Franklin Regional gained’t relaxation till it wins its first PIAA championship, however that didn’t cease the Panthers from counting on some R & R — Rankin and Rowell — to achieve the semifinals for the primary time in 27 years.
Cooper Rankin scored 21 factors and Cam Rowell scored 9 of his 16 factors in a pivotal third quarter to propel Franklin Regional to a 63-51 win in opposition to Shaler in a PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal at Gateway.
The win, Franklin Regional’s third in opposition to Shaler (25-4) this season, strikes the WPIAL runner-up Panthers (26-3) into the semifinals for the primary time since they reached their solely last in 1997. They may meet Moon (26-3) Monday in a WPIAL championship rematch. Moon defeated Franklin Regional, 53-48, March 1 within the WPIAL last.
“It’s fairly cool. We grew up taking part in these boys in tournaments, so it’s good getting the job accomplished once we needed to,” stated Rankin, whose crew beat Shaler in double extra time within the common season and by 28 factors within the WPIAL semifinals.
Last — Franklin Regional 63, Shaler 51. The Panthers advance to the PIAA semifinals for the primary time since 1997. They may meet Moon in Monday’s Class 5A semis. Cooper Rankin led the Panthers with 21 factors. Brandon London scored 26 to steer Shaler. pic.twitter.com/AY6TxVfLP7
— Brad Everett (@BREAL412) March 16, 2024
Shaler, the WPIAL’s third-place finisher, got here up quick in its bid of reaching its first semifinal regardless of a monster effort from 6-foot-2 senior ahead Brandon London, who produced a game-high 26 factors.
Rankin, a 6-0 guard and considered one of Franklin Regional’s 4 senior starters, is a high-energy man who used that power to provide 12 factors within the first half when the Panthers took a 24-21 lead into the break.
“He’s nice,” Franklin Regional coach Jesse Reed stated. “Like I inform him, he’s type of our emotional chief. When he’s engaged like that and he’s bringing that power, it’s infectious to everyone else. When he’s controlling the tempo, controlling the tempo, getting guys concerned, our entire crew is simply clicking, and it’s nice to see.”
Shaler’s Keegan Smetanka, who was injured within the crew’s second-round win, got here off the bench Friday and drilled the tying 3-pointer 35 seconds into the third quarter. However Franklin responded with a 13-0 run to take a 37-24 lead with 3:46 left within the third quarter. With Rankin preventing foul hassle within the second half, it was Rowell, a senior guard-forward, who stepped up within the third quarter, scoring 7 factors within the run and 9 within the quarter.
“I needed to sit for a bit of bit, and I informed him once I was strolling out, ‘That is your recreation now. Exit and be you. Exit and rating.’ And that’s what he did. He performed his [butt] off and did his job,” Rankin stated.
Franklin Regional’s lead ballooned to 50-34 after Connor Crossey’s basket with 6:15 remaining within the fourth quarter, however Shaler didn’t go away, as an alternative utilizing a 10-0 run to drag to 50-44 after Kaden Orga’s 3-pointer with 4:14 left. London scored 5 factors within the run. The Titans then additional trimmed their deficit to 54-50 with 2:28 left. Franklin Regional, although, turned to its two-minute offense to seal the win, outscoring Shaler, 9-1, the remainder of the sport. The Panthers went 7 of 8 from the free-throw line in that closing run.
This hungry Panthers crew is now a win away from Chocolatetown.
“Simply seeing the work these guys have put in and seeing it come collectively on this run is one thing particular,” stated Reed, who’s in his third season. “And what’s nice is we’re not accomplished but. We’ve obtained one other recreation developing, so we’ll see what we will do.”
Cooper Rankin scored a team-high 21 factors Friday to assist Franklin Regional defeat Shaler, 63-51, Friday night time in a PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal at Gateway. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress)
Extra Class 5A
• Aiden Reesman poured in a career-high 26 factors to assist WPIAL champion Moon (26-3) maintain off WPIAL sixth-place finisher Bethel Park, 67-51, at Chartiers Valley. Moon’s win pushes the Tigers into the semifinals for the primary time since successful the title in 2019. Bethel Park, which till final week had not gained a PIAA recreation in 24 years, was tied with Moon within the last minute of the third quarter earlier than Caden Schmidt’s 3-pointer gave Moon a 43-40 lead after three quarters. Moon’s lead grew to double digits by the halfway level of a fourth quarter that noticed the Tigers outscore Bethel Park, 24-11. Elijah Guillory added 12 factors for the Tigers, who notched their 14th win in a row. Mike Mathias scored 17 factors and Connor Karabinos had 10 factors for Bethel Park (15-14), which was taking part in within the quarterfinals for the primary time since 1991.
