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Carroll uses 21-0 run in victory

Photo for the Mirror by Roger Kerekes Bishop Carroll’s Nolan Burk works for position on Blacklick’s Riley Cressley.

EBENSBURG — The Bishop Carroll boys basketball team is known for playing great defense. If the Huskies can shoot like they did in the District 6 1A semifinals, they’ll be tough to beat.

Carroll (19-4) bolted out to a 21-0 lead and knocked down 10-of-20 3-point shots for the game in a 73-49 win over Blacklick Valley that clinched a spot in the district championship game for the 10th time in the last 12 years.

“We knew they were going to come out with a lot of energy coming into our place first round. We were preparing for that all week,” BC senior guard Carson Ertter said. “We played good defense and hit our shots early.”

Scotty Semelsberger had the hot hand early for the Huskies, knocking down a 3-pointer and three mid-range jump shots for nine of the game’s first 14 points.

Nolan Burk’s layup off an Alex Karlheim assist gave BC an 18-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Semelsberger opened the second quarter with another 3-pointer, extending the lead to 21 points.

“I just try to get in a rhythm early on and keep it going,” the junior guard said.

Blacklick Valley (15-8) missed all 12 shots it took in the first quarter.

“It’s tough being down 18-0 after the first quarter, and there was nothing really to change because we got shots we wanted. We just couldn’t make any,” BV coach Garry Wurm said. “After you miss four or five, it becomes mental, and they play such hard defense. It’s 32 minutes of pressure from them, and that doesn’t make it any easier.”

Brandon Frank got Valley on the board moments later, and the Vikings trimmed the Carroll lead to 14 later in the quarter when Jude Gdula scored on a driving layup and Frank hit a long 3.

The Huskies closed out the half with five straight points, however, for a 35-16 lead. Ertter followed Tristan McDannell’s layup with a 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer.

Bishop Carroll went up 40-19 on Semelsberger’s third-quarter 3, but the Vikings responded with an 11-0 run.

After Gdula and Frank drained back-to-back treys, Gdula was fouled driving to the basket and made the ensuing free throw, cutting the Huskies lead to 10 at 40-30.

BC quickly answered with five straight points. Burk scored on a reverse lay-in and Ertter hit a 3-pointer.

By the end of the quarter, BC led 52-35 and closed out the win with 21 points in the fourth quarter.

Ertter and Semelsberger led the team in scoring with 20 points each, and McDannell added 15 points. Burk had 11 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double despite sitting a large portion of the second quarter with three fouls.

Gdula scored 20 points, and Frank added 13 to lead Valley.

Carroll plays in the district championship game 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Mount Aloysius College. By advancing to the title game, Carroll clinched a spot in the state playoffs.

Valley falls to Tuesday’s consolation game, the winner of which qualifies for the state playoffs.

BLACKLICK VALLEY (49): Cressley 2 3-7 7, Gdula 8 3-5 20, Altimus 0 0-0 0, Frank 5 0-0 13, Simmons 3 2-3 9, Rager 0 0-0 0, Dipaolo 0 0-0 0 Totals — 18 8-15 49.

BISHOP CARROLL (73): Karlheim 1 0-0 3, Ertter 7 3-4 20, McDannell 7 0-0 15, Semelsberger 8 0-0 20, Burk 5 1-4 11, Bobroski 1 1-2 3, Kilraine 0 0-0 0, Gottshall 0 0-0 0, Dumm 0 0-0 0, Kuntz 0 0-0 0. Totals — 29 5-10 73.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Blacklick Valley 0 16 19 14 — 49

Bishop Carroll 18 17 17 21 — 73

3-point goals: Blacklick Valley 5 (Gdula, Frank 3, Simmons); Bishop Carroll 10 (Karlheim, Ertter 3, McDannell, Semelsberger 4, Bobroski).

Records: Blacklick Valley (15-8); Bishop Carroll (19-4).

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