JACKSON TWP — There are a few scores the Seneca Valley boys basketball team hopes to settle in the second half of the season.

It took care of one Friday night.

The host Raiders took an early lead and held off Central Catholic for a key 48-47 Section 3-AAAA victory.

The win avenged the Raiders' 67-47 loss on the Vikings' floor Dec. 16.

In Friday's game, Central made just two of its 20 3-point attempts.

“Central shot the ball much better at their place,” admitted SV coach Victor Giannotta. “They knocked down less perimeter shots tonight, but our 2-1-2 zone also played well.”

Twenty turnovers by the Raiders (9-6, 4-3) helped keep the game close and when Central's Mike Anselmo converted a conventional 3-point play with 10 seconds left in the third period, Seneca's lead was just 37-36.

Both teams struggled to score early in the final stanza and with 1:30 left on the clock, SV's lead was still only a point at 41-40.

A 7-2 run included a basket and two free throws by SV's Alex Maxfield and the Raiders' edge ballooned to 48-42 with just 10 seconds left.

Central's Lincoln Davis scored five points in the last two seconds, the final three points coming on a shot from half court, but they served only as cosmetic baskets.

“Our poor shooting definitely had something to do with the result tonight,” said Central coach Chuck Crummie. “We did show some intensity at the end of the game, but it was too late.”

The Vikings had scored at least 62 points in 10 of their previous 11 games, but found the going rough on the Raiders' floor.

“We have to be ready for the zone defenses teams are going to throw at us,” said Crummie. “Seneca tries to put you to sleep with a slow-paced game and we fell into it.”

“With the way Central had been playing, we had to keep the game in the half court,” said Giannotta. “We're fortunate to get a win to start the second half of the season against a very seasoned Central Catholic team.”

Seneca Valley shot 50 percent from the field (16-of-32).

Maxfield led the Raiders with 18 points and Chad Albert added 12, including a pair of thunderous dunks in the second quarter.

Davis paced Central Catholic (7-8, 3-4) with 23 points.

SV is now tied with North Allegheny and Butler for second place in the section.

CENTRAL CATHOLIC 47Christian Joiner 1 0-0 2, Claude Scott 3 0-0 6, Lincoln Davis 9 4-5 23, Mike Anselmo 3 1-2 7, Garret Vrbanic 1 0-0 3, Sam Calhoun 1 2-2 4, Matt Hoge 1 0-0 2, David Urso 0 0-2 0.

Totals: 19 7-11 47.

SENECA VALLEY 48Matt Smith 1 3-4 5, Easton Bazzoli 1 0-3 2, Chad Albert 4 4-5 12, Alex Maxfield 5 6-7 18, Ryan McCauley 3 0-0 6, Austin Bream 2 0-0 5, Alex Snyder 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 16 13-19 48.

Central Catholic 9 9 18 11—47Seneca Valley 15 9 13 11—483-point goals: Central Catholic 2 (Davis, Vrbanic); Seneca Valley 3 (Maxfield 2, Bream).

Sunday: Seneca Valley vs. Taylor-Allderdice at Robert Morris University