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ALL-SECTION SELECTIONS

 File Photos Courtesy of Jeff Gleason

DVORSKY, HAUS NAMED TO
ALL-SECTION TEAM

Seniors Nick Dvorsky and Jeff Haus were selected to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Class AAAA Section 3 All-Star team.  Dvorsky averaged 14.1 points per game while Haus added 12.7 as the duo helped lead NA to the WPIAL playoffs.

CONGRATULATIONS TO NICK AND JEFF!!!

WPIAL CLASS  AAAA
SECTION 3 ALL-SECTION TEAM

(NOTE: All-section teams were selected by section coaches)

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McKEESPORT TOO TALL FOR TIGERS, 52-38

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McKeesport 7-0 center Zeke Marshall proved to be a formidable obstacle for the Tigers in the first round of the WPIAL Quad A playoffs at Fox Chapel on Saturday afternoon as McKeesport took home a 52-38 victory.  McKeesport took a 32-23 halftime lead and slowed the pace in the second half holding NA to just 15 points.  Senior guard Nick Dvorsky scored 13 to pace NA while senior guard/forward Jeff Haus added 10.

The Tigers played McKeesport even in the first quarter.  Dvorsky gave NA a 3-0 lead with a triple just 1:21 into the contest.  Marshall stole the ball and scored on a slam to cut the lead to 3-2.  After Haus made one of two from the stripe, Ty-Meer Brown drove for a hoop to tie the game at 4-4.  A foul shot by Haus, followed by a driving layup and triple by senior forward Stephane Batton gave NA 10-4 advantage with 3:45 left in the period.  McKeesport came back on another dunk by Marshall, a drive by Brown and a putback by Brown to tie the game at 10-10 with 1:45 remaining.  Sophomore Brice Nikithser hit a short jumper to put NA back on top, but Sam Gooden tied the game with a layup.  The teams went to the second quarter tied at 12-12.

McKeesport took control of the game in the second quarter with Brown leading the way.  After Dvorsky drove for a score to give NA a 14-12 advantage, Brown answered on a putback to tie the game again.  Haus drained a long trey to give the NA Tigers a 17-14 lead before Marshall scored from under the hoop.  Brown then hit a trey from the left corner and followed with another from the right corner as McKeesport jumped out to a 22-17 lead.  NA fought back, however, on a Dvorsky basket to cut the margin to 22-19.  It was now Marshall's turn as the McKeesport center scored three straight baskets from down low to push the lead to 28-19.  Dvorsky came back with another jumper, but Kendall Hunter restored the nine point lead at 30-21 with 1:24 left in the half.  Dvorsky hit his fourth basket of the quarter to cut the lead to seven, but Hunter answered again as McKeesport took a 32-23 advantage to the intermission.

The third quarter was a disaster for NA as they scored just two points.  It was a combination of a slowdown by McKeesport and the inability of the Tigers to convert on their chances.  Gooden's fast break layup extended the lead to 34-23, but Haus answered to cut the lead back to nine with 5:15 left in the quarter.  After Marshall dropped in a short banker, the McKeesport center picked up his third foul.  McKeesport then played keep away.  After a McKeesport turnover, senior Damian Founds was fouled on a drive, but missed both free throws.  Gooden scored on a driving layup, and Sam Francis made one of two fouls shots for the only remaining points of the period.  McKeesport outscored NA, 7-2, in the quarter to take a 39-25 advantage into the final period.

McKeesport continued to slow the pace in the fourth quarter.  Brandon Jackson tipped in a rebound at the 1:35 mark, but senior Jordan Baierl came off the NA bench to hit a triple to cut the lead to 41-28.  Gooden answered with a layup, but Baierl hit a long trey from NBA range to make it a 43-31 game with 4:53 remaining.  Jackson then drove for a hoop and added a free throw to push the lead to 46-31.  After Brown made a driving layup, Batton scored to cut the margin to 48-33 with 2:20 on the clock.  Marshall came back in the game to score on a putback to make it 50-33 before Dvorsky drove for a hoop with just 1:00 left in the game.  After Francis hit a short banker, Haus drained a trey, but it was too little, too late as McKeesport moved into the next round with a 52-38 victory.

The effort was there again for the NA, but the Tigers had trouble stopping Marshall under the basket as the big center made 8 of 10 from the field.  When NA collapsed on Marshall, it opened the court for Brown who hit on 7 of 12, including a pair of treys.  Offensively, NA made 15 of 42 (35.7%) from the field and a respectable 6 of 16 (37.5%) from beyond the arc.  From the foul line, NA was only 2 of 6 (33.3%).  McKeesport benefited from some high percentage shots from under the hoop and finished with 24 of 45 (53.3%) from the field, but just 2 for 10 (20.0%) from three-point range.  From the foul line, McKeesport made 2 of 5 (40.0%).  On the boards, McKeesport had a 24-15 advantage and outscored NA, 18-8, in the paint.  Individually for NA, Haus and Batton both pulled down seven rebounds. 

With the loss, the Tigers completed their season with a final record of 14-9. NA had some big wins over the course of the season, but down the stretch was unable to put together any kind of winning streak.  McKeesport will advance to the quarterfinals to be held next weekend.

