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GAME SUMMARIES

NA SOARS PAST BLACKHAWKS IN
 WPIAL FIRST ROUND, 62-56

(2/22/12) In a see-saw battle, the North Allegheny Tigers outlasted the Bethel Park Blackhawks in the First Round of the WPIAL playoffs with a 62-56 victory at Moon Area High School.  Bethel Park stretched out their defense to prevent the Tigers outside shooters from getting good looks, but North Allegheny’s J.C. Howard penetrated the lanes to the tune of 22 points.  For his big night, Howard was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.  Bethel Park’s Brian Holland matched Howard on the score sheet with 22 points of his own, pouring in 16 of those points in the second half.

Throughout much of the ballgame, the teams traded leads numerous times and no team held a lead bigger than seven points.  Late in the first half, the Tigers trailed Bethel Park 22-21 before Adam Haus scored on a knifing drive to the cylinder and Howard banked in a bucket at the buzzer to give NA a 25-22 halftime lead. 

North Allegheny opened the second half with a bucket by Ricky Minsterman to increase the Tigers advantage to 27-22, at that time the largest lead of the game for either team, before the Blackhawks went on an 8-0 run to retake the lead at 30-27.  Again, the teams traded leads going into the fourth quarter before NA gained control down the stretch. 

Leading by four with three minutes remaining, the Tigers milked time off the clock with lengthy possessions and finished those possessions with points.  As was the case throughout the game, the North Allegheny guards penetrated through Bethel Park and with 2:50 to play, sophomore David Haus put NA on top 54-48.  Bethel Park's Kenny Gilmore hit one of two free throws to pull the Blackhawks to within 54-49 before R.J. Colabrese scored on another lay-up for the Tigers and NA's lead was at its largest point, 56-49, with two minutes remaining.  However, Bethel Park trimmed the NA advantage to 56-54 with 39 seconds left.  With clutch work at the free-throw line, Colabrese and Howard put the game away by combining for 6-of-6 shooting, converting bonus shot opportunities. 

For Bethel Park, their first winning season in five years ends with a 15-8 record.  North Allegheny improves to 16-6 on the season and advances to face Butler in the Quarterfinals.  The game will be held at Ambridge at 3:30 pm.  You can listen to the game live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network. 

For the WPIAL Boys bracket, click the Quad-A link.  

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 61    PENN HILLS - 31

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BOYS BASKETBALL ROLLS TO WIN REGULAR SEASON FINALE, 63-40

(2/13/12) The North Allegheny Boys Basketball team concluded the regular season with an impressive 63-40 win over Blackhawk on Monday night.  The non-section win over Class AAA Blackhawk gives the Tigers a 15-6 overall mark heading into tonight’s WPIAL pairings meeting.  As the number two team from Section 3, North Allegheny awaits their first round opponent in the Quad-A playoffs.  You can listen live to the WPIAL Pairings Show on the MSA Sports Network with Don Rebel to find out who NA’s opponent will be, by logging on to www.msasports.net. The program gets underway at 7:00 pm tonight.

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TIGERS PUNISH PENN HILLS, 61-31

(2/11/12) North Allegheny traveled to Penn Hills on Saturday night and left with an easy 61-31 win victory over the Indians.  However, it was a difficult start for the Tigers as they trailed Penn Hills 8-2 at the end of the first quarter.  North Allegheny laid the hammer down in the second quarter and outscored the Indians 59-23 in the remaining minutes.  The Tigers were led by senior guard J.C. Howard who scored 15 points on the night.  Penn Hills was paced by Shy Faulkner who tallied nine points.

The win improves NA's record to 14-6 on the season.  The Tigers round out the regular season with a home contest against Blackhawk before Tuesday's announcement of the WPIAL brackets.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 61    PENN HILLS - 31

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TIGERS WIN SECTION FINALE
OVER NORTH HILLS, 56-48

(2/10/12) A 15-6 North Allegheny run midway through the final period was the difference as the Tigers ended the section portion of their schedule with a victory over the rival North Hills Indians, 56-48.  On a night where the Tigers had a difficult time getting friendly rolls, particularly at the free throw line, R.J. Colabrese helped jump-start the offense, scoring 8 of 10 points in the second half.  The scrappy guard earned Wright Automotive Player of the Game honors with his performance.  Adam Haus was also instrumental in the victory, scoring 8 points, including a perfect 4 for 4 from the charity stripe.  J.C. Howard led North Allegheny with 13 points on the night, on 4 of 11 shooting from the field.

North Hills raced out to a short-lived 9-2 lead, but North Allegheny quickly fought back, putting together a 16-4 run.  The run was highlighted by a Sean Hennigan putback off a missed free throw.  The Indians pulled within three at halftime, thanks to going 3 of 6 from the line in the opening half.  Conversely, the Tigers were just 1 for 7 in the first half from the charity stripe.  Overall, the first half featured some poor shooting and careless handling of the basketball by both teams.  As a result, the North Allegheny lead was just 22-19 at the break.

