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CONNOLLY NAMED TO PG NORTH FABULOUS FIVE, SECTION ALL-STAR TEAMS

Senior guard Ted Connolly received post-season honors in two categories.  The NA senior was named to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette PG North Fabulous Five as selected by the Post Gazette scholastic sports staff.  Connolly was also selected to the WPIAL Class AAAA Section 3 All-Star team as chosen by the section coaches.

CONGRATULATIONS, TED!!!!!

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
PG NORTH FABULOUS FIVE

WPIAL CLASS AAAA
SECTION 3 ALL-STARS

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LATE NORWIN RALLY KNOCKS TIGERS
FROM WPIAL PLAYOFFS, 60-59

To listen to a replay of the game, click here!

After leading for most of the game, the Tigers saw Norwin rally in the fourth quarter to edge the Tigers, 60-59, in the WPIAL Quarterfinals at Plum High School on Friday night.  NA had several shots in the last few seconds but could not convert.  Junior Stephane Batton led the Tigers with 16 points while junior Jeff Haus added 13. 

Senior Nick D'Orazio gave Norwin the early 2-0 lead with a layup just 15 seconds into the contest.  After junior Damian Founds tied the game at 2-2 with a pair of foul shots, Shanahan hit two from the line to put Norwin up, 4-2.  Founds drove the lane and score to tie the game at 4-4, and a free throw by senior Ted Connolly gave NA its first lead of the game at 5-4.  Senior Tyler Urban, Norwin's 6-5 center, put back a rebound to make it 6-5 with 4:50 remaining in the first quarter.  It would be the last Norwin lead until the fourth quarter.  Haus hit a layup and senior Jeff Finke a short banker to push the Tigers ahead, 9-6.  After Finke scored again, Haus dropped in a baseline shot to push the margin to 13-6 with 2:45 remaining.  Junior Nick Dvorsky added a trey to give the Tigers their first double-digit lead at 16-6.  After Alex Dennison scored for the Knights, Connolly made one of two from the line as the Tigers took a 17-8 lead after one quarter.

Haus extended the NA lead to 20-8 with a trey from the corner fifteen seconds into the second quarter.  After Urban answered, Batton scored from under the hoop to make it 22-10.  Batton scored again to push the margin to 24-10 before the Knights rallied to score the next six points.  A foul shot by Shanahan, a hoop and a foul shot by Adam Dominick, and a field goal by Shanahan cut the NA lead to 24-16 with 4:10 remaining.  Connolly came back to make one of two from the line, but Dominick scored again to cut the lead to 25-18.  After Connolly again hit one of two from the stripe, Dennison scored to cut the lead to 26-20 with 3:31 on the first half clock.  The Tigers came back on a drive by senior Steve Kirsch and a hoop by Haus to restore the ten-point lead at 30-20.  Two free throws by Shanahan and a free throw by Dominick cut the lead to seven.  Haus hit two from the line with 38 seconds remaining as the Tigers took a 32-23 advantage to the intermission.  In the first half, the Tiger bench outscored Norwin, 16-4.  NA scored 18 in the paint to 12 for the Knights, and the Tigers scored 11 points on 13 Norwin turnovers.

Early in the third quarter, the Tigers extended the lead.  After Finke made two foul shots, Urban scored to make it 34-25.  Batton got loose under the basket for a hoop and Finke drained a trey to push the NA lead to 39-25 with 6:31 remaining.  Norwin came back to score the next five points on three free throws and a basket by Dominick to cut the lead to 39-30.  Kirsch answred and Batton added another basket from down low to push the lead to 43-30 with 4:17 remaining.  The Knights scored the next six points on baskets by Urban, D'Orazio and Dominick to cut the margin to 43-36.  Senior Dan Kusnyer answered with a long triple to make it 46-36 with 1:55 left.  The Knights rallied, however, to outscore NA, 11-4, to cut the lead to three at the end of the quarter.  After Dennison put back a rebound, Batton hit a short banker to keep the lead at ten with 1:03 left.  Triples by Chris Metheny, his only basket of the game, and Shanahan cut the lead to 48-44 with 28.1 on the clock.  Batton's basket made it 50-44, but Shanahan drained a trey from the left side as time was running out to cut the Tiger lead to 50-47 after three quarters.

Scoring was minimal in the fourth quarter as each team worked for good shots.  The Tigers missed the front end of three one-and-ones before D'Orazio made a fould shot and Urban worked free for a layup to tie the game at 50-50 with 6:21 on the fourth quarter clock.  Two free throws by Batton gave NA a two-point lead, but Urban tied the game again with a strong move under the basket.  Two foul shots by Founds gave NA a 54-52 lead with 4:29 remaining.  One of two from the line by Haus and two more free throws by Finke pushed the NA lead to 57-52 with 3:48 left.  Norwin would not be denied, however, and came back to score the next eight points.  D'Orazio hit a short jumper and Urban scored again to cut the lead to 57-56 with 2:18 remaining.  After an NA miss, Shanahan gave Norwin the lead at 58-57 with 2:08 left.  After another NA miss, D'Orazio drove down the middle and scored to push the lead to 60-57 with 1:40 on the clock.  The Tigers came back as Batton scored to cut the margin to 60-59 with 1:18 still remaining.  Norwin held the ball until 41 seconds were left and called a time out.  After the time out, the Tigers triple teamed Shanahan and Haus picked off an errant pass.  NA called time out with 21 seconds left.  The Tigers were unable to get a good look and Connolly shot a long three-pointer that missed.  Haus pulled down the long rebound in traffic, but his put back attempt fell short as time ran out.  The Knights had gained revenge for the earlier loss to NA with a 60-59 victory that sent them to the semifinals.

The statistics were revealing.  While NA shot 42.2% (19-45) from the field, the Tigers were only four for 17 (23.5%) from beyond the arc.  In addition, NA made only 17 of 29 free throws (58.6%) for the game.  Norwin short 23 of 52 (44.2%) from the field, but only 3 of 18 (16.7%) from three-point range.  The Knights made 11 of 21 (52.4%) from the line.  The Tigers forced 24 Norwin turnovers but scored only 17 points from the advantage.  NA turned the ball over 21 times.  The Tiger bench outscored the Knights, 21-9.  For his efforts, particularly in the second half, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Stephane Batton as the Player of the Game.

With Norwin's loss to Moon in the WPIAL semifinals, the Tiger season has come to an end.  The Tigers finished with a final record of 23-3 on the season.  The number of wins tied the 1992 team for the most in NA history.  The percentage of .885 is the highest in NA basketball history!

