It took a wild finish and some 11th-hour heroics by Christian Walck, but Hempfield won its first state-tournament game.

The Black Knights (28-1) held off Nazareth 52-49 in a first-round game of the PIAA Class AAAA playoffs Saturday at Hersheypark Arena.

If you believe in figurative monkeys on figurative backs, consider this one removed. Except that the Black Knights and their coach don't, really.

"I always tell them," Warren Goodling said, "to just be the best team in the gym tonight, and see where that takes us."

Exactly where this takes the Knights is unclear. Their next opponent won't be determined until today, since the La Salle College-Chester first-rounder was postponed due to electrical-system problems at the site, Archbishop Carroll High near Philadelphia.

Hempfield was the best team in the gym Saturday night, but it was a struggle. Nazareth (20-7) was, as Goodling put it, "very hard to play against. They were a little unorthodox. We had matchup problems all night."

The Knights led 8-2 very early and 15-8 in the opening moments of the second quarter. It was tight the rest of the way.

Still, Hempfield seemed in control after Walck found Taylor McDuffie with a gorgeous little lob pass to put the lead at a relatively comfortable five. A moment later, two Mike Uehlein free throws gave the Knights a 46-38 lead with about three minutes left.

But that just cued Nazareth to go into full three-point bomb mode. Drew Hercik made two straight treys — his only points of the night — to make it 46-44.

"We missed some switches tonight," Goodling said.

Then it got nuts.

Two Walck free throws made in 48-44 with 90 seconds left. Nazareth missed two on the line on the other end, leading to a wild scramble from which Walck emerged with the ball, flew ahead and found McDuffie, who ball-faked and then got fouled hard, hit the floor and seemed to aggravate a shoulder separation.

"It really hurt," Goodling said, "but he'll be all right."

Ethan Strayer, who replaced McDuffie to shoot the free throws, missed both.

Nazareth's Chuck Dibilio, a 6-1 banger and the crux of the above-mentioned matchup problems, bulled inside to pull his club with two.

At the other end, Walck was whistled for a questionable charge, which led to Nazareth's Kris Kent burying a three to give the Blue Eagles the lead, with the crowd going nuts and 24 ticks left.

Goodling did not call time, did not call anything except "quick pitch," which essentially means get he ball to Walck and go.

"I learned a long time ago," Goodling said, "when the game's on the line, get the ball to your best player. He's gonna come up with something better than I could draw up.

Walck did, weaving through traffic and launching a little pull-up one-hander from maybe four feet. Think Villanova's Scottie Reynolds in the NCAAs last year.

The Knights then closed all routes to the basket at the other end, dug out a hard-fought rebound and turned it over to Walck again, nailing two at the line with two seconds left to seal it.

Heavy sigh.

Walck finished with 16 despite foul trouble. McDuffie matched that number despite 2-of-6 free throw shooting.

Just win, baby. Win and advance.

"We went through the section, leagues, districts, and now we're in the big one," Goodling said afterward. "I tell the kids, win tonight, and who knows what might happen?"