JEFFERSON TWP — The Knoch boys basketball team didn't have the best night at the foul line — until it mattered.

Tavita Lio hit four free throws in the final 15 seconds to help the Knights hold off feisty Valley, 50-45, Friday night.

“That's what you want seniors to do,” said Knoch coach Josh Shoop. “We definitely needed it.”

Knoch (10-10, 8-4) needed it because Valley simply would not go away.

The Knights jumped out to a 13-2 lead at the end of the first quarter on the Vikings, who hit only one of their 14 shots in the frame.

But that was the biggest lead of the night for Knoch, which spent the rest of the game nursing a dwindling advantage.

Valley (4-13, 4-8) cut the lead down to eight at the half, six at the end of the third quarter and down to one with less than a minute to go in the game.

The Vikings, who have now lost seven straight, couldn't overcome that poor start, however.

“Defensively, we'll be in every single game,” said Valley coach Phil Cope. “Offensively, skill-wise, that's not built during the season. That's built in the summer. These kids just haven't put in enough time doing the little things to start making those shots.”

Still, Valley hung around and was in a position to tie the game with a 3-pointer with less than 10 seconds remaining.

But Knoch chose to foul to keep the Vikings from even attempting a 3.

“We talked about that during a timeout,” Shoop said. “Valley does a great job with dribble penetration, so you have to help, and that's going to leave guys open. So, we just figured we'd foul early, make them go to the line and sink a couple of free throws.”

Valley didn't. Knoch, however, did, despite being 7-of-18 from the stripe until Lio's 4-for-4 effort in the waning seconds.

Lio finished with nine points.

Marc Vaughan led Knoch with 11 points off the bench.

In fact, the Knights' five off the bench outscored the five starters, 31-29.

“Those guys, they challenge those first five in practice every day, and sometimes they beat them,” Shoop said. “They are a talented group as well. The only thing is they are so unselfish that they refuse to look to score sometimes. They play great defense and they have been positive all year. I know they probably would like a little more time on the floor.”

The Knights will get more time on the floor in the playoffs. Knoch has sewed up one of the postseason spots out of Section 1-AAA.

“We couldn't be happier. We feel like we earned it,” Shoop said. “We've come a long way. But then you have games like this when you don't do things well, but again, I don't want to take anything away from Valley. They played their butt off.”

VALLEY 45Jerrell Lloyd 3-8 0-1 6, Thomas Weremeychik 3-14 1-2 7, Tre Duncan 4-15 0-2 9, Tyler Gardlock 2-5 0-0 4, Phil Green 3-6 1-2 7, Chaz Cheatham 3-4 0-1 6, Devin Whitman 0-0 0-0 0, Khaanan Briggs 3-3 0-0 6.

Totals: 21-55 2-8 45.

KNOCH 50Jack Boros 1-3 0-0 2, Alex Strezeski 2-4 2-5 8, Dakota Bruggeman 1-3 0-0 2, Tavita Lio 2-7 4-4 9, Mike Schenck 3-7 0-0 6, Austin Miller 2-5 2-5 8, Marc Vaughan 4-5 3-8 11, Mike Cunningham 0-1 0-0 0, Andy Tuzikow 0-0 0-0 0, Phil Klotzli 3-4 0-0 6.

Totals: 18-39 11-22 50

Valley 2 13 11 19—45Knoch 13 10 9 16—503-point goals: Valley 1 (Duncan); Knoch 3 (Lio 2, Miller).

JV Score: Knoch 57-30

Tuesday: Burrell at Knoch