Box Score

WPIAL QUAD AAAA PLAYOFFS

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TIGERS FALL TO BLACKHAWK, 72-66

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

The Blackhawk Cougars edged the Tigers, 72-66, in the regular season finale at the Senior High gym on Monday night.  Senior guard Nick Dvorsky led NA with 26 points while senior guard/forward Jeff Haus tallied 18.  Blackhawk forward Mike Pearson poured in 34 points for the winning Cougars.

The Tigers again got off to a slow start as Blackhawk opened a 9-0 lead before Haus drained a trey to cut the margin to 9-3 with 3:20 left in the quarter.  Pearson scored seven of the nine Cougar points.  Dvorsky hit a trey to cut the lead to 9-6 before Pearson answered.  After Dvorsky hit two from the line, Tim Denham hit a foul shot and a put back to make it a 14-8 game.  After Batton got loose in the paint for a hoop, Pearson finished off the first quarter scoring with a layup as Blackhawk took a 16-10 lead after one quarter.

Batton hit a short banker to start the second quarter with Blackhawk's 6-5 Ben Rawding answering with one of two from the line.  Dvorsky came back with a trey to cut the margin to 17-15 with 5:32 left in the half.  Two free throws by Pearson and a putback by Denham pushed the lead back to six.  After a foul shot by Denham, Haus hit his second triple of the game to cut the lead to 22-18.  After Blackhawk scored the next seven points, Dvorsky stopped the run with a drive to cut the margin to 29-20.  Haus and senior guard Damian Founds each made one of two from the stripe, but Rawding scored a conventional three-point play and Denham made one of two foul shots as the score went to 33-22 with 2:28 left in the quarter.  Two foul shots by Haus and a triple by Batton cut the lead to six at 33-27.  With just 2.7 seconds left, Cougar guard D.J. Damazo was fouled and made both to give Blackhawk a 35-27 lead at the intermission.

The Tigers came out strong early in the third quarter to retake the lead.  Dvorsky opened the scoring with a long trey from deep in the left corner, and Founds drove for a hoop to cut the lead to 35-32.  Dvorsky then drove for another basket and added the foul shot to tie the game at 35-35 just 1:52 into the period.  After Dvorsky hit a jumper to put NA on top, Pearson made one of two technical fouls to cut the lead to 37-36.  Haus followed with a pair from the line before Pearson followed with two free throws.  A basket by Pearson put the Cougars back ahead, but Haus scored to regain the lead for NA at 41-40.  After senior guard Ian Thomas made one of two from the line, Pearson tied the game at 42-42 with a fast break layup.  Senior guard Jeff Dassner drove the lane and threw in a layup to push NA on top, 44-42, with 3:47 left.  A layup by Zack Hayward and yet another hoop by Pearson gave Blackhawk the lead for good at 46-44.  Rawding followed with a hoop and two foul shots by Nick Pournaras off the Blackhawk bench pushed the margin to six at 50-44.  Rawding added a foul shot, but Dvorsky finished off the third quarter scoring on a drive to cut the Cougar lead to 51-46 after three quarters of play. 

After Blackhawk scored the first five points of the fourth quarter, Haus drained his third trey of the game to cut the margin to 56-49.  Denham answered with a basket before Dvorsky dropped in a pair from the line to cut the lead to 58-51.  A basket by Rawding and two foul shots by Pearson pushed the lead to eleven. A foul shot and driving basket by sophomore guard Anton Constantino cut the lead back to eight at 62-54 with 4:13 remaining.  A foul shot by Denham was answered by a foul shot and a put back by Haus cut the lead to 63-57.  Rawding's put back extended the margin to 65-57 with 3:20 left.  The Tigers would not quit, however, as Dvorsky scored to bring NA to within five at 67-62.  A coast to coast layup by Denham and a foul shot by Pearson made it a 70-64 game.  Dvorsky came back to score again with 35 seconds left to cut the lead to 70-66.  Rawding's two free throws with 26.3 remaining gave Blackhawk a 72-66 victory.

It was another good effort by the Tigers but they couldn't stop Pearson and Rawding who totaled 55 of the Cougar's 72 points.  For his efforts for NA, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Nick Dvorsky as the Player of the Game.

With the loss, the Tigers completed the regular season with a final record of 14-8.  NA will compete in the upcoming WPIAL Quad A playoffs.  The WPIAL Basketball Committee will meet tonight to announce the pairings.  The MSA Sports Network will broadcast the pairings show live on the internet.

Click here to listen to the MSA Broadcast!

GAME SUMMARY
BLACKHAWK - 72  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 66

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TIGERS WIN FOUL SHOOTING CONTEST
AGAINST BUTLER, 66-58

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

The Tigers started slowly again scoring only seven points in the opening stanza.  After Logan Renwick hit a trey for the game’s first points, senior guard Damian Founds made two of two from the line to cut the lead to 3-2.  Renwick answered with a fast break layup, and 6-6 sophomore Bobby Swartout scored the next five points to extend the Butler lead to 10-2.  Junior Ben Colabrese drove the lane to score, but Vinnie Schmidt answered for the Tornado with another drive to the hoop.  After Batton made one of two from the line, Haus drove the baseline to bank in a layup, but Butler took a 12-7 lead into the second quarter.

