Some players put up big numbers. Some win championships. Then there are the rare few who create a moment that lives forever.
When Lance Jeter banked in a deep three at the buzzer to beat Aliquippa in the third overtime of the 2005 WPIAL Class 2A Championship, he didn’t just win a title, he created one of the most iconic moments in WPIAL history. The shot helped propel Beaver Falls to a WPIAL and PIAA state championship and cemented Jeter’s legacy as one of the greatest high school basketball players Western Pennsylvania has ever produced. He finished with 37 points in that unforgettable championship game, a performance that remains part of WPIAL lore.
But Lance Jeter’s story is bigger than one shot.
A two-time Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fabulous 5 selection, Pennsylvania Class 2A Player of the Year, and standout at Beaver Falls, Jeter inspired an entire community with his competitiveness, leadership, and ability to deliver when the lights were brightest.
Today, we catch up with one of Beaver Falls’ all-time greats.
Q: Growing up in Beaver Falls, when did you first realize basketball could take you to another level?
A: Very young. I was playing in our Beaver Falls Rec League with the older kids, getting pushed around but holding my own and standing my ground. My mother and Uncle Carliss were my first basketball coaches, so I just remember being excited to play the game and be around the people I loved.
Q: Beaver Falls has one of the richest basketball traditions in Pennsylvania. What did it mean to wear that jersey?
A: Just hearing about all the greats who came through Beaver Falls and wore the orange and black always excited me. Knowing my mother played there, along with my uncles, made me want to carry on the family name and keep the tradition alive. As I got older, watching the teams before me, seeing the gym packed and loud, I knew I wanted to be part of the Beaver Falls family.
Q: Take us back to the 2005 WPIAL Championship against Aliquippa. What was going through your mind before you hit what many consider the greatest shot in WPIAL history?
A: Pretty much all I was thinking was, we can’t lose to these MF’s again. We had just lost to them the year before during my sophomore season, and we had lost to them a couple of years before that when I was the water boy. It felt like we just couldn’t get over the hump in the big games, so that was all that was going through my mind.
Q: You finished with 37 points in that game. Where does that performance rank among the best games of your career?
A: That performance is definitely up there because of what was at stake and who we were playing. Aliquippa and Beaver Falls was the best rivalry in the state at that time, with a lot of well-known names on the court. I made some big plays during critical moments, and I’m just happy I ended up on the right side of that game because, like I said, I couldn’t take losing to them again.
Q: Beaver Falls and Aliquippa had one of the best rivalries in the state. What made those games so special?
A: Aliquippa and Beaver Falls was the best rivalry in the whole state. They were two teams with similar playing styles, a lot of great athletes, and rich traditions of winning. People viewed our towns the same when it came to sports and the kids who played them. A lot of times you were going against family members, so winning meant everything because of the bragging rights.
Q: Coach Doug Biega got the absolute best out of his teams. What made him such a successful coach?
A: Coach Biega had a great balance of getting on you for your mistakes while also showing you grace and helping you relax. That was always a plus. He also had a great coaching staff that was well respected by both the players and the community. If Coach Biega wasn’t willing to do something, the other coaches had no problem stepping in, and they had been together for years. That staff was a well-oiled machine. As I’ve gone through my own coaching journey, I’ve realized that when you have kids who buy in and truly care about winning, coaching becomes a lot easier. Coach Biega didn’t have to do much to get us to play with passion and compete.
Q: After high school, you played at Nebraska and then professionally overseas. What was the biggest adjustment from WPIAL basketball to the next level?
A: The biggest adjustment was the speed of the game. Coming from the WPIAL to Nebraska, I quickly realized that around here it’s rare to face elite players every night. At Nebraska, I had to go against one almost every game. That was a huge adjustment, and it took most of my junior year to get used to that pace. Even though I started the whole season, I was learning in real time, and the difference between my junior and senior years was night and day.
Q: Looking back on your career, what accomplishment are you most proud of?
A: The thing I’m most proud of is what I was able to accomplish after high school. I chose to play football at the University of Cincinnati for a year before realizing basketball was where my heart was. Making that switch and becoming even more successful afterward is one of the accomplishments I’m proudest of.
Q: If you could relive one game from your career, would it be the Aliquippa championship, or is there another game that means even more to you?
A: If I could relive any games, it would be the ones where I wasn’t successful. There are a few that have always lived rent-free in my head and that I wish I could have back:
- 2004 WPIAL Championship vs. Aliquippa
- 2006 WPIAL Semifinal vs. Bishop Canevin
- 2006 PIAA State Championship vs. Prep Charter (Morris Twins)
- 2011 Big 12 game vs. Iowa State, when we were on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament
Q: What advice would you give today’s WPIAL players who dream of leaving their own mark on Western Pennsylvania basketball?
A: The game has changed in a major way, both good and bad. Take advantage of it. If you’re a real hooper, lock in and stay in the gym. Work on your craft and use social media as a tool to get your name out there. Division I doesn’t have to be the only goal. There are great opportunities at Division II and the JUCO level as well. Stay focused, keep working, and if you’re serious about the game, dedicate yourself to it.