Perhaps the outcome of Friday night’s Southern Lehigh-Palmerton boys basketball game might have been expected even before the opening tip-off.

Missing seven varsity players that play multiple minutes due to a flu that has ravaged the team, the Blue Bombers fell to the Spartans, 74-28, in Colonial League action.

Undermanned and undersized, Palmerton played with heart and spirit until the final horn, but dominating the boards at both ends of the court and draining 11 three-point shots, the Spartans were in total command after a 15-0 run in the first period that broke an early 5-5 tie.

The Bombers worked for high percentage shots during the first eight minutes of the game, but missing several layups without second chance rebounds put them behind by 12 going into the second period. Scoring all of his team’s eight first period points was Jared Grammes.

“Jared has really stepped up for us and this is his first full varsity season,” said Palmerton head coach Joe Egan.

The Spartans had balanced scoring in their 20-point opening period with six players contributing. Jack Fistner tallied six points and Morgan Capuano added five to build the visitors’ 12-point bulge.

A Bombers’ 8-0 run in the second cut the Spartans’ lead to 32-16. Grammes continued his hot shooting with a baseline three-ball and a putback for five of his team’s 11 points scored. He finished with a team-high 15 points.

Dominic Pereira scored four and TJ Gursky’s bank shot with 2:13 left before the intermission sent the Bombers into the locker room down by 15.

Southern Lehigh began the third with its engines running on all cylinders, scoring 13 straight points in a 26-6 relentless power surge during the session. Six players scored with Fistner adding five to what would be his game-high 19 points. The Spartans ended the game with four players in double figures.

Both coaches freely substituted in the mercy rule fourth period.

“We had trouble with their size,” said Egan, “and once we collapsed inside looking to rebound, they kicked it out and hit a lot of threes. Southern Lehigh is a very good team. We played hard, but we just ran out of gas.

“Going forward, we play five games next week and I don’t think the flu is done with our team yet. If our roster continues to shrink, it’s going to be hard to be competitive.”

ONE AND DONE … The Bombers rarely got a second-chance shot, but the Spartans often had two, three and even four offensive rebounds before scoring.

LET’S GO FOR A RUN … There were three scoring streaks in the game. Southern Lehigh had a 15-0 run in the first period. Palmerton went on an 8-0 run in the second and the Spartans began the third with 13 straight points.

UP NEXT … The Bombers will play five games in six days next week beginning with a trip to Lehighton on Monday night.

SOUTHERN LEHIGH

Fistner 7-1-2-19, Capuano 5-0-1-11, Diessl 4-0-0-11, Adams 4-2-2-10, Brogan 3-0-0-7, Spigelmyer 2-0-0- 5, Helms 2-0-0-4, Fry 1-0-0-3, Walsh 1-0-0-2, Sutyak 1-0-0-2, Clauser 0-0-0-0, Greenawald 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 31-3-4-74.

PALMERTON

Grammes 5-3-5-15, Pereira 2-1-2-6, Bettini 1-0-0-3, Gursky 1-0-0-2, Rex 1-0-0-2, Singleton 0-0-0-0, Delgado 0-0-2-0, McGowan 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 9-4-9-28.

Southern Lehigh 20 14 26 14 - 74

Palmerton 8 11 6 3 - 28

Three-pointers: Southern Lehigh - Fistner 4, Diessl 3, Capuano 1, Brogan 1, Spigelmyer 1, Fry 1; Palmerton - Grammes 2, Bettini 1, Pereira 1.

Records: Southern Lehigh (4-1); Palmerton (1-5).