Knoch's Ryan Lang goes up for a layup over North Catholic's Tommy Molenda Tuesday night. Lang scored 34 points for the Knights, but the Trojans were able to land the final punch in a back-and-forth affair for the 75-66 win.

JEFFERSON TWP — For three quarters, North Catholic and Knoch traded punches Tuesday night.

After fives ties and six lead changes, the visiting Trojans took a 3-point lead into the fourth period of this battle between Section 1-4A boys basketball stalwarts.

Max Rottmann drained a pair of treys early in the fourth, triggering a 13-2 Trojan run and keying a 75-66 North Catholic victory.

“This game was back and forth for the longest time,” Trojan coach Dave DeGregorio said. “Max hit those three's and we finally had a lead we could work with.

“Both teams played hard. This was a good basketball game, a fun basketball game.”

Rottmann's treys gave North Catholic (3-1, 2-0) a 60-51 lead with 6:57 to play. An Owen DeGregorio layup off a fast-break extended the margin to 67-53 with five minutes to go.

But Knoch — playing in its home opener — wouldn't go away.

“We learned something about ourselves tonight as team,” first-year Knights coach Alan Bauman said. “That's what happens when you play good competition.”

Trailing 71-58 with four minutes left, Knoch (1-2, 1-1) went on an 8-0 run. Ryan Lang scored on a pair of layups. Keagan Fraser converted one in transition. Zach McMillen powered his way to the bucket for a layup of his own.

With 1:40 left, North Catholic's lead was shaved to 71-66.

“We had some guys in foul trouble and we were missing a (point guard) tonight,” DeGregorio said. “But we play a lot of kids and that made a big difference.”

Knoch never scored again. Isaiah Jackson sank a pair of free throws and Rottmann canned a pair with 33.8 seconds left to ice the win.

“They made two more plays than we did,” Bauman said. “There were a couple of loose balls we failed to get and they turned them into 3-point field goals.

“When you're playing a team that can shoot like they can, give them second and third shots and they're gonna burn ya.”

The Trojans sank 13 treys on the night. Rottmann led the team with 22 points and hit six treys. Fellow guard Isaiah Jackson scored 14 points and sank four treys.

Andrew Ammerman, a 6-foot-7 center, contributed 15 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots for the Trojans despite playing in foul trouble.

Lang led all scorers with 34 points, adding seven rebounds and four assists to his night for Knoch. Tyler Buterbaugh had six rebounds and five assists, but no other Knight reached double figures. Zach McMillen scored eight points.

“We're in the playoffs, so it's just a matter of taking our time and figuring ourselves out,” Bauman said. “We've played Mars and North Catholic already and we've got Butler on Saturday.

“You learn what you've got in a hurry when you play teams like that.”

North Catholic takes a three-game winning streak into Friday night's home game with Freeport.

“I thought we answered the challenge tonight,” DeGregorio said. “We forced some turnovers and capitalized on them. It's a long season yet. It's all about getting better.

“This was a step forward for us.”

NORTH CATHOLIC 75Owen DeGregorio 1-5 0-0 2, Isaiah Jackson 4-10 2-4 124, Max Rottmann 7-14 2-2 22, Matt Gregor 1-2 2-2 4, Andrew Ammerman 5-10 5-6 15, Kyle Tipinski 33-6 0-2 6, Tommy Mollenda 1-1 0-1 3, Andrew Maddalon 3-10 1-2 9. Totals: 25-60 12-16 75.

KNOCH 66Keagan Fraser 2-4 4-4 8, Blaze Voltz 1-7 0-0 3, Ryan Lang 11-17 10-13 34, Tyler Buterbaugh 1-6 2-2 4, Zach McMillen 4-6 0-0 8, JJ Szebalskie 2-3 0-2 5, Jake Murphy 2-3 0-1 4. Totals: 23-46 16-20 66.North Catholic 17 19 18 21 — 75Knoch18 18 15 15 — 663-point goals: Jackson 4, Rottmann 6, Mollenda, Maddalon 2; Voltz, Lang 2, SzebalskieJV: North Catholc, 67-25 (NC: Tyler Cannon 11, K: Lleyton King 7Friday: Freeport at North CatholicSaturday: Butler at Knoch