Sto-Rox defense fuels win

Vikings garner first-place tie

Springdale could have taken a two-game lead and closed in on its first section title since 1993. Sto-Rox had other ideas.

Malik Smith scored a game-high 21 points and the Sto-Rox defense held Class 2A No. 2 Springdale (14-2, 8-1) to 17 points below its season average and to its lowest output of the season as the Vikings (9-6, 8-1) moved into a tie for first place with the Dynamos in Section 1 with a 72-49 home victory.

Sto-Rox has now won six in a row and avenged an earlier 86-85 loss to Springdale in the process.

Other top games

• Last season Aliquippa ended Lincoln Park’s 83game winning streak, but this year the Class 3A No. 1 Leopards (13-2, 8-0) exacted revenge as Isaiah Smith scored 16 and Andre Wilder chipped in 15 in a 64-56 come-from-behind Section 1 win against the host Quips (10-7, 4-4).

• Class 4A No. 5 Blackhawk (6-8, 6-2) had dropped two in a row and dropped out of a share of first place in Section 2 as Michael Wells scored 19 points and Sheldon Cox added 16 to lead host New Castle (10-5, 5-2) to a 55-51 come-from-behind win against the Cougars. The Red Hurricanes trailed, 44-39, going to the fourth quarter.

• Brayden Reynolds had 19 points to lead host Class 5A No. 5 Chartiers Valley (11-4, 8-1) to a 5443 Section 2 win against South Fayette (9-6, 5-4).

•Keystone Oaks senior Frank Stumpo scored 17 points, including the 1,000th of his career, but it wasn’t enough as the Golden Eagles (6-9, 2-6) dropped a 66-64 decision to visiting Carlynton (11-4, 5-2).

Star of the night

• Our Lady of the Sacred Heart sophomore guard Jake DiMichele hit seven 3-pointers and ended with 39 points to lead the Class 2A No. 1 Chargers (14-1, 8-0) to a 92-55 Section 3 win against visiting South Side Beaver (6-9, 3-5).