Char-Houston falls to hot-shooting OLSH
IMPERIAL – This was the Our Lady of Scared Heart boys basketball team’s version of Shock and Awe.
The Chargers, with a tall and talented lineup, hit Chartiers-Houston from all angles early and often Friday night in the WPIAL Class AA quarterfinals at West Allegheny High School.
OLSH made three three-pointers in the first quarter, eight in the first half, 11 in the game and even threw in a dunk in the early moments.
It was quite an impressive start for the Chargers, who led 19-5 after one quarter and looked like a championship-caliber team as they rolled to an impressive 71-39 victory over the Bucs.
OLSH (17-6) advances to the semifinals Tuesday night against top-seeded and undefeated Greensburg Central Catholic (23-0). Chartiers-Houston (19-5), which lost for only the second time in 16 games, begins the wait to see if it will gain one of the WPIAL’s six spots in the state tournament. For Chartiers-Houston to get there, OLSH must defeat Greensburg Central Catholic.
Based on what he saw up close from the Chargers, C-H head coach Eugene Briggs likes OLSH’s chances of pulling off what would be considered an upset.
“They have everything,” Briggs said. “They have shooters, they have post players, they have athletes and they’re well-coached.”
It was all on display against Chartiers-Houston. After the Bucs’ Andrew Clark opened the game with a three-pointer, OLSH closed the first quarter on a 19-2 run and led 25-5 early in the first quarter.
Desmond Ross led the Chargers with 19 points, and 6-5 senior Ethan Harrell and freshman guard Donovan Johnson each tossed in 18 points.
Johnson made a pair of three-pointers in the first quarter and five in the first half as OLSH led 39-19 at the intermission. Ross also made five shots from behind the arc.
“I told our guys at halftime that if (OLSH) made three fewer three-pointers, and we made three more, then it’s a two-point game,” Briggs said. “That’s an 18-point swing. We couldn’t make a shot and they couldn’t miss. Johnson was something like 7-for-7 to start the game.”
Chartiers-Houston, meanwhile, could only get scoring from Cam Hanley and A.J. Myers. Hanley scored a team-high 16 points and Myers followed with 14. The rest of the team combined for only nine points as the Bucs’ confidence was shaken after OLSH’s fast start.
“That start was a perfect storm for them,” Briggs said. “It was good players doing everything right.”
Chartiers-Houston never did generate enough offense or force enough turnovers to fuel a rally. The Chargers led 56-27 after three quarters.
“That first period is not far from how we play,” Briggs said. “In the first quarter, we often dig ourselves a hole. But when you can’t use your defense to force turnovers, get the ball back and score some easy baskets, then it’s hard to come back.”
So the Bucs are relegated to being the biggest of OLSH fans and the former awaits its postseason fate.
“It’s hard to imagine they can’t beat Greensburg Central Catholic based on what they had our there tonight,” Briggs said.