TOP NA BASKETBALL RECORDS

CONGRATULATIONS TO COACH DE GREGORIO FOR A GREAT SEASON!!

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORWIN - 60  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 59

WPIAL QUAD A BOYS' TOURNAMENT

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TIGERS ROLL OVER GATEWAY, 81-55

To listen to a replay of the game, click here!

The Tigers opened an early 21-8 lead and never looked back as they crushed Gateway, 81-55, in the opening round of the WPIAL Playoffs at Fox Chapel on Friday.  Four Tigers hit double figures led by junior Nick Dvorsky with 16.  Senior Ted Connolly added 14, senior Jeff Finke 13, and senior Dan Kusnyer 10 as the Tigers advanced to the quarterfinals.

The Tigers jumped off to a 7-0 lead at the outset with Connolly driving the lane for the first basket of the game just 17 seconds into the contest.  Kusnyer added a trey from the left side and Connolly stole the ball and scored on a layup during the early run.  After Devon Cottrell scored from under the hoop for the Gators, Dvorsky hit the first of four triples to push the lead to 10-2.  Brian Williams drove for a basket, but Dvorsky drained another trey to push the margin to 13-4 with 4:30 left in the quarter.  Cottrell worked for another hoop under the basket, but Kusnyer dropped in a triple from the right side to make it 16-6.  Two foul shots by Cottrell cut the lead to eight, but Kusnyer hit his third trey of the quarter, and junior Jeff Haus added a field goal as the lead went to 21-8.  The Gators closed out the quarter with baskets by Joe Kromka and Williams but NA took a 21-12 lead into the second quarter.

In the second quarter, Connolly drove the lane for a hoop to start the scoring, and a steal by senior Steve Kirsch led to another layup by Connolly as the lead went to 25-12.   Gateway came back to score six straight points on baskets by Williams and Cottrell along with a pair of foul shots by Joe Kromka to make it a 25-18 game.  Two foul shots by Connolly and one of two from the line by both Finke and Kusnyer pushed the lead to 29-18.  Joe Kromka put back a rebound, but junior Damian Founds stole the ball and scored on an easy layup to make it 31-20.  Joe Kromka answered with a three, but the Tigers would not be denied.  Triples by Finke and Dvorsky extended the lead to 37-23 with 1:00 left before the intermission.  Two foul shots by Haus and a hoop by Mike Kromka finished the first half scoring as the Tigers took a 39-25 lead at halftime.

The third quarter belonged to the Tigers as they held Gateway to just six points.  Finke drained another trey early in the quarter, junior Stephane Batton scored on a layup, and Connolly drove for another hoop as the Tigers opened a 48-25 advantage.  After Cottrell broke the 9-0 run with a short banker, Dvorsky dropped in his fourth triple of the game to make it 51-27.  Cottrell hit one of two from the line, but Finke was open for yet another triple and Founds made one of two from the stripe as the score ballooned to 55-29 with 1:49 left in the quarter.  Kusnyer and Williams exchanged putbacks as the third quarter ended with the Tigers holding a commanding 57-31 lead.

The teams played on even terms in the fourth quarter as NA Coach Dave DeGregorio used his entire bench in the game.  Batton opened the fourth quarter scoring, and Mike Kromka answered to make it 59-33.  Haus added a hoop before Williams came back with another drive.  Baskets by Dvorsky and Connolly on a drive gave NA a thirty-point lead at 65-35 with 4:30 left in the game.  A triple by Finke was answered by hoops by Cottrell and two foul shots by Joe Kromka as the score went to 68-39.  Founds then drained his first triple of the game before a basket by Anthony Keel and two foul shots by Cottrell made it 71-43 with 3:22 left.  Senior Geoff Greco scored from under the basket before Robbie Kalkstein hit a triple for the Gators.  Cottrell scored again, but Dvorsky dropped in a putback to push the score to 75-48.  Williams drove for a Gator hoop, but junior Jordan Baierl hit a triple from the corner.  Junior guard Jeff Dassner followed with another trey from the left corner to extend the lead to 81-50.  Gateway scored the last five points of the game, but the Tigers went home with the impressive 81-55 victory.

The Tigers dominated statistically.  NA made 30 of 67 from the floor (44.8%) including 14 for 32 from behind the arc (43.8%).  From the line, NA was only 7 for 12 (58.3%).  Gateway hit on 21 of 50 (42.0%) but were just 3 of 18 (16.7%) from three-point land.  The Gators made 9 of 18 free throws for 50.0%.  A key to the game was the NA defense that forced 28 Gator turnovers good for 27 NA points.  The Tiger bench outscored Gateway, 32-25.  Individually, Connolly and Haus led in rebounds with six each while Founds recorded seven steals.  For his efforts, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Nick Dvorsky as the Player of the Game.

With the win, NA will move on to quarterfinal play against Norwin, a 64-56 victor over Butler last night.  The Tigers edged Norwin, 70-63, in overtime in an earlier meeting at NA.  The game will be played on Friday night at Plum High School.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 7:45 pm.  Game time is scheduled for 8:00 pm.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 81  GATEWAY - 55

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TIGER RALLY BEATS ALTOONA, 57-52

To listen to a replay of the game, click here!

Junior Jeff Haus scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Tigers to a 57-52 come from behind victory over Altoona at the Senior High gym on Monday night.  The Mountain Lions had taken a 43-35 lead after three quarters.  Haus led NA with 17 points with senior Dan Kusnyer adding 14 and junior Damian Founds 13 as the Tigers ended a nine-game Altoona winning streak.

The Tigers jumped off to an early 9-3 lead thanks to some long distance shooting.  Founds hit a trey to open a 3-0 lead, but 6-5 junior Anthony Lytle answered with a conventional three-point play to tie the score.  Kusnyer followed with another long trey and Found drove for a basket and added a foul shot to give NA the six-point advantage with 5:37 remaining.  Baskets by Lytle and junior point guard Alex Raymond cut the margin to 9-7, but senior Jeff Finke answered with a triple to make it a 12-7 game.  After an Altoona steal and Lytle dunk, Haus  drained a trey and Founds drove for another hoop to push the margin to 17-9.  Altoona came back on a short jumper by Lytle and a coast to coast drive by Raymond to cut the lead to 17-15 with 1:07 left.  Raymond hit another short jumper to cut the margin to two.  6-7 senior forward Matt Gehrit scored from under the basket with just four seconds left to tie the game at 17-17 as the quarter ended.