Following halftime, North Hills surged ahead thanks to North Allegheny going cold from the field.  Throughout the third quarter, the Tigers missed a handful of layup opportunities while the Indians converted at the opposite end of the court.  After Coach DeGregorio called timeout, the Tigers responded with a 6-0 run to retake the lead heading into the fourth quarter at 32-30.  The game jostled back and forth until the final tie of the game came at 36-36 minutes into the final stanza.

North Allegheny will be back in action tomorrow night when they travel to Penn Hills.  They will finish the regular season part of the schedule with a home non-conference matchup with Blackhawk on Monday.  The WPIAL will announced its playoff pairings on Tuesday.  Be sure to check the North Allegheny Sports Network for game times and matchups as the Tigers head into the postseason.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 56    NORTH HILLS - 48

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TIGERS CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT,
EDGE RAIDERS, 44-43

To hear an archived broadcast of the game, click here!

(2/7/12)  North Allegheny survived an upset bid from Seneca Valley as Alex Maxfield’s three pointer at the buzzer clanged off the front iron, allowing the Tigers to escape Raider country with a 44-43 victory.  The victory clinched a playoff spot for North Allegheny, and coupled with a loss by Butler on Tuesday night, secured the Tigers the second spot in the Section 3 standings.  Guard Adam Haus was named Wright Automotive Player of the Game after leading the Tigers in scoring with 11 points, including a trifecta of shots from beyond the arc. 

North Allegheny struggled shooting the basketball in the first half, not converting their initial field goal until the opening quarter was halfway over.  Despite their offensive woes, they led 22-20 at halftime, thanks in large part to a pair of Adam Haus 3-pointers late just before the break.  David Haus also sank a basket from long range in the opening half.  At the other end of the court, the staunch Tigers defense harassed the Seneca Valley ball handlers into committing 11 turnovers.

Neither team was able to pull away in the second half, as the lead jostled back and forth.  North Allegheny made it a five-point margin at 42-37 after some crisp passing resulted in a Scott Blumer lay-in.  Seneca Valley quickly cut the lead to one after a free throw and three pointer by Matt Smith.  Adam Haus made it 44-41 off a drive to the basket, but Seneca Valley’s Alex Snyder quickly answered at the other end on a rebound putback, cutting the lead to 44-43 with over 3 minutes to play.  Unfortunately for the Raiders, no more points were tallied in the remainder of the contest. 

With strong ball control by J.C. Howard, among others, North Allegheny was able to milk the clock down the stretch, forcing Seneca Valley to foul.  Although the Tigers could not convert opportunities at the line to pull away, the Raiders also went cold shooting the basketball down the stretch, unable to hit the game winner at the buzzer.

The victory extends North Allegheny to 12-6 overall, with a 7-4 mark within the section.  They will cap off their section schedule on Friday at home against North Hills.  The Tigers will look for a measure of revenge against their conference rival, as they fell to the Indians in their first meeting this season.  Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 pm.  If you cannot attend the game, be sure to catch all the action on the North Allegheny Sports Network.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 44    SENECA VALLEY - 43

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TEAM EFFORT LEADS TIGERS TO 68-59 WIN OVER CENTRAL CATHOLIC

(2/3/12) Lincoln Davis put forth an impressive individual highlight reel on Friday night, but a team of Tigers pulled out the victory as North Allegheny toppled the Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings, 68-59.  NA used three double-digit scorers to best Davis’ 33 point night.  J.C. Howard led the Tigers with 16 points, Ricky Minsterman took care of things down low with 13 points, and Sean Hennigan dropped in 11 points from the outside.  Shooting 5 of 10 from the field and pulling down seven rebounds, Minsterman was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.

The one man band of Lincoln Davis lifted Central Catholic to a 20-18 lead after one quarter of play, but the Tigers opened the second quarter with 15-4 run to grab a 33-24 lead.  The Vikings cut the NA advantage to 33-28 by halftime.  Early in the third quarter, Central Catholic battled back to retake the lead on a three-pointer by Garret Vrbanic to make the score 36-35, Vikings. 

The lead wouldn’t last long as NA’s Scott Blumer replied with a bucket and was fouled in the process.  After completing the three-point play with a little over five minutes remaining in the quarter, Blumer had given the Tigers the lead back at 38-36.  Davis responded with a pretty scoop shot off the backboard to tie the score, 38-38.  As the teams traded possession, North Allegheny regained the lead on a finger roll by David Haus and Minsterman followed with a strong lay-in to up the score to 42-38, Tigers.  However, Central Catholic responded with a three-pointer by Sam Calhoun and a lay-in by Mike Anselmo to put the Vikings back in front, 43-42.  A pair of free-throws by NA’s J.C. Howard put the Tigers ahead once more at 44-43.  North Allegheny would remain in the lead for the rest of the night.

The Tigers defense and free-throw shooting would be enough to hold off the Vikings in the final quarter.  North Allegheny forced 21 Central Catholic turnovers in the game and hit 11 of 14 from the charity stripe in the second half.  Despite a dunk by Davis to finish off the game, the Tigers claimed an important victory that brings NA a step closer to clinching a playoff spot.

