Holy Cross captured the Holiday Classic championship at Timberlake's own gym, holding off the Tornadoes 70-58 on Saturday night. Carl Zovko torched Timberlake for 15 first-quarter points on his way to a game-high 23, sending Holy Cross out to an early 16-6 lead that TCS never fully overcame.

Coach Charlie Williams had game-planned to slow Holy Cross's size inside — 6-foot-10 Irakli Nijaradze and 6-foot-8 Bart Wheeler — but Zovko's outside shooting opened things up instead. Nijaradze (16 points) and Wheeler (13) still did plenty of damage inside as Holy Cross took a 35-26 lead into the break.

Timberlake stayed within range in part by hitting 10 three-pointers, and a late Travis Adkins trey pulled the Tornadoes within 61-52. But Holy Cross answered with free throws and inside baskets to push the lead back to 67-54 with two minutes left and close out the win.

Nathan Williams led Timberlake with 19 points and Joe Morgan added 17. Zovko and Nijaradze joined Williams and Morgan on the all-tournament team, along with VES's Darrio Scott and LCA's Jimmy Kirshberger.

The News & Advance