Coming out of a narrow 2-point victory against Latrobe on Tuesday, and heading into a fierce section battle with McKeesport on Friday, the Penn-Trafford boys basketball team had a much-needed breather that bolstered their confidence this Thursday.
The P-T Warriors took care of business against Greensburg Salem, outscoring them in every quarter and finishing with an 80-41 victory.
P-T (10-8, 6-5) is still fighting for a playoff spot in Section 1-5A, while the Greensburg Salem Golden Lions (4-14, 3-7) will not advance to the postseason in Section 3-4A.
Evan Gross and Tyler Anthony found early success for the Warriors. Gross made three 3-pointers within the first three minutes, and Anthony added two more during the first quarter.
“[Making the shots] felt pretty good. It let me know that my shot was on, and I just felt really confident and decided to keep shooting it,” Gross said.
All 14 of the Warriors played in the game, and 12 scored throughout the night.
“I thought it was a good opportunity for some guys to get in and get some experience. [It was] a chance for us to run different defenses and run the offense and give other guys a shot,” Gross said.
Senior point guard Brayden Stone led the Warriors with 15 points. Stone also played a monumental role in the Warriors’ last game against Latrobe, scoring the game-winning shot in the final five seconds.
Scoring 80 points, the Warriors recorded the second-highest amount of points they earned this season and their highest in a victory.
The Golden Lions are currently on a 5-game losing streak and will play next week at home against Belle Vernon.
The Warriors have four regular season games remaining, including three section matchups. Their next game will be home against McKeesport on Jan. 31.
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