No. 3 Franklin Regional boys basketball clamps down on Gateway

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, January 8, 2018 | 10:47 PM

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With five regular players standing 6-foot-5 or taller, Franklin Regional has a knack for getting in the way of opposing teams, while casting a long shadow around the basket.

That lengthy wingspan and height advantage was on display again Monday night in Monroeville as the Class 5A No. 3-ranked Panthers subdued Gateway, 54-36, to take over sole possession of first place in Section 3.

Senior 6-4 guard Mike Bartolacci led Franklin Regional (8-2, 2-0) with 12 points, and senior 6-4 forward Hunter Stonecheck added 10 in a makeup game from Friday's frigid weather postponement.

“We really want this section to be ours; we don't want to share it or anything,” Bartolacci said. “We want it to be Franklin Regional's. We haven't had it since 2008, and we really want it.”

Neither team had played a section game since Dec. 22, but Franklin Regional looked crisp after playing two tough games in the North Allegheny Tournament and posting overtime win against Penn-Trafford. Aside from shrouding the Gators (4-6, 1-1) defensively, the Panthers also shot well from the perimeter to stay in control.

“We have had trouble with Gateway in the past, and I think we were just tired of it,” Bartolacci said. “We wanted to give it to them at their home court.”

Gateway, meantime, did not shoot well when it did get looks. It was like a cold stove, especially early.

“They made shots all night,” Gators coach Daryn Freedman said. “They played very well. We struggled finishing. Our top outside shooter was 0 for 9 and we missed a bunch around the hoop.”

Gateway actually led 5-3, but a 10-0 run by Franklin Regional in the opening quarter helped send the Panthers on their way.

Franklin Regional led 10-9 after one quarter but held Gateway to five second-quarter points and extended its advantage to 25-14 by halftime.

The Panthers clogged the lane and forced the Gators to take tough shots.

Gateway's John Paul Kromka, a Pitt-Johnstown recruit and a 6-6 forward, led all scorers with 16 points. He had eight of the team's 10 in the third.

“Everything starts with Kromka,” Franklin Regional coach Steve Scorpion said. “JP is one of the top two or three players in the WPIAL. He is really talented. And he has some guys around him. We did a great job against their big four.

“We watch a lot of film. Our coaching staff did a great job having our guys ready to go; and give credit to the kids. That is the best game where they listened to the scouting report and did what they did.”

Aidan Sadoski hit back-to-back shots, a turn-around jumper and a soft jumper in close, to push the Panthers' advantage to 35-19 with 3:35 left in the third.

Sadoski scored eight of the Panthers' 17 in the quarter.

“Everyone can shoot for us,” Bartolacci said. “It's just a matter of who is feeling it. Whoever gets the call, we're going to make it.”

Eight players found the scoring column for the Panthers.

Stonecheck scored on an up-and-under lay-in, and Nate Leopold followed with a layup early in the fourth to push the Panthers' lead to 19.

Soon after, Bartolacci connected for a 3 to make it 50-30 with 3:18 left.

“Mike has been unbelievable for us,” Scorpion said. “The effort he plays with. He plays so hard. His emotion and energy. He is active with his hands at the top of our zone. We don't have any superstars. It can be a different guy every night.”

Franklin Regional's only hiccup was a team technical foul in the third when Scorpion put junior guard Adam Rudzinski into the game, but Rudzinski was not listed in the scorebook.

“That's on me; I took it out on my staff but that is something I need to be more aware of,” Scorpion said.

The Panthers played without regular Aidan Fisch, who has stress fracture and sat on the end of the bench with crutches. They ran down the clock late to zip up the victory.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Franklin Regional, Gateway