Greensburg Central Catholic takes care of business vs. Riverview

By: Paul Schofield
Tuesday, January 7, 2025 | 9:59 PM

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If Greensburg Central Catholic was looking ahead to Friday’s first-place showdown against No. 1-ranked Jeannette, the Centurions sure didn’t play like it Tuesday.

GCC started each half well and rolled to a 77-58 win against Riverview in a Section 1-2A battle at home.

The victory by the Centurions (5-0, 11-1) sets up a showdown against the rival Jayhawks.

“I don’t think we were looking ahead,” Greensburg Central Catholic coach Christian Hyland said. “We came out strong to begin both halves.

“I thought we played well except for their little run in the first quarter when they hit a couple 3-pointers.”

Greensburg Central Catholic opened the game on a 10-0 run, but the Raiders (3-2, 5-6) got back into the game thanks to Rex Roberts’ 3-point shooting.

“I was pleased with the grit we showed,” Riverview coach Dre Corbin said. “Despite the outcome, it was one of our better games. It’s something we can build on.

“It’s something we’ve been focusing on. We fought back against them, but they are just to strong.”

Roberts hit three 3-pointers in the opening quarter as Riverview crawled back to within 25-19.

Roberts finished with a game-high 23 points.

But the Centurions, displaying a balanced attack, regained control and pushed their lead to 44-29 by halftime.

Samir Crosby paced GCC with 19 points, and A.J. Tarpley and Brady O’Rourke each had 12. Liam Gallagher and Ty Rozier each had 10.

“We share the basketball well,” Hyland said. “We don’t just have one or two players that can score. That’s what makes a strong team.”

Greensburg Central Catholic continued to pressure Riverview, and eventually its speed and quickness took over.

The Centurions led 67-38 after three quarters. Hyland emptied the bench in the fourth quarter, when Riverview outscored Greensburg Central Catholic, 20-9.

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: Greensburg C.C., Riverview