Feb 20, 2024 By Jonathan Guth 3 min read

AVELLA – The jumps shots weren’t falling early, so the Fort Cherry boys basketball team created offense with defense and scored on layups and at the foul line to earn a 69-48 victory over Winchester Thurston in the first round of the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs Tuesday night at Avella High School.

The Rangers (18-5) advance to Friday’s quarterfinals against Bishop Canevin.

“We will enjoy the night and figure it out later on,” Fort Cherry coach Eugene Briggs said. “We couldn’t make a shot early on, but they did a good job of almost daring us to shoot. They packed in real tight and were trying to keep Derek (Errett) and Shane (Cornali) out of there. Sometimes, it’s really hard when they are not even playing you, and I think that had a lot to do with it.”

Fort Cherry went on a 7-0 run with about three minutes remaining in the first quarter to take a 19-12 lead. Derek Errett scored back-to-back baskets for four of his 20 points, Blake Sweder made 3-of-4 free throws and Shane Cornali made 1-of-2 at the line for the seven-point advantage.

The Bears’ Henry McComb kept his team in the game in the first quarter with 10 points. He led Winchester Thurston in scoring with 16 points. Teammate Jaromit Lozano added 11.

“He (McComb) killed us,” Briggs said. “He just kept going to the right place. That’s all he was doing. Lucky for us, we have Derek Errett. He just takes control of the game.”

The Rangers had a 23-14 lead after the first quarter as Cornali finished the period off with a layup.

“I think they took advantage of our lack of experience in this type of game and environment, and we knew that was going to be a challenge for us,” Winchester Thurston coach Andy Pakler said. “When we had a self-inflicted wound, they jumped all over it, and that’s the kind of team they are. For our young kids, this was a tremendous experience playing against a team that has a strong community backing them.

“I think our zone slowed them down a little bit, but once we went man, it allowed Derek (Errett) to get into the lane.”

Winchester Thurston (11-8) cut the deficit to 31-28 with 2:45 left in the second quarter before Fort Cherry closed on a 4-0 run for a 35-28 halftime advantage.

The Rangers outside shooting came alive in the first part of the third quarter as Sweder made back-to-back three-pointers for a 41-28 lead with 6:18 left in the period.

The Bears went on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to six, but Sweder connected on a third 3-pointer in the quarter for a 44-35 advantage. Sweder made four 3-pointers, was 6-for-8 from the foul line and scored 20 points. Fort Cherry was 18-of-24 at the foul line.

“We knew Blake (Sweder) was a shooter, and we respected that, but props to him for doing what he did as a sophomore,” Pakler said. “I think they (Fort Cherry) can make a run in the playoffs. They are tough, they play defense and they rise to the occasion.”

Fort Cherry outscored Winchester Thurston, 20-10, in the third quarter, and took a 55-39 lead into the final frame.

The Rangers had a 14-9 advantage in the fourth.