NEW BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Scoring all seven of its overtime points from the free-throw line, D9 champion Redbank Valley knocked off WPIAL fourth-place finisher Northgate, 66-62, in the opening round of the PIAA Class 2A playoffs at Redbank Valley.
The Bulldogs (23-3) and Flames (18-8) were tied at 59 at the end of regulation.
Neither team was able to break the ice in overtime until Redbank Valley’s Braylon Wagner hit two free throws with 1:44 to go to give the Bulldogs the lead for good.
Breckin Minich followed with a pair of charity shots with 40 seconds left making it 63-59 before Northgate’s Josh Williams nailed a 3-pointer with 33 seconds to go to make it 63-62.
But Owen Clouse hit two more charity shots for Redbank with 23 seconds to play, and Mason Clouse closed the game going 1 of 2 from the line with 16 seconds to play.
Redbank Valley led 36-31 at halftime and built the lead to seven, 40-33, early in the second half.
But a 12-3 Flames’ run put Northgate up 45-43, late in the third quarter, and the Flames led 45-44 going to the fourth quarter.
Twice in the final eight minutes of regulation Redbank Valley grabbed 3-point leads, the latest on a Mason Clouse 3-pointer with 4:14 to go.
But Northgate got back-to-back buckets by Williams and Jaydin Nichols to go ahead 53-52 with 3:37 to play.
That’s when Owen Clouse put Redbank Valley back up 55-53 with a 3-pointer with 3:22 left.
But the game was tied at 59 at the end of regulation after both teams failed to score in the final 20 seconds of regulation.
An offensive foul on Williams gave the ball back to Redbank Valley with nine seconds left, but the Bulldogs turned it over in the final five seconds, and the game went to the extra session,
Mason Clouse led four Bulldogs in double digits with 19 points while Wagner added 17 points. Minich had 14 tallies, and Owen Clouse scored 11 points.
Williams had a game-high 28 points for Northgate but was the only Flame to score more than six points.
Redbank Valley will play West Shamokin, a 48-46 winner over Cambridge Springs, in the second round Wednesday, March 13, at a site and time to be announced.
EISENHOWER 46, NORTHERN CAMBRIA 39
PATTON, Pa. – Eisenhower turned a 2-point halftime advantage into an 8-point lead going into the fourth quarter, and held off Northern Cambria for a 46-39 win in their PIAA Class 2A first round game.
The win was the first PIAA Tournament win in program history for the Knights, according to PIAA records.
Eisenhower (21-5) held a 15-9 lead at the end of the first quarter, but Northern Cambria (17-9) limited the Knights to just four second-quarter points to trim the lead to 19-17 at the half.
Casey Seymour and Kris Bunk combined to score nine of Eisenhower’s third-quarter points as the Knights pushed their lead to 33-25 heading into the fourth.
Despite Northern Cambria knocking down four 3-pointers in the final eight minutes, the Knights hit four field goals of their own and did enough from the free throw line to secure the victory.
Caleb Dolny and Parker Shutty led Northern Cambria with 12 points each.
Austin Hanson led the Knights with 12 points. Bunk had 10 points, eight in the second half, and Kyler Black added nine points.
Eisenhower will face WPIAL champion Aliquippa, a 56-27 winner over Otto-Eldred, in the second round. Quips star Cameron Lindsey will miss the game after picking up a pair of technical fouls in their first-round win.
The time and location for Wednesday’s second-round matchup will be announced on Sunday.
FRANKLIN 69, NESHANNOCK 55
FRANKLIN, Pa. – Franklin jumped out to a double-digit lead after the first quarter and never looked back in a 69-55 PIAA Class 3A first round win over Neshannock.
The Knights bounced back nicely following their D10 title game loss to Girard, leading 18-8 after the first quarter and 36-17 at halftime.
It was a balanced effort for Franklin (21-5), led by Cole Buckley, who scored eight of his 18 points in the second quarter.
Damon Curry scored 14 points for the Knights, while Jalen Wood had 12 and Demarco Payne 10.
The lead swelled to 57-29 after three quarters for Franklin.
David Kwiat led Neshannock (20-6) with 12 points, while Mike Sopko had 11.
With the win, Franklin advances to play Chestnut Ridge, a 70-53 winner over Shady Side Academy, in the second round on Wednesday, March 13 at a site and time to be determined.
GIRARD 74, DERRY AREA 65
ERIE, Pa. – A 26-point second quarter helped propel District 10 champion Girard to a 74-65 PIAA Class 3A first round win over Derry Area.
The Yellow Jackets (24-2) led 15-9 after the first quarter and 41-26 at halftime.
Girard was paced by the dynamic backcourt tandem of Kenny Godoy and Nate Edwards, who scored 24 and 22 points, respectively.