The quick pace continued in the second quarter.  Matt Gehrit dropped in a pair of foul shots to give Altoona their first lead, 19-17, just 31 seconds into the stanza.  Lytle extended the lead to four before Kusnyer hit a jumper from the foul line.  After junior Stephane Batton scored on an NA out of bounds play, two foul shots by Raymond pushed the lead back to four, but Founds drove the lane to score and cut the margin to 23-21.  A steal and layup by Founds tied the game, but Brady Gehret came off the Altoona bench to score a layup to regain the lead at 25-23.  After Kusnyer made one of two from the line, Finke drained his second trey of the game to give the Tigers a 27-25 advantage with 1:39 left in the half.  A foul shot by Raymond and a jumper by Caleb Angle put the Mountain Lions back ahead, 29-27, before Kusnyer tied the game with 30.6 left on the first half clock.  Luke Colledge hit a jumper from the corner to give Altoona a 31-29 lead at the intermission.

Altoona slowed the pace in the third quarter and extended the lead.  The Mountain Lions scored the first six points of the period on a basket by Lytle and two by Matt Gehret as the lead went to 37-29.  After Kusnyer hit a jumper, Jarryd Burkett answered from the left corner and Lytle got loose under the basket to push the margin to ten at 41-31.  Another hoop by Burkett gave the Mountain Lions their biggest lead of the game at 43-31 with 3:29 remaining in the quarter.  The Tigers regrouped, however, on baskets by Finke and junior Nick Dvorsky to cut the margin to 43-35 as the third quarter ended.

The fourth quarter belonged to the Tigers.  A three-point play by Haus and a triple by Kusnyer cut the lead to two at 43-41 with 6:12 remaining.  After Raymond answered with a jump shot, Haus scored again to keep the deficit at two.  Lytle dropped in one of two from the line, but a basket by Haus and a foul shot by Founds tied the game at 46-46 with 4:12 left.  After Lytle put Altoona back on top with a short banker, Kusnyer hit his second triple of the quarter to give the Tigers a 49-48 advantage.  Haus then drove to the hoop and was fouled hard.  The Tiger junior had to come out of the game briefly and Batton made a foul shot in his place to push the margin to 52-48.  A basket by Matt Gehret cut the lead to two, but the Tigers would not be denied down the stretch.  Haus came back into the game and scored to make it a 54-50 contest with 1:43 remaining.  Angle made one of two from the line to cut the lead to three.  After the Tigers were unsuccessful on four foul shots, Haus stepped to the line and made a pair with 1:11 left to push the lead to 56-51.  Raymond dropped in one of two from the line with 32.1 left, but Haus came back to make one of two with 3.3 on the clock.  The Tiger rally was successful as NA defeated Altoona by a 57-52 final score.

The Tigers made 21 of 61 from the floor (34.4%) but only seven of 28 from beyond the arc (25.0%).  From the line, NA was 8 for 15 (53.3%), but down the stretch made only four of ten.  Altoona hit on 21 of 47 (44.7%) from the field but missed all 14 three-point shots.  From the foul line, the Mountain Lions were 10 of 16 (62.5%).  With their height advantage, Altoona outscored NA, 30-26, in the paint.  The Tigers forced 17 turnovers good for 11 points.  As usual, the NA bench outscored their opponents, this time by a 17-5 margin.  For his efforts with the game on the line in the fourth quarter, the North Allegheny Sports Network once again selected Jeff Haus as the Player of the Game.

With the win, the Tigers completed the regular season with a record of 22-2.  The WPIAL pairings committee is meeting tonight to announce the matchups for the Quad A tournament.  We will post the information on the website as soon as possible.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 57  ALTOONA - 52

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TIGERS OUTLAST NORTH HILLS, 53-42

To listen to a replay of the game, click here!

A 7-0 run in the fourth quarter erased a 37-36 North Hills lead as the Tigers went on to a 53-42 victory over the rival Indians at the North Hills Junior High gym on Friday night.  Junior Damian Founds led NA with 13 points with senior Jeff Finke adding 12 and junior Jeff Haus eleven for the winning Tigers.

With the crowd at Senior Night cheering them on, the Indians took an early 6-2 lead behind a drive by Greg Sencak and two scores from in close by Dante Anglin.  Founds drove for the first NA basket.  It was Founds again driving and scoring along with converting the foul shot to cut the margin to 6-5 midway through the period.  After Sencak scored again, Haus hit one of two from the stripe with 1:15 remaining.  Haus was able to put back a rebound as time was running out to tie the game.  After one quarter, the score stood at 8-8.

Sencak drove for an early basket in the second quarter to put the Indians up, 12-10.  After junior Nick Dvorsky drove down the middle to tie the score, Anglin regained the lead for the Indians with a short jumper.  Senior Geoff Greco answered with a triple to give the Tigers their first lead of the game at 15-14 with 4:38 left in the half.  R.J. Miller came back with a jumper from behind the foul line as the lead went back to NH.  Finke answered with a long trey to make it 18-16 as NA jumped back on top.  After Finke hit one of two foul shots, Cody Patton drained a trey to tie the game at 19-19 with 1:49 remaining.  With 1:05 left in the half, Haus scored on an out of bounds play and added a foul shot to put NA back ahead, 22-19.  Ryan Nauman hit a jumper from the right side to cut the margin to 22-21 as the half ended.

After Dvorsky gave NA a 24-21 lead seconds into the third quarter, Anglin scored on a put back to cut the lead to one.  The Indians then got Sencak loose on a fast break where he scored and added the foul shot to put NH on top, 26-24.  The Tigers came back to score the next six points.  After junior Stephane Batton hit a layup to tie the game, Dvorksky put back a rebound to give NA a 28-26 advantage.  Another put back, this time by Finke, extended the margin to 30-26 before Miller hit a jumper to cut the lead to two.  Senior Steve Kirsch drove the lane to restore the four-point advantage, but Nauman drained a trey to make it a 32-31 game with 3:30 left in the quarter.  Sencak then tied the game making one of two from the line.  Kirsch again drove the lane and scored to put NA ahead, 34-32, with 2:12 left.  Neither team was able to score again until Founds drove for a hoop with 43 seconds left.  The Tigers took a 36-32 advantage into the final quarter.

