CHERRY TWP — The Moniteau boys basketball team would like to end 2006 with a string of victories.

Thursday night was a good start.

The Warriors opened the third quarter with an 11-0 run to break a 23-all tie and finished strong in a 63-54 home victory over Cranberry.

Moniteau (3-4, 3-2) has not won consecutive games this season.

"We've lost some close games in which we've taken too many outside shots late in the game," said Warriors' coach Randy Armagost. "I'd like to see our guys go inside more and get to the free throw line. I'd like to shoot 25 free throws a game."

Moniteau eclipsed that goal against the Berries, making 11 of 15 free throws in the fourth quarter alone. For the game, the Warriors were 22-of-34 for 65 percent.

"I'd like to be shooting better than that from the line," added Armagost. "But I'm not going to complain because we've been under 50 percent for most of the season."

The Warriors' run to open the third quarter was due in part to Cranberry's inability to make a shot from the field.

The Berries missed their first eight field goal attempts of the second half, tallying just four free throws in the first 6:47 of the third quarter.

But the team caught fire late in the period, and, when junior forward Kelly O'Neil sank a two-pointer with 4:12 left in the game, the score was tied at 45.

"We were able to create a few turnovers, and that led to some drives and buckets from our inside guys," said Cranberry coach Jim Speth.

"In the end, though, we had too many turnovers at inopportune times," Speth added.

Six of the Berries' 22 turnovers came in the fourth quarter.

Sophomore point guard Tyler Armagost put Moniteau up for good with a 3-pointer with 3:55 left, making the score 48-45.

Nick Morrow followed with a trifecta of his own at 3:21 for a 51-47 lead.

The Warriors put the game on ice at the free throw line shortly after that.

Moniteau trailed for much of the first half before pulling even with the Berries by intermission.

"The difference in the second half for us was we decided to let Tyler penetrate and then dish it off to the open guy," said Armagost. "And we ended up getting much better looks that way.

"That's what we want to do: play a half court offense, slow it down and take the ball inside. We've got some good front-court players in Josh Loos and Matt Buczkowski."

Senior guard Nick Morrow led the Warriors with 17 points, Armagost scored 14 and Buczkowski added 10.

O'Neil led Cranberry (4-3, 3-2) with 14 points.

CRANBERRY 54Justin Irwin 5 0-0 12, Nick Adams 2 2-2 6, Chase Mitchell 3 2-2 9, Nick Persing 3 0-0 8, Kelly O'Neil 6 2-4 14, Eric Clark 1 0-0 3, Joe Petkavich 0 2-4 2, Ryan Buckholtz 0 0-1 0. Totals: 20 8-13 54.

MONITEAU 63Tyler Armagost 2 9-13 14, Adam Cousins 2 0-0 4, Nick Morrow 5 5-6 17, Josh Loos 3 3-6 9, Matt Buczkowski 3 4-7 10, Josh Howland 4 1-2 9, Aaron Randall 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 19 22-34 63.

Cranberry 10 13 11 20—54Moniteau 9 14 16 24—633-point goals: Cranberry 6 (Irwin 2, Persing 2, Clark, Mitchell); Moniteau 3 (Morrow 2, Armagost).

JV: Cranberry 33-24

Wednesday: Moniteau vs. New Brighton at Penn State-Beaver Tournament, 4:30 p.m.