Jake Foster’s ability to have active hands on defense isn’t something that comes naturally. The Upper St. Clair senior guard has it drilled into him by the culture Panthers coach Danny Holzer has instilled.
When USC needed help late in the WPIAL Class 6A title game Friday night at Petersen Events Center, Foster delivered with a steal and two free throws with 12 seconds remaining. It allowed the Panthers to keep their crowns as the kings of Class 6A as they knocked off New Castle, 52-51, to win their third consecutive title.
“Our practices are way more intense,” said Foster, who finished with 11 points and five assists. “They get us ready for these situations and we’ve been in this situation before. I’ve been in two and I knew what it was like and this was just another game. But it meant so much to us.”
The Panthers, who have won six championships in school history, have ruled 6A. Since the PIAA expanded to six classes in 2017, Upper St. Clair has reached the finals and won the WPIAL’s largest classification four times.
Holzer, who has been at the helm for all six titles, wouldn’t rank them in any order.
“They are amazing for our program and most importantly for our kids,” Holzer said. “The thing that is different about this one is that it is three in a row in the largest classification.”
USC, which comfortably beat New Castle, 65-43, in the championship game last season, didn’t have the same ease this time around. The Panthers surged to a 12-point first quarter lead before the Red Hurricanes stormed back.
New Castle (23-2) found itself trailing 17-5 after Luke Marchinsky, who scored 14 points, made a 3-pointer with five seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Red Hurricanes coach Ralph Blundo wasn’t worried about the scoreboard after eight minutes.
“We said they had a 17-5 quarter, let’s respond with a 17-5 quarter,” Blundo said. “We put ourselves in a good situation, but we didn’t close the game well.”
New Castle didn’t take its first lead until Chase Lemon made a layup with 6 minutes, 36 seconds left in the third quarter to make it 28-26.
The Red Hurricanes were also forced to play without Marino Graham, who shot 4-of-5 from the 3-point line and finished with 14 points, down the stretch. He fouled out in the fourth quarter.
The Red Hurricanes led by 51-48 with 26 seconds remaining when Kai Cox, who scored a game-high 20 points, made a layup. Upper St. Clair center Ryan Robbins responded with a short jump shot 19 seconds later.
Robbins finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
The Panthers were able to cause panic on the inbounds pass that created the turnover.
“We should have burned a timeout,” Blundo said. “I was trying to get a timeout, but there wasn’t a referee. We had two timeouts. If you get in trouble, burn one and we’ll get something set up.”
When Foster stepped to the line, he wasn’t worried about making the shots.
“That pressure was nothing,” Foster said. “You see a practice when (Holzer’s) watching you. You can feel the eyes on your back when you are shooting. Going into that situation, I felt ready for it for sure.”
Foster also batted away a pass on New Castle’s final possession that left it with only 1.7 seconds remaining to try to find a winning basket. Red Hurricanes guard Jermaine Walker attempted a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer that hit the glass but fell short.
“I’m not surprised at all because we practiced it,” Holzer said. “That’s the No. 1 priority in our practice all year round. Even in the fall and summer workouts, these guys will tell you that we get locked in on defense and take pride in active hands.”