Edwards scored 16 of his 22 points in the first half, while Godoy scored 14 of his 24 points in the second half, including 7-of-8 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter to help put the game away.
Geremia Dell’omo and Zack Balogh added nine points each in the win for the Jackets.
Nathan Papuga poured in a game-high 27 points for Derry (15-8).
With the win, Girard advances to play Bishop Guilfoyle, a 62-51 winner over Burrell, in the second round on Wednesday, March 13 at a site and time to be determined.
MCDOWELL 61, BALDWIN 45
PITTSBURGH – Tyler Grove flexed his muscles, connecting for 27 points as District 10 champion McDowell beat WPIAL runner-up Baldwin, 61-45 in the first round of the PIAA Class 6A championships.
The Trojans (21-5) put the clamps on Baldwin (18-8), allowing just 32 points through three quarters in building a 41-23 lead.
Kamden Kramer and Stephon Porter were also in double figures for the Trojans, scoring 14 and 13 points, respectively.
Nate Wesling led Baldwin with 17 points, while Caden Cherico added eight.
With the win, McDowell advances to play Reading, a 65-63 winer over Chester, in the second round on Wednesday, March 13 at a site and time to be determined.
ALIQUIPPA 56, OTTO-ELDRED 27
ALIQUIPPA, Pa. – For a half, District 9 third-place finisher Otto-Eldred gave WPIAL champion Aliquippa, last year’s state runner-up, all it could handle.
But in the end, the Quips (21-5), who beat the Terrors in last year’s state semifinal contest, used a 23-9 third-quarter advantage to pick up a 56-27 victory in the opening round of the PIAA Class 2A playoffs at Aliquippa High School.
Otto-Eldred (25-3) led 11-9 at the end of the first quarter and trailed by six, 19-13, at halftime.
But in the third quarter, Aliquippa star Cameron Lindsey took over scoring 10 of his team-high 13 points as the Quips built a 20-point lead, 42-22.
It wasn’t all roses, though, for Lindsey who received a pair of technical fouls in the second half and will be forced to miss Aliquippa’s second-round matchup against Eisenhower. Depending on the nature of the two technicals, he could also be facing a possible second game in the suspension if Aliquippa would advance to the quarterfinals.
Aliquippa also got 12 points from Qualil Goode, with nine coming after halftime, while Brandon Banks scored eight tallies.
Shene Thomas led Otto-Eldred with 11 points with Manning Splain adding eight.
DEER LAKES 71, MERCYHURST PREP 64
CHESWICK, Pa. – Mercyhurst Prep put up a fight against WPIAL champion Deer Lakes, but ultimately came out on the short end of a 71-64 final in the PIAA Class 3A first round.
Wayne Love scored a game-high 21 points for Deer Lakes (22-4), which led by five, 24-19 after the first quarter and 33-29 at halftime.
Nathaniel Moore scored nine of his 17 points in the third quarter for Deer Lakes, as they extended the lead to 10, 51-41.
Aiden Fletcher also tallied 15 points in the win for Deer Lakes.
Maddox Brusz scored a team-high 17 points for Mercyhurst Prep (17-9), while Derek Bly had 12 and JJ Ganska 11.
With the win, Deer Lakes advances to play Forest Hills, 74-67 winner over Southern Columbia, in the second round on Wednesday, March 13 at a site and time to be determined.
WEST SHAMOKIN 48, CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS 46
CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS, Pa. – Cambridge Springs nearly rallied from a 17-point fourth quarter deficit, but ultimately came up just short in a 48-46 loss to West Shamokin in the PIAA Class 2A first round.
The Blue Devils (18-8) trailed 41-26 after the third quarter and 43-26 after West Shamokin hit the first shot of the fourth quarter, but rallied to get within 48-46 late, before a game-tying attempt by Tyler Troutman never got off just before the buzzer.
Travis Johns led West Shamokin (21-6) with 20 points, while Alex Talmadge added 11.
Zeek Carson-Smith led three Cambridge Springs players in double figures with 13 points, while Parker Schmidt and Owen Riley tallied 10 points each.
West Shamokin advances to play Redbank Valley, 66-62 winner in overtime over Northgate, in the second round on Wednesday, March 13 at a site and time to be determined.
JEANNETTE 58, IROQUOIS 32
ERIE, Pa. – Jayce Powell and Kymone Brown scored 15 points each as Jeannette powered past Iroquois, 58-32 in the PIAA Class 2A first round.
The Jayhawks (15-11) led 40-11 at halftime en route to the win.
Kellen Burroughs led District 10 champion Iroquois (14-12) with 15 points.
Jeannette advances to play Greensburg Central Catholic, a 57-42 win over Windber, in the second round on Wednesday, March 13 at a site and time to be determined.
