Franklin Regional boys clinch section title with gritty victory over Gateway

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, February 6, 2024 | 10:11 PM

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If Franklin Regional needed a pick-me-up in a section-clinching victory, junior Drew Devola was ready to deliver.

The 6-foot-1, 255-pound reserve forward scored nine points, grabbed eight rebounds, came up with a late steal and made a 3-pointer as No. 2 Franklin Regional celebrated its first section championship since 2018 — the first outright title since 2008 — with a gutsy 49-41 victory at Gateway on Tuesday night.

The win could go a long way in winning over the steering committee next week when the playoff pairings come out.

Who saw the Panthers (18-2, 8-1) running away with the top spot in Section 3-5A, which has been hard to figure, and getting into a top-three seed conversation?

Maybe Devola did.

He and his teammates are the proud owners of 13 wins over a 14-game stretch.

“I knew I had to show up,” he said. “I have been playing with these guys for seven or eight years. This feels good.”

Vehicle horns could be heard outside the Furrie Complex after the gymnasium cleared out. The sounds probably continued as Panthers fans made the short trek back to Murrysville.

The Panthers, winners of seven in a row, split the section series with the Gators (14-6, 6-3), who have dropped five of their last eight, absorbing upset losses against Latrobe and Penn-Trafford.

The Gators were denied a second straight section title.

“Drew was a beast tonight,” said Franklin Regional coach Jesse Reed, who pointed out this was the first time the third-year coach and his staff had beaten Gateway. “One of the big keys for our guys tonight was to make winning plays. Drew made a ton of them.

“Our goal No. 1 was to win a section championship. We did it. I am proud of our guys, and I want them to enjoy it. Now we have to keep it going.”

The Panthers built a nine-point lead in the fourth, but the Gators kept pushing and tested the visitors’ mettle.

Senior Vito Campolo scored six straight points — on a three-point play and a 3-pointer — to cut it to 44-41 with 2 minutes, 32 seconds left.

But the Panthers, who began to use up clock inside four minutes, got to the foul line, with senior Cooper Rankin making 3 of 4 inside 42 seconds to play, the third make a result of his steal.

Rankin then pulled down a big rebound that led to two free throws by senior Colin Masten to make it 49-41.

While all of that was going on, Gateway went cold from the field. The Gators managed two field goals and seven points in the fourth.

Franklin Regional, though, had only one field goal in the final eight minutes.

“We didn’t shoot it well, and we didn’t rebound well,” Gators coach Alvis Rogers said. “(Franklin Regional) was more aggressive. They wanted it. We didn’t defend like we can and gave up easy baskets.

“It’s been a stock-market thing for us (lately). Win one, lose one. We have to right the ship.”

It was anybody’s game heading to the fourth after 10 lead changes, the last on a driving score by Crossey to make it 36-34.

That basket followed Devola’s 3 from the top of the key.

“We knew if we could lock in and hold them to one shot in possessions, we could find a way to win,” Reed said. “We wanted to make them work.”

Said Rogers of Devola: “That was nine points we weren’t expecting.”

The Panthers closed the third on a 6-0 run, including a layup by Cam Rowell, to take a 40-34 advantage.

Rowell finished with a game-high 14 points.

“We wanted to play to win,” Devola said. “We didn’t want to play not to lose, if that makes sense.”

Gateway took a 27-26 lead into halftime. There were seven lead changes and three ties in the first half.

Franklin Regional is having a dandy of season compared to recent years.

A 9-13 team that tied for last in 2022-23, the Panthers’ 18 wins are the most in the program since 2017-18 when they went 20-6 and played in the WPIAL championship under coach Steve Scorpion’s leadership.

That also was the last time the Panthers only lost one game in section play. They close out the section slate Friday at home against McKeesport.

Gateway beat the Panthers earlier in the season in Murrysville, 58-48, grinding them down with a patient offense and strong help defense.

“We’re much improved since we played them last,” Reed said. This team is resilient.”

Senior Taili Thompson did not play for the Gators. Rogers said he is no longer playing basketball as he prepares for a college baseball career.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Franklin Regional, Gateway