Exeter wins in OT to reach state semifinals

Kevin Saenz scores the final six points to lift the Eagles over Peters Township in a PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal

At this point in the season, the only thing that matters is earning another 32 minutes of basketball. With his team down by three points in overtime of the PIAA Class 5A quarterfinals, Exeter’s Kevin Saenz stepped up to keep the Eagles’ season alive.

After converting a threepoint play near the end of regulation to force overtime, the junior scored six points during the final minute of the game to lift the Eagles to a come-from-behind, 75-72 win over Peters Township at Bald Eagle High School and into the state semifinals for the first time since 1974.

“Kevin looked at them (his teammates during a timeout) and said, ‘I will get you to Monday, we will be playing another 32 minutes’ ” Exeter coach Matt Ashcroft said. “(Reading High coach) Rick Perez has been saying find a way to do it.

“And what can I say about Kevin? What can I say about our freshmen who are not freshmen the way those kids play? You can go up and down the list. These kids have just been unbelievable with how hard they play.”

With the District 3 champion Eagles (26-6) trailing by three with under a minute to go in OT, Saenz drained a 3-pointer to tie it at 72-72 with 50 seconds left. He scored the go-ahead basket on a put-back with 21.5 seconds left, then made 1-of-2 from the line a few moments later to close out the scoring.

“The energy was so crazy,” Saenz said. “We’re three hours away from home. I didn’t expect that many people, and even though it wasn’t as many people as we’re used to, the energy and just the rowdiness in the gym was amazing. When I hit that 3-pointer, I just felt everyone’s energy in the static in the air. Like, I felt it all through my body and it pushed me even more to get a defensive stop and get the put back at the end.”

The game came down to a final play as Nate Miller, who finished with a team-high 19 points, got off a potential game-tying 3-pointer as time expired, but the shot hit the rim and fell away.

“I think my adrenaline kicked in so much,” Saenz said. “I know I’m gonna feel this hour, hour-and-a-half. I know my body’s just gonna crumble and I know I’m gonna cramp on the bus, but the adrenaline is still going through my body. I’m shaking as I’m talking to you; like I don’t know how to feel still.

“We’ve been through so many situations this year and we had players on the bench that were rowdy, high energy and just emotions going through the roof. So I had to tell them, ‘Calm down, this game isn’t over and let’s just play Exeter basketball.’ “

Prior to the comeback, the emotions were running high on an Exeter bench for the wrong reasons. Plagued by foul trouble all night, Sanez’s clutch play down the stretch was vital as Exeter was without All-Berks guard Zyion Paschall

and Alex Kelsey, who both fouled out late in the fourth quarter.

Paschall scored a teamhigh 20 points and his 12 in the first half helped give the Eagles a 39-31 halftime lead. Reece Garvin also had 12 points in the first half and finished with 14 points and nine rebounds.

In addition, All-Berks center Anthony Caccese fouled out with 2:29 left in overtime with the Eagles down 69-67. Caccese ended with 14 points and 17 rebounds.

“Togetherness,” Ashcroft said as a key to the victory. “These kids love each other and they play so hard for each other.”

Exeter closed the first half on a 13-4 run, but the District 7 runner-up Indians (24-5) were persistent to start the second half.

Peters Township forced the Eagles to commit nine turnovers in the third quarter, while the Indians made none, and were able to take a 52-50 lead into the final quarter.

Jack Dunbar and Brendan McCullough each had 16 points for Peters Township, which led by as much as seven in the fourth quarter at 62-55 with 3:31 left.

“They moved the ball better than any team that plays that fast of any team I’ve seen,” Ashcroft said. “Usually when you play that fast, you take quick, maybe notso-great shots. They took quality shots on a possession-by-possession basis so I think that gave us some trouble.”

With three regulars on the bench, freshmen Aidan Dauble and Jayden Ware had to play down the stretch. Ware came on after Caccese exited and cut a four-point deficit to two with a put-back basket with 1:49 to go in overtime.

Ware’s basket ignited the Reiffton faithful and the momentum led to Miller missing one of two vital free throws keeping the game at one possession for Saenz to go on his game-sealing run.

“Before I went in I was a little nervous,” Ware said. “I was shaking because of the intensity but once I got on the court I was fine. I’m always ready off the bench and this is a great experience. It was high tension. There was a lot going on but we pulled through as a team. It was next man up.”

The turnover table turned back in Exeter’s favor in the fourth as the Indians

made eight turnovers to Exeter’s one.

Down 65-60 with less than three minutes left in regulation, Saenz made two foul shots before driving to the basket on the next possession and earning a crucial three-point play opportunity. After Saenz sank the ensuing foul shot, neither team was able to find a game-winning shot attempt as both sides made loose-ball turnovers during the closing seconds of regulation.

With his team now set to play District 10 champ Cathedral Prep — a 68-54 winner over District 7 champ Penn Hills Friday — in the semifinals on Monday at a site and time to be announced, Saenz is proud and confident in his Eagles.

“Well, going into the next round, our confidence is through the roof,” Saenz said. “We know the work we have to put in this weekend. Our confidence, again, is through the roof. We know that now we have to stay out of foul trouble because we see where that could get us and put us in a tough situation. But Monday we’re going to come out and punch him in the throat just like we did every other team.”