PIAA Boys’ Basketball: Warrior Run edges Minersville in Class 3A heartbreaker
Minersville's Dante Carr (23) defends Warriors Run's James Keifer during a PIAA Class 3A First Round boys' basketball game Saturday at Loyalsock Twp. Middle School. The Defenders defeated the Battlin' Miners 49-48 (Photo by Eli Doyle).
LOYALSOCK TWP. — A big second-half performance helped Warrior Run defeat Minersville in a physical, back-and-forth contest.
Minersville had three players score in double digits but ultimately fell to the Defenders 49-48 in a PIAA Class 3A boys’ basketball first-round game Saturday at Loyalsock Township Middle School.
“I thought we did a lot of positive things, but when you have live-ball turnovers that end up in baskets for the other team, and there are several of them, it’s very difficult to overcome,” Battlin’ Miners coach Dave Mullaney said. “And that happened multiple times.
“I just thought there were times we let (the Defenders) get three-point shot attempts that, maybe, they didn’t earn—and a little too easily. Obviously, I’ll have to watch the film, but initially thinking about it, those were two areas that were frustrating to me.”
Minersville (22-6) started the third quarter leading 29-17 after Shazier Bethea netted a pair of free throws 16 seconds into the second half. After nearly two minutes of scoreless play, Warrior Run (21-7) responded with a 7-0 scoring run, powered by three buckets from Landon Polcyn. The Battlin’ Miners called a timeout to regroup before returning to the floor with an inside bucket from Logan Hutsko.
Turnovers plagued Minersville in the third quarter, as the Battlin’ Miners committed five in the frame. Bethea nailed a three-pointer for Minersville before the quarter ended, but the Defenders capitalized on eight points off Minersville turnovers, led by junior center Aiden McKee, who scored six points down the stretch. The 6-foot-8 McKee was a force for Warrior Run throughout the second half, scoring 11 of his 15 points after halftime and adding a momentum-shifting slam dunk in the third.
“I thought (Hutsko) and (Dante) Carr did a good job on (McKee),” Mullaney said. “It was kind of a team effort with everything. We were trying to push them out a little bit and make post touches hard. In a lot of areas, the stats we aim for, we achieved. We only had 12 turnovers; they had 18. We held them to just two offensive rebounds, and they’re a great offensive rebounding team. We had 12. I mean, usually, if you tell me those two stats, I’d tell you that we won the game. But it just didn’t happen for us.”
Minersville led 39-37 as the fourth quarter began until McKee displayed his versatility by sinking a three-pointer to put the Defenders ahead 40-39.
Jordan Bowers responded for the Miners with a basket, but Warrior Run turned up the intensity with a 7-0 scoring run, taking a 47-41 lead with 3:34 remaining. James Keifer capped the run for the Defenders with an and-one basket, sinking the free throw. Keifer finished with a game-high 18 points, far exceeding his 6.4 points-per-game average coming into the contest.
The two teams battled back and forth throughout the final three minutes of regulation. Every time Warrior Run extended its lead, Minersville answered. Bethea found Bowers for a three-pointer, and Carr connected with Bradley Kostishak for two points in the paint as the Battlin’ Miners fought to keep their season alive in a one-point game.
With Warrior Run leading 49-48 with under 10 seconds to play, Bethea drove to the basket and attempted a shot before a non-shooting foul was called on the floor. Following the inbound, Carr was sent to the line for two free throws after a physical shooting foul left multiple players on the hardwood.
Carr, exhausted after nearly 32 minutes of gritty basketball, couldn’t convert either free throw, and the Defenders secured the heartbreaking victory.
“I have all the respect in the world for that basketball team,” Warrior Run coach Eric Wertman said of Minersville. “I think this game reflects a little bit of our character and toughness.”
The Battlin’ Miners came out strong, jumping to a 6-0 lead behind four points from Carr and a basket and assist from Bethea. Minersville led 14-10 at the end of the first quarter and found its rhythm in the second.
In the second quarter, the Defenders committed seven turnovers, allowing Minersville to go on an 8-0 scoring run to close the half. The Miners built a 10-point lead heading into the break but couldn’t hold on, as their season ended over the next 16 minutes of play.
For Minersville, Bowers and Bethea each tallied a team-high 13 points, while Hutsko chipped in 10. The Battlin’ Miners bid farewell to seniors Hutsko, Kostishak, A.J. Halford, Dawsyn Manning and Kaseem Lofton.
“It’s tough right now, but there are so many things to be proud of this season,” Mullaney said. “Even over the last three years, I thought we did some really good things for Minersville basketball that I know I’m proud of. And they did it, so I’m proud of them and what we’ve been able to accomplish over the past three years.”
