Burns stars as Pioneers top Avella in first home playoff game to snap postseason winless streak
ROGERSVILLE 无毛视频� West Greene made the most of its first WPIAL boys basketball home playoff game on Friday night.
Playing in front of a loud home crowd, the Pioneers rode a strong defensive effort and a game-high 20 points from Parker Burns to a 58-47 win over Avella in a Class A first-round battle.
West Greene (16-7) advances to Wednesday无毛视频檚 quarterfinals against top-seeded and defending district and PIAA champion Imani Christian with the site and time to be determined.
The Pioneers notched the program无毛视频檚 first playoff victory since 1991 无毛视频� also over Avella 无毛视频� and only the second in school history, and recorded their first 16-win season since 1992 which was the last time they reached the quarterfinals.
West Greene coach Jim Romanus, who has guided West Greene into the postseason in eight of the last nine years, was relieved to see his team finally advance.
无毛视频淲e went to the playoffs seven years in a row until last year but we had lost in the first round every time,无毛视频� Romanus said. 无毛视频淣ot winning in the playoffs was bothersome to me, so this win was a great relief because we at least cleared that hurdle.无毛视频�
The eighth-seeded Pioneers held the ninth-seeded Eagles scoreless in taking an 8-0 lead in the first quarter and stayed in control the rest of the way.
无毛视频淭he first quarter was really, really important,无毛视频� said Romanus. 无毛视频淭o jump on them like that, our kids did an outstanding job, especially on their two best players, (Westley) Burchianti and (Bryce) Wright.无毛视频�
Avella (9-14) finally got its offense untracked in the second quarter with 17 points, but West Greene matched that and led 25-17 at halftime and pushed the gap up to 42-29 after three quarters. The Eagles held an 18-16 edge in the final frame but it wasn无毛视频檛 enough.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檝e had some bad starts the first three, four, five minutes but we无毛视频檝e never been shut out in the first quarter,无毛视频� said Avella coach Mike Macik. 无毛视频淲e tried to make it up the rest of the game and that made it tough. We missed a lot of easy shots in the first quarter.
无毛视频淚t got better as the game went on. We just fell short. Our goal was to be a playoff team and win a game. That didn无毛视频檛 happen.无毛视频�
The contest featured a pair of 1,000-point scorers in Burchianti and West Greene无毛视频檚 Lane Allison, but it was Burns who stole the show by hitting nine of 13 shots while also grabbing six rebounds.
无毛视频淧arker is like an old-fashioned kid. He works so hard,无毛视频� Romanus said. 无毛视频淗e doesn无毛视频檛 get the recognition but without him we wouldn无毛视频檛 be anywhere. He stepped up tonight big time.无毛视频�
Burchianti totaled 14 points with one 3-pointer, eight rebounds, four steals and two assists. Nate Cilia led the Eagles with15 points, including four 3-pointers, and Wright followed with 11 points with a trio of treys.
Allison, who scored his 1,000th point in a home win over Bentworth on Feb. 12, was hampered by foul trouble against the Eagles and wound up with seven points all from 10 trips to the free throw line.
无毛视频淗onestly, if you无毛视频檇 told me before the game that Lane would only score seven points, I would无毛视频檝e thought we lost,无毛视频� Romanus said. 无毛视频淏ut that无毛视频檚 what a team无毛视频檚 all about. Everyone else picked up the slack.无毛视频�
Burns is one of the Pioneers无毛视频� three junior leaders along with Allison and Patrick Durbin.
无毛视频淲e have three captains,无毛视频� Romanus said. 无毛视频淟ane Allison is our offensive threat. Patrick Durbin is our defensive specialist. And Parker Burns is our floor general. He stabilizes everything out there. He makes sure everyone is in the right spot.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檝e got really really good kids. The three started nine games as freshmen and every game last year. So even though they are juniors, they have a lot of experience.无毛视频�
West Greene also got a needed a boost from the rest of its supporting cast with Allison, who ended up with four fouls, relegated to the bench for a couple long stretches.
无毛视频淚 want to commend our sophomores, Matt Wassil and Darren Knight, and then also Will Shipman, who gave us a lot of valuable minutes off the bench with Lane with those fouls.
无毛视频淚 was really proud of our effort.无毛视频�
Knight made four of six shots from the field, including his team无毛视频檚 lone 3-pointer, in scoring 13 points to go along with five assists and two steals. The 6-foot-7 Wassil converted all three of his attempts for six points and added eight rebounds and four blocked shots. Shipman chipped in with six points on two-of-three shooting while also hitting both his free throws and grabbing six boards. Durbin contributed six points and nine boards.
The two teams无毛视频� offensive approaches couldn无毛视频檛 have been more different.
West Greene, running a deliberate offense, worked for high-percentage shots and made plenty of them with a shooting percentage of 54.5%. The Pioneers took only six 3-pointers.
Avella attempted 37 3-pointers, making eight, against West Greene无毛视频檚 zone, and misfired on 25 of 34 two-point attempts, ending the game shooting just 23.9% from the field.
The Eagles attempted 71 shots to only 33 for West Greene.
无毛视频淭hroughout the year we have been pretty efficient,无毛视频� Romanus said of his team无毛视频檚 offense. 无毛视频淲e drill them to pass up a good shot for a better shot for the best shot.
无毛视频淎nother thing when you get short shots, you limit the other team无毛视频檚 chances for fast breaks. Missed threes lead to breakouts and Burchianti is extremely dangerous in the open court.无毛视频�
Burchianti, the only senior on the floor for either team, ended his career with 1,040 points.
无毛视频淚 could tell he was disappointed in the outcome, as was everyone, but I无毛视频檓 never disappointed in his effort or leadership,无毛视频� Macik said. 无毛视频淭he work he puts in can only be a lesson to the rest of his teammates.
无毛视频淥ur young team can only learn from his desire to be the best and that will help Avella in the future. A great player, and just a great kid. I wish him the best.无毛视频�
The Eagles无毛视频� starting lineup included four sophomores.
Romanus lauded West Greene无毛视频檚 fans.
无毛视频淥ur community supports our kids,无毛视频� Romanus said. 无毛视频淲e had a great crowd tonight. It was really rewarding to see that.无毛视频