Davis sinks South Fayette
Shaun Davis lived for this moment. The senior scored the game-winning hoop as time expired in Bethel Park’s upset victory, 34-32, against South Fayette in the first-round of the WPIAL Class 5A boys’ basketball playoffs.
“Everybody dreams of a buzzer beater in the playoffs,” Davis said. I’m very excited. It’s a big moment.”
After the Lions turned the ball over with 15.6 seconds to play, Davis brought the ball down court. After an exchange of passes with Tanner Pfeuffer, Davis took a few dribbles from the left of the top of the arc and drove inside, weaving his way through defenders and to the hoop for the buzzer beater.
“I wanted the shot,” Davis admitted. “I’m not the best of a shooter. I’m all in the paint. So I did what I am good at and drove to the hoop.”
“Shawn made a great decision,” said BP floor boss Dante Calabria. “More importantly, he made the bucket.”
Calabria also acknowledged a free throw by Davis with 38.6 seconds to play. It was equally vital as it tied the game at 32.
“Obviously you want to make them both but making the second is harder than making the first one,” Calabria explained. “It took a lot of guts to make that shot.”
It took fortitude and then some for the 11th seeded Black Hawks to topple South Fayette. Not only did the Lions host the contest as the No. 6 seed, they featured one of the WPIAL’s top scorers in Michael Plasko.
Bethel Park used a combination of 1-2-2 and 2-3 zone defenses mixed in with some man-to-man to stymy the South Fayette offense, which averaged 60 points per game and was paced by Plasko’s 25.6 points. Plasko was held to five tallies, scoring one hoop and going three-for-six from the charity stripe.
“Shutting (Plasko) down was our game plan,” said Davis. “Defense is what I take pride in. We came to play.”
BP’s exertion pleased Calabria.
“The kids played hard. They got into it,” he said. “All I ask of them is that effort. If we get that effort, win or lose, I am happy.
“Sometimes things happen that you cannot control,” Calabria continued. “But you can always control your effort. As long as we play like that, I will be happy with my kids. We played a gutsy game; had a gutsy finish and came out with the win.”
In the victory, Davis finished with a team-high nine points.
Pfeuffer finished with eight markers, including two, pivotal 3-pointers.
Back-to-back treys by Pfeuffer and Mike Mathias coupled with a Davis bucket provided BP with the game’s biggest lead, 31-25, with 4:56 to play.
Nick Brown provided six points but his biggest play came on defense when he forced the South Fayette turnover that set up the heroics by Davis.
Michael Bruckner also provided five points in the victory.
With the win, BP improved to 13-11 overall and advanced to face Shaler (21-2) in the quarterfinals Thursday, Feb. 22.
The Titans edged Chartiers Valley, 73-71, in their playoff opener. In the loss, Jayden Davis led all scorers with 21 points. Julian Semplice (19) and Rudy Morris (12) also finished in double figures for the Colts, who finished 11-12 overall.
PT TOPPLED
Upsets were the order of the day in the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball playoffs as Kiski Area (15-7) toppled No. 5 Peters Township, 58-51, at AHN Arena.
The Cavaliers powered their way to victory on the strength of an 11-3 run that snapped a 9-9 first-frame deadlocked. Though the lead swelled to 38-26, PT rallied to within 45-40 with 4:32 to play.
Isaiah Gonzalez sparked Kiski. He finished with a team-high 15 points, several coming off layups and free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
Noah Thimons followed with 14 markers. He hit three straight 3-pointers to fend off the Indians in the third quarter.
For Peters Township, which entered the game averaging 73.6 points per game, Cam Mills and Jack Dunbar finished in double figures, scoring 15 and 14 points respectively. The Indians, who finished 17-5 overall, were held to three, 3-point field goals in the game.