AG falls one game short of WPIAL title
Herald-Standard PITTSBURGH – Albert Gallatin’s magical postseason ride ended Saturday night, as the Colonials fell one game short of a WPIAL title.
Alex Wojdowski scored 21 points, and teammate Tim Picard hit 7 of 10 fourth-quarter free throws as Bethel Park defeated Albert Gallatin, 68-63, in the WPIAL Quad-A title game at Duquesne University’s A.J. Palumbo Center.
Albert Gallatin’s Jawaan Alston topped all scorers with 25 points. Alston also blocked eight shots and pulled down seven rebounds.
The Colonials (21-7) were seeded No. 9 to start this single elimination tournament, but grabbed a spot in the title game after victories over North Allegheny, top-seeded Moon and Pine-Richland.
Against Bethel Park, Albert Gallatin led 20-17 after one quarter, and 37-33 at halftime. But the Black Hawks began mounting a comeback, and after a 15-10 third-quarter edge, led 48-47 to start the final period.
Albert Gallatin had led, 45-39, but the Black Hawks closed the third quarter with a 9-2 run, and took a one-point lead when Papp nailed a three-pointer with three seconds remaining.
The Colonials were trying to become the first Albert Gallatin school since the 1987 consolidation to capture a WPIAL title.
Albert Gallatin’s Marc Marshall added 12 points, but just two in the second half. Nate Turned chipped in 10 points and four rebounds, but fouled out with 2:11 to play.
Turner’s three-point play with 5:33 remaining gave Albert Gallatin a 57-55 lead. But five straight Bethel Park points gave the Black Hawks a 60-57 lead.
Trailing 62-59, Turner drained a three-pointer from the top of the key to tie the game with 2:40 remaining.
Picard hit a pair of free throws to give Bethel Park a two-point edge, before Alston cut the deficit to one point by hitting the first of two free throws.
After Picard was fouled and made his first foul shot, Albert Gallatin called a timeout. Picard then missed his second free throw, and the Colonials’ Aaron Cromwell grabbed the rebound. But Bethel Park reserve guard Joe Vehac stole the ball from behind, and Albert Gallatin was forced to foul Picard again.
This time, Picard hit both and the Black Hawks led 67-63 with 1:06 to go.
Picard hit one more free throw after an Albert Gallatin for the game’s final margin.
The game went back and forth during the first four minutes, but Albert Gallatin close the first quarter on an 8-1 run to lead 15-9.
After Bethel Park’s Alex Wojdowski scored on a putback to pull the to within 22-21, the Colonials went on a 14-6 run. Marshall started the spurt with a three-pointer, his second of the game, and after a Turner runner, Aaron Cromwell knocked down his second trey of the game to make it 30-21 with 5:07 left in the first half.
Trailing by 11, Bethel Park closed the gap to three points with an 8-0 run that began with three minutes remaining in the second quarter.
Andrew Vukela scored five straight points, and Michael Papp’s three-point play made it 36-33.
Alston then hit one of two free throws to set the halftime margin.
Albert Gallatin forced eight first-half turnovers, but just five in the second half.