Top-seeded Peters Township passes another test, tops South Fayette

By: Don Rebel
Wednesday, February 22, 2023 | 10:41 PM

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Not everybody agreed with Peters Township getting the No. 1 seed in the WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball playoffs, but the Indians have passed two exams and are now halfway toward earning their spot at the top of the championship mountain.

Peters Township had four players in double-digit scoring as the Indians defeated South Fayette, 68-60, in a 5A quarterfinal Wednesday at Bethel Park.

“I was just going over that with the guys in the locker room about contributions from everybody,” Peters Township coach Joe Urmann said. “We play with a lot of depth with nine guys that we rotate through. They all contributed (Wednesday) with all the little things that you see in a basketball game.”

The pace was fast and furious to begin as Peters Township’s leading scorer, junior Jack Dunbar, scored 10 points in the first three minutes of the game.

Dunbar finished with a team-high 21 points.

“He was something else tonight,” Urmann said. “He just makes shots. I was really proud of him. He had six defensive rebounds. That’s something he’s been working on and focusing on. He just does so many things for us. He has the aggressive mentality and we just let him attack.”

Dunbar’s hot hand helped the Indians grab a nine-point lead after the opening quarter, 22-13.

The flip side was South Fayette senior Elijah Hill. He got off to a slow start, missing several close-range shots in the opening quarter.

Hill kept coming, backing his way to the blocks, and the shots started to fall. He scored 11 of his game-high 27 points in the second quarter.

The Indians tried their best to deny him the basketball in the second half.

“That’s Plan A, right?” Urmann said with a chuckle. “He’s a dynamic athlete and a strong kid. What really impressed me about him is his poise. He doesn’t seem to get flustered very much.”

Peters Township maintained its lead, taking an eight-point advantage into the locker room.

One of the key plays of the game came with 1:48 left in the third quarter after the Lions clawed back to within five points, 47-42. The Indians’ Dunbar hit a 3-point shot from the deep right wing and was fouled on the play by senior Michael Plasko for a four-point play.

Every time South Fayette got to within five points or so, Peters Township had all the answers and built the lead back up to nine or 10 points.

“We tried to make fatigue a factor and to South Fayette’s credit, they tried to throw some punches back,” Urmann said. “We thought we had a chance to separate and keep (the lead) in double digits, but they kept fighting back.”

Indians senior guard Brenden McCullough was dominant in the second half, scoring 15 of his 17 points in the last two quarters and getting the job done on defense as well.

“I’ve had the pleasure to help walk him through his senior season,” Urmann said. “He’s been a floor general for us and he led the team in assists (Wednesday). His offense was great, but the way he pesters the ball, he really causes problems for teams and is a big part of our team as well.”

Indians sophomore Mickey Vaccarello scored 12 points off the bench while junior Nate Miller added 10 points.

After leading the Lions in scoring in a first round win over Shaler, Plasko scored 17 points.

South Fayette (14-10) had its six-game winning streak end as it prepares to play in the WPIAL 5A consolation bracket when it hosts McKeesport on Friday.

Peters Township (21-3) is final four bound and will square off with No. 4 seed Gateway on Saturday with the site and time to be determined.

“Our guys have really bought into the mantra of playing really hard and playing for each other and keeping depth and fatigue a factor,” Urmann said. “The kids trust us and trust goes a long way with high school kids.”

Tags: Peters Township, South Fayette