With the PIAA extending to six classes in boys basketball, Northwestern could have made the District 11 playoffs, even without the .500 win-loss record. The Tigers slim chances went to none on Thursday night.

With a win necessary to keep the playoff hopes alive, Northwestern (7-13 overall, 5-12 Colonial League) fell to Salisbury, 70-45, in a Colonial League boys basketball game on Thursday night in New Tripoli.

Salisbury (15-5, 12-4) jumped out to a quick 21-8 lead after the first eight minutes of play, which created a hole for the Tigers that they spent all night try to get out of. The quick outburst for the Falcons came from junior Jack Reichenbach, who scored 11 in the first quarter.

“They came out and made a couple of shots,” Northwestern head coach Billy Hallman said. “I think we had a bit of a letdown. We lost a close one up at Pen Argyl the other night, so I believe we had a letdown. After the first quarter, we picked it up, to our credit, but I think we were just down to start.”

The Tigers managed a 4-0 scoring run in the middle of the second quarter, but the Falcons finished the half on a 5-0 scoring run to erase any ground Northwestern made up. Salisbury took a 34-18 lead at half.

Hallman liked what he saw in the second quarter and envisioned that type of play happening for all four quarters.

“The first time we played them tough. It was a close game in the first half,” Hallman said about Salisbury. “We struggled to score in the second half, but we matched up okay. I was confident coming into tonight that we’d be able to play with them, but that slow start and them starting hot put us in a hole we couldn’t get out of.”

Northwestern’s offense saw an increase in production in the third frame, but defensively the Tigers could not stop the multiple playmakers that have piloted the Falcons to second place in the West Division of the Colonial League.

“I think [Jaxon] Costello is the best big man in the league,” Hallman said. “He has the size, quick feet, and real good post moves. Then you have Richenbach on the outside, who is super athletic and can make shots. It is tough to guard. Then you surround them with [Ryan] Slutksy and [Blake] Jones. They are a tough matchup.”

Richenbach led all scorers with a game-high 21 points while Slutsky finished with 17 points and Costello contributed 11 markers. Sam Yadush led Northwestern with 16 points.

The fourth quarter, with the win safely secured for Salisbury, all of Northwestern’s bench logged minutes on the court, including senior Ryan Hippensteel. He finished with two points, but received a lot of praise from Hallman after the game.

“I was so proud of Ryan Hippensteel tonight,” he said. “He does not get a ton of minutes for us, but he busts his butt in practice. He is a leader for us, vocally, and with the effort he gives in practice. I told everybody I was so proud of him because he didn’t give up. He didn’t care what the score was.”

Hippensteel, along with fellow seniors Trevor Cunningham, Matthew Freeman, Isaac Fatzinger, Robert Seyfried and Jacob Ruch, were honored before the season finale against Catasauqua earlier this week.

The Tigers beat the Roughies on a last-second shot by Hippensteel. Check next week’s Press for coverage.