Class 4A
• Brandin Cummings and Mikey Crawford scored 23 factors apiece to steer defending champion Lincoln Park (26-3) to an 89-74 win in opposition to WPIAL fifth-place finisher North Catholic (18-10) at Fox Chapel. Meleek Thomas added 22 factors for the WPIAL champion Leopards, who gained their 18th consecutive recreation to achieve the semifinals for the third time in 4 seasons. After beating part rival North Catholic by 14 and 18 factors within the common season, Lincoln Park led the Trojans, 37-33, on the half earlier than outscoring them, 29-15, within the third quarter. Cummings and Thomas every scored 12 factors within the third. North Catholic knocked down 16 3-pointers, together with eight by Max Hurray and 6 by Jude Rottmann. Hurray scored 30 factors and Rottmann 20 for the Trojans, who fell within the quarterfinals for the second yr in a row. Lincoln Park will meet Hampton within the semifinals after defeating the Talbots, 66-51, within the WPIAL last.
• Peter Kramer scored 22 factors and WPIAL runner-up Hampton (25-4) used a powerful end to advance to the semifinals for the primary time since 2012 after a 60-54 win in opposition to District 3 champion Japanese York (20-8) at Bald Eagle. Hampton and Japanese York have been tied, 43-43, after three quarters earlier than the Tablots held a 17-11 edge within the fourth. With the rating deadlocked at 45-45, Hampton used a 5-0 run to take the lead for good. The spurt was capped by a Kramer 3-pointer with 5:56 left. Alex Nyilas added 16 factors and Liam Mignogna had 15 factors and seven rebounds for Hampton, which gained for the twelfth time in its previous 13 video games. Hampton went 12 of 13 from the free-throw line and didn’t miss a free throw within the second half. Carter Wamsley scored 18 factors to steer Japanese York, which misplaced within the quarterfinals for the second yr in a row.
Union’s Braylon Thomas scored a game-high 31 factors Friday, nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient because the Scotties misplaced to Bishop Carroll, 80-73, in a PIAA Class 1A quarterfinal at Norwin. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress)
Class 1A
• Nate Brazil scored 27 factors and defending champion Imani Christian (17-10) used a third-quarter surge to get rid of District 10 champion Farrell (21-6) within the quarterfinals for the second yr in a row, 70-60, at Slippery Rock College. Avery Wesley chipped in with 18 factors and Markus Williams tacked on 10 for the WPIAL champion Saints, who gained for the eleventh time in 12 video games and improved to 16-0 in opposition to Class 1A foes this season, the entire wins coming by double digits. Imani gained its first 5 postseason video games by a mean of 30 factors and beat Farrell by precisely that final season, however this one was a lot nearer. The Saints led by only a level on the half earlier than a 22-11 benefit within the third quarter elevated their result in 51-39. Danny Odem paced Farrell with 27 factors and Dontaye Bell had 14.
• Union (17-12), the third-place qualifier from the WPIAL, coughed up a five-point halftime lead in an 80-73 loss to District 6 champion Bishop Carroll (18-10) at Norwin. Braylon Thomas pumped in 31 factors and Lucas Stanley added 24 for Union, which fell in need of reaching the semifinals for the second yr in a row. The Scotties had gained 11 of their earlier 13 video games, together with a two-point win in opposition to Elk County Catholic within the second spherical. Union led Bishop Carroll, 35-30, on the half earlier than the Huskies pulled even at 55-55 after three quarters. Bishop Carroll then scored a bucket early within the fourth and led the remainder of the way in which. Luke Repko tallied 22 factors to steer a bunch of 5 Bishop Carroll gamers scoring in double-figures. The Huskies, who misplaced to Union within the second spherical in 2022, will play of their first semifinal since 2018.
Scores
Class 5A
Franklin Regional 63, Shaler 51
Moon 67, Bethel Park 51
Class 4A
Hampton 60, Japanese York 54
Lincoln Park 89, North Catholic 74
Class 1A
Bishop Carroll 80, Union 73
Imani Christian 70, Farrell 60
Brad is a sports activities author on the Pittsburgh Submit-Gazette, however he is presently on strike. E mail him at beverett@unionprogress.com.
