Peters Township’s rally fizzles against Baldwin
Peters Township’s Joe Fick drives in for a layup over Baldwin’s Mike Goga during the Indians’ loss to the Highlanders in an section 4-AAAA game at Peters Township High School Friday night.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter Peters Township's #14 Mike Cortese in for two as Baldwin's #5 Jake Monroe and #24 Anthony Staezynski tries to block the shot during a game with Baldwin at Peters Township High School on Friday, Dec. 11, 2015.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter Peters Township's #5 Nick Thelk goes in for two as Baldwin's #33 Mike Goga tries to block the shot at Peters Township High School on Friday, Dec. 11, 2015.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter Peters Township's #5 Nick Thelk goes in for two as Baldwin's #24Anthony Staezynski and #5 Jake Monroe take to bloclduring a game with Baldwin at Peters Township High School on Friday, Dec. 11, 2015.
McMURRAY – The second free throw bounced off the back of the rim and rolled in, igniting the Peters Township student section and bringing a sense of optimism to the Indians’ players after a dreadful start.
After trailing by 23 points late in the third quarter, Ben Doyle’s free throw cut the deficit to one point with three minutes remaining in regulation of the Section 4-AAAA opener at home. Peters Township’s defense was forcing turnovers and after a difficult first half, the shots were finally falling.
The comeback would end there.
The Indians did not score in the final three minutes and Baldwin needed to make just three of six free throws to secure a 57-51 victory Friday night.
After Doyle’s free throw, Baldwin (3-0) increased its lead to three points on a layup by Mike Goga and the Indians went 0-for-4 from the field in the final 70 seconds – including a three-pointer that rang around the rim and a missed driving layup – before the Highlanders sealed it at the line.
“I don’t think we made any mistakes,” Peters Township head coach Gary Goga said. “We got the shots we wanted. Unfortunately, they didn’t fall. They closed it out. Give them credit. They came to play and took it to us. They won and that’s why they’re going home on a bus happy and we’re going home sad.”
Mike Goga’s layup gave Baldwin a 50-27 lead over Peters Township (3-1) with 1:58 left in the third quarter. Then, the Indians went on a 21-0 run that included four three-pointers, including three by junior guard Mike Cortese, who finished with 13 points.
Cortese’s driving layup on an inbounds pass with six minutes left drew the Indians to within two points and sent the crowd to its feet, but the Indians’ offense went stagnant in the closing minutes.
It was an unlikely comeback after Baldwin started the game on a 15-2 run and held Peters Township to only six points in the first quarter. Indians senior Nick Valentic was held to 14 points and only four in the first half. Doyle added 13 for Peters Township, which looked tentative against the Highlanders’ zone defense in the opening minutes.
Baldwin was led by senior guard Anthony Starzynski, who scored a game-high 17 points that included two three-pointers to help the Highlanders take a 16-point lead at the half. With Peters Township using more pressure, Starzynski was held to just four points in the third quarter.
Mike Goga had 12 points and Anthony Reid added 10 for the Highlanders, who overcame nine second-half turnovers.
“That’s Section 4 for you,” Baldwin head coach Joe Urmann said. “A Gary Goga team will never quit. They embody what he is, which is a ball of energy. They played so hard and credit to them for battling their butts off when they were down 20. We found a way to do it.”
Peters Township averaged 81 points per game in its first three games using a mixture of strong outside shooting and an ability to drive through the lane. With six days to prepare, Urmann found a possible solution. The Highlanders used a 2-3 zone to cut off the driving lanes and contested shots throughout the first half.
Using their size down low, they did not allow the Indians to grab an offensive rebound during the second quarter and capitalized in transition. Peters Township found some success early in the second quarter with a 9-2 run, but the shooting woes led to the large deficit.
“It was inexcusable. We came out – packed house on a Friday night home game – and we came out flat,” Gary Goga said. “I’ll take the blame. I’m the coach, blame me. We weren’t ready to play and I’ll take 100 percent responsibility for that.”
The Indians turned to a diamond pressure early in the second half and though Baldwin broke the press at times, it missed layups and Peters Township’s shots started falling. Cortese scored 11 third-quarter points, including three three-pointers.
The comeback seemed destined to be complete, but again, the shots stopped falling and Baldwin found a way to win despite scoring just seven points in the fourth quarter.
“We started making our shots and our defense got going, but again, the last three minutes we didn’t score,” Goga said. “They closed the game out and we didn’t. It’s a tough one to lose. It’s really disappointing.”