Trojans run out of gas
PITTSBURGH — North Catholic walked off the floor at Petersen Events Center wishing for a fourth-quarter do-over.
After weathering multiple Lincoln Park scoring flurries in the first three frames; charges, travels, and errant or mishandled passes over the final eight minutes haunted the Trojans, who bowed to the Leopards, 78-68, in the WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball title game.
Thanks in large part to a valiant scoring effort by senior Andrew Maddalon, North (19-7) trailed by just one point at the outset of the fourth. Turnovers on five of their first six possessions in that period allowed the Leopards (25-1) to go on a 9-2 run and add to a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
“We turned it over too much,” Trojans coach Jim Rocco said. “When you do that and give live-ball opportunities to that level of team, they capitalized on everything because of their elite ability.
“We were in a good spot for most of the game. We just had to be fundamentally sound and really sure of what we were doing … I thought we rushed a couple things offensively.”
Maddalon and junior Max Hurray combined for all but three of the Trojans’ 33 points in the first half while Lincoln Park attacked from all angles. Brandin Cummings scored seven points in the final 45 seconds of the first frame, punctuating a 14-2 surge after Maddalon converted an and-one with 2:06 to go in the quarter.
“I thought we did a great job of fighting through the first three quarters,” Maddalon said. “And then — credit to them — their length and athleticism, I think, sometimes got to us and it kind of rushed our decision-making a little bit.”
North started to get some scoring variety out of the halftime break, with seniors Matt Ellery and Max Rottmann joining the scoring fold.
Later in the quarter, after a Leopards giveaway, Ellery missed the mark on a three-ball on the fast break, but Owen Maddalon was stationed in the right spot under the hoop to grab it and lay it in, which brought the score to 51-50 with 2:12 remaining in the third.
Following another turnover on the other end, Andrew Maddalon earned a trip to the line and converted both to reclaim his team’s last advantage.
“Andrew had a great game,” Rocco said. “His footwork was excellent tonight. Very difficult to guard going to the rim. He’s moved into that category.”
As they comparably slowed Cummings in the second half, Meleek Thomas bucketed 18 points in that same time, including a one-hand jam to punctuate a dominating fourth.
“You’re talking about the two best players in the area,” Rocco said. “I believe that. I believe that Cummings will be in a position to get significant minutes for the University of Pittsburgh in the ACC as a freshman. Meleek is a top-10 player in the country. If Meleek was at Sierra Canyon, if he was at Montverde Academy, he’d be one of their best players. That’s how good he is.”
Lincoln Park coach Mike Bariski contended that the fast pace of play wore on North.
“By getting up and down the court, we help to take a team’s legs away,” he said. “If you’re going to live and die by three-pointers — which, most of the time, North Catholic, that’s what they’re known for. We thought that affected them a little bit, our length affected them a little bit. But the fourth quarter, for good teams, is the quarter that you should win and control,” he said.
The Trojans will play the District 10 runner-up in the opening round of the PIAA tournament.
“The way that we have been playing, I think this team is going to continue to be on a good run here,” Rocco said. “We’re going to get back in the gym and we’re going to work … This group’s not done.”
NORTH CATHOLIC 68
Andrew Maddalon 14 4-4 32, Max Hurray 8 0-0 19, Matt Ellery 3 0-0 9, Max Rottmann 3 0-0 6, Owen Maddalon 1 0-0 2, Nick Larson 0 0-1 0. Totals: 29 4-5 68.
LINCOLN PARK 78
Meleek Thomas 9 6-8 25, Brandin Cummings 9 3-3 22, DeAndre Moye 4 2-2 12, Dorian McGhee 4 0-0 8, Dontay Greene 2 2-4 6, Vinnie DePaula 2 0-0 5. Totals: 30 13-17 78.
North Catholic. 17 16 21 14 — 68
Lincoln Park 27 12 16 23 — 78
3-point goals: North Catholic 6 (Ellery 3, Hurray 3); Lincoln Park 5 (Moye 2, Cummings, Thomas, DePaula)
