Mustangs' Season Ends With Loss To Shaler

The Plum boys basketball team was eliminated from the WPIAL AAAA playoffs with a 70-45 defeat at the hands of Shaler on Thursday night. 

Shaler showed why it is the top seeded team in the playoffs in a dominating second quarter from which the Mustangs could never recover. 

Geno Thorpe led the way for the Titans in the first half, scoring 18 points — only four fewer than the entire Plum squad.

Although Thorpe scored only four more points over the final two quarters, Shaler boasted a balanced attack as seven other players got into the scoring column. 

For Plum, Nolan Cressler contributed a game-high 23 points, while Anthony Garofalo added nine.

Plum entered the contest with confidence after it gave Shaler one of its toughest challenges in late December when the Mustangs lost 53-49. 

On Thursday, the Mustangs had contributions from Tarique Ellis and Garofalo in the first quarter with the duo totaling ten points. 

Shaler also lost one of its premier interior players, J.P. Holtz, to foul trouble early in the contest. 

After the teams were deadlocked at 14-14 at the start of the second quarter, however, Shaler picked up its defensive intensity and began scoring with ease, resulting in a 15 point halftime lead. 

Plum Head Coach Ron Richards said the team went into a sort of shock in the second quarter.

“We allowed ourselves to get into an up tempo game against them, and we started taking quick shots," he said.  "Once they went on that run, we got the deer-in-the-headlights look, and we never recovered.”

Plum struggled to combat Shaler’s full court press, and the Mustangs committed numerous turnovers, including both a five-second inbound violation and  a ten-second halfcourt violation. 

As Shaler advances to face Butler in the quarterfinals, the Mustangs now are looking ahead to next season. 

Plum will return all five starters, including Cressler, who should be considered one of the preseason favorites for player of the year. 

Richards sees reason for optimism with his team looking ahead.

“This is a group that wants to get better," he said. "We will be back.”