Elizabeth Forward holds off pesky Highlands to end playoff drought

By: Jeremy Sellew
Saturday, February 15, 2025 | 11:02 AM

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Elizabeth Forward coach Nolan Larry couldn’t have asked for a better birthday or Valentine’s Day gift from his team Friday.

The No. 8-seeded Warriors picked up their first WPIAL playoff win since 2014 and gave Larry his first playoff victory as a head coach with a 61-56 triumph over No. 9 Highlands in the Class 4A first round.

“This means everything to me. It’s my first playoff win as a head coach, and there’s a lot of emotions because this is the first time in my three years that we were the favorite and had a chance to play at home,” Larry said after the win. “This group has worked hard for three years since I’ve been here, so I felt they really deserved and earned a playoff win. I’m glad we were able to deliver that to the team and the program.”

Coming in, Highlands coach Michael Foster knew he was going to have to stop EF sharpshooter Tyler Basic, and the Golden Rams did just that, holding the sophomore to only seven points in the second half.

But rebounding cost Highlands (6-14), and the senior leadership and balanced scoring of the Warriors (18-5) were too much to overcome.

“We knew going in we couldn’t let (Basic) get off and do his thing,” Foster said. “He had 38 or 40 against Greensburg Salem, and we were able to watch that film. We had to make sure we were testing him all the time.

“We told the guys that we had to be physical on the glass. We really had to do a better job on the offensive glass. Kudos to those guys over there, though. They play really hard. You can see it on film all you want, but you can’t replicate that in practice.”

The teams went back and forth in the opening frame as the Warriors used a 6-0 spurt to take an 8-3 lead. Senior Cy Herchelroath led the way with seven points in the opening eight minutes.

Highlands’ Carmine Lacava hit a pair of 3-pointers, though, to keep his team close as the quarter ended with the home team up 13-9.

The lead swelled to 17-9 early in the second quarter, but again it was Lacava and Troy Bielak finding the bucket to cut the Warriors’ lead down to four after the opening two minutes.

Baskets by Herchelroath and fellow senior Justin Flournoy put the Warriors back up by eight, but the Golden Rams used a couple of 3-pointers to make a run.

Preston Foster hit one, and Ty Hall hit another during a 8-1 run for the visitors to cut the lead down to 24-23.

EF’s James Gile hit a pair of free throws with less than three seconds to go in the half to send the teams to the locker room with the Warriors up 26-23.

With Basic scoreless in the first half, it was the senior duo of Herchelroath and Flournoy that was the difference.

“Cy has really become a more vocal leader for us. They trust in him, the fans love him and he’s a lovable kid. He gives everything he has out there, and basketball’s not even his top sport,” Larry said. “Justin, he’s a quiet assassin. The kid doesn’t even care if he shoots the ball. But he rebounds offensively and defensively. The eight points he scored today were huge. All were significant and crucial.”

Herchelroath finished with 15 points and eight rebounds. Flournoy had eight points and eight rebounds of his own.

After a Gile jumper started the second half, the Golden Rams cut the lead back down to one at 28-27 on Bielak’s drive to the basket. He ended the night with a game-high 19 points in the loss.

Only up one, the Warriors worked their motion offense into an easy give-and-go bucket for Flournoy followed by a putback for Gile. Within three minutes, the lead stretched to 10 when Basic got on the board with his first basket, a deep 3-pointer, to make it 42-32.

Bielak hit a deep 3 and scored again with 12 seconds left in the third to make it 44-38 heading into the fourth.

“Our guys could have quit,” Foster said. “We never stopped, and we cut down the lead every time. We just weren’t able to get over that hump and grab the lead.”

The Warriors started the fourth off with a 6-0 run behind baskets from Daniel Spence and Basic to push the lead up to 50-38.

After back-and-forth action, Gile was fouled and converted a three-point play and Herchelroath had a nifty finish inside to make it 56-42 with four minutes to go.

Highlands didn’t back down, though, going on a late 8-0 run to cut the lead to six thanks to a few Warriors turnovers.

The closest the Golden Rams got, however, was four points when Hall hit a 3 with 16 seconds to go. The Warriors defense forced late turnovers to seal the win.

Gile joined Herchelroath with 15 points, 12 in the second half.

“I kind of ripped James a little bit in the locker room,” Larry said. “I thought in the first half he was playing a little soft. He turned it around in the second half, though, and was fantastic. He was really strong out there.

“This team is resilient. I’m not one of those T-shirt guys, but if I was making our team shirts, that’s what it would say. We bent a little, but we didn’t let them get the lead. That’s been all season in close games. The guys calm down and don’t let two or three bad plays rattle them.”

For Highlands, a tumultuous season came to an end, but Foster couldn’t be prouder of the team.

“They didn’t quit. That’s what I’m most proud of,” Foster said. “We had a rough start when coach (Steve) Bielak and I took over, but these guys came to practice every day and prepared. I’m extremely thankful for the opportunity to coach them.”

Tags: Elizabeth Forward, Highlands