In the second quarter, the Tigers rallied to take the lead at halftime.  Founds started the scoring with a steal and a layup, but Swartout answered to make it a 14-9 game early in the quarter.  Haus answered with a long triple, but Jeff Tompkins put back a rebound to make 16-12.  Senior Andy Blumer then hit trey, and Batton scored to give NA its first lead of the night at 17-16 with 3:20 remaining in the half.  Tompkins came back with a driving layup to regain the lead for Butler, Batton scored and added a free throw to put NA back on top, 20-18.  With 1:55 left in the quarter, Brian Jendesky answered with a three-point play of his own to push the Tornado ahead, 21-20.  After Haus made two from the line, the Tiger senior put back a rebound with just three seconds left to give NA a 24-21 advantage at halftime.

The physical play picked up in the third quarter as did the trips to the foul line.  Tompkins layup and Swartout’s triple vaulted Butler back ahead, 26-24, early in the quarter.  Batton followed with four straight free throws to give NA the lead back at 28-26.  After Swartout’s put back tied the game, Vinnie Schmidt scored on a fast break layup and added the foul shot to make it 31-28.  Haus came back with his second trey of the game to tie the game at 31-31 with 3:22 left in the quarter.  Two foul shots by Nate Snodgrass pushed the Tornado back ahead by two.  After Constantino made one of two from the line, Butler scored the next seven points on a trey by Jendesky, two foul shots by Tompkins and a put back by Swartout as the Tornado took a 40-32 lead.  Haus brought the Tigers back with two straight conventional three-point plays on drives and foul shots as the NA closed the gap to 40-38.  Haus made another foul shot before Vinnie Schmidt scored on a short jumper.  Swartout’s two free throws with just 2.7 left in the quarter gave Butler a 44-39 lead after three quarters of play.

In the fourth quarter, the NA defense stepped up allowing Butler just one field goal.  Foul shots were another matter, however.  The Tigers scored the first six points of the quarter to take a 45-44 lead.  After Haus made one of two from the line and put back a rebound, Constantino drained a trey from the right corner to give the Tigers a one-point lead.  Two free throws by Swartout and another by Tompkins put Butler back on top, 47-45.  A foul shot by Thomas and two more by Batton gave NA the lead back at 48-47.  Another free throw by Batton was answered by two from Snodgrass as Butler tied the game at 49-49 with 4:49 remaining.  A conventional three-point play by Batton gave the Tigers the lead for good at 52-49.  Constantino then stepped up to score two quick hoops, one on a short jumper in the paint and another on a steal and layup to push the margin to 56-49 with 3:25 on the clock.  After senior guard Jeff Dassner made one of two free throws, Jendesky answered with one of two for Butler.  Foul shots by Dassner and Haus made it 59-50 before Renwick put back a rebound with 1:30 left.  There was still time for a lot of action from the foul line, however.  A free throw by Haus made it 60-52 before Swartout dropped in a pair to cut the lead to six.  Constantino added two from the stripe but Swartout answered with his turn at the line to make it 62-56 with 44.7 seconds remaining.  Free throws by Constantino and Dassner restored the eight-point lead before Snodgrass hit a pair from the line.  After an NA turnover, Tompkins missed a long trey, but Constantino was fouled after the rebound.  The NA sophomore completed the foul shooting marathon by making two more as the Tigers completed the 66-58 victory.

Statistically, the Tigers finished with 30 of 45 (66.7%) from the line while Butler made 21 of 28 (75.0%).  The shooting from the field was not as good as the Tigers hit on 16 of 49 (32.7%) and only 4 of 17 from three point range (23.5%).  Butler answered with 17 of 47 (36.2%) with just 3 of 15 (20.0%) from beyond the arc.  Turnovers played a key role in the game with NA forcing 18 while committing only ten.  Individually, Haus pulled down 12 rebounds while Batton added nine.  Three players had three steals --- Haus, Constantino, and Colabrese--- as NA totaled ten steals for the game.  For his efforts in the fourth quarter with the game on the line, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Anton Constantino as the Player of the Game.

With the win, NA completed the section season with a record of 7-5 and fourth place.  The overall Tiger record improved to 14-7 on the season.  NA will host Blackhawk on Monday night in a non-section contest 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 7:15 pm.  Game time is set for 7:30 pm.

Box Score
Photo Gallery

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY – 66  BUTLER – 58

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NORTH HILLS EDGES TIGERS, 51-48

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

The Tigers gave a great effort against rival North Hills on Friday night at the North Hills Junior High gym but came up a little short as the Indians edged NA, 51-48.  Senior guard/forward Jeff Haus led the Tigers with 13 points while senior forward Stephane Batton added 11.  Cody Patton paced North Hills with 22 points.

Patton got the Indians off and running hitting a three and making a pair of foul shots to give NH a 5-0 lead just 1:10 into the contest.  Senior guard Jeff Dassner came off the NA bench to drain a trey from the left corner and Haus scored down low to tie the game at 5-5 with 3:27 remaining.  After R.J. Miller hit a jumper in the paint, sophomore guard Anton Constantino hit a long triple to put NA on top, 8-7.  Miller answered with a layup and Patton dropped off a pass to Jeff Witt who banked in a short jumper as time was running out.  The Indians took an 11-8 lead into the second quarter.

