Dec 15, 2023 By Jonathan Guth 4 min read

BURGETTSTOWN – Burgettstown and Chartiers-Houston entered Friday’s Class 2A Section 4 boys basketball opener undefeated and the game lived up to its hype with the Blue Devils emerging with a 51-48 victory in overtime.

Burgettstown (1-0, 5-0) had a six-point lead in the third quarter, but the Buccaneers (0-1, 4-1) were able to force overtime.

Chartiers-Houston’s Avery Molek made one of his team high 17-points in overtime for a 46-45 lead before Zach Schrockman’s putback gave the home team a 47-46 advantage. Ethan Maltony scored inside for a three-point lead before the Bucs’ Jake Perchinsky scored with 39.8 seconds to cut the deficit to one.

Carson Tkalcevic scored two of his 14 points on a pair of made free throws with 6.7 seconds remaining.

“They (Chartiers-Houston) are a very good team,” Burgettstown coach Bryan Maltony said. “Last year, we made the playoffs for the first time since 2017, so I’m trying to implement my system, and get these kids to buy into what I’m selling, and so far, so good, this year.

“Carson stepped up big to make both of those free throws, and he also made a big three-pointer. This is big because what we do in section play is what gets us to our goal of making the playoffs. We are playing to make the playoffs every night.”

Chartiers-Houston had a chance for the tie with a three-pointer as time expired.

“You have to give credit to Burgettstown,” Chartiers-Houston coach Rich Tranquill said. “They took advantage of the opportunities that were given to them and we didn’t. We are not going to hang our heads and feel sorry for ourselves because we have another section game Monday and there is a lot of basketball to be played.”

The Blue Devils’ James Leuice scored a game-high 18 points despite fouling out early in the fourth quarter. Burgettstown was 14 of 15 at the foul line.

“It was really hard without James Leuice in the game for most of the second half and overtime,” Maltony said. “You got that quick fourth one at the start of the third quarter, so I had to sit him. I liked that my team stayed together and we believed in each other.”

Burgettstown went on a 5-0 run in the first quarter to take a 12-7 lead. Carson Tkalcevic scored on a layup while being fouled and made the and-one before Leuice connected on a mid-range jumper. Nate Gregory connected on a three-pointer just before the quarter ended to cut the deficit to 12-10 heading into the second period. Gregory scored 13 points in the first half and 16 in the game.

Gregory tied the game with the first basket of the second quarter before Schrockman scored on a put-back for a two-point advantage. The teams traded two-point baskets before Gregory’s three-pointer put the visitors in front, 17-16.

Leuice made two from the foul line and Jacob McNabb converted on a three-point play for a 21-17 lead for the home team. Burgettstown’s Colton County scored on a layup and the Buccaneers’ Jaiden Boone and Justus Buckingham put in baskets for a 23-21 lead at the half for the Blue Devils.

Schrockman’s three-point play at 6:05 of the third quarter extended Burgettstown’s lead to 26-22 before Gregory cut the deficit to one with a three-pointer.

Leuice’s three-point play pushed the Blue Devils’ advantage to 29-25 before Molek made 1 of 2 at the line. Tkalcevic connected on a 3-pointer for a six-point lead before Jake Perchinsky and Molek scored on back-to-back baskets to cut the deficit to two.

Molek scored eight points in the third quarter and Chartiers-Houston trailed, 39-37, heading to the fourth quarter.

The Bucs outscored the Blue Devils, 8-6, in the fourth quarter to force overtime.

“We had some guys step up tonight, but take pride in playing team basketball and having balanced scoring,” Tranquill said.