Greensburg Central Catholic boys edge Serra Catholic in thriller

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, January 23, 2024 | 10:13 PM

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Braden Riley’s eyes widened as the ball popped loose from Owen Dumbroski’s grasp.

The Greensburg Central Catholic guard ripped away a steal with 3.1 seconds, then made 1 of 2 free throws as the No. 2-ranked Centurions edged Serra Catholic, 61-59, in a tight Section 3-2A boys basketball game Tuesday night.

“We’re a mature team, and we have seniors who have handled pressure like this,” Riley said. “We have been playing together for a long time. It was tough to guard three guards like Serra has.”

Franco Alvarez, caught in a web that was a triangle-and-2 defense all night, gave GCC a 60-59 lead with 24 seconds remaining after the Centurions took about 30 seconds off the clock.

Alvarez had just four points, but his go-ahead basket put GCC (15-2, 8-0) in front to stay in a second half that featured five lead changes.

GCC won for the 15th time at home. Its last loss in Carbon was a 69-53 setback against Serra Catholic in 2022.

Serra Catholic (8-6, 2-4) took a 57-56 lead with 1 minute, 40 seconds left on a steal an score by Isiah Petty, who scored his 1,000th career point in the third quarter.

Tyree Turner, the game’s high scorer with 25 points, made two free throws for a one-point GCC lead with 1:30 to go.

Pete Burke made a driving layup to give the Eagles a 59-58 lead with just under a minute remaining.

Burke had 21 points to lead the Eagles, and Dumbroski had 17 and Petty 13.

After working the ball around the horn — Riley to Turner to Liam Gallagher — the ball came to Alvarez, who scored inside to make it 60-59.

GCC fouled three times inside the final 15 seconds on inbounds plays.

“Their defense made us work,” GCC coach Christian Hyland said. “They are a super-tough out.”

GCC has won six in a row. During its five-game win streak, it had a winning margin of 34 points per game.

“We needed this game to kind of wake us up a little bit,” Turner said.

Burke had a chance to tie it when he put up a shot with five-10ths of a second left, but is jumper from the elbow missed at the buzzer.

“We had two chances at the end,” Serra coach Anthony Corso said. “We wanted the pace to pick up when we could. We sat back and wanted to leave it to our defense at the end.

“For us, to come in here and play with one of the top two teams in the WPIAL, on their floor, that shows we can compete with anyone.”

Petty scored his 1,000th career point with just over four minutes to play in the third. He then led the Eagles on a 12-0 run that gave them a 46-42 lead late in the third.

The Eagles, who trailed by eight with 4:55 to play in the quarter (42-34), scored 22 in the third.

“It was a relief for Isiah and the team when he got it,” Corso said. “He is one of the top three athletes I have ever coached.”

GCC took a 15-14 lead after one quarter and led 30-26 at the half.

Sean Walker sparked the Centurions off the bench early in the second frame, and Tyree Turner’s driving layup in traffic gave GCC a seven-point lead (23-16).

Burke’s tip-in for Serra cut the deficit to 25-24.

“This is the kind of game that’s good for me, good for the staff and good for the kids,” Hyland said. “It was good to have that playoff environment.”

Gallagher hit three 3-pointers for GCC. Dumbroski made four for Serra Catholic.

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

Tags: Greensburg C.C., Serra Catholic