Penn Hills Defeats Hershey 50-42 in a PIAA Class 5A 2nd Round Playoff Game: Kehler on Hoops

Written by: Dell Jackson on March 15, 2023

Penn Hills Defeats Hershey 50-42 in a PIAA Class 5A 2nd Round Playoff Game

Penn Hills advanced to the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class 5A state championship tournament with a 50 to 42 victory over Hershey on Tuesday night in Altoona. The game was close, with the outcome in doubt until the final three minutes of the contest. The score was tied at 31 at the end of the third quarter, then Penn Hills’ defense took over the game.

This was a really low-scoring game for the first 16 minutes. Hershey was very deliberate on offense, moving the ball to get a good shot, and they usually had at least four players in motion at once in their half court attack. Hitting 3-pointers was an important objective for Hershey, and they worked hard to get open looks. Penn Hills was also very structured on offense from the outset, running plays and being disciplined with the ball. Penn Hills was exceptionally impressive on defense: quick, tough, long-armed leapers who kept their hands up. Penn Hills led 10 to 7 at the end of a first quarter in which neither squad was able to muster much offensive momentum.

Neither team scored in the first three minutes of the second quarter. Penn Hills finally broke the ice with a hoop inside by 6’ 3” junior Julian Dugger which put his squad up 12 to 7. Hershey responded with two 3-pointers by 6’ 2” senior Matthew DeDonatis to give them their only lead of the game, at 13 to 12. Penn Hills recaptured the lead with a floater by 6’ senior Noah Barren, and they never trailed again. The low scoring first half ended with Penn Hills up by one point, 16 to 15.

There was much more offense in the second half. For Hershey, 6’ 2” senior Joey Alander began to find the range. He scored all 18 of his points after intermission, including sinking five shots from behind the arc. For Penn Hills, Daemar Kelly, a 6’ 5” senior who hadn’t scored in the first half, notched 15 points. In the third quarter it became evident that the faster the pace of the game, the better the outcome for Penn Hills. As the pace picked up, and the Penn Hills offense surged, it was Alander’s sharpshooting from beyond the arc on the left side of the court that allowed Hershey to keep pace. Alander’s third 3-pointer of the third quarter tied the game at 31 at the end of the third frame.

Penn Hills’ defense clamped down on Hershey at the beginning of the fourth quarter, holding them scoreless for the first 3:30 of the final period. During that span, Penn Hills scored only four points themselves: a 3-pointer by 6’ junior Lamire Redman and, a bit later, a free throw by Redman. That put Penn Hills up 35 to 31. Following a free throw by Hershey’s Alander, Penn Hills launched a 7 to 0 run on a drive by Barren, a free throw by 6’ 3” senior Michai Oliver, two free throws by Kelly, and a hook shot by Oliver. That made it 42 to 32 in favor of Penn Hills. With 1:29 left in the game, Hershey scored their first field goal of the fourth quarter on a 3-pointer by Alander, but a tipin by Oliver put Penn Hills up 44 to 35. Hershey’s Alander hit his fifth 3-pointer of the game with 54 seconds left to cut the Penn Hills lead to six points, but Hershey would get no closer.

Penn Hills had a 24 to 22 rebounding edge. Both teams handled the ball well. Penn Hills had seven turnovers, and Hershey had eight miscues. Penn Hills was nine of 13 from the free throw line. Hershey, concentrating a lot on outside shooting, only attempted six free throws in the game, making two of them. Penn Hills made three 3-pointers, while Hershey sank eight shots from beyond the arc. There were two lead changes and one tie.

Penn Hills scoring: Daemar Kelly 15, Michai Oliver 11, Noah Barren 10, Lamire Redman 6, Julian Dugger 4, Robert Thomas 2, and Kenyan Smith 2.

Hershey scoring: Joey Alander 18, Matthew DeDonatis 11, Marcus Sweeney 8, Cameron Sweeney 3, and A. J. Slamans 2.

Penn Hills 10 6 15 19-50
Hershey 7 8 16 11-42

Penn Hills, from Pittsburgh, is now 23-3, and they will play Cathedral Prep on Friday in the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class 5A state championship tournament. Hershey started five seniors in this game. They conclude a terrific season with a 20-8 record.

On Twitter: @david_kehler

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