After close calls past 2 years, Kiski Area boys seeking elusive playoff victory

By: Jerin Steele
Thursday, February 15, 2024 | 5:13 PM

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The bitter disappointment of the heartbreaking first-round loss to North Hills last season is something Isaiah Gonzalez and the rest of his Kiski Area boys basketball teammates have not forgotten.

It wasn’t just that their season had ended, but it was how they lost.

As a double-digit seed, the Cavaliers took a lead into the fourth quarter against the heavily favored Indians, only to see it slip away and go on to lose 76-71.

It’s a moment that provides motivation for Gonzalez and the rest of the Kiski Area seniors when they head on the road as a double-digit seed yet again.

The No. 12 Cavaliers (15-7) will travel to play No. 5 Peters Township (17-5) at 7 p.m. Monday in the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs.

“After that North Hills game, I saw how emotional the seniors were,” Gonzalez said. “That makes me not want to lose this game, because I don’t want that feeling on Monday.”

Last season wasn’t the first time the Cavaliers had a narrow defeat in the postseason. Two years ago, they had Hampton on the ropes before the Talbots pulled out a 66-60 win.

They’ve been close, and they hope this time they can close it out.

“We’re definitely the underdog, and we’re going to accept that role,” Kiski Area coach Corey Smith said. “We know that we’re a good team and are confident in what we do. In the playoff games, we’ve been right there. We had that lead last year into the fourth quarter.

“Our seniors have been through this since they were sophomores. They’ve had that game experience and have been part of those atmospheres where it gets tough. Sometimes things aren’t going to go your way, but they know they need each other and that experience to get through the storm.”

The Cavaliers have won seven of their last nine games. Four of those wins came against playoff teams, including nonsection victories against Knoch and Highlands.

They beat Penn-Trafford, 62-37, in the Section 3-5A finale to secure third place.

The convincing win was a confidence boost.

“We felt that game was going to be closer than it was, so to blow them out by 30 was huge,” Gonzalez said. “That was a game where we all clicked together. Everybody did what they were supposed to do to get the win.”

Peters Township finished second in Section 1-5A behind Thomas Jefferson. The Indians have won five in a row coming into the playoffs.

They made a run to the WPIAL championship last year where they fell 70-65 to Penn Hills. They advanced to the state quarterfinals before losing to Exeter Township.

“They’re well-coached and really deep,” Smith said. “From the film I’ve seen, they go nine-deep and sub about every two or three minutes. They play really fast and love to press. They play hard together, and their record speaks for itself.”

Gonzalez, Noah Thimons, Owen Pearson, Bart Martin and Jason Flemm are Kiski’s five seniors. Flemm has been out all season because of injury but has been with his fellow seniors every step of the way.

If they can lead Kiski Area to a playoff win, it’ll be the first since 2014.

“I’ve been telling the seniors on our team since our last game Monday against Highlands that this is our last chance, so we have to go out there and give it our all,” Gonzalez said. “If we lose, our high school careers are over.”

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer

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