By MEL PERKINS

The Northgate Flames honored their seniors last Friday night by downing the ‘Lopes from Avonworth for the second time this season. The Flames and the Antelopes battled hard in what turned out to be another hard fought rivalry game.

The Flames jumped on top early, as senior guard Matt Garrison knocked down a 3-point shot to get the Flames off and running. Northgate took advantage of their inside game by working the ball in to Josh Douglass and Jon Girvin, and outscored Avonworth 17-9 in the first quarter

The Flames opened up the second quarter playing their stingy man-to-man defense, with Douglass still responsible for guarding the ‘Lopes’ leading scorer, Matt Locher. Locher came into Friday night's game averaging 24 points a game, but he was held to 5 points in the first half, and was scoreless in the second quarter.

After one half of play, the Flames went into the locker room with a comfortable 28-18 lead.

Avonworth started the second half with a sense of urgency, and Locher scored 7 of his team-leading 18 points in the third quarter. Brian Vales would also contribute 7 of his 14 points, as the ‘Lopes began to close the gap, and outscored the Flames 21-16 in the third quarter.

The fourth quarter started with the score 44-39, and Northgate guarding a 5 point lead. The Flames' offense was conservative, as they started to work their set offense, and grind the clock. With Northgate up 48-42, Dave Natale drilled a 3-point shot with 4:15 left in the game to make the score 51-42.

Matt Lee then added two more to stretch the Flames’ lead to 11, with the score 53 - 42.

With 1:58 left in the game, Avonworth's Vales hit a 2-point shot to make the score 53-45, and Locher followed that by hitting a short jumper to make the score 53-47.

With 1:22 left on the clock, Vales fouled out of the game, sending Douglass to the line for a one-and-one. Douglass calmly hit the first free throw, but missed the second, making the score 54-47

After a Locher 3-point shot, the ‘Lopes were again looking at a two-possession game, with the score 54-50 but with .58 seconds left in the game, Locher was hit with a technical foul, causing him to foul out of the game.

The ‘Lopes' coach, Dan Bradley, after responding to Locher's fouling out, was also hit with a technical foul, and Douglass went to the line and hit 2-of-4 to give the Flames a 56-50 lead with :56 seconds left in the game.

With :50 seconds left, the ‘Lopes were desperate to get the ball back, so they fouled the Flames' Jake Abernathy, who proceeded to go to the free throw line and hit two foul shots.

With the score 58-53, and with 39 seconds left in the game, Douglass was fouled, and went to the line and sank both shots to make the score 60-53, ending the ‘Lopes' chance at a late game comeback. Lee added 2 points, giving the Flames a 62-53 victory.

The Flames finished with two players in double figures. Douglass led the team in scoring with 24 points, and Girvin finished the night with a double-double, as he added 14 points and 16 rebounds.

"Our goal was to contain Locher.” said Northgate head coach Perry Harrop. “Douglass hounded him most of the night, and he was effective. Josh is very good when we need him to lock-down a particular player."

Northgate lost their last game of the regular season, when they traveled to South Park on Monday, giving them a 10-12 record overall.

The Flames finished the season 6-6 in their section, and they finished with a 6-3 record at home.

Northgate opens their playoff run on Saturday, as they take on the Ironmen from Steel Valley (6-6, 8-14). The game is scheduled for noon at North Hills High School.

"Going into the playoffs, I think we are playing some of our best basketball," Harrop said.