No. 1 NA holds off Altoona
Game is quite similar to 2019 PIAA playoffs
North Allegheny and Altoona were in another close game, but the Tigers escaped once again and kept their undefeated record intact with a 62-56 victory at the North Allegheny tournament.
The Class 6A No. 1-ranked Tigers (6-0) opened a 31-7 lead by the second quarter and looked to be on their way to a blowout victory. But the Mountain Lions fought back to cut the deficit to 38-27 by halftime and kept it tight the rest of the way.
Altoona got as close as 56-51 with 1:30 left in the game.
Emma Fisher paced North Allegheny with 15 points and Lizzy Groetsch contributed 14 more. Adalynn Cherry of Altoona poured in a game-high 23 points.
In the PIAA playoffs’ second round in 2019, North Allegheny edged the Mountain Lions in another close one, 55-50.
More girls games
■ Chartiers Valley extended its win streak to 37 in a row with an 86-52 drubbing of St. John’s Catholic Prep of Maryland. The Colts, ranked No. 1 in 5A, had five players reach double figures. Aislin Malcolm led the way with 22 points, including four 3-pointers. Megan McConnell had 21 points and 10 assists. Helene Cowan added 10 points and 10 rebounds.
■ After breaking into the 6A rankings at the No. 5 spot this week, Upper St. Clair (42) picked up a 39-33 victory against Hampton at the Hampton tournament. Molly James led the Panthers with 11 points. The Talbots got 14 points from Kayla Hoehler and 10 from Addie Klocko.
■ Journey Thompson netted 24 points and Peters Township (4-3) outscored McDowell, 14-4, in the fourth quarter to secure a 43-36 win at the North Allegheny tournament. After losing two of their first three games, the Indians have won three of their past four.
■ Norwin (5-2) used a 22-10 run in the third quarter to pull ahead and beat McKeesport, 56-51, at the Penn-Trafford tournament. Jayla Wehner led the 6A No. 3
Knights with 21 points, followed by Olivia Gribble with 13. The Tigers (5-3) got 16 from Jhayla Bray.
■ Brown recruit Mya Murray of Uniontown (1-7) scored 13 of her 29 points in the fourth quarter, but her Red Raiders could not overcome South Allegheny and lost, 5750, at the Laurel Highlands tournament. South Allegheny (3-4) was led by Madison Taylor’s 13 points.
■ Sharp-shooting Fox Chapel (4-3) knocked down seven shots from behind the arc and picked up a 52-29 victory against Knoch (5-3) at the Shady Side Academy tournament. Gabby Guerrieri led the Foxes with 13 points. Knoch’s Madison Boyer led all scorers with 17.
■ North Catholic lost three times last season, with one coming against Penn Hills. The Trojanettes remained unbeaten this season at 5-0 and avenged that loss to Penn Hills, downing the Indians, 51-41, at the North Allegheny tournament. North Catholic’s Sarah Berardelli had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Amoni Blackwell of Penn Hills (2-5) put up a gamehigh 15.
■ Bethel Park (7-0) opened up a 29-0 lead and held Ambridge (1-5) scoreless until midway through the second quarter while coasting to a 69-21 victory at the Bethel Park tournament. The 6A No. 2 Black Hawks’ Olivia Westphal connected on six 3pointers en route to a game-high 24 points.
■ Class 4A No. 3 Central Valley (6-0) opened a 29-2 lead by the end of the first quarter and rolled to a 65-29 victory against Quigley Catholic (2-5) at the C.J. Betters tournament. The Warriors got 15 points from Allyson Kirby.
■ Emma Pavelek’s 18 points helped Class 3A No 1 Beaver (7-0) run away with a 69-31 win against Aliquippa (2-6) at the C.J. Betters tournament.
■ In a game that was tight throughout, the top-ranked team in 1A, Rochester (8-1), pulled out a 52-49 win against Laurel (5-3) at the Laurel tournament. The Rams’ Corynne Hauser, Alexis Robison and Jasmine Mack had 15, 14 and 13 points, respectively. Regan Atkins of the Spartans led all scorers with 17,
■ Mt. Lebanon is one of the top teams in 6A at No. 4. The Blue Devils (6-2) proved they can beat a solid team from Ohio, too, with a 57-46 win against Hilliard at the
Hoover tournament in Ohio. Ashleigh Connor led the charge with 25 points for the Blue Devils.
■ Mackenzie Amalia’s 27-point, 12-assist performance led the way for Class 4A No. 2 Blackhawk (7-1) in its 79-66 victory against Hoover at the Hoover tournament.
■ Bishop Canevin clamped down on Greensburg Salem (3-5) and grinded out a 39-33 victory at the Mount Pleasant tournament. Alyssa Pollice netted 19 and Diajha Allen added 14 for the Crusaders (4-3), who are ranked second in Class 2A.
Stars of the night
■ Nadia Lape of Mohawk was the difference in a battle of ranked teams. Lape pumped in a career-high 36 points to lead Class 3A No. 2 Mohawk (7-1) past Class 1A No. 4 Greensburg Central Catholic (3-2), 8343, at the Butler tournament. She racked up 27 points by halftime and nailed six 3pointers.
■ Danielle DeProspro knocked down eight 3-pointers and poured in 31 points to help South Park (3-4) earn a 64-41 victory against Elizabeth Forward (3-4) at the Betsy Invitational.