With their playoff hopes on the line, the Indians came out strong in the fourth quarter to retake the lead.  A foul shot by Anglin cut the margin to 36-33 before Jeff Mittereder came off the NH bench to hit a jumper and cut the lead to one.  After an NA missed shot, Mittereder hit another jumper to give the Indians a 37-36 lead with 4:52 remaining.  Founds answered quickly with a triple from the left side to put NA back on top for good at 39-37.  Haus took over at this point scoring on a put back of his own shot and then hitting a trey to push the Tiger lead to 46-39 with 2:20 remaining.  NA then slowed the pace of the game forcing NH to foul.  After Patton hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 48-41, the Tigers made seven of ten free throws down the stretch run to secure the victory.  Finke was four for four while Kirsch added two of four and Founds one of two.  North Hills managed only a foul shot by Patton as the Tigers went on to the 53-42 victory.

Statistically, both teams shot well from the floor.  NA made 19 of 47 (40.4%) and four of twelve from beyond the arc (33.3%).  At the foul line, the Tigers converted on 11 of 18 (61.1%).  North Hills hit on 17 of 43 (39.5%) but were only 2 of 12 from three-point range (16.7%).  At the line, NH was 6 of 13 (46.2%).  The Tigers won the game with good defense, forcing 15 turnovers.  The Tiger bench again provided a huge lift outscoring the NH bench, 20-4.  Individually, Batton pulled down 10 rebounds while Founds led with three assists.  For his efforts at both ends of the court and for his key points in the fourth quarter, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Jeff Haus as the Player of the Game.

With the win, the Tigers finished section play with an 11-1 record and the section title.  The sixth consecutive victory improved the overall NA record to 21-2 on the season.  The loss knocked North Hills out of the playoffs.  The Tigers will complete the regular season with a non-section game against Altoona on Monday night at the Senior High gym.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 6:15 pm.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 53  NORTH HILLS - 42

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FOUNDS LEADS TIGERS OVER BUTLER, 63-48

To listen to a replay of the game, click here!

Junior guard Damian Founds scored 15 points and recorded five steals to lead the Tigers to a 63-48 section victory over Butler at the Senior High gym on Tuesday night.  Junior Nick Dvorsky added 13 points, including three triples, and senior Jeff Finke tallied ten for the winning Tigers.

The Tigers jumped off to a quick 7-1 lead when junior Stephane Batton and Founds made steals and converted layups, Founds hit a foul shot and senior Ted Connolly drove for a hoop.  The Tornado came back with a pair of treys by Nick Rossmiller and Cody Fleeger to tie the game at 7-7 with 4:59 remaining in the quarter.  NA scored the next five points on a score by junior Jeff Haus from under the basket and a trey by junior Nick Dvorsky from the right corner.  After Rossmiller scored for Butler, senior Dan Kusnyer rattled in a long triple to push the margin to 15-9 with 58 seconds left.  Senior Steve Kirsch drilled another trey to extend the lead to 18-9 before Jeff Slater drove for a basket just before the buzzer sounded.  The Tigers took an 18-11 lead into the second quarter.

Dvorsky started the second quarter scoring with another triple just fifteen seconds into the period.  After Logan Renwick scored for the Tornado, Haus made one of two from the line to make it a 22-13 game.  Six foot six inch Mike Pratkanis made one of two from the line for the Tornado, but Connolly answered with another triple to push the lead to eleven with 5:12 remaining.  Renwick scored again, and Connolly dropped in one of two from the stripe as the score went to 26-16.  After Austin Snodgrass hit a deuce, Kirsch drained his second trey of the game to push the margin to 29-18 with 3:36 remaining in the half.  Butler rallied to score the next eight points.  After Pratkanis scored from under the basket, Snodgrass tossed in a trey to cut the lead to 29-23.  A triple by Pratkanis made it a three-point game with 33 seconds left.  As time was running out, Dvorsky hit his third trey of the game to give the Tigers a 32-26 advantage at the intermission.

Slater brought Butler to within four with a hoop early in the third quarter.  Senior Jeff Finke came back with yet another triple from the top of the key to push the margin to seven at 35-28.  After Fleeger hit on one of two from the line, Founds drove the middle for a layup to extend the lead to eight.  Pratkanis brought the Tornado back to within five at 37-32 with a conventional three-point play.  A basket by Finke and trey by Founds gave NA a ten-point lead at 42-32 with 4:35 remaining in the quarter.  A basket by Fenwick and a triple by Slater cut the lead back to five, but Kusnyer came back with another NA trey to make it a 45-37 game.  Finke scored again, but Pratkanis answered with a putback to cut the margin to 47-39 with 1:13 left.  Dvorsky followed with a hoop, and Founds drove for a basket to push the lead to 51-39 with 14 seconds remaining.  Fleeger scored with time running out, but the Tigers held a 51-41 lead after three quarters of play.

The Tigers scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to take a commanding 57-41 lead.  Founds drove for a hoop and made one of two from the line, and Finke hit his second trey of the game during the run.  After Jeff Tompkins dropped in one of two from the stripe, Dvorsky made it 59-42 with 5:43 remaining.  NA slowed the pace of the game at this point.  Pratkanis came back from under the basket to score, but Kusnyer answered to make it 61-44 with 4:22 left in the game.  A triple by Fleeger and one of two from the line by Ryan Melde cut the margin to 61-48 with 1:15 remaining.  Fittingly, Founds finished the scoring with a pair of free throws as the Tigers took the 63-48 victory.

The Tigers made 23 of 46 shots from the field (50.0%) and 11 of 21 behind the arc (52.4%) in a good shooting performance.  At the line, however, NA was only 6 of 14 (42.9%).  The Tornado hit on 18 of 45 (40.0%) from the field but just 6 of 22 (27.3%) from three-point range.  At the line, Butler was just 6 of 16 (37.5%).  The NA defense forced 22 turnovers resulting in 22 points.  In what has been the usual case this season, the Tiger bench outscored the Tornado, 22-9.  For his efforts, both offensively and defensively, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Damian Founds as the Player of the Game.

With the win, the Tigers improved their section record to 10-1, the overall mark to 20-2 on the season.  NA will close out section play with a trip to North Hills on Friday night to meet the rival Indians.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 7:15 pm.  Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm.

Box Score
Photo Gallery

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 63  BUTLER  - 48

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STRONG SECOND HALF BEATS NEW CASTLE, 61-47,
AS TIGERS CLINCH SECTION TITLE

Box Score

After a 21-21 halftime tie, the Tigers came alive in the third quarter behind senior Jeff Finke's eleven points to go on to a 61-47 victory at New Castle on Friday night.  Senior Steve Kirsch scored 13 points while senior Ted Connolly added 12 as the Tigers clinched the section championship with the victory.

