Mar 9, 2024 By Eleanor Bailey 4 min read

Brett Meinert scored seven points in the final 40 seconds of play to spearhead Upper St. Clair’s come-from-behind victory against Central Dauphin, 57-53, in a first-round PIAA Class 6A boys’ basketball playoff game.

With the 37.7 to play, Meinert snapped a 50-50 deadlock with a three-point field goal. He then proceeded to knock down four free throws to seal the win. A senior, Meinert finished with 15 tallies.

Christian Ito also came alive in the final frame. The senior scored 11 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter. His 3-pointer with six minutes to play tied the game at 40. His back-to-back long-range shots vaulted USC into the lead, 50-47, with 1:48 to play.

Scoreless in the first half, as the Panthers fell behind by as many as 17 points, Tyler Robbins tossed in all 13 of his points in the second half. His dunk, off an assist from Julian Dahlem, ignited USC in the final four minutes of action.

Robbins scored six points in the third quarter as USC narrowed a 29-19 halftime deficit to 36-33. His free throws, coupled with a steal and bucks by Ito, tied the game at 40 with 6:08 remaining on the clock. His hoop, coupled with a 3-pointer from Peja Stobol, rallied the Panthers heading into the final quarter.

Sloppy play by the Panthers combined with the hot hand of Wayne Fletcher II vaulted the Rams into the lead, 16-3, to start the contest. Fletcher scored 11 of those points. He was silenced in the middle frames and much of the fourth quarter when USC floor boss Danny Holzer assigned Jake Foster to guard him.

Jelani Easter and Fletcher’s teammates kept the heat on the Panthers. Easter finished with 15 points, two behind Fletcher. Lleyton Fried fired in nine markers, including a buzzer-beater at the end of the second quarter.

Central Dauphin built up a 25-8 advantage with 5:22 left in second quarter before USC closed the gap with sharp shooting from the charity stripe. The Panthers were 8 of 9 in the frame.

While the Rams finished the season at 18-9 overall, USC improved to 21-5. Winners of eight games in the row, the Panthers will face State College in a second-round PIAA playoff game set for March 13 at a site and time to be determined.

The Little Lions advanced by defeating Mt. Lebanon in triple overtime, 65-58.

USC was not the only WPIAL champion to advance in the PIAA playoffs.

Class 5A girls’ champion, South Fayette easily dispatched Red Land, 48-20. In the state playoff opener held March 9 at South Fayette, Erica Hall (14) and Juliette Leroux (12 scored in double figures for the Lady Lions, who held the Patriots to no points in the second quarter and led, 33-6, at halftime.

Other action

In other PIAA first-round action involving Almanac teams, the Bethel Park boys upended Hershey, 59-45.

Michael Mathias fired in 22 points to lead the Hawks (14-13). He buried six, 3-pointers in the game.

Shawn Davis followed with 20 tallies.

While Hershey finished the season at 21-4 overall, the Hawks advanced to face Fox Chapel in a second-round playoff game set for 7:30 p.m. March 12 at AHN Arena on the Peters Township High School campus.

The game will be preceded by the Chartiers Valley girls battling WPIAL Class 6A champion Norwin at 6:30 p.m. The Lady Knights (22-3) beat the Lady Colts, 63-47, in the district semifinals played Feb. 26.

CV advanced to the rematch by edging Altoona, 44-43.

Lilah

Brett Meinert is fouled while going up for a basket during PIAA Class 6A first-round playoff action. Meinert scored 15 points, including the game’s final seven, to help seal Upper St. Clair’s come-from-behind victory against Central Dauphin, 57-53.

Christian Ito attempts to control the basketball after Jelani Easter (1) of Central Dauphin gets a hand in the action to force a turnover. Despite the play, Ito came back and scored 15 points to help lead Upper St. Clair to victory over the Rams, 57-53, in PIAA playoff action.

Turnbull exploded for 18 points while Emma Reynolds followed with 15 tallies for the Lady Colts, who improved to 17-8 overall.

Also in 6A girls action, Peters Township (24-2) dispatched Lebanon, 69-49.

Gemma Walker pumped in 30 points while Natalie Wetzel provided 21 for the Indians, who will take on Spring-Ford in the second round of playoff action set for 5:30 p.m. March 12 at Bald Eagle High School in Bellefonte.