By Chris Rossetti
CLARION, Pa. – Kane’s fabolous turnaround season came to an abrupt end Saturday when Penns Valley used a 18-1 second-half run to thwart a Wolves comeback attempt and get a 56-36 victory over the District 9 champions in the opening round of the PIAA Class AA boys’ basketball playoffs at Clarion University’s Tippin Gym.
Kane, which was 3-19 a year ago, trailed by 15, 28-13, at halftime after falling behind 17-4 at the end of the first quarter.
But the Wolves used a 9-0 run at the start of the second half that featured three points each from Andrew Bucheit and Tyler Rolick, to get back within six, 28-22, with 5:32 left in the third quarter.
And with the crowd on its feet and Tippin as loud as it had been all day, the Wolves were still within six, 32-26, after another Bucheit basket, this one off an offensive rebound, with 3:19 left in the third quarter.
But moments later, Bucheit, the 6-foot-6 junior center who had been whistled for two quick fouls in the first quarter guarding Penns Valley’s 6-7 Zach Engle, picked up his fourth foul and was forced to take a seat on the bench.
With its star out of the lineup, Kane (14-11) failed to score a point the rest of the quarter.
That allowed Penns Valley to get the lead back to double digits, 37-26, by the end of the quarter, and then the Rams (20-5) pushed the advantage back to 15, 41-26, a minute into the fourth quarter.
A Davis Gardner free throw momentarily stopped the run, but Penns Valley rolled off the next nine points to put the game away.
Engle had a game-high 21 points to go with seven rebounds for the Rams with Logan Pearce adding 20 points.
Engle (7) and Pearce (5) teamed up to score all of Penns Valley’s points during a game-opening 12-0 run that helped the Rams grab the 13-point lead at the end of the first quarter.
Bucheit and Shane Rolick led Kane with seven points each. Bucheit also had nine rebounds.
PENNS VALLEY 56, KANE 36
Score by Quarters
Penns Valley 17 11 9 19 – 56
Kane 4 9 13 10 – 36
PENNS VALLEY – 56
Ben Alexander 4 1-2 9, Jared Kines 1 0-2 2, Braden Stodart 0 0-0 0, Charlie Romig 0 0-0 0, Chase Collison 1 0-0 2, Logan Pearce 7 3-4 20, Andrew Tobias 0 2-2 2, Matthew Tobias 0 0-0 0, Luke Snyder 0 0-0 0, Zach Engle 8 5-7 21, Trevor Fleck 0 0-0 0, Garrett Fleck 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 11-17 56.
KANE – 36
Frank Truden 2 1-2 5, Davis Gardner 2 1-2 6, Chris Udovich 3 0-0 6, Shane Rolick 3 1-2 7, Tyler Rolick 1 0-0 3, Andy Bundy 0 2-2 2, Andrew Bucheit 3 1-1 7, Bryce Schreckengost 0 0-0 0, Michael Landries 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 6-9 36.
THREE-POINTERS – Penns Valley 3 (Pearce 3). Kane 2 (Gardner, T. Rolick).
