Feb 22, 2017 5 min read

BALDWIN – Early in the fourth quarter of its WPIAL playoff game Wednesday night against Valley, the situation looked bleak for the McGuffey High School boys basketball team.

McGuffey, which had never won a postseason game, had three times as many turnovers as field goals and was facing a double-digit deficit against a lightning-quick opponent playing with confidence and momentum. Even the most optimistic Highlanders fan had to be thinking McGuffey’s chances were slim and none, and history was siding with none.

That, however, was the point in the game when McGuffey’s C.J. Cole, a freshman with modest scoring credentials, made a three-point shot from the left side, Trent Belleville started getting open in the low post for baskets, Sean Edlis and Colin Chapman continued to make free throws and the Highlanders switched to a half-court zone trap that began making Valley either commit turnovers or shoot quickly and from long range.

Suddenly, McGuffey erased a 10-point deficit and forced overtime. Once in the extra session, the Highlanders scored the first four points and weathered a Valley rally to defeat the Vikings 50-48 in a wild Class AAAA first-round game at Baldwin High School.

It is the first playoff victory in McGuffey history and sends the Highlanders (18-5) into the quarterfinals Saturday against top-seeded New Castle (20-2). It also puts McGuffey in good position to garner one of the WPIAL’s six spots in the state tournament.

“I am so excited for our guys,” said McGuffey coach Mike Fatigante. “This is a special group.”

Perhaps the 14 regular-season games McGuffey played that were decided by single digits prepared it for another close one. The Highlanders didn’t play a clean game – they had 27 turnovers and were held to three field goals over the second and third quarters – but they came through when it mattered most.

“We had some guys come off the bench who sparked us,” Fatigante said. “Colin Chapman was big down the stretch and Trent Bellville was great in the second half.”

Cole was one of those bench players. His three-pointer cut Valley’s lead to 39-32 and turned the tide. Moments later, McGuffey went on a 9-0 run and tied the score at 41-41 when Edlis made a three-pointer with 1:10 left in regulation.

“The game got out of control in the fourth quarter,” Valley coach Mark Faulx said. “We needed to possess the ball and use the clock but we rushed too many shots. … I wish I could have stopped it. It felt out of control.”

The Vikings (11-12) were only 3 of 19 from three-point range and took 14 of those shots after halftime.

Valley regained the lead at 43-41 when guard Dru Stokes made two free throws with 49 seconds left in regulation. Belleville, however, worked free in the lane for a basket to make it 43-43.

Valley thought it had won on a buzzer-beating jumper and rushed the court to celebrate, but the officials correctly ruled the shot was taken after time had expired. The Vikings didn’t put up much of a protest and the game went to overtime.

Edlis made a jumper from eight feet and Chapman, who led McGuffey with 15 points, followed by scoring directly off an inbounds pass under the basket to give the Highlanders a 47-43 advantage.

Valley closed to within 49-48 when Stokes made a three-pointer with less than a minute to play. The Vikings had a chance to take the lead but missed four shots in one trip to the offensive end and eventually were called for an intentional foul with 10 seconds left.

Chapman missed both free throws and was fouled again on the ensuing possession. This time, he made the second of two free throws to make it 50-48 with 8.7 seconds remaining. The Highlanders made 16 of their first 19 free throws and were 19 of 25 for the game.

Valley, opting not to call a timeout and set up a final play, missed a three as time expired.

Darius Johnson led Valley with 15 points, Stokes had 13 and Nyiewel Carter 10.

“This one hurts,” Faulx said. “Our defense was forcing a lot of turnovers, but then it stopped. They started getting looks deep in the low post (to Belleville). In the first half they didn’t get those because they couldn’t look in and see that guy because of the pressure we were putting on their guards but we didn’t maintain that.”

McGuffey led 12-8 after one quarter, then was held to four second-quarter points and fell behind 18-16.

“We didn’t play our best,” Fatignate said. “But we’ve been in this situation before. We kept telling the guys to continue playing hard and the bounces will go our way.

“We shot 29 percent in the first half with a lot of turnovers. That said, we were only down by two.”

Valley’s lead grew to 34-27 after three quarters and reached double figures in the fourth quarter.

Belleville finished with 14 points including 10 after halftime. Edlis scored seven of his 11 points in the final six minutes. Chapman had a game-high 10 rebounds.

“It feels good to get the first playoff victory in McGuffey history,” Fatignate said outside his team’s noisy locker room.