SLIPPERY ROCK — The third time was not the charm for the Grove City High boys basketball team.

The Eagles and Sharon clashed twice this season with both games going into overtime.

The Tigers won both.

Grove City coach Jeff Loughry was hoping the experiences from those two closer-than-close setbacks would carry his team to a win in the third meeting.

But Sharon jumped out quickly, never trailed, and nursed a comfortable lead until the final buzzer in handing Grove City a 53-44 loss in the District 10 4A semifinals Tuesday night at Slippery Rock University.

“They're good,” Loughry said. “Their athleticism bothers us. We could never get it within one or two possession. They beat us and they deserved it.”

Sharon (22-2) jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead.

Grove City (17-7) was able to close to 15-13 midway through the second quarter, but the Tigers went on a 10-0 run.

Brayden Martin ended the spurt with a 3-pointer at the second-quarter buzzer, but the Eagles still entered the half trailing 25-16.

The closest Grove City got was 25-19 in the first 10 seconds of the third quarter.

“They can get going and they have a lot of guys who can make shots,” said Sharon coach Zach Sarver, a Slippery Rock High graduate who was once an assistant coach under Don Fee at Grove City. “Getting off to that fast start was definitely important — keeping them at arm's length. We got that quick lead and made it our game.”

Sharon's game has revolved around its two bigs, 6-foot-9 Ethan Porterfield and 6-5 Tristan Ballard.

The two combined for 23 points with Ballard scoring 16 of them — 10 in the fourth quarter.

“Even at the end when we're pressing, we did everything right,” Loughry said. “But they lob to 6-9 who skips to 6-5, full-court and half.”

Sharon was also determined to not let Isaac Thrasher beat them.

The senior guard is one of Grove City's leading scorers this season and was held to four points.

“When they know there's two big guys back there that they have to go through to score, that helps us out a ton,” Sarver said. “That lets us pressure on the perimeter a little bit and be more aggressive than a lot of teams.”

Sharon will play rival Hickory Friday for the district title.

The Tigers have not played for a district championship since 1998.

“We have an opportunity to do something Sharon hasn't done for a long time,” Sarver said.

Elite Williams added 13 points and James McKinney 12 for Sharon.

Martin and Marcos Cintron each scored 11 points to lead the Eagles, who will play For LeBoeuf Friday in the consolation game.

Grove City already has a spot in the PIAA 4A playoffs regardless of the outcome against the Bison Friday.

The Eagles will get either the WPIAL champion or the WPIAL runner-up in the first round of the state playoffs.

“No matter who you draw from those four (WPIAL teams), it's going to be a tough draw,” Loughry said. “It will be difficult.”

GROVE CITY 44

AJ Miller 0-0 0-0 0, Isaac Thrasher 2-8 0-0 4, Marcos Cintron 4-10 1-1 11, Martin Beatty 2-5 3-4 8, Logan Lutz 2-2 1-3 5, Braydon Martin 4-12 0-1 11, Kade Persinger 2-5 0-0 5. Totals: 16-42 5-9 44.

SHARON 53

James McKinney 3-4 6-7 12, Ramell Ackerneese 1-7 1-2 3, Elite Williams 4-9 4-5 13, Ethan Porterfield 3-8 1-2 7, Tristan Ballard 7-9 2-4 16, Josh Torr 0-1 0-1 0, Frank Shaffer 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 19-39 14-21 53.

Grove City 8 8 10 18 — 44

Sharon11 14 9 19 — 53

3-point goals: Grove City 6 (Cintron 2, Beatty, Martin 3, Persinger); Sharon (Williams)

Friday: Grove City vs. Fort LeBoeuf, site and time TBA