NEW CASTLE —
It took until the final week of the regular season, but the Neshannock and Seton-La Salle basketball teams reached the postseason.
And now they want more.
Both teams found their way into the playoffs with decisive victories in one of their last two games. The Lancers edged Laurel in the season finale, and Seton-La Salle topped Brentwood in its second-to-last contest to secure a postseason bid.
They’ll be fighting to keep their seasons alive once again in a WPIAL Class AA first-round matchup at noon tomorrow at Chartiers Valley High.
The Lancers, with an 11-10 overall record, finished fourth in Section 2-AA at 6-6. They could be without leading rebounder and second-leading scorer John Sansone, a 5-foot-11 senior guard who’s battling an ankle injury. Sansone averaged 17.8 points per game during the regular season and teamed with sophomore Ernie Burkes (21.2 points per game) to form a deadly one-two punch for Neshannock.
“I don’t foresee him playing,” Lancers coach John Corey said. “But it’s a game-time decision.”
Losing Sansone would leave a gaping hole in terms of scoring. He was third in Lawrence County with 49 3-pointers and led in free-throw percentage (85.7). Corey said it will be a team effort to make up for the possible loss, but he doesn’t anticipate many changes. After all, Neshannock did claim its playoff-clinching victory over Laurel without Sansone, who was out with the same injury.
“The problem is you’ve played 21 games, and of those 21, he’s played in 19, so it’s difficult to turn around and rescript everything and do things differently,” Corey said. “It’s the kind of mentality that the next guy up has to step in and fill the void. If he doesn’t play, we’re losing a lot of offensive power. We still feel pretty solid defensively, and that’s an area we have to play well, more so without him on the floor.”
Defense also is key because Seton-La Salle (14-8), which finished third in Section 3-AA at 6-6, has a balanced scoring attack. Three different players, forward Tim Plansinis, guard Matt Onorato and point guard Dale Clancy, are averaging in double figures. Clancy is the catalyst, according to Corey, but Seton-La Salle coach Mark Walsh said the beauty of his team is that anyone can score at any given time.
“That’s been one of the best things about our team is that we don’t really have anyone who stands out above the rest,” Walsh said. “We have a lot of balance. And that’s made it easier from a coaching standpoint, because you don’t have to worry about guys not being open to spreading the ball around and making the extra pass. When you can do those things, it makes it a lot easier on a coaching staff.”
The Rebels finished by losing three of their last four games, but Walsh and Corey both agree that the skid isn’t indicative of how they’re playing. Seton-La Salle suffered a pair of one-point losses, including one to section foe Wilkinsburg, which toppled the Rebels by 21 in their first meeting. Another loss that showed progress was a four-point defeat to section champion Monessen, which crushed Seton-La Salle by 29 the first time around.
The development has been because the Rebels came together, according to Walsh, a first-year coach whose team made the playoffs a year after going 4-18.
Corey agrees.
“I think they have a lot of different offensive threats, and we’re going to have to play very solid half-court defense,” Corey said. “They have some guys who can penetrate, some guys who can shoot, and some slashers — they really have a complete offensive package as a team, so we’re going to have to play very fundamental half-court defense.”
That could be tough with the intensity of the playoffs and without one of their top players, but the Lancers have some experience from last year’s playoff team, and Corey believes the pressure could bring out the best in them.
“It’s playoff basketball, you’re either going to step up and play well or be overwhelmed by the atmosphere and severity of the game,” he said. “Some of our guys have been in the playoffs the last couple of years, and others haven’t. Even though the stage is so large, now is not the time to be taking a back seat to anyone. We just have to play with high confidence, play as hard as we can and whatever happens, happens.”
(Email: j_simon@ncnewsonline.com)
Neshannock
Related Photos
Discussion
WPIAL Boys Playoffs: Neshannock may be without Sansone
- Neshannock
-
-
Photo Gallery, Story: Unbeaten Neshannock falls in WPIAL playoffs
The Neshannock High girls softball team is used to seeing a zero on the scoreboard. Just not in its own run column and especially not after seven innings. That was the case yesterday as Neshannock’s offense failed to produce any runs in a 2-0 setback to Deer Lakes in a WPIAL Class AA semifnal at North Allegheny.
-
WPIAL Title Games: Dates and times set for Neshannock, Ellwood
The road to a championship goes through Consol Energy Park for the Neshannock and Ellwood City Lincoln baseball teams. The Wolverines (20-2) will square off against Riverside (18-5) at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Consol Energy Park,
-
Photo Gallery, Story: Neshannock advances to WPIAL title game
The dominance continues for the Neshannock High baseball team. The Lancers, competing in the WPIAL semifinals for the fourth straight season, advanced to their third straight district championship game yesterday.
-
Photo Gallery: Neshannock vs. OLSH in WPIAL baseball playoffs
-
Neshannock to establish cyber academy
Neshannock will begin a cyber/charter school next year. The board last week agreed to contract with VLN Partners of Pittsburgh. The district will pay a $16,750 annual fee for the customized online plan plus an additional $150 for each student who participates in the program and each teacher who taps into its resources.
-
Neshannock school trail to memorialize Mr. T
The late John Thompson will never know the magnitude of admiration he had from his students and colleagues. The good-natured bowtie-clad man who gained popularity among Neshannock High School students with his “bee dance” and his ever-flowing science lore, collapsed in his classroom two years ago and died.
-
Neshannock anticipates school tax hike
The Neshannock school district is looking at a 2 percent property tax increase for next year. Superintendent Dr. Mary Todora said the board’s budget and finance committee anticipates an increase that does not exceed what is allowed under state law — Act 1 of 2006.
-
Neshannock schedules kindergarten make-up
Neshannock will have a make-up day for kindergarten registration. Anyone who would like to make an appointment for the May 22 registration may call the elementary school at (724) 652-8709.
-
News Video: Mock accident at Neshannock
Neshannock High conducted a mock accident to offer a visual representation of what could occur as a result of unsafe driving. Watch our video footage from the event and see interviews with those who participated.
-
Athletes of the Week: Neshannock’s Ethan McCarthy and Mark Bleggi
It was summertime, and good friends Ethan McCarthy and Mark Bleggi were bored. Instead of playing Xbox or watching TV, the two chose another option: tennis. It was a good way for the two Neshannock High soccer players to stay in shape, and it was an unfamiliar sport they could have fun, but be competitive with at the same time.
- More Neshannock Headlines
-