After building a 10-7 lead after one quarter, the 'Canes extended the margin to 21-17 with 1:45 remaining in the half.  Junior Andy Blumer dropped in a pair of foul shots and senior Geoff Greco scored in the lane to tie the score at halftime.  In the third quarter, NA scored five points in the first 20 seconds of the period behind a triple by Finke and a hoop by Connolly as the Tigers took a 26-21 lead.  New Castle came back later in the period to cut the margin to 32-31 on a basket by Tyrone Steals, but the Tigers regrouped to build a 42-35 advantage after three quarters.  In the fourth quarter, the 'Canes made another run to cut the lead to 44-40 with 6:33 remaining, but the Tigers took over at the point on their way to the 14-point victory.

With the win, the NA section record improved to 9-1, the overall mark to 19-2 on the season.  The Tigers will host Butler on Tuesday night as the section season moves into the last week of play.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 7:15 pm.  Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 61  NEW CASTLE - 47

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TIGERS CRUSH MT. LEBANON, 80-43

Photo Gallery

Four Tigers scored in double figures to lead the Tigers to a convincing 80-43 victory over Mt. Lebanon at the Senior High gym on Tuesday night in a non-section game.  Senior Jeff Finke led the way with 15 points followed by junior Jeff Haus with 14, senior Dan Kusnyer with 12, and senior Ted Connolly with ten.  NA was hot from the outside hitting on 12 of 26 triples in the game.

The Tigers took control of the game from the outset, building a 20-11 lead after one quarter.  In the second quarter, NA outscored Lebo, 24-7, to take a commanding 44-18 advantage at the intermission.  In the third quarter, the lead went to 59-25 before the Tiger reserves got into the act, outscoring the Blue Devils by three in the final quarter.

Good shooting was again the name of the game for the Tigers who made 30 of 65 from the field (46.2%) along with their three point shooting.  Kusnyer was four for four from beyond the arc with Finke adding three triples and Haus two.  From the foul line, NA was 8-9 (88.9%).  Mt. Lebanon did not have a good shooting night, going only 18 for 51 (35.3%) but just one of 16 from three-point land (6.3%).  In addition, Lebo made only 6 of 17 from the line (35.3%).  Connolly pulled down nine rebounds to lead in that category.  The Tiger pressing defense forced 23 Blue Devil turnovers resulting in 26 NA points. 

With the win, the Tigers improved their overall record to 18-2 on the season.  NA will travel to New Castle on Friday for a 7:30 pm section contest.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 80  MT. LEBANON - 43

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TIGERS ROLL OVER HEMPFIELD, 97-71

Photo Gallery

Junior Jeff Haus poured in 29 points while senior Dan Kusnyer tallied 20 to lead the Tigers to an easy 97-71 victory over the Hempfield Spartans in a non-section game at the Senior High gym on Saturday night.  Junior Stephane Batton scored 14 while junior Nick Dvorsky recorded 11 points as the Tigers shot 58.9% from the floor.

The Tigers built a 27-8 after one quarter of play and extended the margin to 46-30 at halftime.  Hempfield came back in the third quarter to cut the lead to 63-52 after three quarters.  In the fourth quarter, the Coach Dave DeGregorio using his entire bench, the Tigers outscored the Spartans, 34-19, to win going away at 97-71.

Statistically, the Tigers dominated in almost all categories.  From the field, NA made 33 of 56 (58.9%) and 12 for 21 (57.1%) from three-point land.  From the foul line, the Tigers were 19-27 for 70.4%),  The Spartans hit on 20 of 55 (36.4%) from the field and 11 for 29 (37.9%) from beyond the arc, numbers that might have won in other games.  From the foul line, the Spartans were almost perfect, converting on 20 of 21 (95.2%).  The NA defense, however, forced 20 turnovers resulting in 26 points.  In the paint, the Tigers were dominant, outscoring the Spartans by a 40-12 count.  Individually, Haus was 10 for 13 (3 for 3 on three point tries) while pulling down a game high 11 rebounds.  Senior Ted Connolly recorded six assists for the winning Tigers.

With the win, the Tigers improved their overall record to 17-2 on the season.  NA will host Mt. Lebanon on Tuesday night in a non-section contest at the Senior High gym.  Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 97  HEMPFIELD -71

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STRONG THIRD QUARTER LEADS TIGERS OVER
 PINE-RICHLAND, 63-55

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Senior Ted Connolly scored 17 points to pace the Tigers to a 63-55 victory over Pine-Richland on Senior Night at the Senior High gym on Friday night.  Senior Jeff Finke added 12 points as NA broke at 23-23 halftime tie by outscoring the Rams, 25-10, in the third quarter.

The Tigers started slowly, falling behind 7-2 in the early going.  After Eric Holmes hit the first of four triples in the game, junior Jeff Haus put back a rebound to cut the lead to 3-2 with 5:16 remaining in the quarter.  Tommy Johnson got loose for a hoop, and Holmes hit a baseline jumper to extend the lead to 7-2.  Junior Stephane Batton scored from under the basket, and Connolly dropped in a putback ot cut the lead to 7-6 with 1:52 left.  A triple by Ram guard Brett Matson with 12 seconds left gave P-R a 10-6 lead after one quarter of play.

After Matson drove for a hoop to open the second quarter scoring, junior Damian Founds drove the lane to cut the margin to 12-8 early in the quarter.  Connolly then followed with a tip in and converted the free throw to cut the margin to 12-11.  Senior Geoff Greco gave NA the lead at 14-12 with a trey from the right corner with 5:33 still left in the half.  Matson stole the ball and scored a layup to tie the game at 14-14.  A triple by Ian Hennessy and a hoop by R.J. White put the Rams ahead, 19-14, but senior Dan Kusnyer drained a trey from the right corner to cut the margin to 19-17.  After one of two from the line by Finke, Hennessy scored again to push the margin to 21-18 with 2:00 remaining in the half.  Kusnyer had the answer again with another long trey to tie the game at 21-21 with 1:46 left.  White drove for a layup to put P-R back ahead by two, but Haus stole the ball and dropped in a short jumper at the buzzer to tie the game.  The teams went to the intermission tied at 23-23. 

The third quarter belonged to the Tigers.  The Rams stayed close early in the quarter.  After opened the scoring with a trey, Matson converted a traditional three-point play to tie the game at 26-26 just 1:12 into the period.  Finke scored again, but White answered and the game remained tied at 28-28.  Connolly drove for a layup to start an 11-0 NA run.  Haus followed with another conventional three-point play before Connolly stole the ball and scored to make it 35-28.  After Haus scored from in close, Connolly stole the ball again to extend the lead to 39-28 with 1:30 remaining in the quarter.  Holmes got loose for a trey from the left quarter to stop the run, but the Tigers answered on a triple by senior Steve Kirsch to make it 42-31.  After Eric Kordenbrock came off the Ram bench to hit a jumper, Batton hit a layup and Connolly made one of two from the line as the lead went to 45-33.  Batton got losse again, scored and added the foul shot as the Tigers took a commanding 48-33 lead into the final quarter.

