Mt. Lebanon bands together for WPIAL title
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Mt. Lebanon players Tim Walters (15), Hayden Mitchell (back), Mike Palmer (20) and Sean Loughran (22) celebrate their basketball championship by happily hoisting the WPIAL trophy. Loughran scored 21 points to lead the Blue Devils to victory, 62-57, against Butler in the Class 6A boys’ final played at the Petersen Events Center.
Michael Palmer tosses the ball up in the air and Sean Loughran rushes to congratulate him as time runs out on Butler and insures Mt. Lebanon its first WPIAL basketball title since 2010. The Blue Devils defeated the Golden Tornado, 62-57, in the Class 6A championship game at the Petersen Events Center.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Jake Hoffman
By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Michael Palmer is fouled on his way to the basket during WPIAL Class 6A boys’ basketball championship action against Butler.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Hayden Mitchell and Sean Loughran pose for pictures with their gold medals and team trophy after Mt. Lebanon defeated Butler, 62-57, to win the WPIAL Class 6A boys basketball title.
Blaine Gartley (11) celebrates with his teammates after Mt. Lebanon defeated Butler, 62-57, to win the WPIAL Class 6A boys' basketball title.
A jubilant Sean Loughran celebrates after Mt. Lebanon defeated Butler, 62-57, for the WPIAL Class 6A boys' basketball title. The senior led the Blue Devils with 21 points.
Sean Loughran (22) focuses on the hoop as he eyes up a layup. During Mt. Lebanon's 62-57 win against Butler in the WPIAL Class 6A championship game, Loughran fired in 21 points.
An exuberant Michael Palmer jumps into the arms of teammates as he celebrates after Mt. Lebanon's 62-57 victory against Butler in the WPIAL Class 6A boys' basketball championship game.
When Mt. Lebanon hits the basketball court to do battle, the Blue Devils band together to dispose of the competition.
“We are a big family,” Blaine Gartley said. “They are my brothers. I got their back and they’ve got mine. That’s just how it works.”
That certainly worked on March 2 against Butler as Lebo dispatched the Golden Tornado, 62-57, with its premier recruit, Ethan Morton, in the WPIAL Class 6A championship game at the Petersen Events Center. It was Lebo’s first title since 2009 and third under head coach Joe David.
The victory was sweet redemption for last year’s exit in the semifinals. In 2018, the Blue Devils lost to Penn Hills, 69-66, and ruined their 20-5 season.
“No words can describe this feeling,” said Sean Loughran, who tossed in 21 points to lead Lebo’s attack against Butler. “This (championship) is what we worked for all year. Six months. Open gyms. Everything. We finally accomplished this. After a disappointing loss last year, it was just great for us to come back and finish.
“That is why I think our team is very special. Everyone is absolutely great friends from the first six on down through the 14 on the bench and even the managers. We are unbelievable close.”
That “chemistry” cemented Lebo’s triumph against Butler as each starter contributed in a major way.
Jake Hoffman joined Loughran in double figures. The junior tossed in 19 points. He buried five, 3-point field goals. His trey coupled with his ensuing steal and layup provided Lebo a 56-49 lead with 3:35 to play.
“(The 3-pointer) was a big moment for us because it put us ahead for the lead that we needed,” Hoffman said. “But we had to stay focused because the game was not over. We needed to get some stops.”
Hayden Mitchell led in rebounding with 10 boards. The senior also chipped in with seven points.
Gartley provided his steady guard play but it was backcourt partner Mike Palmer who stepped into the spotlight. The senior, who will play football at John Carroll, pumped in 11 points, including five from six appearances at the charity stripe.
“These guys have been some of the hardest working guys that I have had. They are gamers,” said Joe David.
After acknowledging that Hoffman indeed “hit a big three,” the Lebo floor boss expounded on Palmer’s performance as the epitome of the group’s emphasis on team.
“When he walked into the gym after the football season, I told him, ‘Mike, there is nothing I want to do more than put a gold medal around your neck,'” David said. “Mike is such a competitor. A tough son of a gun and so unselfish,” he added.
And that is why it works at Mt. Lebanon. Five together, even six or seven like Lucas DeCaro and Andy Sapp, who contributed in the final, are better than one.
“We are all best friends. That is what contributes to our success,” Mitchell said. “We have five players that all can do everything. We are all on a pretty equal level. It’s tough to guard that.”
Butler would concur. The Golden Tornado received 21 points from Morton, who is being recruited nationally including by Pitt, and 12 tallies from Luke Patten but little else.
When the teams met Dec. 18, Lebo limited Morton to 12 points in an 87-60 triumph. However, Moore exploded for 40 points in a semifinal win against Pine-Richland and 32 markers in a quarterfinal upset over Upper St. Clair.
“Morton is a great player,” David said. “He did a great job, got to the rim, but we wanted him to work for his points and I thought he did.”
By the same token, Lebo worked on every possession. The Blue Devils only turned the ball over five times and once they wrestled the lead, 51-49, they worked for the best shot. Even when Butler cut the margin to 58-55, the Lebo defense came up big. The Golden Tornado missed two, 3-point attempts and Mitchell knocked down a pair of free throws with 25.7 seconds left to seal the victory.
e”When we got the lead, I told them to be patient. Look for the layup, and we got a couple of those. We also had no bad turnovers. Anytime you keep it under five that is championship caliber,” David said. “And winning this is unbelievable and very gratifying because these guys have been some of the hardest working guys that I have had.”
Mitchell agreed. “This means everything to us because losing in the semifinals last year was heartbreaking. We just worked every single day as hard as we could. We knew if we could do the little things we could win this thing. It feels amazing.”
Winning the title together is even more amazing, added Hoffman and Gartley.
“We are such a close group. One of the closest we have ever had,” Hoffman said. “So it is unbelievable to be the WPIAL champion. An amazing feeling and awesome to be able to share it with such great friends.”
“We are best friends on and off the court,” Gartley added. “We are not worried about who is scoring the points as long as we are scoring and getting it done. This was a great opportunity for us and we handled business. There is no better feeling than that.”
Mt. Lebanon (22-3) will embark on its quest for a PIAA title on March 9 when the Blue Devils battle Manheim at 6 p.m. at Peters Township.
Blaine Gartley, like his Mt. Lebanon teammates, imagined playing for a WPIAL basketball championship at the Petersen Events Center, where some of their college heros compete when the University of Pittsburgh’s men challenge the ACC powers on a regular basis.
So when the Blue Devils achieved that feat and defeated Butlers, 62-57, on March 2 the experienced seemed surreal.
“Since I was a young kid, playing at the Pete was a dream of mine but it doesn’t feel real right now,” said Gartley immediately after the experience.
Jake Hoffman, who scored 19 points in the win, and Hayden Mitchell, who grabbed 10 rebounds to go with seven points, had to pinch themselves too to make sure adventure really occurred.
“When we walked into the stadium it was just unbelievable,” Hoffman said. “The atmosphere was just crazy. Nothing like anything we have experienced before,” he added.
Even though he has competed at bigger venues such as Oakmont Country Club for the WPIAL golf championships, Mitchell agreed it was awe-inspiring.
“At first, it was definitely nerve wracking but we got into a rhythm and tried to play like it was just another game. But, it was awesome.”
“The atmosphere was great,” interjected Sean Loughran, who fired in a team-high 21 points. “I have never experienced anything like it. Loved it,” he added.
Win four games more and the Blue Devils will love their next site even better than the Pete as they would be competing for a PIAA championship at the Giant Center in Hershey.
“That would be amazing,” Mitchell said.