Montour Comes back to Topple #1 Chartiers Valley in Boys AAA Finals

By: Bruce Markey
Saturday, March 2, 2013 | 12:44 AM

Trailing by nine points at the half, Montour turned up the heat on defense, holding Section 5 rival Chartiers Valley to 11 second half points en route to a 47-40 victory Friday night at the A.J. Palumbo Center at Duquesne University. The win gives Adam Kaufman and the Spartans their second WPIAL Class AAA championship in the last three years.

Spencer Casson, Chartiers Valley’s 6’6” senior center, made his presence known from the start, opening up the scoring with what would be his first of three dunks in the first quarter.  Casson led the Colts through the first with 10 points and four rebounds.  Montour standout Devin Wilson was held to only two first quarter points, as the Spartans trailed 18-11 at the end of one.

Chartiers Valley picked up where it left off in the second.  The Colts used impressive ball movement to throw off the Montour defense, and headed to the break ahead 29-20.  Casson finished the first half with 14 points for Chartiers Valley.  Devin Wilson tallied seven first half points for the Spartans.

Montour came alive in the third quarter, however.  The Spartans went on an 8-2 run, capped off by Robert Julian coming up big defensively with a charge.  Matty McConnell would have none of it, though, coming up with two consecutive steals to kill Montour’s momentum.  At the end of the third quarter, despite being outscored 13-3, the Colts were clinging to a 33-32 lead.

Justin Hill’s field goal at the 6:00 mark of the fourth quarter gave Montour its first lead of the game, 34-33.  Casson, who had been quiet throughout the third quarter, scored his first points of the second half at the 4:54 mark of the fourth quarter.  The two exchanged hoops before Montour’s Kevin Scuilli hit a three-pointer to go ahead 39-36.

Scuilli came up big from beyond the arc once again, hitting his third three of the night at the 1:43 mark of the fourth quarter to give the Spartans a 42-38 lead.  Char Valley’s Mike Boulos hit a field goal with :43 to go to pull the Colts within three, 43-40.  After a timeout, Matty McConnell stole the inbounds pass, but forced a three that was blocked by Hill.

Hill was fouled on the ensuing possession and went to the foul line for two, but missed both.  Char Valley regained possession, but turned it over on a bad pass out of bounds.  Devin Wilson was then fouled and went to the line for two with :25 to go, converting both and putting the Spartans ahead, 45-40.    Char Valley regained possession but missed a long three.  Wilson grabbed the rebound and was fouled again.  He converted both free throws with 7.6 seconds to go, sealing the Montour victory, 47-40.

Spencer Casson led the way for Chartiers Valley with 18 points and 14 rebounds.  Mike Boulos had 12 points for the Colts.  Montour was led by Devin Wilson’s 19 points and seven rebounds.

Chartiers Valley dropped to (22-4) and will face the third place team from District 10—either Erie Strong Vincent or Erie East.  Montour improves to (22-4) and will take on South Fayette in the PIAA playoffs.