Pitt‑Greensburg saved its best performance of the season for the moment that mattered most. After dropping both regular‑season meetings to La Roche, the Bobcats flipped the script in Friday night's AMCC semifinal, overpowering the Redhawks from start to finish in an 82–65 victory that sent UPG into tomorrow's AMCC Championship Game against Penn State Behrend.
From the opening tip, the Bobcats looked nothing like the team La Roche had seen earlier in the year. Michael Bigley scored on the first possession, and momentum snowballed immediately. Trent Rozich buried a three from the right wing moments later, and Jackson Byer jumped a passing lane for a steal and a coast‑to‑coast finish that pushed the lead to 7–0 less than two minutes into the semifinal. Byer followed with a transition three at 16:26, forcing La Roche into an early timeout as Pitt‑Greensburg sprinted ahead 12–2 and announced this meeting would be different.
La Roche, which had relied on timely runs in the earlier matchups, tried to answer behind Bryce Epps and Logan Golle. Epps trimmed the gap with a three at 14:10, and a Cooper Rankin tip‑in later cut the margin to five. But every time the Redhawks inched closer, Pitt‑Greensburg had a response. Matthew Marinchak steadied the Bobcats with a deep three at 12:44 and continued to build confidence with a mid‑range jumper shortly after. Jeston Beatty scored inside, and with :24 left in the half, Rozich delivered one of the game's defining moments—stepping into a left‑wing three that sent UPG into halftime ahead 35–26 and firmly in control.
The Bobcats came out of the locker room with even more fire. Rozich opened the half with another three, and Marinchak followed with a jumper and back‑to‑back threes that quickly pushed the lead into double digits. By the time Byer added a fast‑break layup at the 13:38 mark, the Bobcats had stretched the advantage to 17 and completely seized the pace and feel of the semifinal. Moments later, Marinchak drilled his fifth three of the night, and Rozich carved through the lane for a layup that pushed the margin to 22.
Defensively, Pitt‑Greensburg never let La Roche breathe. Byer, Rozich, and Ty Keffer each produced key steals, and the Bobcats dominated the turnover margin while limiting second‑chance opportunities. When La Roche found a basket—whether it was an Epps three, a Golle jumper, or a drive from Major Rainey—UPG calmly countered with a Byer finish, a Rozich pull‑up, or another composed possession from Marinchak.
Marinchak finished with 23 points on 9‑of‑16 shooting and five made threes. Rozich added 22 points, eight rebounds, and three assists, while Byer delivered 18 points and eight boards. UPG shot 47.7% from the field, hit 10 threes, and forced 18 La Roche turnovers—numbers that underscored just how thoroughly the Bobcats controlled the semifinal.
With the win, Pitt‑Greensburg moves on to face Penn State Behrend in tomorrow's AMCC Final, carrying momentum, confidence, and the swagger of a team playing its best basketball at exactly the right time. Tipoff is scheduled for 5PM.
