PIAA Boys’ Basketball: Keating scores 42 as Nativity decks Ferndale in Class A play-in game
The Nativity boys' basketball team hangs out in a field along Interstate 81 after their bus broke down en route to Saturday's PIAA Class A boys' basketball play-in game against Ferndale at Tyrone High School (Photo by William Reed).
TYRONE — Nativity’s long bus ride to Tyrone for Saturday’s PIAA Class A boys’ basketball play-in game was a rocky one.
Trey Keating made the ride home a happy one for the Hilltoppers.
The Nativity sharpshooter torched the nets for a game-high 42 points as the Hilltoppers downed District 6 third-place finisher Ferndale 69-43 to qualify for the PIAA Tournament.
The Hilltoppers (16-10) will take on District 3 champion High Point Baptist (16-6) on Friday at a site and time to be determined.
Nativity’s nearly three-hour road trip to take on Ferndale hit a snag early when the Toppers bus broke down on Interstate 81. The team had to wait until another bus arrived to transport them to the game and the delay forced officials to move the 2 p.m. start time back to 2:30 p.m.
It took Mike Walborn’s club until the second period to overcome the bus lag as Nativity forged a 10-9 lead after one frame. Keating then got hot in the second, hitting three of his eight 3-pointers as the Toppers built a 27-19 halftime advantage.
The junior then scored 29 of Nativity’s 42 points in the second half, including 21 in the fourth quarter as the Hilltoppers pulled away.
He hit six 3-pointers in the second half, including three in the fourth as Nativity outscored Ferndale 26-13 over the final frame.
Noah Dolbin added 11 points for Nativity.