With the win, North Allegheny improves to 11-6 overall and 6-4 in section play keeping them in second place in Section 3.  Central Catholic’s playoff hopes took a serious hit with the loss as the Vikings drop to 10-10 overall and 5-6 in the section.  North Allegheny will be back in action on Tuesday night with a visit to Seneca Valley.  The game will be carried live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.              

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 68    CENTRAL CATHOLIC - 59

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GOLDEN TORNADO SWEEP AWAY TIGERS, 81-60

(2/1/12) Nate Snodgrass scored 42 points, including his 1,000th of his career, to lead the Butler Golden Tornado over the North Allegheny Tigers on Tuesday night, 81-60.  The senior point guard also dished out six assists in the Butler victory, keeping the Golden Tornado in the playoff hunt and sweeping the season series from North Allegheny.  Thanks to a Seneca Valley loss on Tuesday night, the Tigers remain in second place in Section 3.

At the outset, North Allegheny's pressure defense seemed to keep Butler off-balance as the Tigers built a 17-12 lead by late in the first quarter.  Senior J.C. Howard was a major catalyst for the Tigers in the early going, scoring NA's first eight points of the night.  However, the Tigers largest lead of the game would be their last of the game as well, in large part to a 16-2 run by Butler that put the Golden Tornado ahead 28-19.  While the points began to accumulate for Butler, so did the fouls for North Allegheny.  Foul trouble would be an issue throughout the contest and three Tigers fouled out by game's end. 

Butler held a 39-30 lead coming out of halftime, and the advantage ballooned to double-digits immediately in the third quarter on a three-pointer by Luke Hartung.  The Tigers could not keep pace with Butler's hot shooting as the Golden Tornado hit 62% in the game and the Tigers connected on only 4 of 21 from beyond the arc.  North Allegheny did receive solid contributions from Howard and Adam Haus who finished with 19 and 13 points respectively.  With 4 of 7 shooting from the field and 4 of 5 shooting from the foul line, Haus was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game. 

Most of the damage dealt by the Golden Tornado was provided by Snodgrass' 42 point effort.  Butler received further contributions from Hartung who notched 15 points, and Dominick Pusateri who added another 10.  Butler outscored the Tigers 26-18 in the fourth quarter and pulled away for the 81-60 victory. 

The Tigers fall to 10-6 overall and 5-4 in section play.  Butler improves to 10-9 overall and 5-5 in the section.  North Allegheny will try to rebound on Friday night with a home game against the Central Catholic Vikings.  The game will be carried live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.  The game tips-off at 7:30 pm with pre-game beginning at 7:20 pm.  

GAME SUMMARY
BUTLER - 81    NORTH ALLEGHENY - 60

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NA FALLS TO CATHEDRAL PREP, 62-57

(1/28/12) North Allegheny traveled to Gannon University on Friday night and came up just short to Erie Cathedral Prep, 62-57.  NA senior J.C. Howard led all scorers with 22 points, but it wasn’t enough as Sheldon Dablotny’s 19 points and Matt Harris’ 11 points held off the Tigers in the end.  North Allegheny falls to 10-5 on the season and will try to avenge an earlier defeat to the Butler Golden Tornado on Tuesday night.  You can catch all the action from Butler live over the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm. 

GAME SUMMARY
CATHEDRAL PREP - 62    NORTH ALLEGHENY - 57

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TIGERS SHELLAC RAMS, 86-45

(1/24/12) Four Tigers posted double digits on Tuesday night as North Allegheny trounced the Pine-Richland Rams, 86-45.  The win snapped the Tigers first two game losing streak in over two years and allowed NA to reclaim sole possession of second place in Section 3.  The Tigers led by 17 at halftime and invoked the mercy rule by the end of the third quarter on their way to a blowout victory.

From the gate, the Tigers ferocious defense set the standard in this contest and forced 27 turnovers by game’s end.  North Allegheny compounded the troubles for the Rams by shooting 53-percent from the field.  NA raced to a 20-8 lead after the first quarter and a 44-27 lead at halftime.  By outscoring the Rams in the third quarter 31-7, the Tigers invoked the mercy rule and ended the competitive phase of this Section 3 meeting.    

While PR’s Andy Anderle did his best to keep the Rams in the game with a game high 27 points, he alone could not keep pace with a roster full of Tigers that poured on the points.  Senior J.C. Howard led NA with 21 points and was followed by Ty Neff and Adam Haus who posted 11 points each.  Off the bench in the second half, Hashim Hyder drained a trio of three-pointers and added a free-throw for a 10 point night.  For all of the offense, it was a man who scored just three points that was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.  Junior guard R.J. Colabrese fed the Tigers scorers throughout the night with precision passes that led to easy buckets underneath.  Colabrese finished the night with nine assists and four steals in helping the Tigers to their 10^th victory of the season.

