Longtime Mt. Lebanon coach Joe David had finally caught his breath when a reporter asked him about his team’s season-opening win Tuesday.
“I can guarantee that I’ve never had an opener like that,” said David, who is in his 23rd season.
In a heart-racing game that featured several buzzer-beaters, Mt. Lebanon outlasted host North Allegheny, 83-80, in triple overtime in what was the season opener for both teams.
Riley Farabaugh went 15 of 15 from the free-throw line and pumped in a game-high 32 points for Mt. Lebanon (1-0), while North Allegheny’s Anthony Sciote made six 3-pointers among his team-best 26 points.
Sciote sank perhaps the game’s most improbable shot when he banked in a 3-point heave from midcourt at the end of regulation to tie the score at 56.
But Sciote wasn’t the only North Allegheny player with a flare for the dramatic. His teammate, 6-foot-9 Ty Iwanonkiw, made a 3-pointer just before the end of the first overtime to send the game to a second overtime with the score tied, 63-63. Iwanonkiw finished with four 3-pointers and 18 points.
North Allegheny held a 69-67 lead in the second overtime with Mt. Lebanon inbounding the ball from its own baseline with 2.5 seconds left. Mt. Lebanon raced the ball down the court and Farabaugh found teammate Liam Sheely, who caught the ball and laid it in just before the buzzer to tie the score yet again.
“The one referee said it was good, but then the other referee ran over, and when that happens you get scared,” David said. “But luckily they called it good.”
Mt. Lebanon then outscored North Allegheny, 14-11, in the third overtime to grab the victory.
Nate Girod added 16 points, Brody Barber 15 and Sheely 13 for Mt. Lebanon, while Joey Dopirik chipped in 12 and Paul Rubish 11 for North Allegheny.
Said David, “I told [North Allegheny coach] Dave [DeGregorio] after the game that it’s great for both teams because you get the experience of a triple-overtime game, the pressure and the emotions.”
Other boys games
• Brandin Cummings scored 27 points and Lincoln Park (3-0, 1-0) used a 60-point first half to run to a 97-67 win at Beaver (2-1, 0-1) in Class 4A Section 2. Meleek Thomas added 16 points and was one of six Lincoln Park players scoring in double figures. Brady Mayo led Beaver with 27 points.
• Ama Sow poured in a game-high 26 points to help Montour (1-1) rally for a 67-59 non-section win at South Fayette (2-1). Montour trailed by five points at the half before going on to outscore South Fayette, 36-23, in the second half. Michael Plasko paced South Fayette with six 3-pointers and 25 points.
• Rowan Carmichael poured in a game-high 32 points to lead Avonworth (3-0) to a 69-60 non-section victory at Shady Side Academy (2-1). The Antelopes led, 40-28, at the half. Eli Teslovich led Shady Side with 25 points, and Seamus Riordan had 21.
• Nate Franitti’s 21 points propelled host Blackhawk (2-1) to a 74-68 non-section win against Mohawk (0-1). Blackhawk trailed Mohawk, 52-47, before outscoring the Warriors, 27-16, in the fourth quarter. Jay Wrona tallied 25 points for Mohawk and Bobby Fadden added 20.
• Alex Lowry scored 13 points and Grady Dunsmore 12 to help Gateway (2-1) grab a 56-51 non-section win at two-time defending City League champion Allderdice (1-1). Allderdice got 19 points from Logan Golle and 12 from Major Rainey.
• Kiski Area (3-0) raced to a 10-point halftime lead and went on to capture a 58-45 non-section win against visiting New Castle (2-1). Isaiah Gonzalez led Kiski Area with 28 points.
• Carson Bear and Emory Moye scored 17 points apiece to push Pine-Richland (1-0) to a 67-62 non-section win at Highlands (1-2). Bradyn Foster led Highlands with 25 points and Jordyn Tavarez added 19.
• Courtney Wallace scored 23 points and John Wilkins added 22 to help Neighboorhood Academy (3-0) remain unbeaten following a 72-56 non-section win at Eden Christian (0-3).
• Brandon Bell scored 20 of his 30 points in the second half in helping host West Allegheny (3-0) claim a 46-33 non-section win against Central Valley (0-2). Bell was the only West Allegheny player scoring in double-figures, while Isaiah Jeter led Central Valley with 17 points.