Early in the quarter, sophomore forward Brice Nikithser put back a rebound to cut the lead to 11-10 just 15 seconds into the period.  After Witt made one of two from the line, senior guard Ian Thomas converted on a pair of free throws to tie the game at 12-12.  Timo Steffens came off the NH bench to drop in two foul shots, and Scott Zubik drove down the lane and scored to put the Indians back on top, 16-12.  Haus answered with a triple to cut the lead to one, but NH came back to score the next five points on a trey by Sean White and one of two from the line by Witt.  The Tigers battled back with Dassner draining another trey from the left corner to cut the margin to 20-18 with 4:31 still remaining in the half.  Patton then took over for NH with a layup and two foul shots to push the lead to 24-18.  After senior guard Damian Founds made one of two from the stripe, Batton drilled a triple to cut the lead to 24-22 with 1:47 left.  With time running out, Patton drove for a layup to give the Indians a 26-22 advantage as the teams went to the intermission.

The Tigers started quickly in the third quarter to retake the lead.  After Haus hit a triple to cut the lead to one, the NA senior scored on a fast break layup to put the Tigers on top, 27-26.  White answered with a trey to give NH a 29-27 lead, but Thomas tied the game with a hoop with 4:15 left in the quarter.  After Patton drove for a basket, Batton hit a triple from straight away to again put the Tigers ahead, 32-31.  Witt came back with a fast break layup to regain the advantage for the Indians, and White added two foul shots to make it 35-32 with 2:41 on the third quarter clock.  Once again, the Tigers rallied as Founds made one of two foul shots, and senior guard Nick Dvorsky dropped in a layup to tie the game at 35-35 with 1:53 left.  Patton again had the answer with a long triple, but Batton drove and scored as the score went to 38-37 with just 1:01 left in the quarter.  Once again, the Indians used the clock as time was running out as White hit a long triple with two seconds left to give NH a 41-37 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Patton scored early in the fourth quarter to give NH their biggest lead at 43-37, but Batton answered with a triple to cut the margin to three.  D.J. Scott came back with a layup, and Patton added another layup as NH pushed the margin to seven at 47-40 with 3:25 remaining in the game.  As they had done all evening, the Tigers rallied.  After Founds again made one of two foul shots, Constantino blocked a layup attempt and then raced to the left corner and hit a triple to cut the lead to 47-44 with 2:36 left.  The Indians slowed the pace forcing NA to foul.  Scott dropped in two free throws as the clock went to 1:17.  After several misses by the Tigers, Haus hit a triple to bring NA within one at 49-48 with 11.3 seconds remaining.  After a quick foul, Patton made both of his attempts to push the lead to 51-48.  Batton got off a last second attempt to tie the game, but the shot hit the rim and bounced away.  The Indians were able to hold on for the 51-48 victory. 

North Hills was able to make 16 of 31 (51.6%) from the field including 5 for 11 (45.5%) from beyond the arc.  The Tigers also shot well hitting 16 of 39 (41.0%) with 10 of 20 (50 %) from three-point range.  From the foul line, however, the Indians converted on 14 of 20 (70.0%) while NA made only 6 of 12 (50.0%).  In the paint, NH outscored NA, 20-12.  The Tiger bench came through with a 14-6 advantage over the Indians, but in the end it was not enough.  For his efforts, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Stephane Batton as the Player of the Game.

With the loss, the NA section record fell to 6-5, the overall mark to 13-7.  The Tigers will complete section play tonight when they host Butler 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 7:15 pm.  Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH HILLS – 51  NORTH ALLEGHENY – 48

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SENECA VALLEY HOLDS OFF TIGERS, 54-50,
ON SENIOR NIGHT

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Seneca Valley built a 27-11 halftime lead and held off a late Tiger rally to down NA, 54-50, at the Senior High gym on Tuesday night on Senior Night.  Senior guard/forward Jeff Haus and senior guard Nick Dvorsky scored 14 points each to pace NA while senior forward Stephane Batton added 12.  C.J. Brown led the Raiders with 15 points.

Seneca's Matt Vogt scored just 1:07 into the game to give the Raiders a 2-0 lead and they never trailed in the contest.  After Dvorsky hit a jumper from the corner to tie the game, Brown dropped in a pair of foul shots,  Brown's layup made it 6-2, but senior guard Ian Thomas put back a rebound to cut the margin to two, but the Raiders scored the next seven points.  SV sophomore point guard Christian Durbin drove for a layup, Vogt scored from under the basket, and Evan Mitro drained a trey as the Seneca lead went to 13-4.  Haus came back with a layup, but Vogt answered as the score went to 15-6 with 1:54 left in the quarter.  Haus drove for another layup, but Brown finished off the first quarter scoring as he drove for a hoop that gave Seneca Valley a 15-8 lead after one quarter of play.

The second quarter was a disaster offensively for the Tigers as they scored only three points.  The Raiders scored the first twelve points of the period to push the margin to 27-8.  Brown started the run with a putback and Durbin drove for a layup to make it 21-8.  After Vogt scored again, Dustin Anewalt stole the ball and scored to extend the lead to 25-8 with 2:30 remaining in the half.  Mitro drove for another layup as the lead went to 19.  The Tigers finally got on the board when Thomas hit a trey with 1:25 left, but Seneca Valley took a 27-11 advantage to the intermission.

