JEFFERSON TWP — Leechburg was doing all it could to stay even with Knoch.

Then, with the game knotted at 13, the Knights went on a 13-4 run to close out the second quarter en route to a 64-46 boys basketball victory over the Class A Blue Devils Wednesday.

With the teams exchanging baskets for most of the first half, the Knights (1-3) used a three-point play by Jake McTighe to kick-start the run, which included six points off the bench by Nathan Junk.

McTighe scored 13 of his game-high 18 points in the first half to give Knoch a 26-17 lead into the break.

"Fundamentally, we played better defense," said Knoch coach Chris Andreassi. "Guys stayed in their stance, were jumping to the basketball. We were doing things that we were not doing consistently in the first three games."

"I think we played best man-to-man," said Leechburg coach Damian Davies. "We'd switch positions, dive for balls ... They broke us down. A few times we were not talking and they got open on someone."

In the second half, the Knights received a three-point play by Andrew Wirtz and another McTighe basket to open up a 31-17 advantage.

The Blue Devils (0-4) answered with a basket by Aaron Suvala and two free throws by Joe Diani in an 11-second span to make it 31-21.

A Wirtz score was answered by another pair of free throws by Diani, but then the Knights ripped off 14 of the next 16 points to surge to a 47-25 lead with 2:09 remaining in the third quarter to pull away.

"We played well, but the hope was to keep it going, but they got momentum," said Davies. "They did a good job on defense and pressing our guards."

Knoch put up 27 third-quarter points — one more than its entire first-half output — and used reserves for the entire fourth quarter.

Aside from McTighe's total, the Knights' next three leading scorers came off the bench — Junk (10), Ethan Danner (nine) and Chris Cetnar (eight).

"Those are all great, hard-working kids," said Andreassi. "I tell them that the bad thing about basketball is that only five get to play at one time.

"You have to make the most of your opportunities and they did tonight,"Andreassi added.

Davies also used a substitution system, trying to use 10 players as his squad plays bigger schools to prepare for the upcoming section season.

"We have a long exhibition season. We won't play a section game until right before Christmas," said Davies. "We're trying to find the right mix for section.

"When we get back to Class A, we're ready to play. It's hard. Our kids are a little down. We tell them that Knoch is always tough. We won't play a more physical team than them."

Dalton Mottillo led the Blue Devils with 10 points while Dom Strapac added nine points.

LEECHBURG 46Abe Strapac 3 0-0 8, Dalton Mottillo 2 6-8 10, Eric Steininger 1 1-2 3, Dylan Ruppolo 0 0-0 0, Joe Diani 1 5-6 7, Aaron Suvala 1 0-0 2, Caleb Orendi 3 1-3 7, Dylan Romanius 0 0-0 0, Dom Strapac 3 2-2 9, James Dunmire 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14 15-21 46.

KNOCH 64Cory Miller 1 1-3 3, Mike Gallagher 2 0-0 5, Andrew Wirtz 3 1-1 7, Jake McTighe 8 2-3 18, Micah Lio 0 0-0 0, Kevin Wood 2 0-0 4, Ryan Schultheis 0 0-0 0, Chris Cetnar 3 2-2 8, Ethan Danner 4 1-2 9, Brandon Flick 0 0-0 0, Tim McNerney 0 0-0 0, Adam Seger 0 0-0 0, Robert Zanella 0 0-0 0, Nathan Junk 4 2-4 10, Jake Hickey 0 0-0 0, Jed Whisler 0 0-0 0. Totals: 27 9-15 64.

Leechburg 8 9 14 15—46Knoch 10 16 27 11—643-point goals: A. Strapac 2, D. Strapac; Gallagher

JV: Knoch, 50-11

Friday: Knoch at Pine-Richland