JACKSON TWP — Seneca Valley began the second half of section play the same way it closed the first half, which is fine with coach Victor Giannotta.

The Raiders pulled away from a stubborn Shaler squad Friday night to post a 54-40 boys basketball win at William Paul Gymnasium.

It is the Raiders' fifth straight win overall, including four straight section triumphs.

The victory completes Seneca's season sweep of the Titans. The Raiders won 64-51 at Shaler on Dec. 14.

“It starts in practice,” said Giannotta. “Lately, our practices have been tremendous. It takes a group effort.”

That's exactly what Shaler was up against Friday. While senior guard Geno Thorpe (26 points per game average) scored over half of his team's points (21 of 40), SV featured four players who scored in double figures.

Two of those players, center Alex Snyder (eight points) and guard T.J. Holl (six), took over the third quarter, accounting for all 14 of the Raiders' points as SV turned a one-point lead at halftime into a 39-27 edge with one period remaining.

“That's inside-out basketball for you,” said Giannotta. “There were times in the first half tonight when I thought our offense was stagnant. We are working on becoming more consistent.”

After managing just three points and committing seven turnovers in the third quarter, the Titans (7-8, 1-7) tried to make a run in the final eight minutes.

Thorpe's 3-pointer cut SV's lead to 46-37 with 2:35 left. Moments later, Louis Ferraro converted a conventional 3-point play to make it 48-40. But the only points scored the rest of the way were a combined six free throws from Seneca's Eric Woods and R.J. McCauley.

Snyder paced SV (11-3, 6-2) with 15 points, Holl scored 11 while Eric Woods and Easton Bazzoli both tallied 10.

Thorpe received decent support in the first half. Along with his 12 points, four of his teammates tallied at least one field goal and Shaler held a slim lead late in the second period before Woods' 3-pointer put SV up 25-24 at the break.

“It was great high school basketball,” Giannotta said of the first half. “Both teams were out there competing.”

Shaler coach Paul Holzshu declined comment.

SHALER 40

Louis Ferraro 1 1-1 3, Chris Brasile 0 1-2 1, Geno Thorpe 8 4-5 21, Zach Weaver 1 1-2 3, Bill Reinheimer 2 0-0 4, Greg Lydon 2 0-0 5, Jacob Mathias 1 1-1 3, Kevin Mincher 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 8-11 40.

SENECA VALLEY 54

Easton Bazzoli 4 0-0 10, Mike Smith 1 0-0 2, T.J. Holl 4 0-0 11, Eric Woods 2 4-4 10, R.J. McCauley 1 4-4 6, Alex Snyder 7 1-3 15, Matt Darby 0 0-1 0, Dan Cashdollar 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 9-12 54.

Shaler 11 13 3 13—40

Seneca Valley12 13 14 15—54

3-point goals: Shaler 2 (Thorpe, Lydon); Seneca Valley 7 (Holl 3, Bazzoli 2, Woods 2)

Saturday: Seneca Valley at Slippery Rock