ERIE — Summit Academy watched an eight-point fourth-quarter lead disappear in less than four minutes.

The Knights made the play they needed in the closing seconds, however, to defeat North East, 44-43, in a first-round PIAA Class AA boys basketball game Saturday at Gannon University's Hammermill Center.

The win marked the first state tournament triumph in Summit's 13-year history of WPIAL competition.

“We lost our composure there for a while,” Knights coach Art McCray said. “Our plan was to pound the ball inside all day and we got away from that.”

Summit (17-9) attained a 36-28 lead with a Nate Pembrook layup with 7:50 left in the game. The Grapepickers (19-7) responded with an 11-2 run to secure a 39-38 edge with 4:13 to play.

From there, it was nip and tuck.

“I feel like we had a million chances to take control of this game and never did it,” North East coach Tom Pyle said.

Kyle Regan sank a pair of free throws with 24.5 seconds left to give North East a 43-42 advantage. Arley Townsend — who had two big steals to keep the Knights close down the stretch — was fouled driving to the hoop with 15.6 seconds left.

Townsend missed both free throws, but Derrick Banks grabbed the offensive rebound and laid it in with 11.8 seconds remaining.

Banks led Summit with 10 rebounds on the day.

“Derrick gets after the ball,” McCray said. “That was a huge play, an athletic play, at a critical time.”

North East's Spencer Cornelius, a 5-foot-11 forward, was fouled while trying to put back an offensive rebound of his own with 1.1 seconds to play.

Cornelius missed both free throws. Regan grabbed a long rebound off the second shot, but misfired at the buzzer as the Knights held on.

“That kid (Cornelius) is the heart and soul of their team,” McCray said. “He's the first on the floor getting after loose balls. He's one of those kids who's all out all the time.

“I have a lot of respect for players like that. I feel for him.”

David Murray had 16 points and six rebounds for Summit, Ronald Smith nine points and six boards. The Knights had a 29-22 edge on the glass and won despite 24 turnovers. North East had 20 turnovers.

“We average 15 steals per game, but didn't get those today,” McCray said. “And we had to go deep into the bench because of fouls.”

Summit used 11 players.

Cory Bailey led North East with 13 points and Regan had nine rebounds.

“This game shouldn't have come down to those missed free throws at the end,” Pyle said. “We were lucky enough to have their kid miss a couple, but they went over the back and got the rebound.

“They made the plays to win and we didn't.”

SUMMIT ACADEMY 44Arley Townsend 3-7 0-2 6, Ja'Donte Richardson 1-3 0-0 2, Derrick Banks 2-5 0-1 4, Nate Pembrook 1-2 0-2, David Murray 7-13 2-2 16, Dale Johnson 1-4 0-0 2, Ronald Smith 4-9 1-2 9, Hassan Boston 0-0 0-0 0, Darien Blaney 1-1 0-0 3, Rainford Miles 0-1 0-0 0, Tevin Allison 0-0 0-0 0.

Totals: 20-45 3-8 44.

NORTH EAST 43Aaron Wakley 3-9 0-1 6, Kyle Regan 0-7 2-2 2, Cory Bailey 4-5 4-4 13, Kyle Perdue 2-3 0-0 5, Spencer Cornelius 3-6 2-6 8, Vincent Coletta 0-1 1-2 1, Tyler Johnson 3-6 2-3 8.

Totals: 15-37 11-18 43.

Summit Academy 15 12 7 10—44North East 10 12 6 15—433-point goals: Summit Academy 1 (Blaney); North East 2 (Bailey, Perdue).

Wednesday: PIAA Class AA second round-Summit Academy vs. Greensburg Central Catholic, 7:30 p.m., at Gateway