WEXFORD — One by one, members of the Knoch boys basketball team sullenly dragged themselves off the court.

It was an uncommon sight for a team that went 19-3 during the regular season. It was foreign to them.

Like losing.

The Knights didn't look at all like themselves, either, during the game against New Castle in the WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals.

Knoch was very un-Knoch-like Saturday afternoon.

The Knights missed layups — and most detrimentally free throws — at the most inopportune times in a 56-50 loss to New Castle in their personal house of horrors, North Allegheny.

Knoch was just 9-of-18 from the free throw line. — 2-of-7 in a tight fourth quarter. That's well below the Knights' 78-percent clip this season.

“We've been very good from the free throw line all year,” said Knoch coach Ron McNabb. “For us to do what we did (Saturday) was very uncharacteristic.

“I thought we missed some layups,” McNabb said, shrugging. “Layups and free throws.”

Things looked good early for Knoch in a gym where it was just 1-6 all-time, the last victory coming more than 40 years ago. The Knights made their first five shots and led 12-5.

But a young and scrappy New Castle team wasn't going to fold so easily.

The Red Hurricane stormed back to lead 29-24 at the half. New Castle extended that lead to 11 at one point midway through the third quarter.

Knoch, though, wasn't going to fold so easily, either.

After he was held to just two points in the first half, Scott Fraser got hot for Knoch, keying a run that gave the Knights the lead back in the fourth quarter.

“I was thrilled,” McNabb said of his team's comeback. “I thought our kids left everything they had on the court.”

Fraser finished with a team-leading 17 for Knoch. Jake Schiedt, who played most of the game in foul trouble, added 14 and had the tough task of bringing the ball up the court against New Castle's pressure.

The Red Hurricane showed little signs of the pressure they were under.

New Castle overcame an ice-cold shooting effort from 3-point range in the second half. The Canes missed 13 straight from beyond the arc at one point and were 6-of-34 in the game.

Knoch took just 35 shots all game.

“We like our guys to have a free mind when they're playing offense,” said New Castle coach Ralph Blundo. “That's our philosophy. We let them play. They're young and they give me gray hair and make me crazy sometimes, but I'm really proud of them. They were special for us.”

Michael Wells and Sheldon Cox each scored 19 points for the Red Hurricane.

But perhaps the two most important points came from Michael Graham at the foul line.

The sophomore point guard drained both free throws with 30 seconds remaining to give New Castle a five-point lead and some breathing room in the final minute.

“He's a kid who is not afraid of the moment,” Blundo said. “I'm not surprised he made them.”

McNabb was surprised his team didn't make theirs.

The struggles send Knoch home with a very uncertain future.

The Knights need New Castle to win the WPIAL to get pulled back into the PIAA playoffs.

If not, Knoch will have a long offseason of wondering what might have been.

The Knights will practice just in case and try to deal with the very uncomfortable limbo they are in.

“Same thing as last year. It's terrible,” McNabb said. “We don't like that. We did the same thing last year with Quaker Valley. We'll become New Castle's biggest fans.

“These kids are hurting, but they had a great season. Hopefully it's not over for us.”

NEW CASTLE 56

Michael Graham 0-3 3-4 3, Michael Wells 9-25 1-1 19, Isiah Boice 5-12 0-0 12, Sheldon Cox 7-17 2-4 19, Isiah Carter 0-2 0-0 0, Jonathon Anderson 1-2 0-0 3, Donny Cade 0-4 0-0 0. Totals: 22-65 6-9 56.

KNOCH 50

Scott Fraser 7-12 1-1 17, Jared Schrecengost 1-3 0-3 2, Ryan Lang 4-9 0-0 9, Brady McKee 2-5 4-10 8, Jake Schiedt 4-6 4-4 14, Adam Bajuszik 0-0 0-0 0, Zach McMillen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 18-35 9-18 50.

New Castle 10 19 12 15 — 56

Knoch15 9 14 12 — 50

3-point goals: New Castle 6 (Boice 2, Cox 3, Anderson); Knoch 5 (Fraser 2, Lang, Schiedt 2)