#Earned: Following a WPIAL Class 5A first-round playoff victory over Kiski Area, Latrobe fell to top-seeded Montour in the district quarterfinals, 60-52. In the consolation round, the Wildcats defeated Moon and lost to Uniontown for a third time this season to end up as the No. 6 seed out of the WPIAL for the upcoming PIAA postseason. The 'Cats had eight days to prepare for a first-round visit to District 3 runner-up Exeter Township. The Eagles flew out to an early lead against the Wildcats, leading by five points after the first quarter and by three points at halftime, 35-32. Host Exeter Township enjoyed a big third quarter and led heading into the fourth, 52-41. There the Latrobe comeback began with defense leading the way. The Eagles were held to six points in the entire quarter as their double-digit lead slowly disappeared. The Wildcats ended the game on a 12-0 run in the final 3:10 of regulation to win and advance, 64-58. The triumph was the first PIAA boys basketball playoff win for the Wildcats in 35 years.
Scoring stars: While he didn't score one point and hasn't for a long time, one of the postgame stars for Latrobe was long time coach Brad Wetzel. The victory for the Wildcats was No. 300 in his 23rd season as the boys head basketball coach at Latrobe. His son John is a senior starter on the team. Senior guard and the team's leading scorer, Max Butler, averaged 21 points per game this season but was held in check by the Eagles as he finished with 13 points. However, Exeter Township has no answers for junior forward Ian DeCerb, who led all scorers with 25 points, including a steal and a flush in the big fourth-quarter comeback.
Last year: Trying to get back into the district postseason, Latrobe split its first six games last season and was 3-5 before winning the final game of the Elmira Holiday Tournament in Elmira, N.Y. The Wildcats started calendar year 2024 with back-to-back wins and five victories in seven games. Little did they know a home win over Laurel Highlands on Jan. 20 would be the final victory of the season as Latrobe lost its final six games of the season, five of which were section losses to drop to fifth place in the six-team Section 3-5A with a 3-7 section record. The 'Cats missed the WPIAL playoffs for a third straight season and ended up 8-13.
Remember when: The PIAA win Friday for Latrobe was their first boys basketball state playoff win since 1990 when, as the No. 3 seed out of the WPIAL, the Wildcats knocked off District 10 runner-up Franklin in a 4A first-round overtime thriller, 69-67. The Wildcats then lost to City League champion Peabody in the second round, 48-47. Forty years ago, the Latrobe boys basketball team won its first and only WPIAL championship. Latrobe was coached by Ray Zsolcsak and had a future head coach on the team with Brad Wetzel as a sophomore. In only the second WPIAL Quad-A championship game, Latrobe defeated Baldwin, 67-59.