WEXFORD — Tyler Pepin sank a jumper and Seneca Valley trailed by nine points with 7:20 remaining in the game.

The Raiders were hanging around against Hampton, one of the best basketball teams in the entire WPIAL.

Then the Class 4A Talbots demonstrated why they are so highly regarded, going on a 14-2 run to put away a 63-44 victory Saturday as part of the six-game Bash With the Bronx basketball event at North Allegheny. SV’s girls dropped a 42-32 decision to Hampton earlier in the day.

“They can play very deliberate when they have the lead,” SV boys coach Kevin Trost said. “They force you to extend defensively and they have the guards and big men to attack that.”

Folllowing Pepin’s jumper, Hampton (20-2) scored on a short jumper by Robert Coll, a pair of layups by Liam Mignogna, and layups by Jaden McMeekin and Eric Weeks. Those buckets landed the Talbots a 56-37 lead with 2:48 to play and sealed the victory.

The win was Hampton’s 14th in a row. The Talbots’ average winning margin during that streak is 23 points.

Both teams closed the regular season and will await their respective WPIAL playoff seedings and opponents Monday.

“I’m proud of these guys,” Hampton coach Joe Lafko said of his team. “We’ve dealt with adversity all season. It’s been sickness, mainly. We’ve had guys in and out of the lineup for games, for practices ... This group just keeps on going.”

Hampton’s biggest trigger in the second half was the 6-foot-9 post player Mignogna. He did not attempt a field goal in the first half and was held scoreless. He spent portions of that half on the bench.

“You have to match physicality when you play Seneca Valley and I didn’t think Liam was doing that early in this game,” Lafko said. “He came out in the second half and answered that challenge.”

Mignogna scored 13 of his team’s 17 points in the third quarter. He wound up with 19 points and five rebounds. Weeks had 14 points, Peter Cramer 11 points and three assists, point guard Brennan Murray 10 assists for Hampton.

“Murray does a great job running their offense,” Trost said.

Lafko had no argument there.

“Brennan’s assist-to-turnover ratio is incredible this year,” Hampton’s coach said. “He runs the show for us.”

Hampton had only five turnovers on Saturday.

Luke Lawson led the Raiders with 19 points, but no other Seneca Valley player reached double figures. Andrew Roy had eight points and six rebounds, Connor Oros seven points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals.

The Raiders enter the Class 6A playoffs with a 9-12 record. They dropped a 65-60 decision to New Castle on Friday and have seven losses by six points or fewer.

“This game and a 12-point loss to Central Catholic are the only two games we’ve lost by double figures,” Trost said. “I told our kids I believe we’re the best 9-12 basketball team in the country.

“We play a physical style and that’s the type pf basketball played in the WPIAL playoffs. I believe we’re built for the playoffs and are capable of going on a nice run there. We had trouble getting our legs today after that New Castle game the night before, but now we can rest up a little bit.”

Lafko said he thinks Hampton will be seeded among the top four or five teams in Class 4A.

“It’s hard to say,” he admitted. “Class 4A is loaded this year. There’s a lot of good teams, but I believe we’re right there with them.”

SENECA VALLEY 44

Aiden Lyczek 1-1 0-0 2, Andrew Roy 2-9 4-6 8, Connor Oros 3-9 0-0 7, Jackson Wetzel 0-1 0-0 0, Luke Lawson 8-13 1-3 19, Esheza Okponobi 0-0 0-0 0, Tyler Pepin 2-7 0-0 5, Kai West 1-6 0-0 3, Andrew Omasits 0-0 0-0 0, Adam Gehm 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 17-44 5-9 44.

HAMPTON 63

Brennan Murray 1-5 0-0 3, Robert Coll 4-8 1-2 9, A.J. Prodente 0-0 0-0 0, Jaden McMeekin 1-2 0-0 2, Braxton Eastly 1-4 1-1 3, Liam Mignogna 8-9 3-3 19, Eric Weeks 6-15 0-0 14, Brock Borgo 0-2 2-2, Peter Cramer 4-8 0-0 11. Totals: 25-53 7-8 63.

Seneca Valley 12 11 12 9 — 44

Hampton 19 10 17 17 — 63

3-point goals: Seneca Valley 5 (Oros, Lawson 2, Pepin, West), Hampton 6 (Murray, Weeks 2, Cramer 3)