Knoch boys basketball team shocks top-ranked Deer Lakes

By: Dave Mackall
Friday, December 29, 2023 | 10:17 PM

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Moments after his team knocked off the WPIAL’s No. 1 boys basketball team in Class 3A, Knoch coach Alan Bauman rejoiced with his staff.

Then, the real celebration took place.

When Bauman walked into the Knights’ locker room Friday night at Deer Lakes High School, his players hooted and hollered and erupted with joy.

“This was a great night of growth for us,” Bauman said. “To come in against a good basketball team like that — they’re the defending (WPIAL) champions; they’re No. 1 in 3A — to come into their house, hostile environment, and to be able to keep our composure, I thought that was great for us.”

Teegan Finucan scored 26 points and Zane Pacek added 14, including eight in the fourth quarter, as Class 4A Knoch, with one junior and four sophomores in its starting lineup, scored a 62-48 victory against Deer Lakes at the Deer Lakes tournament, ending the Lancers’ six-game winning streak.

“They’re a really good basketball team,” Bauman said of Deer Lakes, which defeated Our Lady of Sacred Heart to claim its first WPIAL championship in 2022-23 and advanced to the PIAA Class 3A title game before losing to District 12 West Catholic.

The Lancers lost two starters from that 21-9 team, but they haven’t seemed to miss a beat.

Until Friday.

“It’s part of high school sports to lose kids to graduation,” Bauman said. “When that happens, you’re trying to figure out different spots. That’s a great coaching staff over there, and they’re going to be fine. We were fortunate enough tonight to catch them on an off shooting night.”

Knoch (6-2) led for nearly the entire game and, after the early going, held a double-digit advantage throughout.

An 11-0 run to start the third quarter helped stretch the Knights’ lead to 43-24, and they held on for a 48-34 margin heading into the fourth quarter.

Consecutive 3-point shots by Derek Lang and Finucan, the tournament MVP, ignited the run.

“They hit those two 3s, yeah, that was tough,” said Deer Lakes coach Albie Fletcher, a former Lancers player who led the school on its monumental run in his first season as coach. “They made the big plays when they needed to.”

Deer Lakes opened the fourth quarter on a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to 48-40 on a basket by Collin Rogers, who led the Lancers with 12 points.

But Knoch pushed the lead to 54-42 with 3 minutes, 45 seconds left on a pair of baskets inside by the 7-foot Pacek.

“That’s a very good basketball team,” Fletcher said. “We knew we were going to have a big challenge coming in. They’re very good. They executed well. Both teams played really well, but they made more timelier shots than we did. They made the big shot. Any time we kind of got into them, we just couldn’t get over that hump.”

Knoch entered the week outside the Class 4A rankings after dropping out following consecutive losses to Class 5A Chartiers Valley and Class 4A North Catholic.

“We talked about keeping our intensity up after halftime, and that’s something we were lacking in those games,” Bauman said. “We lost our composure a little bit, but then, to be able to gain it back and finish, I’m really proud of these guys.”

Aiden Fletcher added 12 points and Wayne Love Jr. finished with 10 for Deer Lakes (7-2), whose only other loss is to Class 5A Kiski Area.

“We played 10 guys last year, and these guys have played a ton of minutes, and they have a lot of good experience,” Albie Fletcher said. “We played a rough schedule so far. I’m not disappointed at all. I think we’re OK. We’re still growing.”

Deer Lakes was able to contain Pacek for much of the game, but with the Lancers trying to come back, the Knoch sophomore big man found a rhythm in the fourth and scored at will inside to carry the Knights after Finucan managed just two of high game-high 26 points after the third quarter.

“When Zane is playing and finishing like that, we’re a completely different basketball team, because we can do so many different things,” Bauman said. “Zane brings that finish, size and strength for us, and that’s great to see.”

Tags: Deer Lakes, Knoch