By MEL PERKINS

The Northgate basketball team's playoff run came to a screeching halt last Saturday, when they ran into a well prepared and determined Steel Valley team (6-6, 8-14).

Steel Valley entered Saturday's game coming off a three game losing streak, while the Flames had won two of their last four. The Flames had lost against South Park and Central Valley, two much larger schools. Hence, the prognosticators had the Flames advancing to the first round.

Northgate, surprisingly, started the game in a 2 -3 zone defense, and quickly found themselves in a hole, as the Ironmen from Steel Valley jumped on top after going on an 8 - 0 run. The Flames, looking for answers to Steel Valley's quick start, went to their pressure defense, which was effective early as it allowed Josh Douglass to pick up a loose ball at midcourt, slash past two Ironmen defenders and lay it in for the Flames’ first 2 points of the game.

The Flames were struggling to find their rhythm, down 8 - 2, but Dave Natale started to heat things up when he hit two shots from outside the 3-point arc, making the score 8 - 8. Then, with 23 seconds left in the first quarter, Jake Abernathy stroked a long 3- pointer to give Northgate their first lead of the game, 11 - 10.

Northgate had battled their way back, and the first quarter came to an end with the Flames clinging to a 1-point lead.

Northgate started the second quarter desperately trying to keep their momentum and looking to stretch their lead over the Ironmen. Steel Valley had other intentions, and they matched the Flames' shooting, shot for shot. Then, with time running out in the first half, Northgate hunkered down in their set offense, and attempted to run the clock down while looking for the open shot. With less than 10 seconds left in the half, they got it when Douglass hit a short jumper inside the paint to give the Flames a 25 - 22 lead.

But, the lead would be short-lived, as the Ironmen showed no signs of quitting, and quickly worked the ball over the half-court line. With the buzzer sounding, Steel Valley's Chris Dixon hit a long 3-point shot to tie the game. The Flames and the Ironmen went into the locker room at halftime with the score knotted at 25.

With a hotly contested first half in the books, the third quarter opened up with neither team showing any signs of easing their level of intensity. The lead would change hands several times, with neither team able to gain the upper hand. The third quarter would come to an end with the Flames losing to the Ironmen by one point 36 - 37.

The fourth quarter opened with a feeling, however slight, that there had been a momentum shift in the direction of the Ironmen, and midway through the quarter, Steel Valley was holding tight to a 3-point lead with the score 43- 40.

With 1:28 left in the game, and the Flames down 6, the score 46-40, Northgates' Natale calmly knocked down a 3-point shot to make the score 46-43. Then, with the Flames back on defense, Douglass fouled out of the game after picking up his fifth foul.

With Northgate's leading scorer sitting on the bench, the Flames were unable to score the rest of the game. Steel Valley outscored Northgate 15-7 in the fourth quarter, and with the score 52-43, the Flames would bow out of the WPIAL playoffs after making their first playoff appearance since 2008.

Douglass led the Flames in scoring with 13 points. Natale followed him with 11 points, and Jon Girvin finished the day with 7 points and 11 rebounds.