Hurray leads the way
MONROEVILLE — It helps to have a steadfast engine.
Senior Max Hurray fills that role for North Catholic, scoring 37 points against Avonworth at Gateway High School on Tuesday night.
At this point in the boys hoops season, though, the rest of the team’s parts are just as paramount. Contributions across the board helped the Trojans trail for just 14 seconds in the 75-60 PIAA Class 4A second-round playoff win.
“We’re facilitators and the players are taking ownership of this,” North Catholic coach Jim Rocco said. “They’re making decisions. I can’t say enough about Owen Maddalon’s basketball IQ and ability to command the game. … His ability to lead has taken a lot of pressure off Max.
“Max is an amazing player — if not the best that North Catholic has ever seen. He’s right there.”
Hurray got the Trojans (18-9) rolling with a trio of three-pointers in the game’s initial two minutes. He finished two points shy of matching his season-high of 39, which he set on Senior Night against Blackhawk.
“I was hoping to get 40, but I’m just glad we won,” Hurray said.
Jude Rottmann added a trey later in the first frame and Jason Siket, Joe Waskiewicz, and Owen Maddalon also tacked up points to hold off the Antelopes’ early push, which kept it a one-point game heading into the second.
“It was a great start,” Hurray said. “I think that got us in a groove and it got our teammates energized. I think leading by example helps boost the team up. I think when I’m playing good, I think the whole team is playing great.
“I bring the energy and we all bring the energy to lift each other up. (Playing) at the start of the game like that, it’s a great way to do that.”
A Rowan Carmichael three-pointer knotted the game at 22 with just over 30 seconds having passed in the second before Waskiewicz replied by way of a Hurray assist on the other end. Avonworth (18-10) would sink just one field goal in the four minutes that followed, as North Catholic drew a handful of shooting fouls.
North Catholic scored 15 points from the charity stripe in the first half alone.
“Once we started hitting threes, they adjusted their defense coming out on us more,” Hurray said. “Them coming out, we got to blow by them and I think that leads to good drives. … Forcing them to (commit) fouls, throwing them off, I think that really set the tone for the second half.”
The Antelopes narrowed an 11-point halftime gap to five points with an 8-2 run after the midway point, but a Maddalon trey and a basket by Hurray stretched it back to double-digits 1:27 later. The Trojans had a comfortable cushion the rest of the way.
“They’re a really good team,” Avonworth coach Mike Mancuso said. “They have a really good player. They’re well-coached. They have a lot of energy. They fly to the ball. … I think it’s hard when your game isn’t at 100%.”
“It’s the best we’ve played all year and it’s a testament to our kids,” Rocco said. “They understand the importance of taking ownership. They’ve taken ownership of this team.”
That comes with the understanding that recent shortcomings no longer matter.
“I think the WPIAL championship is really important for your district, but I think the state championship is the most important,” Hurray said. “I think just setting that tone for our county and our town of Cranberry and North Catholic, that’s really important. I’d love to go to the state championship and do that.
“You always want to end your high school career with a win. I don’t know why we can’t. We’re playing our best basketball.”
Maddalon added 13 points in the win, while Waskiewicz and Rottmann both had seven.
The Trojans advance to play two-time defending WPIAL champion Lincoln Park in the state quarterfinals on Friday.
AVONWORTH 60
Rowan Carmichael 9 6-6 28, Anthony Arlia 4 2-2 12, Joel Sommers 2 2-3 7, Noah Quinn 3 0-0 6, Jason Lipchak 1 3-4 5, William Onyshko 1 0-0 2. Totals: 20 13-15 60.
NORTH CATHOLIC 75
Max Hurray 14 8-11 37, Owen Maddalon 3 6-8 13, Joe Waskiewicz 3 1-2 7, Jude Rottmann 2 2-2 7, Jason Fredericks 2 1-2 5, Eli Stofko 1 2-2 5, Jason Siket 0 1-2 1. Totals: 25 21-29 75.
Avonworth 19 10 11 20 — 60
North Catholic 20 20 13 22 — 75
3-point goals: North Catholic 8 (Hurray 5, Rottmann, Maddalon, Stofko); Avonworth 7 (Carmichael 4, Arlia 2, Sommers)
