No one was keeping Neshannock High’s John Sansone out of this game.

The senior was ailing from an injured ankle prior to the Lancers’ WPIAL Section 2-AA home matchup with Laurel, but with coach John Corey in the hospital and his team in the middle of a playoff race, he battled through the pain and scored 27 points to help Neshannock top the Spartans, 77-53.

The game was tied at 35 at halftime, but the Lancers (3-3 section, 7-6 overall) outscored Laurel, 20-3, in the third quarter to build an insurmountable lead.

Sansone hit seven 3-pointers in the game and made all six of his free throws.

“(Sansone) really wasn’t supposed to play because of his ankle, which has been bothering him, but he wanted to play for John,” interim Neshannock coach Ken Locke said. “I talked to him and Barb (Kennard) the trainer. He said he was feeling better, and Barb gave me the OK to play him.

“I sent him in at about the four-minute mark of the first quarter, and as soon as he went in, he was on. He hit his first four 3-pointers.”

Sansone, who recorded five assists, wasn’t the only one feeling it. Sophomore Ernie Burkes netted 24 points.

The Lancers’ turnaround was mainly because of their defense, which held Laurel to just 18 second-half points. Locke said there weren’t any major changes. Neshannock just executed better.

“We just continued to pressure them,” he said. “We had some guys in foul trouble in the first half, so (Laurel) was able to get back in the game. But we continued to pressure them, and then (Matt) McKinney hits some big ones for us.”

McKinney finished with nine points, including two key 3s in the third quarter.

Josh Dando led the Spartans (0-6, 1-12) with 11 points.