Butler does it: Underdog Ringgold holds off Ambridge
Luke Campbell
Ringgold蘑菇视频 Luke Wyvratt pump fakes on a layup as a pair of Ambridge defenders soar over the top for the block in the first half of Wednesday蘑菇视频 WPIAL Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Peters Twp. High School.
Luke Campbell
Ringgold蘑菇视频 Demetrius Butler flexes after making a layup and getting fouled in the second half of Wednesday蘑菇视频 WPIAL Class AAAA first-round playoff game against Ambridge at Peters Township High School.
Luke Campbell
Ringgold蘑菇视频 Demetrius Butler (right) gets ready to high-five teammate Chris Peccon as the Rams鈥� student section cheers after a 3-pointer in the first half of Wednesday蘑菇视频 WPIAL Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Peters Twp. High School.
Luke Campbell
Ringgold蘑菇视频 Demetrius Butler watches his layup in the first half of Wednesday蘑菇视频 WPIAL Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Peters Twp. High School.
McMURRAY 鈥� Phil Pergola was dizzy. Eric Astorino was speechless.
The two coaches leaving the locker rooms 鈥� Pergola the longtime coach at Ringgold and Astorino the interim coach at Ambridge 鈥� didn鈥檛 hide their emotions. Their reactions couldn鈥檛 have mirrored their teams any more perfectly.
Oversized by the towering Bridgers at nearly every position, Ringgold embraced the underdog role in a 73-62 victory over Ambridge in a WPIAL Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Peters Twp. High School Wednesday night.
Luke Wyvratt made a layup and went chest to chest with Ambridge big man Enire Bowens, who stood at 6-8. Demetrius Butler went hard to the lane in the second half and flexed after a layup and foul.
There was no backing down for the Rams.
鈥淚鈥檝e coached a lot of games,鈥� Pergola said. 鈥淭hat蘑菇视频 one of the biggest wins we鈥檝e ever had, considering the circumstances. As big as they are. That蘑菇视频 a tremendous team victory.鈥�
The win sends Ringgold (14-9) into a quarterfinal game against top-seeded Highlands at noon Saturday at North Hills.
The finale turned out much closer, going down to the wire after a second-half comeback by Ambridge (11-9).
Trailing 33-24 at halftime, the Bridgers fell behind by as many as 16 points, 40-24, when Butler made a pair of free throws with 5:54 left in the third quarter. The Ringgold lead slowly began to narrow down the stretch. The Rams led by four twice and had their once double-digit lead shrink all the way to 62-60 when Bowens asserted his will in the paint for a layup to finish an 8-2 run with 2:46 left in regulation.
That蘑菇视频 when Butler and Ringgold stiffened, never surrendering the lead with a dominating performance at the foul line. The Rams went 9-for-10 from the free throw line in the final two minutes. Led by Butler, Ringgold made 30 of its 35 foul shots, including a 15-for-16 night from the junior who finished with a game-high 24 points.
鈥淚鈥檝e never had a game like that,鈥� a wide-eyed Butler said. 鈥淚 just blocked everything out. I found my stroke and just went with it.
鈥淲e definitely were the underdog,鈥� Butler continued. 鈥淭here was a huge size differential, they had guys standing 6-6, 6-7 and 6-8, or whatever they were. We knew what we had to do. We came out and punched them in the mouth and kept it going.鈥�
Wyvratt also scored in double figures for Ringgold, battling amongst the trees down low to finish with 17 points.
In addition to Bowens, the Bridgers had 6-7 forward Liam Buck and 6-6 guard Isaiah Thomas. The tallest player on the floor for Ringgold was Wyvratt at 6-4.
鈥�(Our players) weren鈥檛 intimidated,鈥� Pergola said. 鈥淭hey watched a lot of film. They were ready to go. They believed going in that we could battle, but that team is much bigger in person than they were on film.鈥�
Astorino had no comment after the game.
Ringgold contained the size of Ambridge, limiting Buck to 13 points and Bowens to just 12. Thomas scored 17 to lead to Bridgers, who were immediately stunned by Ringgold and fell behind 11-2 in the first four minutes.
鈥淭he last few games we鈥檝e been telling them that every team is going to have a couple runs,鈥� Pergola said. 鈥淭he first one is the most important. That蘑菇视频 what won us the game.鈥