NATRONA HEIGHTS — “Tied and tucked” has been a motto for the Knoch boys basketball team all season long.

The Knights’ business-like approach resulted in a neatly-wrapped 52-40 victory over Mount Pleasant in the first round of the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs at Highlands High School on Friday night.

“Taped and talented” could sum up the journey of Knoch junior point guard Austin Miller and first-year coach Ron McNabb to the school’s first playoff win since 2006.

Miller scored a game-high 18 points and dished out four assists, while donning bright-blue Kinesio Taping — used by many Olympic athletes during the 2012 London Games — around his shoulder to help support a strained rotator cuff.

McNabb used the same tape after undergoing bio-cartilage surgery in June. He says he’s only the third person in the United States — and first in Pittsburgh — to have the procedure.

“I was rebounding a basketball and two big pieces of cartilage just popped out of my knee,” said McNabb.

The Knoch coach still walks with a limp, but Miller has been far less limited since suffering his injury Feb. 1 in a 65-51 defeat to Chartiers Valley.

The Knights will get a second crack at the Colts in the next round of the playoffs on Tuesday at a site and time to be determined.

McNabb knows Knoch (12-11) will need a strong performance from Miller to pull off the upset.

“He’s the heart of the team,” said McNabb of Miller. “He knows when to push the ball; he knows when to pull it out; he can shoot; he can pass.

“He does little things that a lot of people don’t notice,” the coach continued. “And he’s a very good defender. We put him on (Mount Pleasant’s Cody) Monroe and he shut him down. He’s small and that kid was big and he battled.”

Miller was so effective during the early stages of the third quarter Friday night, Mount Pleasant coach Tony Splendore went to a box-and-one defense to slow down the Knoch junior.

“He’s the one that broke our back,” noted Splendore.

“It’s frustrating because it’s difficult, but it’s nice to see,” said Miller of the defensive attention.

While McNabb has leaned on Miller to run the offense and knock down big shots, Miller has learned from McNabb in his first season on the Knoch bench.

“Tied and tucked” was one of the first lessons.

“I said it here the first day of practice and they’re like, ‘Tied and tucked?’ Yeah, shoes tied, shirts tucked,” McNabb explained. “Next thing I know it’s on Twitter and they have it in the locker room and everything.”

The mantra has spread all the way to the Knoch student section.

“I’ve become some sort of cult hero with this,” McNabb chuckled.

With McNabb and Miller leading the way, the rest of the Knights embraced their roles in Friday’s win.

“I’m really proud of these guys,” said McNabb.

David Gallagher is a threat from long range at shooting guard, scoring eight points in Friday’s win. Chris Kier does a little bit of everything, posting six rebounds and five assists with a steal and a blocked shot.

Marc Vaughan and Dakota Bruggeman are a one-two punch on the block capable of giving many teams trouble. The duo combined for 24 points and 15 rebounds on Friday.

“I’m not allowed to be outside,” said Bruggeman, cracking a smile. “I can’t make those pretty shots, but I’ll take all that dirty work down there any day.”

For the Knights to be most effective, though, it all starts with Miller.

“A lot of times, he’s thinking just like I am,” said McNabb. “I’m about to call a certain offense and he’s already in it. It’s great, it’s like another coach out on the floor.”