Feb 21, 2017 5 min read

WEXFORD – While A.J. Myers grabs the majority of attention and headlines with his high-scoring performances and game-winning shots during what has become a special season for Chartiers-Houston’s boys basketball team, the Bucs are at their best when Cam Hanley, the No. 2 option in the offense, is productive.

And when Andrew Clark makes a clutch three-pointer or two and Spencer Terling scores in double figures, like they did Tuesday night, the Bucs move on in the WPIAL playoffs.

Hanley scored a team-high 22 points – 11 in each half – and Myers, Terling and Clark played supporting roles as fourth-seeded Chartiers-Houston weathered an upset bid by Leechburg and edged the Blue Devils 60-52 in the first round of the Class AA playoffs.

The win moves Chartiers-Houston (19-4) into the quarterfinals Friday against Our Lady of Sacred Heart. The Bucs have won 14 of their last 15 but few have been as difficult as this one against an undersized Leechburg (9-11) team.

The Bucs’ victory capped a big night for Washington County teams on the court at North Allegheny. In the opener of a doubleheader, the Peters Township girls moved on in the 6-A playoffs with a 53-42 win over Seneca Valley.

Chartiers-Houston advanced by combining a good first quarter with a stellar final five minutes and some pressure zone defense. That was enough to overcome struggles at the free-throw line and Leechburg’s torrid long-range shooting. The Bucs made only eight of 19 free throws and Leechburg sank nine three-pointers, including seven by Cory Nulph, who matched Hanley with 22 points.

The Bucs led 20-10 after the first quarter and closed the game by outscoring Leechburg 17-9 in the pivotal fourth quarter.

“We played a team that played very well against us. They made shots,” C-H coach Eugene Briggs said.

Chartiers-Houston led 23-10 early in the second quarter but then got hammered on the boards and Nulph started making shots from behind the three-point line. The Blue Devils closed the first half on an 18-4 run to take a 28-27 lead at halftime.

“That second quarter … we allowed ourselves to get scored on. The same guy was shooting threes over and over again and we weren’t getting out on him and contesting the shots,” Briggs said.

Leechburg opened the second half with three-pointers on their first two possessions but C-H’s zone defense began trapping more and the Bucs eventually went to a box-and-one on Nulph.

The Blue Devils finished with 19 turnovers compared to only nine for C-H. Those 10 extra possessions proved to be the difference in the end.

“We just got back to the way we play,” Briggs said. “The second quarter we were lethargic. Typically, we force about 25 turnovers a game and only turn it over 15 times.”

Myers, who was held to 14 points, scored off an inbounds pass to make it 43-43 at the end of three quarters. The Bucs took the lead for good at 48-46 on a three-pointer by Clark, his second of the game. Leechburg was within 58-56 after Nulph’s seventh three-pointer but Hanley worked the offensive boards for a basket, Myers followed with a free throw and Terling scored on a fast-break to make it a seven-point game and send the Bucs into the quarterfinals.

“We had too many turnovers in the first quarter,” Leechburg coach Corey Smith said. “In the second quarter, when we made the comeback, we turned it over only one time. We executed the game plan except for the first quarter.”

Girls result

Peters Township 55, Seneca Valley 42

Peters Township had a much better start in the playoffs this year than in the opening round than last year, when they were upset in the first round. A young Indians team struggled in that game, shot at the wrong basket on its first possession and never got into an offensive rhythm in a loss to Hempfield.

The Indians, a year more experienced, made sure there would be no repeat of the slow start when they played Seneca Valley in the opening round. Peters Township took control early with a 16-0 run that extended into the second quarter and cruised to a 55-42 victory.

The Indians (14-8) advance to the quarterfinals Friday night to play third-seeded Penn Hills, which had a bye in the opening round.

“We talked all week about the importance of having a good start,” PT coach Bert Kendall explained. “In the last two games of the regular season, we didn’t do that. We fell behind by double digits against both North Allegheny and Norwin . We stressed that it was important for us to be ready from the start. I thought our offensive rebounding was as good in this game as it was all year.”

It played a key role in the Indians turning a 6-6 tie into leads of 22-6 early in the second quarter and 27-10 a few minutes later.

Seneca Valley (9-14) simply didn’t have an answer for PT’s trapping defense and the offense of the Indians’ Makenna Marisa, Isabella Mills and Lillian Young.

Marisa scored a game-high 17 points, Mills scored seven of her 12 points in the opening quarter and Young was steady throughout with 14 points.

“Last year was the first time any of these girls were in the playoffs and it showed,” Kendall said. “It was a learning experience. This year, they were relaxed and it showed. It makes a big difference.”

Seneca Valley was able to build some momentum in the second half after trailing 27-14 at halftime. The Warriors got to within 49-40 in the fourth quarter but Peters Township then scored six straight points, all by point guard Alexandra Zuccarini.

The Indians’ defense forced 21 Seneca Valley turnovers.

“Our press bothered them,” Kendall said. “A lot of our offense comes off of our defense.”

Mckenna Gross led Seneca Valley with 15 points.