The Tigers rallied in the third quarter to cut into the lead.  After Haus dropped in a short jumper, Dvorsky drove for a basket, and Batton added another on a drive as NA cut the lead to 27-17 with 5:49 still remaining in the quarter.  The Raiders came back with five straight points by Joe Belechak off the SV bench to push the lead back to fifteen at 32-17.  Thomas drove for a hoop, and Dvorsky added two free throws to cut the lead to 32-21 before Durbin answered with another driving layup.  Batton followed with a layup, but Durbin hit his only trey of the game to extend the lead to 37-23 with 2:02 left in the quarter.  After Batton drove the lane to score, Dvorsky hit a triple from the corner to bring NA to within nine at 37-28 with 1:10 on the third quarter clock.  Durbin had the answer again with a pair of free throws as the Raiders took a 39-28 lead into the final quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the Tigers continued to battle back.  Senior Andy Blumer drained a trey just 30 seconds into the quarter to cut the lead to 39-31.  After Brown scored for SV, Haus put back a rebound to make it a 41-33 game.  Two free throws and a short jumper by Vogt restored a 12-point Seneca lead with 5:30 left.  The Tigers would not quit, however, as Dvorksy scored on a fast break, and Haus stole the ball and scored to cut the margin to 45-37.  Durbin answered with a key steal and layup to push the lead back to ten with 4:05 remaining.  Batton came back with a basket to cut the lead to 47-39, but again SV had the answer with a hoop and two foul shots by Brown.  It was Batton's turn to rally the Tigers with a three from straight away and one of two from the foul line to cut the lead to 51-43 with 1:42 on the clock.  Dvorsky then scored to cut the margin to six at 51-45 with 42.8 seconds left.  The Tigers had to foul, but Vogt made both attempts to restore an eight-point lead.  After Haus drove for a basket, Dvorsky then made one of two from the line to make it 53-48 with 32.1 left in the game.  After Brown made one of two free throws, Haus put in a rebound to cut the lead to four, but the Tigers ran out of time as Seneca Valley held on for the 54-50 victory.

Statistically, the Tigers can look to poor shooting, particularly in the first half, as a big reason why they fell behind early.  NA made only 5 of 27, including 1 of 13 three-point attempts, in the first half of the game.  NA finished 21 of 60 (35.0%) but only 4 of 22 (18.2%) from behind the arc.  From the foul line, NA was 4 for 9 (44.4%), including just 2 of 7 in the fourth quarter.  The Raiders hit on 20 of 44 (45.5%) but 2 of 12 (16.7%) from three-point range.  From the line, SV made 12 of 18 (66.7%).  After allowing the Raiders to dominate the paint in the first half, NA came back to outscore SV, 28-26, in the paint.  Off the bench, however, the Raiders outscored the Tigers, 12-7.  Jeff Haus pulled down 13 rebounds in addition to his 14 points and was named the NA Player of the Game by the North Allegheny Sports Network.

With the loss, the Tigers dropped to fourth place in Section 3 with a 6-4 section record with the overall mark falling to 13-6.  NA will travel to rival North Hills on Friday night for a key section matchup.  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
SENECA VALLEY - 54  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 50

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CENTRAL TOPS TIGERS, 72-56, TO
AVENGE EARLIER DEFEAT

Box Score

The Tigers were defeated by the Central Catholic Vikings, 72-56, at Central on Friday night.  NA had downed the Vikings, 58-56, earlier in the season at home.  Senior forward Stephane Batton led the Tigers with 16 points with senior guard Nick Dvorsky added 11.  Lucas Mickens had 17 to pace the Vikings.

Central took the lead early and never trailed as they built a 20-12 lead after one quarter.  The Vikings extended the margin to 38-22 at the intermission.  The Tigers came back in the second half to play Central even but the damage was done.  The Vikings took a 57-39 lead into the final period before NA was able to gain a 17-15 advantage.  Central coasted to the 72-56 victory.

Central shot well from the field making 26 of 47 (55.3%) including 7 of 15 (46.7%) from three-point land.  From the foul line, the Vikings converted on 13 of 20 (65.0%).  The Tigers made 19 of 53 (35.8%) from the field but only 5 of 17 (29.4%) from beyond the arc.  From the foul line, NA was 13 of 19 (68.4%).  Key statistics favored Central with the Vikings getting 15 points off turnovers to NA's 8 and outscoring NA in the paint, 30-24.  Central outpointed NA, 13-1, on second chance points.  The Tiger bench outscored Central, 16-11, but it was not enough.

With the loss, the Tigers dropped to 6-3 in section play and one-half game behind Seneca Valley in the section standings.  NA will host Seneca Valley on Tuesday night in a battle for first place at the Senior High gym.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet with the pre-game show set for 7:15 pm.  Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm.
Click here to listen to a replay of the MSA broadcast!

GAME SUMMARY
CENTRAL CATHOLIC - 72  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 56

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TIGERS KNOCK OFF BEAVER FALLS,
69-60, IN PITTSBURGH CLASSIC

The Tigers used a balanced attack and good shooting to defeat Beaver Falls, 69-60, in the Pittsburgh Classic at Robert Morris University on Sunday night.  NA had four players in double figures led by senior guard Nick Dvorsky with 15.  Senior forward Stephane Batton added 14, senior swing man Jeff Haus 13, and senior guard Damian Founds, 11 for the winning Tigers.

The Tigers took a 17-9 lead after one quarter of play and never trailed after that.  In the second quarter, NA outscored BF, 19-18, to lead by a 36-27 advantage at halftime.  In the third quarter, the Beaver Falls Tigers came back to cut the deficit by two points to 50-43.  In the final quarter, it was the NA Tigers outscoring BF, 19-17, to earn the nine-point victory.

