EDINBORO, Pa. – An 11-0 run over the third and fourth quarters put Iroquois in front for good and sent the Braves to a 54-41 win over Eisenhower in their District 10 Class 2A semifinal.
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The game was back-and-forth throughout, with neither team leading by more than six until Iroquois grabbed an 8-point advantage as part of the run.
Iroquois’ defense made the difference in the second half with transition buckets, including multiple dunks, off steals, and Kellen Burroughs, the 6’6” sophomore, coming up with some big blocks.
“We were playing slow in the first half,” Iroquois’ Roman Caporale said in the Cole Orthodontic Associates player interview. “Once we started picking up our intensity, and we knew they were throwing soft passes to each other, we just got to be more aggressive.”
“Being in help defense and just being able to see the man driving helped a lot with the blocks,” Burroughs added.
See their full Cole Orthodontic Associates player interview:
Eisenhower held a 2-point advantage, 13-11, at the end of the first quarter, and the Knights led 20-19 at the half. Despite double the trips to the free throw line in the first half, Eisenhower wasn’t able to take advantage of the opportunity, going 1-8 from the line in the half, and just 4-15 for the game.
Iroquois was able to convert from the line in the second half, going 8-11 in the second half.
Burroughs led all scorers with 18 points. Caporale scored nine of his 13 points in the fourth quarter, and Orlando Brown was also in double figures with 11 points.
Austin Hanson led the Knights with 15 points. Gavin Lindemuth added 11 points and Kyler Black finished with 10 points.
Iroquois will take on Cambridge Springs, a 66-54 winner over Mercer, for the D10 2A championship on Friday at a site and time to be announced.
Eisenhower will square off with Mercer on Friday with the winner advancing to the PIAA Tournament.
CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS 66, MERCER 54
MEADVILLE, Pa. – Becky Leandro’s 100th win on the Cambridge Springs bench was a memorable one.
Owen Riley scored 19 points as the No. 4 Blue Devils (18-6) knocked off top seed Mercer (20-4) to advance to the District 10 Class 2A championship game.
The Blue Devils turned in a dominant effort from start to finish, building a 42-31 halftime lead en route to the win.
Tristen Mazzadra tallied 16 points and Parker Schmidt 15 for Cambridge Springs in the win.
