McKeesport outlasts Armstrong

Armstrong barely qualified for the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs and needed a win against Kiski Area in its final regular-season game to earn a spot.

Yet despite sneaking into the tournament the River Hawks nearly pulled off the biggest upset of the first round.

Joe McCanna scored 15 points, but it wasn’t enough as No. 4-seeded McKeesport (18-4) avoided a surprise with a 46-42 victory against No. 13 Armstrong (11-12) in a WPIAL Class 5A opening-round playoffs game at Plum.

Raquan Elliott led McKeesport’s comeback with 12 points. with 12 seconds remaining to help the No. 8 Mustangs (185) advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2007 with a win against the No. 9 Rams (12-11). It was the eighth consecutive win for Laurel Highlands, which is seeking its first championship appearance since 1972.

Hampton 60, Kiski Area 44: Antonio Ionadi hit three 3-pointers as part of his game-high 20 points as the No. 5 Talbots (14-9) earned a first-round win against the Cavaliers (10-11) at Fox Chapel. Hampton entered the postseason on a two-game losing streak.

Gateway 47, Thomas Jefferson 36: their first-round game. Gateway had lost three games in a row heading into the tournament. Jeannette 59, Bentworth 35: upset. Coby Jaggon dropped in 26 points for the Knights, while Chad Colussy led the Rangers with 20.

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 82, Frazier 32: Desmond Ross nearly outscored the entire Commodores (6-18) team as he scored 29 points, including seven 3-pointers, to lead the No. 5 Chargers (16-6) to a running-clock first-round victory. Donovan Johnson added 17 points for Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

Chartiers-Houston 60, Leechburg 52: Leechburg (9-11) led at halftime and was within striking distance in the fourth quarter before Chartiers-Houston (19-4) pulled away in the final four minutes. Cameron Hanley scored 22 points and A.J. Myers 14 to lead the No. 4 Buccaneers, while Cory Nulph dropped in seven 3-pointers and 22 points in the losing effort.