NA made 23 of 37 (62.2%) from the field including 9 of 16 (56.3%) from three-point range.  From the foul line, the Tigers converted on 14 of 22 (63.6%).  Beaver Falls also was over 50% from the field with 24 of 46 (52.2%) although they made only 4 of 10 (40.0%) from beyond the arc.  From the foul line, BF converted on only 8 of 23 (34.8%).  Individually, Haus led with seven rebounds for NA.

With the win, the overall NA record improved to 13-4 on the season.  It was a key non-section win over a quality opponent.  Beaver Falls was ranked #1 in Class AA by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and #2 by the MSA Sports Network.  The Tigers will travel to Central Catholic on Friday night to meet the Vikings in a key section contest. 
 

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 69  BEAVER FALLS - 60

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SECOND HALF RALLY BEATS HOPEWELL, 58-49

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The Tigers came back from a 30-25 halftime deficit to post a 58-49 victory over Hopewell at the Senior High gym on Friday night.  Senior guard Nick Dvorsky led the Tigers with 14 points while senior Stephane Batton added 12 and senior guard/forward Jeff Haus 11 for the winning Tigers.

After the Tigers took a 12-11 lead after one quarter, the Vikings outscored NA by six in the second quarter to go to the intermission with a five-point advantage.  In the third quarter, the Tigers used a strong defense to hold Hopewell to just four points and build a 43-34 lead.  In the fourth quarter, both teams scored 15 points as the Tigers came away with the nine-point victory.

The Tigers made 18 of 45 (40.0%) from the field while hitting on seven of 21 (33.3%) from beyond the arc.  From the foul line, NA was 15 of 23 (65.2%).  The Vikings made 20 of 42 (47.6%) from the field but missed their only three-point attempt.  From the line, Hopewell converted on 9 of 14 (64.3%).  NA dominated in the paint, outscoring Hopewell, 28-20.  The NA bench also came through with a 22-12 advantage.  For his efforts, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Jeff Haus as the Player of the Game.  Haus pulled down nine rebounds to go with eleven points.

The Tigers are scheduled to play in the Pittsburgh Classic at Robert Morris University on Sunday night against Beaver Falls.  Game time is scheduled for 8:00 pm.

Box Score
Photo Gallery

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 58  HOPEWELL - 49

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TIGERS TAKE CARE OF PINE-RICHLAND, 60-55

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

The Tigers scored the final five points of the game to earn a tough 60-56 victory at Pine-Richland on Tuesday night.  Senior forward Stephane Batton scored 19 points and senior guard Andy Blumer added 18, all on three-point baskets, to pace NA to the important section victory.  It was a special win for the Tigers as the Rams beat NA at the Senior High gym earlier in the season.

The Tigers came out ready to play and took the early lead.  After the Rams took an early 2-0 lead on a putback by Tommy Johnson, senior Jordan Baierl drained a trey to put NA up 3-2 at the 1:40 mark of the quarter.  Blumer hit his first triple, Batton dropped in a pair of free throws, and Blumer hit two more treys as the Tigers increased the margin to 14-3.  The Rams' Ian Hennessy came back with two free throws, but Baierl tossed in another triple to give the Tigers a huge 17-5 lead after the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter, the Tigers continued to score and extend the lead.  Senior Nick Dvorsky drove for a hoop to push the margin to 19-5 just 48 seconds into the second quarter.  After Tommy Johnson scored again for the Rams, Blumer hit his fourth trey of the game from the corner to extend the lead to 22-7.  With 5:20 remaining in the half, Hennessy hit a triple, but a put back by senior guard Ian Thomas and a driving layup by Baierl made it a 26-10 game with 4:47 left.  Pine-Richland regrouped, however, to get back into the game.  The Rams scored the next eight points on hoops by Erik Kordenbrock, Eric Holmes on a putback, and four straight foul shots by Johnson.  Blumer hit another triple with 1:36 remaining in the quarter to push the lead back to eleven at 29-18.  The Rams answered with seven straight points on a basket by Hennessy, a conventional three-point play by Holmes, and a baseline drive by R.J. White with 30 seconds left as P-R closed to 29-25 at halftime.

The Rams continued the run early in the third quarter scoring the first five points to take the lead.  Hennessy opened with a triple just 25 seconds into the second half, and Johnson put P-R ahead, 30-29, with a field goal from under the basket.  The basket completed a 20-3 run by the Rams.  Senior guard Jeff Dassner answered with a trey from the corner to put NA back ahead, 32-30.  After Holmes scored on a driving layup to tie the game, senior Jeff Haus scored on a fast break to give NA a 34-32 advantage.  Another triple by Hennessy pushed the Rams to a 35-34 lead and a driving layup by Kordenbrock made it a 37-34 game with 4:31 still remaining in the quarter.  Batton then stole the ball, scored and dropped in the foul shot to tie the game at 37-37.  Freshman Andy Andrle hit a triple after coming in off the Ram bench to push the margin to 40-37.  After two free throws by Batton cut the lead to one, R.J. White hit a trey from the top of the key to give the Rams their biggest lead at 43-39 with 1:57 remaining.  Sophomore Anton Constantino came off the NA bench to hit a triple to cut the margin to 43-42.  After Hennessy drove for a layup, Blumer drained his sixth triple of the game from the left corner to tie the game at 45-45 as the third quarter ended.