After Connolly stole the ball and scored to push the margin to 50-33, the Rams rallied to score the next ten points.  A jumper by Kevin Wissinger, a triple and one of two from the line by Matson, a basket when Batton inadvertently dropped in a hoop for the Rams, and another basket by Matson cut the NA lead to 50-43 with 5:22 still remaining in the game.  The Tigers regrouped with Connolly making one of two free throws and Finke scoring to push the margin back to ten at 53-43 with 4:20 on the clock.  Holmes then came alive to drain two long treys and suddenly it was a four-point game, 53-49, with 3:13 left.  NA again regrouped with Finke hitting a pair of free throws and Haus scoring inside before Matson answered with two free throws as the score went to 57-51 with 1:17 left in the game.  After Kirsch dropped in two foul shots, Holmes answered with a pair from the line to make it 59-53 with 35.1 remaining.  Connolly followed with two free throws, but Holmes scored again to make it 61-55 with 18 seconds left.  Finke's two foul shots finished the scoring as the Tigers held off the Rams for the 63-55 victory.

The Tiger full court press made the difference in the third quarter as NA forced a total of 25 Ram turnovers for the game.  The Tigers hit on 22 of 54 from the field (40.7%) and six for 22 from beyond the three-point line (27.3%).  At the foul line, the Tigers converted on 14 of 20 for a respectable 70.0%.  The Rams were even better from the field making 21 of 43 (48.8%) and 6 for 19 from three-point land (31.6%).  At the foul line, however, P-R made just 6 of 11 (54.5%).  For his efforts, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Ted Connolly as the Player of the Game.  Connolly led the Tigers in scoring (17), steals (5), rebounds (7), and assists (4).

With the win, the Tigers raised their section record to 8-1 and clinched a spot in the upcoming WPIAL playoffs.  The overall NA record improved to 16-2.  The Tigers will host Hempfield tonight in 7:30 pm non-section game at the Senior High gym.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 63  PINE-RICHLAND - 55

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SENECA VALLEY HANDS TIGERS FIRST SECTION LOSS, 56-40

Box Score

The Tigers lost their first section game at Seneca Valley on Tuesday night where the Raiders downed NA, 56-40.  Seneca opened a 25-18 halftime lead and extended the margin in the second half.  Junior Nick Dvorsky led the Tigers with nine points while senior Ted Connolly and junior Jeff Haus added eight each.  The loss stopped a five-game NA winning streak.

After the Tigers started with an 8-5 lead after one quarter, Seneca Valley took over the game.  The Raiders built the seven-point halftime lead and extended it to 42-26 after three quarters.  In the final quarter, both teams scored 14 points, but the Raiders held off NA to register the 56-40 win.

Statistically, the Tigers did not shoot well from the floor making just 17 of 49 (34.7%).  From beyond the arc, NA was four for 19 (21.1%) and made just 2 of 5 (40.0%) foul shots.  The Raiders were hot from the field connecting on 24 of 52 (46.2%) with four of fourteen (28.6%) from three point range.  From the foul line, Seneca made 4 of 9 (44.4%).  Both teams committed 18 turnovers but the real story was in total points.  NA entered the game averaging 72.2 points per game and scored just 40 in the loss.

With the loss, the NA lead in Section 3 was cut to two games as the Tiger section record fell to 7-1, the overall mark to 15-2.  The Tigers still hold a two-game lead over second-place Seneca Valley.  NA will host Pine-Richland on Friday night as section play continues.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 7:45 pm.  Game time is scheduled for 8:00 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
SENECA VALLEY - 56  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 40

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TIGERS CRUSH SHALER, 65-33

To listen to a replay of the game, click here!

Junior Stephane Batton scored 15 points and junior Jeff Haus added fourteen to lead the Tigers to an easy 65-33 victory over Shaler at the Senior High gym on Friday night.  NA jumped off to a 14-5 lead after one quarter and never looked back as they won their fifth straight.

The Tigers started slowly and did not score until Haus' triple put them ahead, 3-2, 3:12 into the first quarter.  After a layup by Batton made it 5-2, Ben Altmeyer answered with a trey to tie the score at 5-5 with 2:30 remaining.  NA went on a 9-0 rule to close out the quarter and take control of the game.  Two fouls shots by senior Ted Connolly, a basket by Haus, and a triple by senior Steve Kirsch gave the Tigers a 12-5 lead with 35.3 remaining.  Haus then stole the ball and scored on a layup to give NA a 14-5 advantage after one quarter of play.

Haus opened the second quarter scoring with a baseline drive and added the foul shot to push the lead to 17-5.  After Altmeyer made two of three from the line, Batton scored a pair of hoops from under the basket to extend the margin to 21-7 before Dan Wirkowski hit a  triple for the Titans.  Two free throws and a basket by senior Dan Kusnyer pushed the lead to 25-10 with 5:28 left in the half.  The Titans came back on hoops by J.T. Schwartz and Altmeyer to cut the lead to 25-14 before senior Jeff Finke hit a runner.  Altmeyer answered with a pair of foul shots, but Batton scored and added a free throw to push the margin to 30-16 with 2:47 remaining.  Jesse Della Valle dropped in one of two from the line for the Titans, but Haus drove and scored as time ran out to give the Tigers a commanding 32-17 lead at the intermission.

The Tigers continued to dominate in the second half as they extended the lead to 43-17 before Shaler could score.  Finke started the scoring in the third quarter with a field goal, Batton scored on a layup, and Finke added two free throws to push the margin to 38-17 with a little over two minutes gone in the period.  Junior Nick Dvorsky drained a trey from the left corner and Batton scored again during the run.  Schwartz finally got the Titans on the board in the second half with a driving layup with 3:00 remaining, but NA answered with seven straight points.  Connolly converted a traditional three-point play, Batton dropped in a short jumper, and Kirsch drove for a hoop to push the lead to 50-19 with 48.5 seconds left in the quarter.  Wirkowski and Della Valle managed to score before the end of the period, but the Tigers took a 50-23 lead into the final quarter.

