Quick Start Propels Mustangs To Victory

Following two straight section losses, the Plum boys basketball team secured a crucial victory over Franklin Regional 64-56 Tuesday night. 

The win improves the Mustangs’ record to 3-3 in section play, and 6-8 overall on the season. 

Junior Nolan Cressler, one of the WPIAL’s top scorers, contributed 30 points in the winning effort. 

Two other players reached double figures in scoring for the Mustangs, as Tarique Ellis and Anthony Garofalo added 20 and 11 points respectively. 

Plum Head Coach Ron Richards called the secondary scoring of this duo “crucial” to the win.  

Plum jumped out to an early lead, as it started the game with a 9-2 advantage. 

Ellis keyed the early run, as he scored 11 of the Mustangs' 15 points in the first quarter, including a buzzer beater that put his squad up by six.

Richards emphasized the significance of his team’s early success.

“We needed a good start. In a lot of the games that we lost, we haven’t played well early.  We didn’t let them control the tempo. We made sure not to get into a track meet.”

Slowing the pace proved critical for the Mustangs, especially since they were playing shorthanded and did not go deep into their rotation.

Griffin Myers missed the game due to injury, meaning all five starters saw extensive playing time. 

After Plum held a ten-point lead at halftime, Cressler began to take over in the third quarter. 

Cressler scored in a variety of ways, tipping in offensive rebounds, driving past the Franklin defenders for layups and hitting perimeter jumpers. 

Cressler had a four-point play early in the third as he was fouled while hitting a three-pointer and subsequently converted the ensuring foul shot.

Franklin Regional spent the second half trying to chip away at Plum’s lead, and managed to force several fourth-quarter turnovers.

Luke McHugh led the comeback effort for the Panthers, as he scored a team-high 18 points. Jack Summers also chipped in with a dozen points, including a three-pointer that cut the deficit to seven with 2:33 remaining. 

Franklin Regional would never pull any closer, however, and Ellis sealed the victory for Plum by drawing an intentional foul and hitting a free throw with under a minute remaining in the contest.    

Plum begins the second half of conference play when it travels to Fox Chapel Friday.