The Norwin girls and boys basketball teams were primed to enter the WPIAL playoffs.
The Norwin girls (16-4) are strong candidates to make a run at another title in Class 6A after reaching the finals the last two years. A late-season loss to Canon-McMillan, the top seed, likely took Norwin out of the equation for No. 1.
Norwin won a WPIAL title two years ago.
The Knights still snagged the No. 2 seed, drawing favor from the committee based on their winning reputation.
Seneca Valley and Pine-Richland split the other 6A section, which made some wonder if one of them would be No. 2 and/or 3 and drop Norwin to 3 or 4.
Anything lower might have been a surprise to Norwin — maybe.
“We’ll let (the WPIAL) figure that out,” Norwin coach Brian Brozeski said. “I don’t get into that stuff. I don’t have much of a thought on seedings.”
Norwin drew section opponent Hempfield for the quarterfinals, set for Feb. 20 in North Huntingdon.
Norwin welcomed back senior guard Ava Christopher from a knee injury in the final Section 2-6A game against Hempfield, a sure boost to a deep rotation.
She hit a buzzer-beater to close the third quarter.
Hempfield led Norwin by nine in the third quarter before Norwin rallied.
Brozeski opted to sub out five players. The move sparked the Knights as they defeated the Spartans, 56-48.
“We put some fresh legs in there, and I felt Jackie DeMarines and Makenna Black brought in some high energy in on the defensive side, and it stabilized the floor on the offensive side,” Brozeski said. “Makenna gave us some paint presence. She was able to distribute and open things up from the outside.”
Sophomore Nia O’Barto hit five 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 23 points. Sophomore Aubrey Graney had 15 points, including three 3-pointers.
The boys team clinched a spot on the last night of the regular season when Imani Christian lost to Central Catholic.
Ninth-seeded Norwin (11-11, 6-8) was scheduled to open the 6A bracket at No. 8 Fox Chapel on Feb. 16.
The Knights battled Hempfield in a physical Section 2-6A finale, falling 66-64 in an overtime thriller.
Norwin needed to win or have Imani Christian lose to make the playoffs. The latter happened, so the Knights still clinched a berth. But with a price.
Alex Graney, who had a game-high 26 points, was treated by paramedics in an office near the front lobby after he left with 2:39 to play in the fourth and did not return.
Nate Kuch also left the game for Norwin with 1:02 to play in the fourth with a possible concussion.
“Any time you go to OT and lose by (two), it comes down to one, two, three, four or five plays,” Norwin coach Cam Auld said. “The ball didn’t go our way. Our effort was great, and that is all you can ask for. We were in a must-win mindset and controlled our own destiny.”
Down two starters, Norwin forced overtime on a free throw by King Carver with 1.9 seconds left in regulation. His second attempt missed, and it was 60-60.
Simmons made a driving layup after a five-second call on Norwin to put the Spartans up 60-59 with 12.6 seconds left.
In overtime, Carver drove in to put Norwin ahead 62-61. But Trevor Donsen answered, and Simmons blocked a shot.
Donsen was whistled for a charge with 34.1 seconds to go, but Danny Husenits made two free throws to give Hempfield a 65-62 edge.
Kuch and Carver each had 10 points. Carver made 6 of 8 free throws.
Graney had 14 in the first half and kept Norwin in the game after the Spartans built a 13-point lead in the second quarter.
Carver struck again with a tip-in with 3.8 seconds to cut it to 65-64.
Then came Carver’s steal and Hempfield forward Lucas Simmons’ recovery to nearly block the shot.
Nico Keteles hit back-to-back 3-pointers for Norwin as the Knights took a 47-46 lead to the fourth.
Five lead changes followed. Graney made a hard-driving layup on the play in which he cut his eye to tie it 54-54.
Mario Csukas made a 3, and Carver made two free throws to give Norwin a 59-56 lead with 1:14 to play in regulation.
“Last year we tip-toed into the playoffs after getting blown out by them,” Auld said. “Our guys grinded it out. Our guys play for one another. Our guys are hurting and they’re supposed to feel like crap. We’ll regroup and get ready for next week.”