Kiski Area boys basketball team clinches playoff spot

By: George Guido
Friday, February 11, 2022 | 10:05 PM

Kiski Area needed a victory to make the WPIAL playoffs after enduring a five-win season a year ago.

But it didn’t come easy.

Latrobe, not playing like a 2-9 team, gave the Cavaliers all they could handle before Kiski Area senior James Pearson took over the game.

Pearson scored nine points and pulled down eight rebounds in the fourth quarter as the Cavaliers secured the 19th playoff berth in school history with a 77-69 victory.

The Wildcats led 55-54 after three quarters. They erased three, seven-point deficits during the quarter with senior Chase Sickenberger scoring nine points and freshman Alex Tatsch contributing six.

But Pearson’s two put-backs early in the fourth period gave the Cavaliers the lead for good.

“I had to take over we were losing the ball a little bit. I had to get the rebounds, get up the floor and settle everything down,” said Pearson, who finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds.

Said Cavaliers coach Corey Smith: “James is our energy guy. Like I’ve said before, he brings everything to the table for us. James is James.”

Latrobe had a 22-13 lead on a steal by junior Landon Butler with 6 minutes, 32 seconds left in the half.

“We started out slowly, and I had to get into them a little bit,” Smith said. “I told the kids they have to know what’s at stake tonight at Latrobe to get a solid third place and in the playoffs and get that momentum back.”

The Cavaliers finished the Section 4-5A season 6-6, 15-7 overall. Kiski Area had lost two of its three previous section games to be put in a must-win situation.

Sophomore Isaiah Gonzalez had another excellent game for the Cavaliers with a team-high 20 points and 10 rebounds. Gonzalez had seven points in the pivotal fourth quarter.

Sophomore Noah Thimons, who canned eight 3-point baskets in the junior varsity game, hit a 3 in the final minute of play in the second quarter to give Kiski Area its first lead of the game 30-28.

Kiski Area built a 72-60 lead with 2:47 to go. But Latrobe wouldn’t go away. Butler’s 3-pointer with 43 seconds left cut the Kiski Area advantage to 75-69.

Two free throws by Pearson, however, sealed the deal for the Cavaliers.

Joe Lukas finished with 13 for Kiski Area, hitting a pair of 3-pointers in the first half to keep the game close. Brayden Dunmire had seven key points in the final period as the Cavaliers enjoyed a 23-14 bulge.

Sickenberger closed his Wildcats career with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Butler and John Wetzel had 12 points apiece before a large home crowd that belied Latrobe’s 6-15, 2-10 record.

Tags: Kiski Area, Latrobe