Free throws key to Bethel Park’s victory
Bethel Park wasn’t handed its win against Peters Township, but a good bit of it did come free.
The Black Hawks went 27 of 32 from the free-throw line and held off the Indians for a 70-60 triumph in Class 6A Section 2. Bethel Park (7-4, 2-0) was at its best in the fourth quarter, knocking down 17 of 18 attempts from the charity stripe to put the game away.
Bethel Park’s Ryan Meis led all scorers with 26 points. He made 10 of 13 free throws. Tommy DiRienzo finished with 18 points after going 12 for 12 from the freethrow line in the fourth.
Peters Township (6-4, 0-2) got 14 points from Sam Petrarca, 13 from Colin Cote and 11 from Julian Mascio.
Other boys games
Fox Chapel 55, Hempfield 51: After jumping to the No. 1 spot in the 6A rankings, the Foxes (10-0, 2-0) survived a stiff test from feisty Hempfield (5-6, 1-1) before prevailing in Section 3. Fox Chapel rallied in the fourth quarter and put together a 21-7 run. Eli Yofan had 12 points for the Foxes. The Spartans got 14 from Drew Coletta.
Butler 61, North Hills 50: Ethan Morton returned after missing time due to an ankle injury to rack up 22 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists to lead 6A No. 2 Butler (6-4, 2-0) to a Section 1 win. Logan Marsholek netted 13 for the Indians (4-5, 1-1). Seton LaSalle 70, McKeesport 65: After a series of fouls, Michael Bigley knocked
HIGHLIGHTS
down 3 of 4 foul shots in overtime to finish with a game-high 23 points that helped the Rebels (5-4) to a non-section victory that ended a three-game losing skid. Brison Kisan led the Tigers (5-4) with 21 points, including a trio of 3-pointers. Mount Pleasant 51, Derry 49: Behind a game-high 23 points from Jake Johnson, the Vikings (5-5, 1-1) edged the Trojans (3-7, 11) in 4A Section 1. Derry got 12 points from both Tyson Webb and Tanner Nicely. Sewickley Academy 50, South Side Beaver 45: Max Belt scored 10 points in the fourth quarter to cap a 26-point night and guide the Panthers (3-3, 2-1) past South Side Beaver (4-6, 1-3) in a 2A Section 3 clash.
Monessen 55, Geibel 41: The Greyhounds (2-8, 2-1) fought off a furious rally by the Gators (5-3, 1-2) to snap a three-game losing skid and secure this 1A Section 2 victory. Dawayne Howell led Monessen with 18 points. Cole Kendall had 15 for Geibel, which was outscored, 24-3, in the first quarter before clawing back into the game. Springdale 56, Propel Braddock Hills 39:
Demitri Fritch had himself yet another big game with 34 points and 14 rebounds for the Dynamos (10-0, 4-0) in their 2A Section 1 triumph. Fritch, a 6-4 point guard, knocked down three 3-pointers. Obama Academy 71, Carrick 49: The Eagles (3-4, 1-0) used a 24-6 third-quarter run to take control and then cruised to the City League victory. Sean Snead led the way with a game-high 22 points, followed by
Sayon Bennett with 17 and Angelo Meyers with 16. Obama Academy has won three in a row. Clairton 70, Propel Montour 33: Don Napper netted 16 of his 20 points before halftime and Brendan Parsons scored all 18 of his points before the break, as the Bears (6-2, 4-0) ran away with the 1A Section 3 victory. Bishop Canevin 61, Jefferson-Morgan 50: The Crusaders (8-2, 4-0) raced to a 219 lead to begin the game and never looked back in their 1A Section 2 victory. Kevaughan Price led the charge with 24 points, followed by Dom Elliott with 19 as Bishop Canevin won its seventh consecutive game. Tajh Jacobs fueled the Rockets (2-7, 1-2) with 16 points. Erie 75, Shady Side Academy 68: Grady Munroe drilled five 3-pointers and led all scorers with 27 points, but it wasn’t enough for the Indians (3-5), who lost the non-section game.
Trinity 80, Moon 55: The Hillers (8-2, 40) topped 20 points in each of the first three quarters in their 5A Section 2 rout. Michael Koroly had 23 points and Michael Dunn added 14 for the victors. Colin Sunday paced Moon (2-5, 1-3) with 12 points.
Plum 53, Franklin Regional 50: For the second Friday in a row, Plum’s Connor Moss had a big showing. Last week he poured in 39 points and this time around he netted a game-high 21 while going 11 for 11 from the charity stripe, as the Mustangs (2-8, 25) halted a five-game losing skid and edged the Panthers (3-8, 1-3) in 5A Section 3.
South Allegheny 59, Valley 45: Antonio
Epps had the hot hand from behind the arc as he connected on four 3-point shots and finished 25 points for the Gladiators (9-1, 40) in their 3A Section 3 triumph. Propel Andrew Street 79, Aquinas Academy 66: A host of big scorers took over the 1A Section 3 matchup. Propel Andrew Street (2-6, 1-3) got 24 points from Marcellus Wallace, while Sayvon Knight and Marcell Wallace added 21 points each. Vince Cugani of Aquinas Academy (2-7, 0-4) led all scorers with 30. East Allegheny 69, Steel Valley 68: Camden Polak hit five 3-pointers and led all scorers with 31 points, but that was not enough for Steel Valley (5-4, 2-2) to overcome the Wildcats (6-3, 3-0) in 3A Section 3.
Star of the night
Cheron Collington poured in 30 points for Brashear (2-4, 1-0) in its 78-51 City League triumph against Perry. Collington is a senior guard and the top returning scorer in the league after guiding the Bulls to the City League title game for the first time in 11 years last season.
Milestone
Dante Spadafora surpassed 1,000 career points in Class 2A No. 1 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart’s 68-61 win against Laurel. Spadafora scored 19 in the game and now has 1,016 for his career.
Another top-ranked squad saw a star player surpass 1,000 career points. Luke Cochran hit the milestone while netting 24 points for 4A No. 1 Highlands (9-1, 2-0) in its 63-49 victory against Freeport (2-6, 0-2).