Della Valle opened the fourth quarter scoring with a pair of foul shots before Connolly drained a trey to make it 53-25 just a minute into play.  Schwartz drove for another hoop but junior Damian Founds hit a pair of free throws and senior Geoff Greco made one of two as the lead went to 56-27.  Della Valle came back with a jumper before Haus scored as the teams exchanged baskets.  A drive by Schwartz was answered by field goals from Batton and junior Jordan Baierl as the score went to 62-31.  After Drew Stanny scored for the Titans, junior Andy Blumer came off the bench to drain a trey from the right corner with 1:25 remaining.  Neither team scored again as the Tigers finished off an impressive 65-33 drubbing of the Titans.

The Tigers shot well from the floor making 24 of 53 for 45.3%.  From beyond the arc, NA was only 5 of 22 (22.7%).  At the foul line, the Tigers converted on 12 of 18 (66.7%).  Shaler was cold from the field with 11-41 (26.8%) and 2 for 12 (16.7%) from three-point range.  At the line, the Titans made 9 of 14 (64.3%).  NA outrebounded Shaler, 39-16, with Batton leading the way with nine.  Two key stats --- NA outscored the Titans, 38-14, in the paint, and the Tiger bench was dominant with a 30-10 advantage.  For his efforts, particularly early in the game, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Jeff Haus as the Player of the Game.

With the win, the Tigers improved their section record to 7-0, the overall mark to 15-1.  NA will travel to Seneca Valley on Tuesday night for a 7:30 pm section contest against the Raiders.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 65  SHALER - 33

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TIGERS STOP NORTH HILLS, 52-41, TO FINISH FIRST
HALF OF SECTION PLAY UNBEATEN

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Senior Jeff Finke scored eleven points while junior Stephane Batton and senior Steve Kirsch added ten each to lead the Tigers to a 52-41 victory over rival North Hills at the Senior High gym on Tuesday night.  NA took the lead in the first quarter and never trailed after Batton's triple gave them an 8-6 advantage.

North Hills took the early lead on a basket by R.J. Miller and two by Dante Anglin with a fast break by Kirsch answering as the Indians to a 6-2 lead.  A trey by Kirsch and Batton's three put the Tigers ahead for good, 8-6, with 3:52 remaining in the quarter.  After senior Ted Connolly drove for a score, junior Damian Founds drained a trey to put NA on top, 13-6.  The Indians closed to within three points on two free throws by Ryan Nauman and a basket from down low by Mark Schneder, but the Tigers held a 13-10 advantage after one quarter.

Early in the second quarter, the Tigers expanded the lead.  After Founds made one of two from the line, Batton scored and converted the free throw to push the margin to 17-10.  Nauman came back to score for the Indians, but Finke scored on two consecutive drives off the glass to push the lead to 21-12.  The Tigers continued to press and scored the next five points as junior Jeff Haus scored and Finke dropped in a trey to make it 26-12.  After Angliln scored from the baseline, the Tigers opened their biggest lead of the game at 28-14 on a hoop by senior Dan Kusnyer with 4:11 remaining.  The Tigers did not score again in the half as the Indians closed out the second quarter scoring with five foul shots as NA took a 28-19 advantage to the intermission.

Kirsch opened the second half scoring with a drive as the Tigers made it a 30-19 game just 35 seconds into the third quarter.  After Miller hit one of two from the stripe, Batton scored on a fast break to make it 32-20.  Miller again made one of two free throws, but Haus answered with a layup to extend the margin to 34-21 with 5:20 still on the third quarter clock.  Anglin then came alive for the Indians with three straight field goals to cut the lead to 34-27 with 3:49 left.  Kusnyer's long triple ended the run and restored the ten point lead at 37-27.  Anglin followed with his fourth score of the quarter, but Connolly drove the lane to give the Tigers a 39-29 lead after three quarters.

After Finke scored early in the fourth quarter, Jeff Mittereder dropped in the first Indian trey of the game to cut the margin to 41-32.  Cody Patton followed with two foul shots and a triple as North Hills closed to within four at 41-37 with 5:36 remaining.  It was as close as the Indians would get as the Tigers went on a 9-1 run to secure the victory.  Once again, it was Connolly who drove the middle to make it 43-37.  Two free throws by Finke and a hoop by Batton gave NA a 47-37 lead with 4:11 left in the game.  Down the stretch, NH was forced to foul as the game turned physical.  Haus scored on a put back and Kirsch made one of two from the line to push the margin to 50-38 with 42.9 seconds left.  Patton came back with a three-point play to make it 50-41 with 35.8 remaining, but two final foul shots by Kirsch finished the scoring as the Tigers took the 52-41 victory.

Statistically, the Tigers made 20 of 43 from the floor for a 46.5% night.  From beyond the arc, however, was just five for 18 (27.8%).  At the foul line, the Tigers missed five straight free throws late in the game to finish just seven for 14 (50.0%).  The Indians were 13 for 45 (28.9%) from the field and just 2 for 12 from three-point land (16.7%).  At the line, NH made 13 of 22 (59.1%).  NA forced 20 turnovers good for 26 points as the Tiger press paid dividends.  In the paint, the Tigers outscored NH, 26-16, despite 16 points by Anglin.  For his efforts both offensively and defensively, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Stephane Batton as the Player of the Game.

With the win, the Tigers completed the first half of section play with a 6-0 record while improving their overall record to 14-1 on the season.  NA will host Shaler on Friday night at the Senior High gym as second half section action begins.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 7:45 pm.  Game time is scheduled for 8:00 pm.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 52  NORTH HILLS - 41

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TIGERS EDGE BUTLER, 65-64, TO REMAIN
 UNBEATEN IN SECTION

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Senior Steve Kirsch made four straight foul shots in the last 33 seconds to complete a fourth quarter comeback that gave the Tigers an exciting 65-64 victory at Butler on Friday night.  Senior Ted Connolly led the way with 17 points, including seven in the final period.  Senior Dan Kusnyer added 12 including a key triple down the stretch.

Butler started the game with a quick 5-0 run on a three by Jeff Slater and a basket in close by Mike Pratkanis.  After Kirsch drove for two, Nick Rossmiller completed a conventional three-point play and Slater scored again to push the lead to 10-2.  Pratkanis was injured with four minutes left in the quarter and did not return.  Junior Stephane Batton came back to hit one of two from the line and Kusnyer added a hoop to cut the lead in half at 10-5 with 2:34 remaining.  A jumper by Christos Klutinoty, a three by Cody Fleeger and one of two from the line by Klutinoty pushed the margin to 16-5.  Batton scored on a put back and Nick Rossmiller made one of two free throws as the score went to 17-7.  Batton put back another rebound with 34.2 seconds left, but freshman Bob Swartout hit a basket and free throw with 22.2 on the clock as Butler took a 20-9 lead.  With time running out, junior Nick Dvorsky drained a trey from the corner to pull the Tigers to within eight at 20-12 as the first quarter ended.