North Allegheny improves to 10-4 with the victory and 5-3 in section play.  Pine-Richland drops to 4-11 and 1-6 in the section.  Tigers will next visit Erie Cathedral Prep on Friday night for a non-section battle.  Tip-off is slated for 7:30 pm. 

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 86    PINE-RICHLAND - 45

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SHALER'S DEFENSE HOLDS DOWN TIGERS, 59-41

(1/20/12) In a clash of Section 3 Titans, it was Shaler who came out on top Friday night with a 59-41 victory over the North Allegheny Tigers.  The Titans take a strangle hold of the section with the win and did it with a suffocating defense that held the Tigers to their lowest scoring output of the season.  No Tiger posted double-digits in the game and only two players converted multiple field goals, Ty Neff and Sean Hennigan.  Meanwhile, Shaler had two players in double-digits by halftime as the Titans grabbed control of the game late in the first quarter.

With the score tied 9-9, Shaler went on an 11-0 run ranging from the end of the first period and continuing into the second.  That spurt helped the Titans to a 34-20 halftime lead.  North Allegheny fought back to start the second half by going on a 10-2 run and cutting the Shaler lead to 36-30.  Hennigan helped lead the run for the Tigers with a pair of three-pointers.  For his effort in inching the Tigers back into the game in the third quarter, Hennigan was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.

Shaler answered the Tigers run with another of their own, scoring seven straight points to pull the Titans ahead 43-30.  Despite North Allegheny’s best efforts, Shaler’s lead was too much to overcome as the Titans defense held off the Tigers for a 59-42 victory.  Shaler was led by Geno Thorpe’s 24 points and J.P. Holtz added another 12.  Ty Neff led the Tigers in scoring with nine points while Hennigan and J.C Howard followed with six each.    

Losing two games in a row for the first time this season, the Tigers fall to 9-4 overall and 4-3 in section play.  Shaler improves to 13-2 and 6-1 in the section.  North Allegheny will look to rebound on Tuesday night when they meet Pine-Richland at NASH.  Tip-off is slated for 7:30 pm and the game will be carried live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.    

GAME SUMMARY
SHALER - 59    NORTH ALLEGHENY - 41

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NA'S FRANTIC RALLY FALLS SHORT,
NORTH HILLS PULLS OFF UPSET, 85-80

(1/17/12) Despite a frantic rally in the final minutes, North Allegheny fell short on the road, 85-80, to the North Hills Indians on Tuesday night.  The Indians pulled off the upset with 59-percent shooting from the field and five players touching double-digits in scoring.  North Allegheny’s J.C. Howard led all scorers with 24 points, Adam Haus chipped in with 12, and Hashim Hyder and R.J. Colabrese added 11 points apiece.  During the Tigers late rally, Hyder hit a pair of long distance three-pointers to keep North Allegheny within reach.  For his efforts, Hyder was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.

North Hills jumped out to a 22-15 lead early in the second quarter by feeding 6-8 senior Steve Hearty who continuously poured in a short distance buckets and lay-ins on his way to a 22 point night.  Undaunted, the Tigers fought back with a 13-2 run to grab a 28-24 lead.  After a three-pointer by Byrce Henny pulled North Hills to within one at 28-27, North Allegheny answered with a trey by Sean Hennigan and an 11-1 run to increase their lead to 39-28.  Instead of letting the game get away, North Hills closed the gap in the final minute of the half to within 39-33 by intermission.

In the third quarter, North Hills outscored the Tigers 25-15 behind the three-point shooting of Sam Tovissi.  The senior guard dropped in four treys in the period to lift the Indians to a 58-54 lead heading into the fourth.  Tovissi finished the night with 16 points, while Joel Pepmeyer and Alex Wright finished in double-digits with 23 and 11 respectively.

The lead swelled to 76-64 for the Indians with three minutes left before the Tigers began their rally.  Howard, Henningan, and Howard did their best to bring NA back in the final minutes, but North Hills’ prowess at the free-throw line was enough to hold the Tigers at bay.  The Indians converted 32 of 38 free-throws on the night as sophomore Danny White as a perfect 10-for-10 from the charity stripe in the second half.  North Hills won their first game against the Tigers since the 2008-09 season.

With the loss, North Allegheny falls to 9-3 overall and 4-2 in Section 3.  North Hills improves to 7-7 and 2-4 in the section.  The Tigers hope to rebound with a huge road meeting with second-ranked Shaler.  Tip-off is slated for 7:30 pm and will be carried live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.   

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH HILLS - 85    NORTH ALLEGHENY - 80

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TIGERS ROAR BACK FROM 20 POINTS DOWN TO BEAT RAIDERS

(1/13/12) The North Allegheny Tigers rallied from a 20 point deficit to beat the Seneca Valley Raiders, 60-59, in a game befitting of Friday the 13^th.  North Allegheny got off to a horrific start, falling behind 39-19 late in the first half.  However, the Tigers roared back and claimed the lead in the third quarter.  The lead would change hands several times in the second half before an Adam Haus three-pointer with 33 seconds remaining put NA in front for good.

