Feb 19, 2024 4 min read

By Dave Whipkey

For the Observer-Reporter

newsroom@observer-reporter.com

McMURRAY – There will be no run to the WPIAL Class 5A boys final for this edition of the Peters Township basketball team.

The Indians 2023 season ended in the state quarterfinals, this year’s edition ended in the first round of the WPIAL postseason as 12-seed Kiski knocked off fifth-seeded Peters Township 58-51 at AHN Arena at Peters Township High School Monday night, giving the Cavaliers their first postseason win since 2014.

“We knew coming down here we were the underdogs,” Cavaliers coach Corey Smith said. “And we accepted that role. We knew our zone was pretty good and that they were going to have trouble with that zone.”

The Indians were averaging nearly 74 points per game, but they were held 23 points below their season average by an active Cavaliers zone defense that closed out on shooters and made life miserable for the hosts.

“The game was just too slow for us,” Indians coach Joe Urmann added. “We needed to get the game to go faster. We worked hard defensively, but we couldn’t get the game fast enough.”

Kiski guard Isaiah Gonzalez was the catalyst for the visitors as he netted 15 points and ran the offense with few errors. Noah Thimons added 14 points, 12 of which came from behind the three-point line as he helped keep Peters Township at bay with his long-range shooting.

“He knocked down seven threes in a playoff game for us last year,” Smith pointed out. “We know he can do that for us when needed.”

Cam Mills scored 15 points for Peters Township (17-6) while Jack Dunbar added 14 in the effort.

“I can’t say enough of our seniors,” Urmann said. “They were with the program when we started it four years ago and have done some special things. I thanked them for their contributions and for all they’ve done.”

The Cavaliers’ zone was an issue from the start as they held the Indians to six field goals on 22 shots from the floor in the first half. Kiski finished the first half on an 11-4 run as the visitors took a 26-19 lead.

Mills’ 10 first-half points kept the Indians within range and gave them some hope going into the second half.

After being held to two points in the first half, Dunbar came out strong in the third, scoring eight points. His two-hand dunk off a turnover cut the Cavaliers’ lead to 29-25 with 5:23 left in the quarter, which seemingly tilted the tide towards Peters Township.

But Thimons knocked in three triples in the quarter, and Gonzalez beat the press for easy layups, giving Kiski a 43-33 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

“During practice this week, we ran two and three guys at him for him to get used to that pressure,” Smith said. “He did a good job of giving the ball up and our guys knew that their pressure was coming.”

Peters Township made a quick 5-0 run to cut the deficit to 43-38 early in the fourth. But Gonzalez swayed control back when he bulled his way to the basket for a layup to give Kiski a 45-38 lead with five-plus minutes to go.

Gonzalez scored six points in the quarter while Amaree Gonzalez and Terry Martin knocked down clutch foul shots to help ice the game as the Indians could close no closer to five for the remainder of the contest.

“We had to relax (after they made a run),” Gonzalez said. “I was just letting everyone know we were good. They went on a little run, it was nothing special, we could go on a run, too.”

The Cavaliers advance into the quarterfinals and will face Thomas Jefferson who defeated Penn-Trafford.