Franklin Regional boys dig deep to beat Latrobe with strong 2nd half
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Friday, February 2, 2024 | 10:43 PM
Franklin Regional’s Cooper Rankin steals a pass intended for Latrobe’s John Wetzel on Friday.
Franklin Regional’s Connor Crossey drives past Latrobe’s JaTawn Willims on Friday.
Latrobe’s Quardarius Davis scores over Franklin Regional’s Cam Rowell on Friday.
Franklin Regional’s Finian Hutchison drives on Latrobe’s Ian DeCerb on Friday.
Franklin Regional’s Cam Rowell scores past Latrobe’s Max Butler on Friday.
Franklin Regional’s Cam Rowell scores past Latrobe’s Kyle McNeil on Friday.
Franklin Regional’s Cam Rowell (left) and Drew Devola fight for a rebound with Latrobe’s Max Butler on Friday.
Franklin Regional’s Colin Masten is fouled by Latrobe’s Ian DeCerb on Friday.
Franklin Regional’s Connor Crossey scores between Latrobe’s JaTawn Williams (left) and John Wetzel to put the Panthers up for good with 7 seconds left in the third quarter Friday.
Franklin Regional’s Cooper Rankin scores past Latrobe’s JaTawn Williams on Friday.
Franklin Regional’s Cam Rowell dunks against Latrobe on Friday.
Latrobe’s Ian DeCerb scores past Franklin Regional’s Cooper Rankin on Friday.
Franklin Regional’s Cooper Rakin breaks past Latrobe’s Quardarius Davis on Friday.
Franklin Regional’s Finian Hutchison (11) fights for a rebound Friday.
Halftime talks are like sales pitches. Some work, and some don’t.
When Franklin Regional took a six-point deficit into the break Friday night at Latrobe, coach Jesse Reed only dipped a toe into the conversation.
“I put in my two cents, then I left it up to the seniors,” Reed said. “It was up to them. Those guys know what it takes.”
Whatever the team’s leaders said resonated.
No. 3 Franklin Regional responded with a 23-point third quarter and a decisive run that produced a 57-49 victory in often unpredictable Section 3-5A.
The Panthers (17-2, 7-1) moved a step closer to clinching at least a share of the section title with their sixth straight win and their 12th win in 13 games. They earned their third section sweep of the season, a rarity in this set of teams.
Latrobe (8-11, 3-5), which has dropped four in a row, led for most of the first half and deep into the third, taking a 35-30 edge on a 3-pointer by Kyle McNeil.
But Franklin Regional pushed its way back, as Cooper Rankin hit a 3, Fin Hutchison made two free throws and Connor Crossey made a fast-break layup to give the Panthers their first lead since the first quarter, at 42-40, with seven seconds left in the quarter.
“We dug down and played great defense,” said Crossey, who had a season-high 14 points, including three 3s. “I got into a rhythm as the game went on. We got out in transition and moved the ball well.”
The spark ignited a 15-2 run for the Panthers, who took a 50-42 advantage on a steal and layup by Rankin, who had all 10 of his points in the second half.
Cam Rowell, who had two dunks and two blocks, played carefully late with four fouls. He finished with a game-high 19 points.
Rankin may have been more valuable defensively on this night as he face-guarded the Wildcats’ Max Butler and limited the scorer to five points, all in the fourth, with no 3s.
Crossey picked up the scoring slack for the Panthers.
John Wetzel led the Wildcats with 14 points, and Darius Davis added 12.
Neither Rankin nor Butler scored in the first half.
“We came out ready to play (in the second half),” Reed said. “I liked how we defended, how we ran the floor, how we did everything. It was better.”
Latrobe cut it to 50-44 with 3:44 to play but could get no closer. Rowell scored on break, from Colin Masten, to make it 53-45 with 1:16 to go.
The Wildcats went the final 1:05 without a field goal.
“You have to score points somewhere,” Latrobe coach Brad Wetzel said. “The foul line, by penetrating, somehow. That dead spot hurt us. Offensively, we slowed down a little bit and that was to our detriment.”
Hutchison finished with nine points for the Panthers.
Rowell made it tough on the Wildcats on both ends of the floor.
“He is so opportunistic,” Brad Wetzel said. “He has a great basketball acumen.”
A fast-paced first half saw Latrobe take a 25-19 lead into the break.
Rowell, who had a baseline dunk in the first quarter, scored nine points in the second, but none of his teammates made a field goal.
Section 3 has been a wild ride so far, and it could tighten even more in the final week of the regular season.
Think about it: Franklin Regional lost to Gateway, who lost to Latrobe and Penn-Trafford.
Penn-Trafford beat Latrobe and lost to Kiski Area, a team that has wins over Latrobe, McKeesport and Penn-Trafford.
And McKeesport recently beat Latrobe in overtime.
“We all beat the tar out of ourselves,” Brad Wetzel said. “It’s been quite a roller-coaster for us.This team will fight, but our margin for error is shrinking.”
Franklin Regional only won by two, and five, against Penn-Trafford, which lost in overtime in the second meeting. The Warriors beat Gateway by two.
“This section is crazy,” Reed said.
There have been tight games, as Penn-Trafford would know — it has been in six games decided by three points or less — and there also have been blowouts: Penn-Trafford beat Latrobe, 84-56, and Kiski Area also went on the road and toppled Latrobe, 79-47.
Only Franklin Regional had clinched a playoff spot heading into Friday.
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
Tags: Franklin Regional, Latrobe
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