Seneca Valley used a deliberate pace and torrid shooting from the field to prevent the Tigers from utilizing their typical run and gun style.  The Raiders shot 91% from the field in the first quarter to build a 22-13 advantage.  Behind a nine point first half effort from Chad Albert, and eight points apiece from Alex Maxfield and Matt Smith, the Raiders increased their lead to 39-19 lead with 1:19 remaining in the second quarter.  The tide turned in a hurry for the Tigers as NA posted a 10-0 run to cut their deficit to 39-29 in the blink of an eye.  The Tigers turned the remaining minute of the half into track meet as Ricky Minsterman scored a pair of buckets and J.C. Howard scored six points in that time frame including a three pointer at the buzzer. 

North Allegheny climbed out of the 20 point whole they had dug themselves when Howard banked in a shot and was fouled with three minutes to play in the third quarter.  Howard converted the three point play to put NA in front 45-44.  The Tigers outscored the Raiders 22-9 in the third quarter to take a 51-48 advantage heading into the fourth period.

While the Tigers were hitting their stride, the Raiders were missing critical free-throws.  Seneca Valley converted on only 6 of 23 free-throws in the second half allowing North Allegheny the opportunity to build a five point lead with less than three minutes left in the game.  An Adam Haus finger roll gave the Tigers a 57-52 lead before the Raiders went on a 6-0 run to grab the lead back, 58-57 with a minute to go. 

The suspense grew further when Haus delivered NA a 60-58 lead with a shot that clanged off the rim, bounded high off the backboard, and sank straight through the netting with 33 seconds remaining.  Looking for an answer in the lane, SV’s Austin Bream was fouled with 11 seconds left in the game, but the Raiders’ free-throw shooting woes continued as Bream connected on just one of two shots to bring the score to 60-59, Tigers.  Seneca Valley quickly fouled R.J. Colabrese with seven seconds to go for a one-and-one situation for the Tigers junior.  When Colabrese missed the front end of the one-and-one, Seneca’s Alex Snyder pulled down the rebound and passed up court to Easton Bazzoli for a three-point shot from the top of the key as time expired.  Bazzoli’s effort was off the mark and the Tigers earned an exciting 60-59 victory.

Senior Ricky Minsterman led all scorers with 24 points in the game and provided the Tigers with important buckets early in the contest when North Allegheny was struggling to score points.  Minsterman also notched nine rebounds and was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.  Senior J.C. Howard finished the night with 19 points while Seneca Valley was paced by Chad Albert and Alex Maxfield who scored 11 points each.

The victory improves North Allegheny’s record to 9-2 overall and 4-1 in section play.  Seneca Valley falls to 7-6 overall and 2-3 in Section 3.  The Tigers return to action Tuesday night with a visit to North Hills.  Catch all the action live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.  Tip-off is slated for 7:30 pm. 

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 60    SENECA VALLEY - 59

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MINSTERMAN'S LAYUP IN WANING
SECONDS WINS IT FOR TIGERS

(1/10/12) J.C. Howard found Ricky Minsterman underneath the Central Catholic hoop for the winning basket with seconds to spare, as North Allegheny upended the Vikings 73-72.  Howard scored 29, including 4-7 from beyond the arc.  Minsterman was the only other Tiger in double figures, concluding the game with 17 points on 8 of 10 shooting. 

With North Allegheny leading by one in the final minute, Central Catholic sent R.J. Colabrese to the line for a pair of free throws.  Colabrese made the first, but missed the second.  At the other end, the Vikings' Lincoln Davis buried a straight away three, giving Central Catholic a one-point lead, setting the stage for Howard's sprint downcourt and Minsterman's game winner.

The Vikings held a four-point halftime lead, while shooting a ridiculous 60% from the field, including several flashy dunks.  However, they could not maintain the lead, as North Allegheny owned the third quarter, outscoring Central Catholic 23-10 in the period.  The quarter was highlighted by a furious 13-0 run, as the Tigers turned Viking turnovers into quick points. 

Howard knocked down a three pointer, set up by a Patrick Yates baseline drive, to give North Allegheny its first lead of the second half.  The next time down the court, a no-look pass by Colabrese set up Scott Blumer for an easy lay-in.  Minsterman and Adam Haus poured in the next six points, all in the paint, giving the Tigers their biggest lead of the game at 52-42.  Central scored the next four before Howard buried a three pointer from well beyond the arc as time expired in the third period.  North Allegheny survived a comeback by the Vikings in the fourth quarter, thanks to Minsterman's heroics.  Free throw shooting also proved key down the stretch, with the Tigers shooting 15 for 21 for the game from the charity stripe.  Conversely, the Vikings shot just 8 for 20 from the line in the one-point loss.

It was a heartbreaking loss for Central Catholic, who now find themselves with an overall record of 6-6, with a 2-2 mark in the section.  On the other hand, the win boosts the Tigers' record to 9-2 on the season, 3-1 within the conference.  North Allegheny will look to improve that mark on Friday night, when they host the Raiders of Seneca Valley.  Tip off is scheduled for 8:00 pm.  The game can be heard on the North Allegheny Sports Network, with pregame scheduled for approximately 7:50 pm. 

