McDowell's boys basketball season ends with overtime loss in PIAA Class 6A playoff
ALTOONA — McDowell overcame Reading's 11-0 run during Wednesday's PIAA Class 6A boys basketball playoff at the Altoona Fieldhouse.
The Trojans also were respectable when it came to handling the Red Knights' defensive press during regulation.
It was the game's extra four minutes, though, that proved too much for District 10's titlists.
Reading outscored McDowell 9-2 during the teams' overtime period. The state's reigning champion, thanks to its 54-47 victory, advanced one round closer to a repeat.
The Knights, now 21-10, took advantage of the Trojans' foul trouble during overtime. The fourth seeds from District 3 recorded seven of their nine points at the free-throw line over that span.
McDowell actually led 47-45 on Tyler Grove's putback basket. However, they ended up the last two points of the senior's 1,000-plus during his varsity career and the last of the team's 21-6 season.
While coach Kevin O'Connor was dejected about Wednesday's outcome, he also was pragmatic about it.
"They had a (talented) player or two more than us," he said. "We were just a player short this year and, to be honest, that (stinks)."
'Just couldn't get it done'
Reading press or no Reading press, O'Connor expressed disapointment with some of the ball-handling mistakes McDowell didn't commit throughout its regular season.
Grove separately mentioned that collective flaw.
"We'd seen (Reading's type of) press before," he said. "We just had some unusual, or uncharacteristic, turnovers. Especially in the second half.
"That happens, but it (stinks) that happened (Wednesday)."
The Knights' Yadiel Cruz led all scorers with 21 points and Weshly Rosario followed with 17.
None loomed larger than Rosario's last four. The junior recorded them from the free-throw line during overtime.
Quentin Orlando, McDowell's junior point guard, scored eight of his 13 points in the fourth quarter. His total complimented Grove, who had a team-high 17.
"It was a great playoff game and an exciting atmosphere," Grove said, "but we just couldn't get it done. It happens in sports."
Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNcopper.
More: How District 10 basketball teams fared in second-round PIAA playoff games Tuesday
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: McDowell eliminated from PIAA Class 6A boys basketball tournament
