WEXFORD — The final score told one story.

Knoch spun another.

The Knights jumped out to a 7-2 lead early and hung with the No. 2 seeded Beaver Falls boys basketball team until a late Tigers' run resulted in a 68-51 loss for Knoch in the first round of the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs at North Allegheny High School Tuesday night.

Despite the defeat, Knights' coach Ron McNabb was pleased.

“I think the score's very deceiving. I was just very proud of our effort and our execution,” McNabb said. “They are as athletic as heck, and I thought we hung in there.

“I was thrilled with the whole game to be honest with you,” McNabb added. “I thought nobody backed down. They got the second seed, I believe, and I thought we competed like crazy.

Then Keyan Gibson began shooting like crazy.

The Beaver Falls' sixth man came off the bench and drained three 3-pointers in the first quarter.

As well as the Knights had played, they looked up to see themselves down 14-11 after eight minutes.

“Two of those 3s were contested 3s and he made them,” McNabb said. “We were down by three, but we weren't discouraged.”

Beaver Falls (20-2) increased its lead to 29-22 at the half and then built a 42-30 advantage with three minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Knoch, though, remained patient. The Knights couldn't get the lead down to fewer than nine the rest of the way, however.

“They were very efficient in what they did. They took care of the basketball really well,” said Beaver Falls coach Doug Biega. “If you don't turn the ball over, you get shots up and they got good shots up and rebounded very well.”

Knoch had so few turnovers in large part because of the play of junior Aiden Albert, who began the season as a two-guard and moved into the point after a season-ending injury to sophomore Austin Hannes.

“Aiden Albert (played) 32 minutes, and they were in his face all night long,” McNabb said. “He hasn't been a point guard all year. Austin (Hannes) got hurt and we moved him over two days before a big game and he did a good job. I can't say enough about him.”

Knoch controlled the game inside for the most part.

Senior forward Matt Zanella finished with 18 points and sophomore forward Mac Christy added 11 for the Knights.

Both reached double digits in rebounds as well.

Zanella wrapped up his career with 801 points at Knoch.

“They played good defense,” Biega said. “They were right where they were supposed to be and they're big.”

But big couldn't stop speed and quickness and Beaver Falls had both in guards Javon Turner and Torian Leak.

Turner scored 13 points and was 7-of-7 from the line. Leak was 6-of-6 from the line for his six points as the Tigers were 26-of-31 from the stripe.

Josh Creach led Beaver Falls with 18 points. Donovan Jeter added 15 and Gibson pitched in 14 off the bench.

“We haven't faced many teams that have that much athleticism,” McNabb said.

Knoch, which had to overcome a slew of adversity this season, finished 14-10.

“I just told these guys, 'You're here for a reason. You're playing in this game for a reason. You belong here,'” McNabb said. “I told them to go out and play with confidence and I didn't see one sign of fear or intimidation.”

KNOCH 51

Aiden Albert 2-9 4-4 9, Troy Hixson 1-2 0-1 2, Matt Zanella 9-19 0-3 18, Mac Christy 5-12 1-2 11, Jackson McKee 2-6 3-4 8, PJ Gourley 1-2 1-2 3, Devin Campbell 0-1 0-0 0, Josh Knochel 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 20-51 9-16 51.

BEAVER FALLS 68

Javon Turner 3-8 7-7 13, Zach Duffy 1-2 0-0 2, Donovan Jeter 6-15 3-6 15, Josh Creach 5-11 8-10 18, Torian Leak 0-1 6-6 6, Keyan Gibson 4-4 2-2 14, Malik Shephard 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 19-42 26-32 68.

Knoch 11 11 14 15 — 51

Beaver Falls14 15 16 23 — 68

3-point goals: Knoch 2 (Albert, McKee); Beaver Falls 4 (Gibson 4)