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 73    CENTRAL CATHOLIC - 72

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BUTLER EDGES NA, 75-69

For an archived broadcast of this game, click here!

(1/6/12) In an electric atmosphere at NASH, the Butler Golden Tornado gutted out a win over the North Allegheny Tigers on Friday night, 75-69.  The game was a nip and tuck battle throughout with neither team pulling away until the waning moments when Butler put the game out of reach.  Golden Tornado point guard Nate Snodgrass led way with 21 points and hit clutch free throws down the stretch, going 12-of-14 from the line. 

While Butler came out on top, North Allegheny narrowly led most of the night.  When the Golden Tornado managed to tie or take a slim lead, NA’s Adam Haus was the player who always had the clutch bucket to swing the pendulum back toward the Tigers.  Late in the first half, Butler took their first lead of the game at 38-35 but Haus quickly answered with a three-pointer to tie the score.  Thanks in part to Haus’ bucket, the Tigers took a 42-40 lead into halftime.

Late in the third quarter, the trend continued when Butler grabbed a 53-52 lead on a pair of Snodgrass free-throws.  However, it was Adam Haus who once again swayed the lead back to the Tigers with another three-pointer to give North Allegheny a 55-53 lead heading into the fourth quarter.  Haus finished with a game-high 24 points and shot 5-of-7 from beyond the arc.  Haus added a team-high eight rebounds and earned Wright Automotive Player of the Game honors.

With four minutes to play in the game, Jake Hilliard stroked a three-point shot from the corner to put Butler ahead for the third time in the game, 60-59.  After a pair of free-throws by Snodgrass extended the lead to 62-59, North Allegheny’s J.C. Howard scored on a reverse lay-up to cut the Butler advantage to 62-61.  Howard finished with 16 points on the night.

With 2:57 remaining, the Tigers Ty Neff connected on a pair of free-throws to pull NA in front once more, 63-62.  The advantage would be short-lived however and was the final lead of the night for North Allegheny as Hilliard scored on a two-point bucket moments later to put Butler ahead, 64-63. With Snodgrass’ work from the charity stripe, the Golden Tornado would extend the lead to its eventual final, 75-69.    

North Allegheny falls to 7-2 overall and 2-1 in the section after the loss.  Butler improves to 8-4 overall and 3-1 in section play.  The Tigers hope to bounce back next week with a visit to Pittsburgh Central Catholic on Tuesday night.  Tip-off is slated for 7:30 pm. 

GAME SUMMARY
BUTLER - 75    NORTH ALLEGHENY - 69

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NA PUMMELS PETERS TOWNSHIP TO
CONCLUDE HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT

(12/28/11) In another convincing showing, North Allegheny trounced the Peters Township Indians on Wednesday night, 78-27, in the finale of the NA Wright Automotive Holiday Tournament.  Peters Township stayed within reasonable distance of the Tigers in the opening stages of the game but the high-powered NA offense, fueled by their pressure defense, was too much for the Indians to handle.  More impressively, the Tigers did it without their leading scorer, J.C. Howard, who missed the game for family reasons.

The competitive phase of the game began to slip away from Peters Township in the second quarter as the Tigers outscored the Indians 22-7 in the period for a 41-18 halftime lead.  Thanks to tremendous passing and assists from the likes of R.J. Colabrese, Adam Haus, and David Haus, North Allegheny’s big men were able to take advantage of the Indians down low.  Ricky Minsterman was a perfect 7-for-7 from the field and led the Tigers with 16 points on the night.  Minsterman and Scott Blumer, who added another 13 points from the low blocks, took advantage of wide open opportunities thanks to the crisp passing from the guards.  For his efficient work, Minsterman was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.   

In the second half, the Tigers invoked the mercy rule by the end of the third quarter and blanked the Indians for the entire fourth quarter.  Senior Hashim Hyder poured in 13 points in the second half and helped the Tigers coast to an easy victory.  North Allegheny shot 54% from the floor and forced 27 turnovers on defense.

The Tigers improve to 7-1 on the season while Peters Township falls to 4-5 on the year.  North Allegheny will begin the New Year with a battle against Barnett Harris and the reigning WPIAL Champion Gateway Gators on Tuesday night.  The home game will be carried live from NASH on the North Allegheny Sports Network.  Tip-off is schedule for 7:30 pm.      

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 78    PETERS TOWNSHIP - 27

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TIGERS DISMANTLE PANTHERS IN
HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT, 80-45

(12/27/11) Despite the festive season, North Allegheny proved to be unaccommodating hosts to Upper St. Clair, defeating the visiting Panthers, 80-45.  In the matchup of one-loss teams, the Tigers completely dominated play in seemingly every facet of the game.  Adam Haus scored 20 points, on 8 of 10 shooting, to earn Wright Automotive Player of the Game honors.  JC Howard netted 19, while collecting 5 rebounds from his point guard position.  In all, eleven Tigers found the scoresheet on the night.

