Facing the third-seeded Tigers, the 11th-seeded Dragons had another outstanding performance en route to the victory.

The first quarter saw the Tigers get out to a hot 6-0 start, but the Dragons would level the score with a 6-0 run of their own by matching 3-pointers from Jacob McMeans and Logan Crissey. Baskets would be traded before Crissey would bury another 3 to put the Dragons up 16-14 heading into the second quarter.

Fairview would reclaim the lead halfway into the second, but Allen Eaton would put that to a stop to put Warren ahead 23-22. A series of impressive defensive stands would allow Warren to extend their lead 27-22 after the quarter.

The third quarter saw only free throws until Lucas Thrift buried a pair of 3-pointers to put the Dragons up 34-26. The Tigers clawed their way to a 7-0 run, leaving the Dragons leading by just one point with the final eight minutes remaining.

Photo by Mark Evans Warren’s Allen Eaton goes over Fairview’s Owen Minnick for a shot during the 4A quarterfinal at the Hagerty Events Center in Erie on Friday.

A 9-0 run by Warren to begin the fourth quarter would put the Dragons up by 10 points from the efforts of Thrift, Crissey, and another McMeans 3-pointer. In an effort to cut into the lead, the Tigers ran a full-court press. The Dragons used their experience of seeing numerous full-court presses throughout the season to break it and burn the clock, and hold on for the win.

“The kids gave a ton of effort tonight,” Warren head coach Jeff Berdine said about the win. “We took a quick time out after going down 6-0, and were able to refocus and execute a set play that got us right back in the game. I think that basket allowed us to catch our breath and reset our focus. Tonight was a night where we really had to float. We had to change some of our rotations because of how small and athletic they were, which led to some different combinations. I think the kids adjusted well, and anytime you hold a team to three points in a quarter at the 4A level, you can most definitely say you played outstanding defense.”

“I think this win shows that we shouldn’t be taken lightly coming in as the No. 11 seed,” Warren’s Logan Crissey commented. “We need to keep defending as a pack and bind in as a whole and stay humble and hungry.”

Crissey led all scorers with 16 points, followed by Thrift with 14 and Eaton added 11.

With the win, the Dragons have secured a spot in the PIAA state tournament. They will face the Sharon Tigers in their semifinal matchup at a time and place to be determined.

“A state playoff game is always a goal in the back of your mind when you start any season,” Berdine stated. “There’s a lot of highs and lows when it comes to high school sports. Right now we’re on a high, and the kids have gotten themselves to the point where they’re gonna get that game, which is a feather in their cap.”