The teams continued to battle in the fourth quarter as the lead went back and forth.  Hennessy started the scoring with his third trey of the game just 25 seconds into the period, but Batton answered with a triple to tie the game at 48-48.  6-5 senior Mike Felker came in for the Rams and scored on a layup to put P-R back ahead, 50-48.  After Felker made one of two from the line, Batton banked in a short jumper to cut the margin to 51-50 with 5:21 still remaining in the game.  Felker got loose again under the hoop for a basket to make it a 53-50 game.  Batton again had the answer with his second triple to tie the game at 53-53 with 4:59 left.  A minute later, Batton drove down the middle and scored to give the Tigers a 55-53 advantage.  Holmes came back with a long trey as the Rams jumped back ahead, 56-55, with 3:51 on the fourth quarter clock.  The pace of the game slowed at this point and neither team was able to score until the 1:19 mark when Batton scored on a jumper to push the Tigers ahead, 57-56.  Batton scored 12 points in the fourth quarter to put NA on top, but there was still time remaining.  The Rams worked the ball for 20 seconds and called a time out.  Kordenbrock attempted a triple after the stoppage, and Haus pulled down the rebound and was fouled.  The Tiger senior made both attempts to push the lead to 59-56.  After White failed to convert along the baseline, the rebound was turned over to the Tigers' Dassner who was fouled.  Dassner hit one of two from the line, and Kordenbrock's length of the floor shot hit the rim as time ran out.  The Tigers survived with a hard-earned 60-56 victory.

Statistically, both teams shot well from the floor.  NA made 20 of 44 (45.5%) from the field while the Rams hit on 20 of 45 (44.4%).  From three-point range, the Tigers drained 12 of 24 (50.0%) while P-R was 7 of 14 (50.0%).  At the foul line, NA was 8 for 9 (88.9%), including the crucial three-for-four in the last minute.  Pine-Richland converted on 9 of 13 (69.2%) from the line.  Rebounds were even, but NA committed 17 turnovers to 13 for P-R.  A key factor in the win was the 27-8 advantage for the Tiger bench over the Ram reserves.  The Tigers also held a 24-14 advantage in the paint.  For their efforts, the North Allegheny Sports Network decided to name Stephane Batton and Andy Blumer as Co-Players of the Game. 

With the victory, the Tigers moved into sole possession of first place in the section, one-half game ahead of idle Seneca Valley.  The NA section record improved to 6-2, the overall mark to 11-4.  The Tigers will host Hopewell on Friday night in a non-section game and will meet Beaver Falls on Sunday night in the Pittsburgh Classic at Robert Morris University.  Friday's game time is set for 7:30 pm with Sunday's start scheduled for 8:00 pm.

Photo Gallery
Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 60  PINE-RICHLAND - 56

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TIGERS AVENGE LAST YEAR'S LOSS WITH
70-55 VICTORY AT NORWIN

Box Score

The Tigers defeated Norwin, 70-55, at Norwin on Saturday night to gain a measure of revenge against the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year.  Senior guard Nick Dvorsky led the way with 18 points with senior swing man Jeff Haus and senior forward Stephane Batton adding 14 points each for the winning Tigers.

The Tigers took control of the game early building a 22-10 lead after one quarter beyond 9 points from Batton.  NA extended the margin to 42-25 at halftime.  The Knights came a little closer after three quarters cutting the NA advantage to 59-45.  With the big lead, the Tigers coasted in the final period to the 15-point victory.

The Tigers shot well in posting the victory making 29 of 53 (54.7%) from the floor including 7 of 17 (41.2%) from beyond the arc.  From the foul line, NA was 5 of 10 (50.0%).  The Knights made only 18 of 58 (31.0%) and just 6 of 24 (25.0%) from three-point range.  From the foul line, the Knights converted on 13 of 20 (65.0%).  NA dominated in the paint outscoring Norwin by a 36-16 count including 15-2 in second chance points.  Haus had eleven rebounds, three blocks and two steals for the winning Tigers.

With the win, the overall NA record improved to 10-4 on the season.  The Tigers will travel to Pine-Richland on Tuesday night to meet the Rams in a section contest.  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 - 70  NORWIN - 55

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TIGER TRIO TOPS TITANS, 57-49

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

Three NA seniors posted double figures to lead the Tigers to a key 57-49 section victory over Shaler at the Senior High gym on Friday night.  Guard Nick Dvorsky led the way with 18 points while forward Stephane Batton added 17 and swing man Jeff Haus 10.  The Tigers built a 19-6 early lead and never trailed as they won their fifth game in the last six.

After the Titan's Jesse Della Valle scored early, Dvorsky hit on a baseline jumper to tie the score at 2-2.  Batton's steal and layup gave NA their first lead at 4-2 just 1:43 into the game.  After Della Valle hit two from the line, another Batton layup gave NA the lead for good at 6-4.  Dvorsky followed with a triple from the corner to extend the margin to 9-4.  Shaler's J.P. Holtz dropped in a pair of free throws, but Batton scored on another layup and added the foul shot as the NA lead went to 12-6.  With 3:02 remaining, senior point guard Damian Founds drained a trey from straight away to push the lead to 15-6.  Batton added a jumper and Dvorsky a short bank shot as the Tigers grabbed a 19-6 advantage with 35 seconds left in the period.  J.T. Schwartz drained a trey with 19 seconds on the clock as Shaler cut the lead to 19-9 after one quarter of play.