The score was even through the first quarter, with the Tigers featuring their familiar up-tempo offense with lockdown defense.  A short run at the end of the period allowed North Allegheny to end the first with a slim 16-11 lead.  Then, Upper St. Clair became careless with the basketball and North Allegheny capitalized, cruising to a 27-6 run throughout the second quarter.  Sixteen first half turnovers by the Panthers put the game out of reach by halftime, with the Tigers sporting a 43-17 lead.  They sank six three-pointers in the first half, led by Haus' 4 triples.  Additionally, North Allegheny made as many field goals (17) as Upper St. Clair attempted due to persistent smothering defense.   RJ Colabrese and Ty Neff were heavily involved, each producing 4 steals.

In the second half, several Tiger reserves helped hold and expand the lead, including James Meeker, Hashim Hyder, and Luke Soyster.  Zach Harvey also saw his first action this season, after a stellar year on the gridiron.  For the game, North Allegheny shot 49%, including 10-22 from beyond the arc.  In contract, Upper St. Clair managed just two three pointers, shooting just 12% from long range.

The thirty-five point margin was the largest for the Tigers since their first round playoff victory over Woodland Hills last year.  They will return to the court tomorrow to face Peters Township in the second day of the Wright Automotive Holiday Tournament.  Tipoff is scheduled for 8:00 pm.  The game will be covered on the North Allegheny Sports Network, with pregame scheduled for approximately 7:50 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 80    UPPER ST. CLAIR - 45

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NA HAMMERS PINE-RICHLAND, 56-38

(12/21/11) The NA hoopsters bounced back from their first loss of the season with a dominant 56-38 win over the Pine-Richland Rams on Tuesday night.  The win improves the Tigers record to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in Section 3.  Pine-Richland falls to 2-3 overall and 0-1 in section play.  North Allegheny returns to action on Tuesday, December 27 against Upper St. Clair at the Wright Automotive Holiday Tournament.  The game will be carried live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.  Tip-off is slated for 8:00 pm.   

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 56    PINE-RICHLAND - 38

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WHEELING PARK HANDS BOYS BASKETBALL
FIRST LOSS OF SEASON

(12/17/11) A night after their section victory over Shaler, North Allegheny could not sustain a repeat performance, falling to Wheeling Park, 80-61.  The host Patriots led throughout, shooting 56% from the field.  Scott Blumer was perfect off the bench for the Tigers, going 4-4 from the field and 7-7 from the free throw stripe.  Ricky Minsterman added 10 points and 4 rebounds, albeit in a losing effort.

Tip-off was delayed over a half hour after North Allegheny arrived late due to congestion on the interstate.  The game featured a frantic pace by both schools, with Wheeling Park using their athleticism to exploit the Tigers for high percentage buckets.  The two-time state runner-up in West Virginia benefited from four players scoring in double figures, led by Boo Lathon's 22.  Despite the setback, North Allegheny received contributions up and down the lineup, including RJ Colabrese, Patrick Yates, Sean Hennigan, David Haus and Hashim Hyder.  JC Howard and Adam Haus spent much of the night in foul trouble, scoring just 6 and 3 points, respectively, in relatively limited action.

North Allegheny will be back in action Tuesday night at Pine-Richland to take on the Rams.  The game is scheduled for 7:30 pm.  

GAME SUMMARY
WHEELING PARK - 80   NORTH ALLEGHENY - 61

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NA TOPPLES TITANS, 75-69, IN SECTION OPENER

(12/16/11) North Allegheny staved off a furious fourth quarter rally to defeat the visiting Shaler Titans, 75-69, in the Section 3 opener on Friday night.  North Allegheny led by as much as 20 points and held a 57-40 lead entering the fourth quarter, but the Titans chipped away at the Tigers advantage thanks to the hot shooting of Mike Titterington who scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half.  In the end, the large deficit and the Tigers intense defensive pressure was too much for Shaler to overcome.

The game opened with a frantic pace that kept on throughout the duration of the contest with each team chasing the other up the floor.  North Allegheny held a 16-14 lead after the first quarter with contributions from five different scorers.  For the night, the Tigers had eight different players on scorecard and four in double-digits.  Adam Haus led the Tigers with 15 points, followed by Ricky Minsterman’s 14 points, while Ty Neff and J.C. Howard chipped in with 11 apiece.  With his strong drives, tenacious defense, and all around play, Neff was selected as the Wright Automotive Player of the Game by the North Allegheny Sports Network. 

Most of Shaler’s work in the first quarter was done by Penn State recruit Geno Thorpe who posted nine of the first 11 points the Titans scored in the game.  For the remainder of the contest, Thorpe was held to reasonable totals by the NA defense.  The 6-3 junior finished with 21 points, but he could never carry the game on his own in second half as the Tigers followed him closely all over the floor. 

While the game was close in the first quarter, North Allegheny blew open a double-digit lead in the second half by outscoring the Titans 24-13 in the period.  The Tigers hit 53-percent from the floor in the first half and ended the night with a terrific 50-percent success rate, including 9-of-22 from beyond the arc.  Sean Hennigan’s three treys in the first half was key in silencing the Shaler faithful in the first half.

