Basketball

BC’s playoff return turns to playoff gold

By John Hartsock

jhartsock@altoonamirror.com

CRESSON -- Along with its considerable talent, Bishop Carroll had both incentive and sentiment on its side in its District 6 Class 1A boys basketball championship game with Williamsburg Wednesday night at the Mount Aloysius College Athletic and Convocation Center.

The Huskies were on a mission to redeem themselves after missing the playoffs a year ago after winning three consecutive district championships.

They were also playing in memory and honor of their late long-time manager and friend, Ray Boley, who had passed away at the age of 60 earlier this month after having served on the Carroll sideline for over 40 years.

Carroll got a game-high 27 points from sharp-shooting sophomore guard Jace Casses and 26 from senior leader Luke Repko, and regained the district gold medal with a 72-41 victory over Williamsburg.

"We missed the playoffs last year, and last summer, a lot of people doubted us,'' Carroll coach Cosie Aliquo said of the Huskies (16-10), who were the fifth-seeded team in the district tournament this year. "That made us even more hungry.''

And playing for Boley this postseason has given Carroll an added reason to succeed.

Aliquo showed off a picture that he had of Boley celebrating with the Carroll team after the Huskies had won their last district championship in 2022.

Boley's presence had certainly been an inspiration for the Carroll sports family for decades, and his passing has served to provide this year's basketball team and its coaches with an extra reason to succeed this postseason.

"I have a picture right here of Ray celebrating our last (championship) two years ago,'' Aliquo said. "I have been carrying it with us since the start of the playoffs. Ray is not leaving us. He will always be with us.''

Both Carroll and Williamsburg will advance to the state playoffs with opening-round home games at yet undisclosed District 6 sites next Friday, March 8. Carroll will play the fourth-place finisher out of District 9, while Williamsburg will meet the District 9 third-place finisher.

With Casses scoring 11 points and Repko adding seven, Carroll took command of the game in the second quarter, carrying the period, 22-13, to build a 36-23 halftime lead.

Carroll harassed third-seeded Williamsburg (17-8) with ball-hawking defensive pressure all night long that forced several turnovers, and the quickness of Casses paid off handsomely in the second quarter.

Led by Casses and Repko, Carroll closed the period on an 8-1 spurt to expand its 28-22 lead to 36-23 at the break.

Casses started the run with a baseline jumper, then turned a steal into a fast-break layup to give Carroll a 32-22 advantage. After senior Zander Sekerak's baseline jumper for Carroll, Williamsburg freshman Ethan Reffner temporarily interrupted the surge with a free throw.

But Repko scored a putback right before the buzzer to answer for Carroll.

"It's great to be back here (winning the district championship) after not making it to the playoffs at all last year,'' Repko said. "We worked really hard to get back here, and really hard to win.

"We've been working on our team chemistry since last offseason, and all this was for Ray after he had passed,'' added Repko, who grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds to help Carroll carve out a 27-21 edge on the boards.

Casses has two more seasons to play, but felt that it was very important to help this year's senior players win a district title.

"It feels very good, especially getting it for the seniors,'' Casses said. "It's amazing.''

Carroll blew the game open in the third quarter, outscoring Williamsburg, 22-10, to go in front, 58-33 after three periods.

The Huskies opened the third quarter with a 12-3 run, highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers and a field goal off a putback by Repko.

The Huskies put the mercy-rule clock into effect by taking a 31-point lead early in the fourth quarter.

"In the first half, we competed with them, but in the second half, things kind of snowballed on us,'' Williamsburg coach Jeff Detwiler said. "We knew that their jump press on defense was very good, and we knew coming in that they would present a challenge.

"Things just got away from us in the third quarter,'' Detwiler added.

Senior Rowan Gorsuch led Williamsburg with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

With the district championship game history now, both teams are gearing for the state playoffs.

"We'll take it one game at a time and not look too far ahead,'' Detwiler said. "We want to compete well.''

Carroll has the confidence that it can make some considerable noise in the PIAA tournament.

"We expect to make a run,'' Repko said. "We have the team to do it.''

BISHOP CARROLL (72): Repko 9 3-5 24, Oravec 3 2-2 9, Tremel 0 0-0 0, Casses 11 1-2 27, Alexander 2 0-0 5, Sekerak 1 0-0 2, Becquet 1 0-0 2, Lucko 0 0-0 0, Conner 1 0-0 3, Holtz 0 0-0 0, Evans 0 0-0 0, Myers 0 0-0 0, Seymour 0 0-0 0, Stohon 0 0-0 0, Beiswenger 0 0-0 0, Phillips 0 0-0 0. Totals - 28 6-9 72.

WILLIAMSBURG (41): Gorsuch 5 6-8 16, Brantner 1 2-2 4, Brumbaugh 2 0-0 5, Isenberg 1 0-0 3, Parks 2 0-0 4, Zehner 2 0-5 4, Reffner 2 1-2 5, Houck 0 0-0 0, Keith 0 0-0 0, Uplinger 0 0-0 0, Ranalli 0 0-0 0. Totals - 15 9-17 41.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Bishop Carroll 14 22 22 14--72

Williamsburg 10 13 10 8--41

3-point goals: Bishop Carroll 10 (Casses 4, Repko 3, Alexander, Oravec, Conner); Williamsburg 2 (Brumbaugh, Isenberg).

Records: Bishop Carroll (16-10); Williamsburg (17-8).

Officials: Dave Bray, Steve Sear, John Thompson.