WPIAL boys basketball playoffs: Avonworth’s Rowan Carmichael too much for Knoch in Knights’ loss
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch’s Teegan Finucan takes it to the rim in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch’s Jackson Bauman (3) shoots over Avonworth’s Billy Onyshko (23) in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch’s Brody Bauman (5) and Avonworth’s Billy Onyshko (23) battle over possession of the ball in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch fell to Avonworth 72-63 in a WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Avonworth High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
OHIO TWP — Knoch matched Avonworth shot for shot in a furious fourth quarter, but the Knights began the period with a deficit and never did catch up with the Antelopes.
Paced by the WPIAL’s top scorer, senior guard Rowan Carmichael who dropped 35 points in the game, Avonworth survived Wednesday’s WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball quarterfinal 72-63 on its home floor.
Knoch trailed 55-41 with 4:30 left in the game, but Teegan Finucan hit a trey to send the Knights on a 19-9 run that closed the gap to 64-60 with 1:23 left.
But while the Knights cooled off, Carmichael and Noah Goetz went a combined 6 for 6 from the line down the stretch for the Antelopes (18-5).
Both teams netted 26 points in the final period, including 17 from Knoch’s Jackson Bauman, who finished with a team-high 28.
“We showed a lot physically and mentally to stay in this game and I am unbelievably proud of the effort,” said Knoch coach Alan Bauman. “We grew up as a team, but sometimes basketball is a very simple game. They made more shots on their home floor than we did.”
During the regular season, Carmichael led the district, regardless of class, with 32 points per game. Goetz, another senior, scored 20 against the Knights.
“We are a senior-heavy team and relied a lot on those guys tonight,” Avonworth coach Joe Frank said. “Hats off to Knoch, though. We knew they were a good team and they battled. That No. 3 (Jackson Bauman) is a heck of a player.”
Knoch’s diverse scoring — Finucan scored 19 on the night and Derek Lang drained three treys — helped the Knights (17-7) remain in the game, but they could not get over the hump.
A frustrating pattern of the Antelopes moving ahead by double digits before Knoch closed the gap played out numerous times in the game.
It began in the opening period when Carmichael’s eight points allowed Avonworth to take early control.
“They are known for fast starts and we could have done better against that,” Alan Bauman said. “With (Carmichael), we tried to stay with him, but he got loose and hit shots. That’s why he is who he is, a great player.”
The Knights were behind 39-27 in the third quarter when Finucan, Lang and Bauman combined for a 7-0 spurt that brought them to within 39-34 with 3:10 left in the period.
Knoch must regroup. The consolation round begins next week and five teams from the WPIAL tournament will move on to the PIAA bracket.
“We’ve said all year that our goal was to get to the state playoffs,” Alan Bauman said.
Knoch 10 11 16 26 — 63
Avonworth 17 17 12 26 — 72
KNOCH 63
Derek Lang 3 0-0 9, Jackson Bauman 10 7-11 28, Brody Bauman 1 0-0 3, Teegan Finucan 8 2-2 19, Liam Avon 1 0-0 2, Zane Pacek 1 0-0 2, Roman DeFelice 0 0-0 0, Vinnie DeFelice 0 0-0 0. Totals: 24 9-13 63.
AVONWORTH 72
Noah Quinn 3 0-0 7, Carson Bellinger 1 2-2 4, Rowan Carmichael 12 7-8 35, Noah Goetz 7 6-8 20, Billy Onyshko 1 0-0 3, Thomas Werner 1 0-0 3, Peter Bonnet 0 0-0 0, Luca Neal 0 0-0 0. Totals: 25 15-18 72.
3-point goals: Knoch 6 (Lang 3, J.Bauman, B.Bauman, Finucan); Avonworth 7 (Carmichael 4, Onyshko, Werner, Quinn).
Next: WPIAL Class 4A consolation bracket, TBD
