Paul Schofield | Friday, Jan. 13, 2017, TRIB-LIVE
Fox Chapel scored the first seven points in overtime, and the Foxes escaped Latrobe with a hard-earned 84-82 victory in Section 3-6A action.
The win keeps No. 4 Fox Chapel (5-1, 12-1) a game behind Penn Hills, which defeated the Foxes by three Jan. 3.
It was the first loss for No. 3 Latrobe (5-1, 11-1) as it heads to Penn Hills on Tuesday. The loss also ended a 22-game home winning streak.
Fox Chapel held the lead for nearly three-and-half quarters, including 56-44 late in the third quarter after an 8-0 run.
But Latrobe senior Austin Butler hit two free throws to close the third quarter, and the Wildcats scored the first seven points of the fourth to cut the Fox Chapel lead to 56-53.
“You can’t afford to have a slow start like we had against a good basketball team,” Latrobe coach Brad Wetzel, who is stuck on 199-career victories. “They came out strong and we stumbled. We settled for a lackluster offense in the first half. We started getting into our offense in the second half.”
After Bryce Butler hit a layup and a free throw by Fox Chapel’s Mike Snowball, Reed Fenton nailed his second 3-pointer of the quarter to give Latrobe its first lead of the game, 58-57 with 4:52 left.
Latrobe then grabbed a 60-57 lead on a basket by Jake Biss. A 3-pointer by Snowball tied the score.
Then the teams exchanged buckets with Fox Chapel getting a fortunate bonus after a miss. The ball landed in Dimitri Spina’s hands and his bucket tied the game at 64-64 with 45 seconds left.
Latrobe held for the final shot but missed.
In the overtime, Jake Livingston, a 6-foot-5 senior, drained a 3-pointer to get things started. After a poor shot selection by the Wildcats, Spina hit a layup. Livingston led Fox Chapel with 27 points.
Latrobe promptly turned the ball over, and Snowball hit two free throws to push the lead to 71-64.
“Fox Chapel deserves the credit,” Wetzel said. “They jumped our inbounds pass in overtime and forced a turnover. There is a reason why they are 12-1.”
Snowball and Ben Kelly each finished with 18 points.
Austin Butler led Latrobe with 38 points, and Fenton, who hit five 3-pointers, finished with 23. Biss had 14 points but fouled out in overtime.
Butler made his only 3-pointer at the buzzer.
When he made it, he dropped his head and seemed to wonder where that shot had been all game.
Fox Chapel took advantage of some sloppy defensive play and cold 3-point shooting by the Wildcats in the first three quarters. Latrobe was 6 for 20 from the 3-point line.
Fox Chapel led 20-13, 40-32 and 56-46 at the first three breaks.