Greensburg Central Catholic’s latest game was like a microcosm of its season.
A lot of people wrote off the Centurions because of a wave of turnover and a young, unproven rotation.
But, like the 17-point deficit the boys basketball team faced Saturday night, the outside noise didn’t matter much to the them.
GCC staged a furious second-half rally to upend Ligonier Valley, 53-49, in the Shootout at Saint Vincent.
“We shared the ball and got unselfish team buckets,” GCC first-year coach Tim O’Rourke said. “We played as a team on both sides of the ball.”
GCC (6-13), which is now 5-3 in its last eight games — it is suddenly 5-6 and in the thick of the playoff chase in Section 1-2A — stared at a 39-22 deficit with 5 minutes to play in the third quarter.
Ligonier Valley (10-8), which had won 6 of 7 coming in, was in control behind guard Mike Wisniewski, who scored 17 of his game-high 26 points in the first half.
But GCC freshman Tommy Dlugos helped the Centurions reverse course, starting a 21-2 run that finally put GCC on top early in the fourth.
Dlugos also defended Wisniewski man-to-man in the second half.
“Coach told us in the huddle to keep chipping away at it,” Dlugos said. “We were sharing the ball and we started to fight back. We’re a completely different team than we were around the holidays.”
Ligonier Valley edged GCC, 43-41, in overtime at the Greensburg Salem Holiday Classic, with Wisniewski scoring the game-winner at the buzzer.
“We have to do a better job of putting four quarters together,” Ligonier Valley coach Dante Porter said. “We have to finish out 32 minutes. Not 8, not 15, not 24. We’re not executing at a rate we’re expecting to execute at.”
There was not overtime in the rematch, but it was close quarters nonetheless.
Dlugos’ three-point play at the end of the third cut it to 41-37. His putback of a miss at the start of the fourth was followed by a driving layup by sophomore Lucca Denis to give GCC a 43-41 lead.
Ligonier Valley did answer, taking a four-point lead (47-43) on a putback by junior Michael Vargulish-Graver. But Denis and junior Luke Semelka made 3-pointers for a 49-47 edge with 2:30 left.
Sophomore Greyson Daugherty found Wisniewski, who tied it on a layup with 1:26 to go, but sophomore Alex Snively’s basket put GCC up to stay, at 51-49, at the 1:06 mark.
Defense sealed it for the Centurions inside the final minute as Dlugos and junior JT Stawovy made back-to-back steals, with Dlugos and Denis each making a free throw for the final points.
“Those steals were from up here,” O’Rourke said, pointing to his head. “They knew to be in the right place at the right time. We preach every day about the little things. Clean up the little things.”
GCC outscored the Rams in the fourth, 16-8.
“They out-executed us in every category in the second half,” Porter said. “It’s disappointing. … That’s not who we are.”
GCC finished with 33 points in the second half after putting up 20 in the first.
“We’re getting more chemistry and experience with every game,” O’Rourke said. “Like my son, Brady, says, the best way to get better at basketball is to play basketball.”
Latrobe rests starters
Latrobe had a surprise game plan Saturday night at Saint Vincent.
The Wildcats sat their starters and played backups and junior varsity players against Bishop Guilfoyle in the Shootout at Saint Vincent.
The result wasn’t as important to the team as full strength for the stretch run.
Assistant coach Ryan Yarosik said it was a precautionary decision to keep players healthy for the final two Section 1-5A games next week. Latrobe (7-11), still in the playoff chase with one week left in the regular season, lost to Bishop Guilfoyle, 74-28, with the game going to the mercy rule.
Wildcats head coach Brad Wetzel missed the game for personal reasons.
— Bill Beckner Jr