Feb 13, 2025
LARRY DEKLINSKI/Special to the Sun-Gazette Warrior Run players celebrate defeating Mount Carmel in overtime at the HAC Tournament semifinals on Wednesday.
SUNBURY — Mount Carmel needed to play dogged defense for the final 20 seconds of overtime while holding onto a one-point lead Wednesday. However, Cooper Wilkins and Warrior Run had other ideas.
Wilkins drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key with one second left to lift Warrior Run to a 51-50 overtime win over Mount Carmel in a PHAC boys basketball tournament semifinal.
“At the end, that kid stepped up and hit a big shot; give him all the credit,” Mount Carmel coach John Lazicki said.
“I watched him make 50 3s from that spot in practice (Tuesday), true story,” Warrior Run coach Eric Wertman said. “As soon as he picked it up, I was OK with him letting it rip from there.”
Wilkins shot ended a back-and-forth affair that saw 12 lead changes and neither team grab a lead of bigger than five.
LARRY DEKLINSKI/Special to the Sun-Gazette Warrior Run’s Jake Bruckhart shoots a 3-pointer during the HAC Tournament semifinals against Mount Carmel on Wednesday.
“We played sloppy offensively,” Lazicki said. “Defensively, we played great to very, very good. But offensively, we had a couple of inopportune turnovers and forced some shots. We couldn’t get a flow. Give them credit. Warrior Run is a great team. Coach Wertman is a good guy, great coach. It was one of those things where they helped us not play well offensively. We were out of sorts.”
The Red Tornadoes needed a buzzer-beater of their own to force overtime. With time winding down in the fourth quarter and Mount Carmel trailing by three, Noah Shimko grabbed an offensive rebound and passed it to Chase Balichik in the corner. Balichik drilled the 3-pointer as time expired to tie the game at 44.
“It was just to relax,” Wertman said of his talk to his team after regulation. “We’ve been in this position before. Let’s not dwell on what happened here. Let’s move on; let’s move forward. That’s nothing that we can control. From here on out, it’s 0-0, and we’ve got four minutes to win the game. Let’s go do it.”
Jude Lazicki, who scored a game-high 22 points, scored all six of Mount Carmel’s points in the extra session. He hit a jumper, scored on a drive and converted after another offensive rebound and assist from Shimko.
Unfortunately for Mount Carmel (18-3), Wilkins made those assists all for naught with his game-winner.
LARRY DEKLINSKI/Special to the Sun-Gazette Warrior Run’s Aiden McKee defends against Mount Carmel’s Michael Kaleta during Wednesday’s game at the HAC Tournament semifinals.
“It’s so surreal; I can’t really remember what happened,” Wilkins said. “Luckily, the ball was in my hands and I made it.”
Wilkins finished with a team-high 16 points, grabbed eight rebounds and had a pair of key steals.
“I do my best to go with the flow of the game,” Wilkins said. “I don’t try to do anything more. My teammates put me in (good) situations.”
Lazicki scored on a putback of his own with 4:58 to go in the third quarter, giving the Red Tornadoes a 31-26 win. Mount Carmel only made one more field goal over the next 10:30 of game time.
“I don’t think we necessarily lost the game on defense. I think we lost the game on offense. Our offense was a little erratic tonight,” coach Lazicki said.
“That’s really good; it’s something we stress,” Wertman said of Warrior Run’s defense. “(Jude) Lazicki is phenomenal, so is (Jaylen Delaney). He’s a tough guard. He’s tough to keep out of the paint. (Landon) Polcyn and Cooper Wilkins did a really nice job on both of those guys.”
Delaney finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
Jude Lazicki and Delaney combined for 22 of Mount Carmel’s 23 first-half points and nine of 21 second-half points.
The Defenders (18-5), who advance to Friday’s championship game against Shamokin, went on a 12-4 run during the Red Tornadoes’ cold spell. That gave Warrior Run a 38-35 lead with 2:47 to play.
Wilkins had a key stretch during that run. He missed a 3-pointer, but grabbed his own offensive rebound and drove in for a layup. Then he stole the ball on the Red Tornadoes’ next possession and drilled a 3-pointer.
“I do my absolute best to play hard every single possession,” Wilkins said. “I continue to run, and I didn’t really slow down. Luckily, the ball kind of found my hands. This whole team plays so hard.”
Even with the disappointment in the result, playing Warrior Run — the likely No. 2 seed in the District 4 Class 3A playoffs — can benefit the Red Tornadoes, who are locked into the No. 2 seed in the District 4 Class 4A postseason.
“We’re going to face Montoursville in districts,” coach Lazicki said. “Montoursville is a pretty good team. We’ve got them at home, thank God. This a great tune-up. Warrior Run is a hell of a team. They’re going to make a lot of noise in that 3A bracket. It’s always good to play a great team. I enjoy that. I just wish we came out on the winning side.”
Warrior Run 51, Mount Carmel 50 (OT)
WARRIOR RUN (51)
Griff Harrington 1 2-2 4, James Keiffer 2 2-2 6, Jake Bruckhart 0 1-2 1, Gavin Gorton 0 0-0 0, Cooper Wilkins 7 0-1 16, Aiden McKee 4 4-6 13, Landon Polcyn 3 1-2 7, Ethan Balzer 1 2-2 4. Totals 18 12-17 51.
MCA (50)
Chase Balichik 1 1-2 4, Matt Balichik 3 0-0 6, Jude Lazicki 11 0-2 22, Jaylen Delaney 5 4-6 15, Tait Adams 0 0-0 0, Michael Kaleta 0 0-0 0, Noah Shimko 1 1-2 3. Totals 21 6-12 50.
Warrior Run 14 8 12 10 7 — 51
MCA 13 10 11 10 6 — 50
3-point goals: WR 3 (Wilkins 2, McGee 1), MCA 2 (C. Balichik 1, Delaney 1).
Records: Warrior Run (18-5), Mount Carmel (18-4).
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