Scotties fall to Beaver Falls despite Comforti’s 33 points
MT. LEBANON 鈥� Southmoreland had its chances early on against Beaver Falls on Friday but the Scotties were unable to capitalize, and the Tigers eventually caught fire and went on to a 70-59 WPIAL Class AAA first-round boys basketball playoff win at Mt. Lebanon High School.
Beaver Falls (14-7) missed shot after shot and turned the ball over several times in the first quarter, but still was able to pull out to a 10-5 lead.
The game蘑菇视频 only tie was at 2-2 after an opening basket by the Tigers鈥� Noah Vaughn, and two free throws by the Scotties鈥� Riley Comforti.
The Tigers built a 5-2 lead before Comforti蘑菇视频 rebound basket cut the lead to 5-4. But the Scotties would get no closer than three points the rest of the night.
Michael Conley蘑菇视频 free throw made it 11-5 at the outset of the second quarter, but Zach Cernuto drove to score and sank a free throw to cut the lead to 11-8.
A rebound basket by Kal Hauser, and five straight points by Conley built the Tigers鈥� lead to 18-8 before Brandon Peterson scored for the Scotties.
After the lead reached 28-16, Southmoreland (11-12) put together an eight-point run as Zane Montgomery sank a 3-point basket and Comforti made two free throws cut the advantage to 28-21 at halftime, and Comforti opened the second half with a three-point play to cut the lead to 28-24.
The Scotties cut the lead to four twice more in the quarter on a pair of baskets by Montgomery at 30-26 and 32-28.
Minutes later, Cernuto蘑菇视频 free throw cut the margin to 36-29 with 3:59 left in the quarter.
But Peterson drew his fourth foul a few seconds later, and the Tigers began to dominate and the boards in going on a 15-6 run that widened the lead to 51-35 after three quarters.
The teams traded points for most of the fourth quarter, with Comforti scoring 16 of his game-high 33 points, and the Scotties closed with a 12-6 run that sliced a 64-47 lead down to 11.
Southmoreland coach Frank Muccino agreed that the Tigers鈥� board domination was one of the keys to the outcome.
鈥淲e missed a bunch of (early) layups, and we knew that if we couldn鈥檛 hold our own on the boards, we would have a tough night. Once Brandon went out (with four fouls), the lead went from seven to around 20,鈥� Muccino said.
鈥淎s the game went on they wore us out, especially up front with their big guys. We played hard to the end, and we lost to a good basketball team.鈥�
He praised the team蘑菇视频 resolve during the regular season.
鈥淚t would have been real easy when we were 2-10 to pack it in and call it a lost season,鈥� Muccino said. 鈥淏ut we won nine out of 11 games, counting this loss.鈥�
Montgomery was next behind Comforti in scoring, just missing double figures with nine points. Vaughn led Beaver Falls with 23 points, Conley added 12, and Hauser scored 11.