Watch West Allegheny's big basket .... remembering Ben McCauley.
By Mike White | Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010, 10:05 a.m.
West Allegheny defeated Highlands, 62-59, in overtime last night in a WPIAL Class AAA quarterfinal. Nick Herman made a game-tying basket at the end of regulation.
You can see Herman's basket and listen to comments from him and West Allegheny coach Josh Bears by clicking here. Post-Gazette photographer Matt Freed handles the video.
Hampton handled Montour, 52-28, in another Class AAA quarterfinals. Watch highlights from that game by clicking here.
Remember Ben?
At Friday's quarterfinal playoff doubleheader at Fox Chapel, I ran into Jack McCauley, father of former Yough star Ben McCauley, one of the WPIAL's best players in the past decade. Ben, who went on to play at North Carolina State, is now playing professionally in France. Ben, pictured to the left, was a great kid to deal with in his Yough days. He comes from a good family.
It's still unbelievable how a player of McCauley's stature came from Yough. I will never forget how, in the 2005 WPIAL Class AAA championship, Yough lost to Moon, 69-42. In the locker room after the game, Ben McCauley told every media member he was the reason Yough lost because he didn't do enough to help his team win. Wow! How many times do you hear a pro player say that, let alone a high school kid. And this was from a Ben McCauley who pretty much carried Yough to the finals, averaging 37.3 points in the first three playoff games. He had only 21 in the championship.
"I don't think I played my best game," McCauley said that night.
"I didn't do what I had to do. A lot of this was riding on me and I take full responsibility, even though maybe I shouldn't. But I have to know when to take over games and how to take over games and how much to do.
"I didn't do enough and I didn't do what my team needed."
Jack McCauley was at the game last night to watch his daughter, Laura, play for Greensburg Central Catholic. She's a nice player and Jack said she's getting some interest from Division III schools.
Jack McCauley said his son likes France and Jack had a good line when he said, "I'm just glad he's finally making his own money."
Four for 4
How about the dominance of Class AAAA Section 4 in girls' basketball? All four semifinalists are from that section - Mt. Lebanon, Bethel Park, Baldwin and Peters Township.