PT’s road win something to celebrate
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Jake Ziegler (15) of Peters Township celebrates with a teammate after a victory at Bethel Park. The Indians are the No. 1 seed for the WPIAL’s Class 5A boys basketball tournament.
Jack Dunbar (45) of Peters Township rises up to the hoop for two points. He scored 18 of his team's 33 first-half points, including for off two dunks.
Cam Mills (14) of Peters Township muscles his way up to the basket despite the defensive efforts of Bethel Park defenders as his teammate Tom Aspinall blocks their progress.
Jack Dunbar
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Jack Dunbar (45) puts down one of two of his first half dunks against Bethel Park.
Jake Ziegler (15) of Peters Township keeps his focus on the basket despite the defensive efforts of Bethel Park players to thwart him.
Brendan McCullough looks to dish off to a teammate after the defense collapses on him when he drove into the paint. During Peters Township's win over Bethel Park, 75-67, McCullough tossed in seven points.
After stealing the ball, Brendan McCullough (2) races down court with Nick Brown (4) in hot pursuit during Peters Township's 75-67 win against Bethel Park. McCullough tallied seven points in the win while Brown finished with nine.
Jack Dunbar (45) makes his move to the hoop after beating two Bethel Park defenders. Dunbar scored 26 points in Peters Township's 75-67 win.
BETHEL PARK – The celebration in the Peters Township High School boys basketball team’s visiting locker room at Bethel Park was so loud, it might have been heard as far away as McMurray.
The Indians’ joy was well earned.
Peters Township (4-1, 11-3) jammed a flag at the top of Class 5A’s Section 1 with a pulsating 75-67 win Tuesday night.
The Indians were paced by three double-digit scorers in Jack Dunbar (26 points), Jake Ziegler (15 points) and Nate Miller (12 points). Brendan McCullough was held to seven points by the Black Hawks (4-1, 9-4) but his 10 assists were key in helping the Indians hold off Bethel Park throughout the night.
“He’s seeing the floor real well for us now and is a willing passer,” Peters Township coach Joe Urmann noted. “We’re real lucky to have him.”
Bethel Park was paced by Shawn Davis’ 23 points. Ben Guffey added 16 for the Black Hawks.
Dunbar announced his presence with authority early with 13 first-quarter points, two of which came off an emphatic dunk that seemed to send a message the Indians meant business.
“He has a heck of a motor and a special skillset, for sure,” Urmann added.
A 13-2 Peters Township run helped give the visitors a 24-17 lead midway through the second quarter. But a 19-9 Bethel Park surge pushed the Black Hawks to a 36-33 halftime advantage.
Bethel Park seemed to assume control late in the third as Davis scored consecutive baskets to give the Black Hawks a 52-48 lead with 1:30 left. But the toughness and resolve Peters Township had in storage was displayed over the final 9:30 of the contest as the Indians took the game over and never looked back.
A 13-0 run, keyed by transition baskets courtesy of Dunbar, McCullough and Ziegler, spurred the Indians to a 61-52 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
Bethel Park rallied behind Davis as he scored off a layup with 1:44 left to slice the Peters Township lead to 66-64. Davis tied the game moments later with a putback, but the Indians put the game away courtesy of Miller’s four-for-six performance from the foul line down the stretch.
A key moment also occurred late when Thomas Aspinall drew a charge from a driving Davis that turned the ball over to the Indians and drew a technical foul from Bethel Park coach Dante Calabria.
“We did a real good job just staying in the moment,” Urmann noted. “That was one of those plays that was very big for us.”
It was here that Miller went to work from the foul line and took the Indians home to an important section win on the road.
“Our guys had a really good next play mentality,” Urmann added. “When you play fast like us, if you think about the past, it takes away from the ability to play fast.”