Early in the second quarter, Greg Friend knocked down a baseline jumper to make it a 19-11 game.  After Haus drove for his first hoop of the game, Holtz made one of two from the line to cut the margin to 21-12.  Two free throws by Haus and a driving layup by Founds put NA on top by a 25-12 score with 4:04 left in the half.  It looked like the Tigers were going to put away Shaler early, but the Titans rallied to score the last ten points of the half.  A three by Taylor and a conventional three-point play by Schwartz quickly cut the margin to 25-18 with 3:00 left.  A steal and another layup by Schwartz made it 25-20 with 2:02 left.  Friend finished the first half scoring with a fast break layup as the Titans cut the lead to three, 25-22, at the intermission.

The Tigers regrouped at halftime and came out strong in the third quarter.  Dvorsky drained a long trey to make it 28-22, but Della Valle answered with a layup to cut the lead to four.  Founds drove for a basket, but Taylor hit a short jump shot to keep Shaler close at 30-26 with 4:50 remaining.  Haus then took over with a pair of foul shots, a driving layup and a put back to extend the margin to 36-28 with 50.3 left in the third quarter.  After Holtz scored from under the basket, Batton stole the ball and scored to give the Tigers a 38-30 advantage after three quarters of play.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Tigers built the lead to 13 on a basket by Dvorsky and a triple by senior guard Andy Blumer.  Once again, Shaler came back on a three by Taylor to make it 43-33.  After Batton put back a rebound, Taylor dropped in a runner in the lane and Della Valle converted a three-point play to cut the margin to 45-38.  A steal and layup by Della Valle further cut the lead to five at 45-40 with 3:50 left.  The Tigers maintained their poise, however, as Dvorsky hit a jumper to push the lead back to seven.  After Holtz put back a rebound, Batton hit a baseline jumper to extend the margin to 49-42 with 1:17 left.  Shaler was forced to foul in the remaining time and the Tigers converted from the line.  Dvorsky hit two free throws, but Schwartz drove for a basket to make it a 51-44 game.  Blumer was fouled and made both, but Holtz answered with a pair from the line as the score went to 53-46.  Two more free throws by Batton extended the lead to 55-46 with just 23.2 left.  Another three by Schwartz cut the lead to six, but Dvorsky finished off the Titans with two more foul shots to give NA a 57-49 victory.  The Tigers were 8 for 8 from the line down the stretch.

It was a key victory for the Tigers as they moved into a first place tie with Seneca Valley, a 65-59 winner at Central Catholic on Friday night.  One key to the win was good shooting as NA made 20 of 43 (46.5%) from the field although they hit on only 4 of 14 (28.6%) from beyond the arc.  From the foul line, the Tigers were almost perfect making 13 of 14 (92.9%).  Shaler hit on 18 of 43 (41.9%) and 4 of 11 (36.4%) from three-point range.  From the foul line, the Titans made 9 of 12 (75.0%).  NA forced 16 turnovers resulting in 18 points.  Although Shaler outrebounded NA, the Tigers outscored the Titans, 24-20, in the paint.  Individually, Stephane Batton added six rebounds and five steals to his 17 points and earned him the Player of the Game from the North Allegheny Sports Network.

With the win, NA improved to 5-2 in section play and into a first place tie with Seneca Valley.  The overall Tiger record went to 9-4 on the season.  The Tigers will travel to Norwin tonight for a non-section contest against the Knights.  Last year, Norwin knocked NA out of the playoffs with a 60-59 victory in the quarterfinals.  Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm.

Box Score
Photo Gallery

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 57  SHALER - 49

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WPIAL BOYS' BASKETBALL - 2008-09

The Tigers will compete again in the WPIAL in Class AAAA along with 27 other teams.  The top four teams in each section will enter the WPIAL Basketball Tournament scheduled to begin on February 13, 2009.  All playoff entries will be determined by section record only and will be determined by the best section won/lost record.  Teams that tie for first place will not have the tie broken and ALL tied teams will be declared section champions, will receive a section winner's plaque, and will be entered into the WPIAL tournament.  If four or more teams tie for first place, only those teams will qualify for post season play.

In the event of a multiple tie (two or more teams) for a playoff position, head-to-head competition will be the first determinant.  If head-to-head does not break the tie, the following tie-breaking system will be used.  If three or more teams are tied for third place and the tie breaking system identifies one team as the third place team, the remaining teams will then be tied for fourth place and the process begins all over with head-to-head competition being the first determinant for establishing the fourth place team.  If a tie cannot be broken, all tied teams will enter the playoffs.

TIE-BREAKING SYSTEM

1) Section won-loss records of the tied teams will be compiled.
2) the team(s) with the best numerical head-to-head section record among the tied teams will enter post-season play.
3) If the tie cannot be broken, all tied teams will enter post-season play.

Section play must be completed by Saturday, February 7, 2009.  All teams (qualifying playoff teams or non-qualifying teams) that complete their section schedule by the prescribed date may play exhibition games provided they do not exceed their limit of 22 competitions.  No playoff qualifying team may play a game after Monday, February 9, 2009.  Teams that qualify for the WPIAL playoffs may scrimmage any other team that has qualified for post season play beginning on Tuesday, February 10, 2009.

In Quad A, five 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 - 28 TEAMS

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