The New Castle High boys basketball team lit it up from the outside last night.

The Red Hurricane drained 14 3-pointers in an 84-48 WPIAL Section 3-AAAA win over Shaler at the Ne-Ca-Hi Field House.

“I was happy to see us play well,” New Castle coach Ralph Blundo said. “Our pressure was good. Our energy was good. We shot the ball well. Normally when we do that, there’s a good chance to win the game.”

A 52-point first half carried the ’Canes (5-0 section, 11-0 overall) to the win, as strong outside shooting highlighted the offensive performance. Anthony Richards had a team-high five 3-pointers and finished the game with 15 points. Jesse Salzano got in on the shooting spree with 12 markers on four 3-pointers.

“Our highest percentage from three-point range this year has been from Brandon Domenick and Malik Hooker,” Blundo said. “It’s good to see Richards and Salzano shooting very well. It makes it more difficult to guard us.”

Shawn Anderson led all scorers with 18 points, including two 3-pointers. Richards was next for New Castle with 15 while Hooker tallied 14. Salzano, Stew Allen and Drew Allen had 12 points each.

Geno Thorpe, a 6-3 guard who will play for Penn State next season, led Shaler with 12.

The ’Canes will face off at section rival North Allegheny (5-0, 11-0) 8 p.m. Friday. The JV game will start at 5 p.m., with a girls junior varsity and varsity contest between Shaler and North Allegheny leading up to the ’Canes-Tigers showdown.

The schedule doesn’t get any easier after that, as New Castle will host section foe Hampton, which is coached by Westminster College standout Joe Lafko, after trying to avenge its only loss a season ago to Montour at Geneva College on Saturday.

“An inexperienced team could have been caught looking forward to our next three opponents,” Blundo said. “We have great leadership in the locker room that prevented us from doing that.”