With 1:04 left in the game, Mahanoy Area's starters came out of the game and a "District champs" chant started from the student section.
For the second time in three weeks, the Golden Bears were able to celebrate a championship at Martz Hall.
Tyler Cavenas had a monster game with a career-high 32 points, while top-seeded Mahanoy Area kept Pius X's star guards in check en route to a 62-42 rout of the No. 2 Royals in the District 11 Class A championship game Friday.
The win was the seventh district title for Mahanoy Area (24-2) and was second consecutive season it beat the Royals (19-4) in the title game after a 57-55 victory last year.
Friday's championship followed the Golden Bears' 45-44 victory over Pottsville in Schuylkill League title game Feb. 14 at Martz Hall.
"I love it here," Mahanoy Area's Dylan Mahmod said. "It is my favorite court. I like the atmosphere here."
Winning championships certainly makes it a whole nicer.
Cavenas couldn't have picked a better time to have his best offensive game of the season. He dominated the paint, adding 12 rebounds to finish with a double-double.
It was the first time the 6-foot-5 senior center scored more than 20 points in a game this season as he bettered his career-high of 30 scored against Weatherly on Feb. 1, 2013.
The Golden Bears will take on third-place team out of District 4, either Mansfield or Galeton, in the first round of the PIAA Tournament next Friday, mostly likely back at Martz Hall.
"I feels so much better than last year," Cavenas said. "Having that target on your back and then trying to win a back-to-back one, it feels so much better getting a back-to-back title."
Mahmod added 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Mahanoy Area, which built its first double-digit advantage midway through the second quarter and led 26-12 at halftime.
Mahanoy Area led by double digits in last year's title game before the Royals stormed back, missing a 3-pointer at the buzzer. There was no such comeback this time as the Golden Bears led 41-22 late in the third quarter. Pius X cut the deficit to 44-32 with 6:01 left in the game but got no closer.
"We knew what we had to come in here and do. We got the league one and we got this one," Mahmod said. "We know that there is one more left. It feels great to get it again."
Cavenas, who missed Mahanoy Area's 59-48 win over the Royals on Dec. 21 with an injury, felt he could have an advantage inside on the Royals following Pius X's 39-35 win Feb. 24.
Cavenas just didn't get the ball enough in that game.
He did Friday.
Cavenas (11) and Andy Kuzma (six) combined for 17 first-half points. Cavenas, who also finished the night 10-for-15 from the foul line, was even more dominating in the second half, scoring 11 in the third quarter and 10 in the fourth.
No matter how, or where, Cavenas was just too powerful for Pius X to stop him. He finished off his night with a three-point play with 1:04 left in the game off an assist by Kuzma.
Thanks to the easy buckets inside, Mahanoy Area finished the night 22-for-31 (71 percent) from the floor.
"It was probably one of the best week of practices we've had in a while," Cavenas said. "We just went to work and knew what we had to get done to get this title."
Defensively, Mahmod combined with Larry McNeil to contain the Royals' quick and athletic guard tandem of Eric Marbury and Anthony Holmes.
Marbury, who came in averaging 17.2 points per game, was guarded by Mahmod and finished with 13 but had just five through the first three quarters. McNeil guarded Holmes, who averaged 14.2, holding him to nine.
"(Mahanoy Area assistant) coach (Rob) Killian told us they owned us last game so we had to come out here and show them that we own them," Mahmod said. "They are great players. You can't anything away from them, but we did good tonight."
The athleticism of both Mahmod and McNeil not only allowed them to stay in front of Marbury and Holmes, but also allowed them to do so without needing much help from the Golden Bears' other defenders.
"What we have in our pocket is two guys who are as athletic and quick that at least can checkmate them defensively," Mahanoy Area coach Mickey Holland said. "They were able to keep them in front without needing total help."