and we weren’t ready,” Stanley said. “It was a sluggish start, a poor first half. We weren’t ready to play.

“There’s no question we came out flat tonight. It’s Christmas break but Blackhawk was on Christmas break too. When you do come out flat you have to dig out and come out of it.”

Said Hedrick, “The layoff was a concern for us. We didn’t have a good practice (on Wednesday). You just don’t know how they are going to come out of the gate which is what made our start so good.”

Childs didn’t squander many first-quarter opportunities presented by New Castle, tallying 15 of his markers in the frame. He added 12 more points in the second period as Blackhawk (5-5) opened a 39-18 halftime buffer.

A 6-foot-5 forward, Childs notched 12 field goals, three were dunks and three more were 3-pointers.

“He draws contact and he’s strong enough to finish,” Stanley said. “He can shoot the 3 too.”

Though the ’Canes trailed by 21 at the break, Stanley demanded intensity the rest of the way from his squad. New Castle got no closer than 21 in the second half.

“I want them to play hard and get after it,” Stanley said. “One of the most simple things to teach is to guard your man.

“I told them at halftime I’m not quitting and you’re not quitting. I don’t care what the score is, I want you playing hard; there’s no formula for playing hard. If you play 110 percent and they beat you, fine.”

Tyrone Steals led New Castle with 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting. Jajuan Jay was next with nine markers.

Nick Colella led the ’Canes in rebounding with eight but he was held scoreless for the first time in a little over a year. Colella is wearing a protective mask after breaking his nose against Pine-Richland last week.

“Your vision is not great,” Stanley said of wearing the mask. “I wouldn’t want it on my face but he’s playing through it.

“We don’t want to risk further injury. It’s up to Nick how long he wants to wear it.”

New Castle was just 12 of 49 from the field, compared to 23 of 49 for Blackhawk.