Owning a 40-27 lead coming out of halftime, Shaler trimmed the deficit to nine points at 49-40 late in the third quarter.  However, North Allegheny went on an 8-0 run in the final minutes of the period, thanks in large part to Adam Haus, to balloon the Tigers lead to 57-40.  That’s when Shaler pushed their comeback bid into full gear, only to see their efforts come up shy as NA held on for the 75-69 victory. 

The Tigers remain undefeated at 4-0 and now sit at 1-0 in Section 3 play. The loss for Shaler gives them as many section losses as they had all of last year, as the Titans fall to 0-1 in the section and 3-1 overall.  North Allegheny will not enjoy the victory for very long as the Tigers hit the hardwood again tonight with a tough non-conference game against Wheeling Park.  Action gets underway at 7:30 pm from Wheeling, West Virginia.    

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 75  SHALER - 69  
 

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STRONG SECOND QUARTER SPURS ON TIGERS TO WIN OVER MT. LEBANON

(12/13/11) On another outstanding shooting night, North Allegheny used a dominant second quarter to run away from the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils, 60-41, in the Tigers home opener on Tuesday night.  Four Tigers touched double-digits in the game, including senior guard J.C. Howard who led the way with 17 points and five treys.  For his efforts, Howard was selected as the right automotive player of the game.

With North Allegheny trailing 12-10 and time running out on the first quarter clock, Howard found himself with the ball and well beyond the arc.  Despite a Mt. Lebanon defender’s hand in his face, Howard knocked down the long distance three-pointer at the buzzer to put NA ahead, 13-12.  It was a lead the Tigers would never relinquish thanks to their stellar pressure defense and fine shooting touch. North Allegheny forced 16 turnovers and hit 48-percent from the floor while Mt. Lebanon forced eight turnovers and shot only 31-percent from the floor. 

After Howard’s trey at the end of the first quarter, the Tigers rode that momentum into the second quarter by outscoring the Blue Devils 19-3 in the period.  The NA defense limited Mt. Lebanon to just 1-for-12 shooting in the second quarter while the Tigers scorched the Blue Devils with six treys for the half, four by Howard, one by R.J. Colabrese and one by Adam Haus.  Thanks to their strong play, North Allegheny built a healthy 32-15 lead by halftime. 

Determined to get back in the game, Mt. Lebanon began to chip away in the third quarter and shrunk the Tigers lead to 37-26.  However, Adam Haus responded with two free-throws and a last second bucket at the end the third period to swell NA’s advantage to 41-26.  By that point, the deficit was just too much for the Blue Devils as Ricky Minsterman, Adam Haus and Ty Neff followed Howard’s strong night with double-digit performances of their own.  Minsterman finished with 13 points, Haus ended with 11, and Neff tallied 10.

North Allegheny is off to an impressive 3-0 start and will welcome Geno Thorpe and the Shaler Titans to NA on Friday night for the first section game of the season.  Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 pm and the game will be carried live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.       

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 60  MT. LEBANON - 41  
 

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NA WINS STATE COLLEGE TIP-OFF TOURNAMENT WITH 77-66 VICTORY

The North Allegheny Boys Basketball Team completed a successful opening weekend by taking home the championship trophy at the State College Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday night.  The Tigers defeated the tournament hosts, the Little Lions, 71-66 to claim the tournament title.  As he was on Friday night, senior guard J.C. Howard was key in the victory for North Allegheny as he led all scorers with 20 points.  More importantly, Howard iced the victory for the Tigers with two clutch free throws with just five seconds remaining to turn a one possession game into a five point victory for NA.

Sophomore David Haus also touched double-digits for the Tigers by posting 12 points in the victory.  Haus was equally effective on defense by forcing five steals.  Ty Neff and Sean Hennigan also chipped in for NA with nine points each.  It was another good shooting night for the Tigers at the tournament, who hit 48-percent from the field and 35-percent from beyond the arc.  Kyle Kanaskie was the leading scorer for State College with 14 points.

With the victory, North Allegheny begins the year with a 2-0 record and will host the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils on Tuesday night.  Tip-off is slated for 7:30 pm and the game will be carried live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.    

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 71  STATE COLLEGE - 66  
 

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HOWARD'S 29 POINTS PACES HOT SHOOTING NA TO OPENER WIN

Senior guard JC Howard scored 29 points, including 5/12 shooting from beyond the arc, as North Allegheny routed Hazelton, 103-79.  Playing in their season opener at the State College Tournament, the Tigers shot 46% from the field, getting a wealth of scoring up and down the lineup.  In addition to Howard's 29, Ricky Minsterman and Adam Haus each chipped in with 15 points.  In all, a total of ten Tigers scored Friday night, setting up a date in the championship match Saturday afternoon.   The Tigers will meet State College at 3:30 pm.

BOX SCORE (UNOFFICIAL)

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