Gateway boys fall short in WPIAL semifinals

By: Tribune-Review
Sunday, March 6, 2022 | 11:01 AM

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The Gateway boys basketball team had its run in the WPIAL playoffs come to a close last week in the semifinals.

Mike Wells scored 23 points and junior Isaiah Boice had 22 as second-seeded New Castle celebrated a 72-62 victory over No. 6 Gateway in a WPIAL Class 5A semifinal at Robert Morris University.

New Castle (23-1), the defending WPIAL champion, advanced to face No. 1 Laurel Highlands (24-0).

First, New Castle had to eliminate upset-minded Gateway (15-6), which reached the WPIAL semifinals for the first time in 10 years. Will Kromka scored 21 points, Jaydon Carr had 16, and M.J. Stevenson had 11, but the Gators couldn’t keep pace with New Castle’s 3-point shooting.

The Red Hurricanes went 7 for 18 from beyond the arc, and Boice had four 3s.

“I didn’t realize they shot the ball that well,” Gateway coach Alvis Rogers said. “They shot extremely well. All the film I looked at, even their home games, they didn’t shoot it that well, so I was surprised.”

The Gators went 4 for 17 from 3-point range.

Gateway’s height advantage at times caused New Castle some trouble around the rim. But overall, New Castle shot nearly 60% from the field in the first half and led 35-26 at the break.

New Castle scored 10 consecutive points in one first-half stretch, including consecutive transition layups for New Castle’s Jonathan Anderson, who had 13 points. The run stretched a four-point lead to 12.

The Gators went scoreless for more than three minutes, stretching into the second quarter.

New Castle kept the lead with its outside shooting. Boice made two 3s in the second quarter and two more in the third. Michael Graham added two 3s and Wells had one.

Boice made two 3s about 80 seconds apart in the third quarter to push New Castle’s lead to 13 points. The 6-foot guard went 4 for 7 from the arc combined in the second and third quarters.

New Castle led 52-43 after three.

A 3-pointer by Kromka late in the third pulled Gateway to within nine points, but the Gators got no closer.

They shot only 39 percent from the field despite having a good shooting night four days earlier when they upset No. 3 Mars.

“We didn’t shoot it well, which is surprising because we do a lot of shooting in practice,” Rogers said. “But you have those nights. I always tell them offense sometimes take a night off. Defense has to travel.”

Gateway was making its first semifinals appearance since winning a WPIAL title in 2012. In contrast, New Castle has reached at least the semifinals every season since 2011.

“You can tell they’ve been here,” Rogers said. “I always tell me guys, in order to be the champ, you’ve got to beat the champ. It’s a learning experience.”

The WPIAL sends seven teams to the PIAA Class 5A playoffs, so Gateway’s season isn’t over.

Kromka standing tall at UPJ

Gateway graduate John Paul Kromka collected his sixth PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week award last week.

A junior forward at Pitt-Johnstown, Kromka averaged 15.0 points on 14 of 20 shooting, 8.5 rebounds, 6.0 defensive rebounds, 4.5 blocks, 3.0 assists, and one steal the week before.

Kromka, a two-time PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year, had 18 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and blocked nine shots in a 74-57 win at Seton Hill.

He then had 12 points, five defensive rebounds, and one steal in a 72-64 loss at No. 3 IUP.

Passalinqua competes at WPIAL meet

Gateway junior diver Noah Passalinqua finished in 16th place at the WPIAL Class 3A diving championships Feb. 27 at North Allegheny.

He had a score of 222.10.

North Allegheny’s Will Schenk won the event with an 11-dive score of 428.60.

Gateway wrestlers advance to WPIALs

A trio of Gateway wrestlers earned trips to the WPIAL Class 3A championships after finishing among the top five at the Section 1 tournament on Feb. 27.

Arontay Henningcamp (113 pounds) took third, and Luke Pawlowski (120) and Floyd McKenna (172) finished in fourth place.

The WPIAL championships were scheduled for Saturday at Canon-McMillan.

Youth Legion tryouts slated

Monroeville Baseball Association will hold the second of its two youth Legion baseball tryouts from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. March 12 at the auxiliary gym at Gateway High School.

Players who live in the Gateway School District and were born in calendar years 2006-09 are eligible to participate.

The team will compete in the Westmoreland County Youth Legion league. Contact Rich Otterman at 412-652-6062 with questions.

Tags: Gateway