WEXFORD — When it comes to sports-related vernacular, the term “blitz” is usually reserved for football.

But that's exactly what Quaker Valley's boys basketball team hit Grove City with Thursday night.

With two minutes left in the third quarter of a PIAA Class 4A second-round playoff, the high-scoring Quakers had been held to just 34 points. Though they held a five-point lead on Grove City, it was a meager total compared to what the team managed over the final 10 minutes of the game.

Quaker Valley posted a 10-0 run to close the third period, then used a 20-point fourth quarter to seal a 64-42 victory over the Eagles at North Allegheny High School.

“We were right there,” said Grove City coach Jeff Loughry, “but that 10-0 run slammed the door on us.”

Junior guard Coletrane Washington drained two treys in the final minute of the third quarter, the second with just three seconds remaining in the period that pushed the Quaker lead to 44-29.

The Eagles never cut their deficit to less than 10 points for the duration of the game.

Quaker Valley (24-3), the WPIAL runner-up, has scored at least 80 points in seven games this season. Quakers' coach Mike Mastroianni was confident his team could hit its stride at some point against the Eagles.

“We've been capable of quick spurts all year,” he said. “It's the reason we're still playing this late in the season.

“We jumped on them in the third and it changed the game.”

All five of Quaker Valley's starters — Danny Conlan, Ricky Guss, Amos Luptak, Wolf Moser and Washington — are averaging double figures in points this season.

“We like to play fast and it's hard to defend just one or two of our guys because they can all score,” said Mastroianni. “It's unique and is the strength of our team.”

“We watched the film on them from the game they beat New Castle (60-54 Jan. 24) and we know how good New Castle is because we played in a tournament there earlier this year,” Loughry said. “What do you do against a team like Quaker Valley? If you play zone, they have so many guys who can stretch the court on you. If you play man, their point guard (Luptak) can get in the gaps like he did tonight. They're just a very good team.”

Though the Eagles' defense held the Quakers to just 24 points in the first half, the latter still held a 24-17 lead at the break because Grove City was unable to muster much offense of its own.

“If you're going to beat a team like that, you have to hit shots,” said Loughry. “It's not all about defense.”

Junior Martin Beatty sparked the Eagles (20-7) by scoring eight of his team-leading 11 points in the third period prior to Quaker Valley's surge.

Washington paced all scorers with 20 points, followed by Conlan and Luptak (12 apiece) and Guss (11).

GROVE CITY 42

Kyle Barger 2 0-0 4, Logan Lutz 2 4-6 8, Isaac Thrasher 4 0-0 9, Brayden Martin 1 0-0 3, Qadir Mohammad 2 1-1 5, Marco Cintron 1 0-0 2, Martin Beatty 4 0-0 11, Caden Mattocks 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16 5-7 42.

QUAKER VALLEY 64

Coletrane Washington 8 0-0 20, Danny Conlan 6 0-0 12, Ricky Guss 5 1-2 11, Amos Luptak 6 0-1 12, Wolf Moser 4 0-0 9. Totals: 29 1-3 64.

Grove City 7 10 12 13 — 42

Quaker Valley15 9 20 20 — 64

3-point goals: Grove City 5 (Beatty 3, Martin, Thrasher); Quaker Valley 5 (Washington 4, Moser).