Dvorsky's trey energized the Tigers as they scored the first nine points of the second quarter to take their first lead of the game.  Senior Jeff Finke scored and added the free throw, Kusnyer tossed in another deuce, and Finke scored again to cut the lead to 20-19 just 1:34 into the period.  A coast to coast layup by junior Damian Founds put NA ahead, but Butler came right back to recapture the lead.  A three and a two by Klutinoty made it a 25-21 Tornado lead with 3:51 left in th half.  After senior Geoff Greco hit one of two from the stripe, Fleeger dropped in a pair of free throws to push the margin to 27-22.  Rossmiller scored from the baseline, but Connolly put in one for two from the foul line as the score went to 29-23.  Fleeger then drained a long trey, but Connolly answered with three of three foul shots to make it a 32-26 game with 2:15 remaining.  Connolly followed with a driving layup, and Finke scored again to cut the lead to 32-30 with 1:17 on the second quarter clock.  Dvorsky came back with his second trey of the game from the right side and suddenly the Tigers were back ahead, 33-32, with 44 seconds remaining.  After a time out, Butler held for one shot and Slater scored just before time ran out to give the Tornado a 34-33 lead at the intermission.

Both teams had trouble scoring in the third quarter.  After Connolly scored to put NA back on top, 35-34, just 22 seconds into the second half, Fleeger answered to regain the lead for the Tornado.  Kusnyer drained a trey seconds later to regain the lead for NA at 38-36.  After two foul shots by Fleeger tied the game, Rossmiller's basket put Butler back ahead, 40-38, with 3:34 remaining.  Junior Jeff Haus answered nine seconds later to tie the score, and Dvorsky put NA back on top with a hoop to make it a 42-40 game with 2:28 on the clock.  NA would not score again in the quarter.  Two foul shots by Fleeger, two more by Austin Snodgrass, and a basket by Fleeger as time was running out gave the Tornado a 46-42 advantage going into the final quarter.

Butler's Clark Liebler opened the scoring in the fourth quarter with a putback to extend the lead to 48-42 in what would become an action-packed final period.  Kirsch drove for a hoop and Connolly converted one of two foul shots to cut the margin to 48-45, but Rossmiller's basket pushed it back to five at 50-45 two minutes into the quarter.  The Tigers continued to battle back as Batton scored on a putback and added the foul shot to cut the lead to two.  A drive by Connolly tied the game, and a steal by the Tiger senior gave NA the lead back at 52-50 with 5:22 still left.  Connolly added yet another hoop from in close to extend the margin to 54-50.  With 4:00 minutes remaining, a technical foul was called on Butler coach Joe Lewandowski, but the Tigers could not take advantage.  Finke missed both foul shots, and the Tigers could not score with the possession.  A foul shot by Fleeger and two more by Slater cut the lead to 54-53, but Kirsch answered with a drive down the middle to push the lead back to three at 56-53 with 1:55 left.  Swartout then scored from the under the basket and added the foul shot to tie the game at 56-56 with 1:31 on the clock.  Kusnyer then hit a crucial triple to give NA a 59-56 lead with 1:20 remaining.  Two foul shots by Slater cut the margin to one, but Kusnyer was there again to score and put the lead back at three, 61-58, with 42 seconds left.  Swartout got open again under the hoop and banked it in to make it a 61-60 game with 36 seconds remaining.  Kirsch then took over from the foul line.  With 33.3 on the clock, Kirsch hit a pair to push the lead back to three.  After Swartout scored again to cut the margin to one, Kirsch converted two of two with 22.7 left to give NA a 65-62 lead.  After a Butler time out, Fleeger attempted a long three from the right side but missed.  Rossmiller put in the rebound as time ran out, but the Tigers came away with a hard-fought 65-64 victory.

The Tigers shot well from the floor, making 24 of 56 (42.9%), but made only 4 of 15 from behind the arc (26.7%).  From the foul line, NA was 13-24 (54.2%), but Kirsch was perfect when it counted.  Butler hit on 21 of 58 (36.2%) but only 4 of 17 (23.5%) from three-point range.  The Tornado was tough at the line making 18 of 21 (85.7%).  NA outrebounded Butler, 32-26.  In the paint, NA outscored the Tornado, 38-26.  Butler led in bench points, 30-19, a stat that the Tigers usually control.  For his efforts down the stretch, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Steve Kirsch as the Player of the Game.

With the win, the Tigers improved their section record to 5-0, the overall mark to 13-1 on the season.  Next up is rival North Hills who will visit the Senior High gym on Tuesday night.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 7:15 pm.  Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 65  BUTLER - 64

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WPIAL BOYS' BASKETBALL - 2007-08

The Tigers will compete again in the WPIAL in Class AAAA along with 28 other teams.  WPIAL boys' section competition will begin on December 6-7, 2007, and must be completed according to the schedule.  In Quad A, four teams from each section will enter the WPIAL tournament.  The top four teams will enter the team tournament set to begin on February 8th.  If two teams tie for fourth place but one of the two teams has won both head to head contests, that team will enter the tournament round.  If two teams tie for fourth place, and the teams split their head-to-head contests, both teams will enter the playoffs.  If there is a three-way tie for fourth place, the deadlock will be broken in the following head-to-head manner: if the tied teams are all 2-2 against each other, all three teams will enter the playoffs,  Of one team is 3-1 or 4-0 in head-to-head competition, that team will enter the playoffs.

If the case of a three-way tie for third place: If Team A has a 3-1 record in head-to-head competition, Team B is 2-2, and Team C, 1-3, teams A and B will go to the playoffs.  If Team A, Team B, and Team C are all 2-2 against each other, all three teams will enter the playoffs.

In the event of a four-way tie or more, the same head-to-head rationale will be used.  The teams with the best records among the tied teams will enter the playoffs. 
1.  the cumulative section won-lost records of all tied teams will be totaled.
2.  The team that has the best numerical record among the tied teams will enter post-season play.
3.  If the tie cannot clearly be broken, all will enter post-season play.

In Quad A, six teams will qualify for the PIAA tournament.  PIAA bracket placement will be determined on a "Follow the winner" basis.

WPIAL BOYS' BASKETBALL ALIGNMENT

QUAD A - 29 TEAMS

Any questions or comments should be directed to Athletic Director Bob Bozzuto at:  bbozzuto@northallegheny.org