Franklin Regional defense stands tall in win over Highlands

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, February 27, 2018 | 11:33 PM

Franklin Regional coach Steve Scorpion knew the best to way to beat Highlands was with a staunch defensive effort.

The Panthers kept Highlands off the scoreboard for a 5-minute, 47-second spell that spelled doom for the Golden Rams.

Highlands took a 14-11 lead with 3:15 left in the first half but didn't score again until Johnny Crise hit a pair of free throws at the 5:28 mark of third quarter. By then, the Panthers were in control with a 13-0 surge.

“I told our kids, ‘You just got to go out there and go for it,' ” Scorpion said of his team's defensive philosophy. “(Shawn) Erceg for them did a great job in the first half, but we made some key adjustments. My assistants, the kids, they were giving input. This was a total team effort.”

Besides playing great defense, Franklin Regional avoided any sort of foul trouble. Over the second and third quarters, the Panthers committed just one team foul.

“That was a big key,” Scorpion said. “We didn't give them any easy points. They're all such great players, and we knew they shoot free throws very well. We wanted to make everything tough for them, and I thought we did a very good job.”

Highlands coach Tyler Stoczynski agreed that the Franklin Regional defense and the scoreless stretch were vital.

“It definitely played a role,” Stoczynski said of the offensive woes. “I felt our offense was really, really stagnant tonight. Too much dribbling, not enough guys screening for one another. We were trying to do it too individually and not collectively. We've had a lot of guys score points for us this year, and that wasn't the case tonight.”

Not getting any field goals in the fourth quarter usually isn't recommended for a team heading for the WPIAL title game.

But for the second consecutive game, Franklin Regional scored all of its fourth-quarter points at the foul line.

Tuesday, it was a 15-of-21 performance in the fourth quarter, including junior Nick Leopold hitting 12 of 12 — 10 for 10 in the fourth quarter. His brother, Nate Leopold, also contributed four free throws.

“Last game I went 2 for 7,” Nick Leopold said. “I really frustrated myself because I consider myself to be a good foul shooter. I worked really hard in practice this week. The other game, it was purely nerves. It was my first playoff game.”

Those two Nick Leopold free throws proved to be the difference in the 28-26 Panthers playoffs victory over Moon on Friday.

Franklin Regional will be going for the first WPIAL basketball title in school history Friday.

The Panthers lost to Upper St. Clair in the 1996 finals and to New Castle in 1997.

Mars also will be shooting for its first WPIAL title.

Neither of Franklin Regional's predecessor schools — Export or Franklin Township — ever made the WPIAL finals. Export, however, lost a 1960 semifinal to Etna two years before the schools merged.

Tuesday was only the second time Highlands lost a WPIAL semifinal.

The other was in 1969 — the school's first year of existence. The Golden Rams lost 77-69 to a Penn Hills team that included future NBA coach George Karl.

Since then, Highlands won semifinal games over Seton LaSalle in 1995, West Mifflin in 2002, Chartiers Valley in '09 and New Castle in '16.

George Guido is a freelance writer.

Tags: Franklin Regional, Highlands