Penn-Trafford boys look to carry momentum into playoffs

By: Paul Schofield
Sunday, February 11, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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When the Penn-Trafford boys basketball team entered the final two weeks of the regular season, its WPIAL playoff hopes were on thin ice.

But wins against McKeesport and Latrobe in crunch time clinched a postseason berth for the Warriors.

Penn-Trafford (5-4, 11-10) was in position to finish as high as second in Section 3-5A behind Franklin Regional and enter the playoffs on a three-game winning streak depending on the results on the final night of the regular season Feb. 9.

The Warriors do it as a team. Senior Tyler Freas is averaging 18.7 points per game, but the remainder of the roster fills their roles.

Seniors Jason Sabol and Carmen Metcalfe, both battling injuries, are key players when healthy. The other contributors include sophomore Zack Feldman, senior Ian Temple, junior Brayden Stone, junior Tyler Anthony, sophomore Tyler Boss, senior Keith Otto and junior Evan Gross.

“These guys know how to grind out wins,” Penn-Trafford coach Doug Kelly said. “Sometimes we don’t look pretty and there are times we make it interesting, but they find a way.

“I love these guys. They bust their tails and continue to work hard. We’re better this year than we were at this time last year.”

Against Latrobe, the Warriors rallied from an early 7-2 deficit to take an 11-7 lead. The Wildcats, however, wouldn’t go away and forged a 14-13 lead after a quarter.

The Warriors used a strong second quarter to take control of the game.

In the third quarter, the Wildcats closed to within a point, but two 3-pointers by Anthony and one by Freas gave the Warriors the needed cushion to secure the win.

The Warriors then used a patient game in the fourth quarter to secure the win.

“We kept our composure,” Freas said. “We knew they were going to press us. Our point guards did a great job bringing the ball up. We knew Latrobe was going to give us a tough game. They were fighting for a playoff spot like us.

“We knew we had to handle our business at home. We all can make plays and trust each other and do our thing.”

Kelly said the team had to pull together with Metcalfe sidelined.

Freas led the attack with 14 points and Feldman added 12 while Otto and Temple scored 10 each.

“Zack is a good passer, but he was a force in the paint,” Kelly said. “I’m proud of the overall effort against a well-coached Latrobe squad.”

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Penn-Trafford