From the opening tip on Tuesday, Palmerton and Jim Thorpe slugged it out like two heavyweight prize fighters.

The Blue Bombers finally prevailed and defeated the Olympians, 43-34, to win the Slatington Rotary Boys Christmas Tournament championship.

The physical nature of the game was evidenced by players from both teams getting knocked to the floor time and time again, which was the result of “in your face” man-to-man defense from both teams.

Derryl Fisher of Thorpe hit a turnaround jump shot to cut the deficit to three points at 37-34 with 3:20 left to play, but that would be the final points put up on the board by the Red, White, and Blue.

Fifty seconds after Fisher’s basket, Palmerton sophomore guard Brayden Hosier scored on a running one-hander, and then the Bombers’ final total was determined from the charity stripe to seal the victory and earn the trophy for coach Ken Termini’s club.

“We showed a lot of poise at the end,” said Termini, whose team improved to 6-2. “They played very physical and with a lot of emotion, but we stepped up our energy and got it done.”

Jim Thorpe coach Jason McElmoyle said the five turnovers his team committed in the last four minutes of the game were the difference in the outcome.

“We can’t turn the ball over like that,” he said. “We were careless with the ball when we couldn’t get find the open shooter. Give Palmerton credit for that. Our defensive effort was outstanding, but we need to be more disciplined on offense.”

After Thorpe’s David Richards and Hosier traded three-point buckets at the start of the game, Palmerton jumped out to a 12-5 advantage on a triple by Matt Machalik. Chase Reph’s spinner in the lane was answered by a layup from Thorpe’s Bryson Heydt to end the first eight minutes with the Bombers ahead, 14-7.

The Olympians (3-3) fought back to close the gap in the second period after they were trailing by 11 on a free throw by Reph. Colby McHugh started the comeback with a baseline three-pointer. Kaiden Herron’s jumper, followed by a driving layup by Jasper DiSanto, pulled Thorpe within 20-16 with 2:25 left before the intermission.

Machalik’s jumper and a three-point play by Fisher kept the deficit at four going into the third period.

Those eight minutes after the break were a clinic in defensive basketball by both teams as they caused a collective 10 turnovers. Palmerton was able to widen its lead to 10 points again on two free throws from Jacob Grammes and a three-pointer by Reph with 50 seconds left in the third. Thorpe scored the last four points in the session on free throws by Herron and Fisher.

The Olympians were able to keep Palmerton’s Machalik in check most of the night, holding him to just 12 points in the game. He also picked up his fourth personal foul with 35 seconds to go in the third period.

Termini praised the play of his senior guard, who chipped in eight points during the contest while Machalik had to spend time on the bench.

“Kyle Seblin really stepped up for us tonight,” said Termini. “His energy and leadership on the floor was outstanding.”

Termini also praised his team’s chemistry and its will to win when the game was on the line.

“Our players are friends off the court, and basketball brothers when they step on it.”

STAR POWER ... Thorpe’s Herron and Fisher were selected to the All-Tournament team along with Lehighton’s Jack Lorenz and Northern Lehigh’s Aiden Parvel. Most Valuable Player honors went to Palmerton’s Machalik.

CONSI GAME ... Northern Lehigh defeated Lehighton, 51-48, in the consolation game.

PALMERTON

Machalik 4-3-4-12, Reph 4-1-2-10, Hosier 3-2-2-9, K. Sebelin 3-2-3-8, Grammes 0-3-4-3, J. Sebelin 0-1-2-1, Anthony 0-0-2-0. TOTALS: 14-12-17-43.

JIM THORPE

Herron 2-6-8-10, McHugh 3-0-0-7, Fisher 1-4-5-6, DiSanto 3-0-0-6, Richards 1-0-0-3, Heydt 1-0-2-2. TOTALS: 11-10-15-34.

Palmerton 14 8 10 11 - 43

Jim Thorpe 7 12 7 8 - 34

Three-pointers: Palmerton - Machalik 1, Reph 1, Hosier 1; Jim Thorpe - Richards 1, McHugh 1.