Published Saturday, March 8, 1997
PIAA AAA BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS
Peters Twp. 53
Grove City 41
Grove City ousted
By Brad Isles
Herald Sports Writer
GROVE CITY _ Under coach Don Fee, getting out of districts hasn't been a problem for the Grove City boys basketball team, as the Eagles have made it to the state playoffs five out of the last six years.
Winning their first-round PIAA game, however, has been.
Things weren't much different Friday night as the WPIAL's Peters Township dominated the Eagles the entire game and won, 53-41, before some 1,800 fans in Grove City College Arena.
Grove City's Amos Upshaw (44) awaits a pass from Eagles
teammate Luke Laird, who sails the ball over the head of
Peter's Township defender Pete Smith (55). (Gene Paulson/Herald)
Peters Township (25-3) will now play the Peabody, which beat Charleroi, 58-35, Tuesday night at a site and time yet to be determined. Grove City (22-6) is eliminated.
Going into Friday's game, Grove City was 2-4 in the '90s, with both wins coming in 1992-93 before it lost to Hickory in the Western Semifinals, 49-46. Three of the Eagles' first-round
losses were to perennial PIAA power Blackhawk, including losses the last two years, 60-40 in '95-96 and 48-36 in '94-95. The other loss was in '91-92, 82-53.
On the other hand, Peters Township isn't as playoff hardened, at least on the state level. The Indians made the WPIAL playoffs the past seven seasons, but Friday marked just their second appearance in the PIAAs. The first was in '95 when Hickory thumped them in the second round, 79-65.
``When you get to this level, you're going to play against good competition,'' Fee said. ``For a first round state playoff game, this was a pretty tough draw. They're a good ballclub.''
With Peters Township being virtually a mirror-image of itself, big on the inside and guards who can shoot, one major advantage Grove City had was the homecourt factor. Throughout districts, the Eagles were forced to the road, playing games as far away as Erie and no closer than Sharon, despite being the higher seed.
It didn't matter because the crowd didn't have much to cheer about.
``I don't think we felt any more comfortable on the floor than they did,'' Fee said.
It showed in the first quarter as the Eagles followed a Luke Laird 3-pointer with three straight turnovers as the Indians rattled off three straight scores to take a 6-3 lead. Rob Hill stopped the drought after four minutes by making the first of two free throws. But Josh Morgan tipped in the miss to tie the game at 6.
The two teams finished the quarter tied at 8 after two Hill foul shots and a basket by Tim Montgomery.
Grove City opened the second quarter with a 6-0 run, aided by two hoops by Amos Upshaw. Morgan looked to continue the run with a dunk but missed. In the process, he hung on the rim too long and got called for a technical.
After that the Eagles never recovered.
Tony Dominick hit the ensuing free throws and Henry Kliner added another foul shot to give the Indians a 15-14 advantage. From there, Peters Township took advantage of poor Grove City passing and closed out the quarter with a 10-4 run to lead at the half, 25-19.
Grove City finished the first half with 10 turnovers and the game with 21.
Part of the reason for the turnovers and a 36 percent (16-for-44) performance from the field was Peters Township's 2-3 zone.
``I thought we played very tentative,'' Fee said. ``We just didn't attack. I think that's a credit to their defense. They harassed us and got some hands in the passing lanes. We just didn't get passes to where they needed to be at the right time.''
``We felt with what they like to do offensively, that they played right into our hands with the 2-3,'' said Indians' coach Rick Bell. ``We also wanted to defend the high-low.''
The Indians did that, holding Upshaw to just 10 points from his forward position, seven below his season average.
``We knew what he was capable of doing,'' Bell said. ``I thought it was a credit to our kids that they did a real good job on their big people.''
Forwards Morgan and Hill, who combine for 16 points per game, combined for only 10 on the inside. But it wasn't just the inside people who struggled for the Eagles.
On the outside, Laird finished with 10 points, but Seth Jenny, who has been in a scoring slump of late had one 3-pointer, and Matt Nikoloff scored six points, also below his average.
Bell's goal going into the game was to control the tempo, and his team did that effectively in the second half to thwart any hopes the Eagles had of a comeback.
The Indians built their halftime lead to 34-24 after a tip-in by Tony Dominick with 3:20 left in the third. They stretched it to a 16-point differential two minutes later on a basket by Henry Klinar en route to a 41-28 lead heading into the fourth.
A 3-pointer by Dominick, followed by a Klinar hoop inside put the Indians up 49-30 and out of reach with six minutes left in the game.
Klinar led Peters Township with 19 points and grabbed 11 boards and combined with Pete Smith's 12 points and nine boards, dominated the inside. Dominick chipped in 15 points.
``I'm disappointed in the way we played, but I'm not disappointed in the team,'' Fee said. ``I think our seniors had a tremendous year and this has been a great group to work with.''
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Updated March 8, 1997
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