• Knoch (2-0) led by just five points at the half before storming to a 69-44 non-section win against visiting Quaker Valley (2-1). Derek Lang paced Knoch with four 3-pointers and 21 points, while Joey Coyle led the Quakers with 15 points.
• Jamire Braxton (20 points) led a group of four Uniontown (2-0) players scoring in double-figures in a 87-32 win at Connellsville (0-3) in non-section play. Jeremiah Hager added 17 points and Notorious Grooms 16 for Uniontown, which scored 55 first-half points.
Girls games
• In a battle of WPIAL finalists from this past season, Juliette Leroux’s 22 points helped South Fayette (2-0) claim a 58-55 overtime win against visiting Upper St. Clair (1-2) in non-section action. Rylee Kalocay scored 30 points for the Panthers, who trailed by eight points at the half.
• Brooke Evans scored 17 points and Maddie Hertzler chipped in 15 to help host McKeesport (3-0) roll to a 56-37 win against Blackhawk (2-1) in non-section action. The Tigers outscored Blackhawk, 16-7, in the second quarter to take a 32-22 halftime lead. Alena Fusetti led Blackhawk with 15 points.
• Lauren Palangio scored 14 points and Ava Kobus added 12 to push host Norwin (2-0) to a 46-37 non-section win against Penn-Trafford (1-1). Olivia Pepple paced the Warriors with 15 points.
Three stars
*** — Brody Tharp, Beth-Center. Tharp connected on seven 3-pointers among his career-high 40 points to vault host Beth-Center (1-2) to a 74-64 non-section win against California (0-1).
** — Skye Barnes, Fox Chapel. Barnes sank four 3-pointers and scored 28 points in leading the Fox Chapel girls (2-1) to a 68-48 non-section win at Woodland Hills (0-2).
* — Isiah Petty, Serra Catholic. Petty scored a game-high 28 points and Serra (2-1) needed each and every one of them on its way to a 72-71 home win against Seton LaSalle (2-1).
Hot from deep
Players with 3 or more 3-pointers: Brody Tharp, Beth-Center, 7; Anthony Sciote, North Allegheny, 6; Michael Plasko, South Fayette, 6; Brady Mayo, Beaver, 4; Derek Lang, Deer Lakes, 4; Skye Barnes, Fox Chapel, 4; Brandin Cummings, Lincoln Park, 4; Payton Collins, Mt. Lebanon, 4; Ty Iwanonkiw, North Allegheny; Gabi Jackson, South Allegheny, 4; Melana Eyer, Altoona, 3; Camryn Musser, Charleroi, 3; Jake Rynd, Neshannock, 3; Jhalynn Wilson, Woodland Hills, 3.
Boys scores
Armstrong 60, Kiski School 54
Avonworth 69, Shady Side Academy 60
Belle Vernon 64, Steel Valley 53
Blackhawk 74, Mohawk 68
Burrell 43, OLSH 40
Deer Lakes 71, Freeport 60
Gateway 56, Allderdice 51
Jeannette 74, St. Joseph 19
Jefferson-Morgan 42, Bentworth 29
Kiski Area 58, New Castle 45
Knoch 69, Quaker Valley 44
Lincoln Park 97, Beaver 67
Monessen 56, Charleroi 54
Montour 67, South Fayette 59
Mt. Lebanon 83, North Allegheny 80 (3 OT)
Neighboorhood Academy 72, Eden Christian 56
Neshannock 72, Brashear 32
Pine-Richland 67, Highlands 62
Serra Catholic 72, Seton LaSalle 71
Summit Academy 68, Propel Montour 39
Thomas Jefferson 78, Baldwin 67
Uniontown 87, Connellsville 32
Waynesburg 64, Carmichaels 37
West Allegheny 46, Central Valley 33
Girls scores
Altoona 60, Mt. Lebanon 45
Carlynton 24, Steel Valley 18
Central Valley 48, Laurel 25
Charleroi 55, South Allegheny 46
Elizabeth Forward 43, Trinity 40
Fort Cherry 46, Chartiers-Houston 43
Fox Chapel 68, Woodland Hills 48
Indiana 51, Latrobe 43
Knoch 38, Mars 36
McKeesport 56, Blackhawk 37
North Hills 55, Beaver 28
Norwin 46, Penn-Trafford 37
Serra Catholic 66, Sewickley Academy 27
Brad is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at beverett@unionprogress.com.