Eli Sterling

PITTSBURGH — Greencastle-Antrim got off to a great start in Friday night’s PIAA Class 5A boys basketball first-round game in Pittsburgh.

The Blue Devils, playing on Shaler’s home court, led 18-12 after one quarter and a 3-pointer by Eli Sterling early in the second gave G-A a 9-point lead.

But the Titans swung the game back in their favor and outscored Greencastle 51-37 from that point on to grab a 73-58 victory.

The Blue Devils end a very successful season with a 20-7 record. Shaler (24-3) will play Tuesday in the second round against Mechanicsburg, a 60-52 winner over Gateway.

Conner Wright scored all 10 of his points in the first half for G-A, but he was held scoreless in the latter half. Sterling tossed in a half-court shot at the end of the first quarter.

But the Titans’ defense clamped down and held the Blue Devils to just 11 points each in the second and third quarters. That allowed Shaler to take the lead by halftime (35-31), and expand that to 55-42 after three quarters. Keeyan Smetanka led the way by scoring 14 of his 21 points in the first half.

Greencastle made 7 of its first 8 free throws in the third quarter to stay in touch at 48-41, but missed 5 of its last 6 when it got into the bonus.

In the fourth quarter, Logan Alvey made back-to-back 3-pointers for the Blue Devils with 5:40 left to pull his team within 58-50. But Kaden Orga knocked down a three for Shaler and Smetanka scored two baskets to put the game away.

Sterling, who scored 12 points, had to leave the game with about 2 minutes left in the third period with a leg injury, and he did not return. Alvey also fouled out with 4:28 left in the game.

Jordan Hunt led G-A in scoring with 13 points, Alvey had 9 and Carter McCauley scored 8. The Blue Devils banged in 10 threes.

Shaler 73, Greencastle 58
GREENCASTLE
Iyshone Coleman 0 0-0 0, Eli Sterling 4 2-2 12, Surzano Solomon 1 4-6 6, Carter McCauley 3 2-5 8, Logan Alvey 3 0-0 9, Jordan Hunt 5 0-0 13, Conner Wright 4 0-2 10, Carter Coons 0 0-0 0, Nathan Hanks 0 0-0 0, Garrett Blubaugh 0 0-0 0, Sal Bangura 0 0-0 0, Owen Plum 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 8-15 58.
SHALER
Joe DeSabato 2 0-0 4, Keeyan Smetanka 8 3-3 21, Kaden Orga 5 0-0 13, Joe Miller 4 0-0 8, Brandon London 5 3-5 13, Sam Himrod 2 1-2 5, TJ Belles 0 0-0 0, Julian Vizzoca 2 4-4 9, Zach London 0 0-0 0. Totals 28 11-14 73.
Greencastle             18     11     11     16     —     58
Shaler                       12     23     20     18     —     73 
3-point shots — GA 10 (Alvey 3, Hunt 3, Sterling 2, Wright 2); Shaler 6 (Orga 3, Smetanka 2, Vizzoca).