Mt. Lebanon tops Bethel Park in OT

Free throw the difference in 59-58 final; Black Hawks coach disagrees with call

Section rivals Mt. Lebanon and Bethel Park didn’t meet in the regular season due to Mt. Lebanon’s policy of not playing teams that don’twear masks.

That policy has since been dropped, opening the door for them to square off Saturday in a WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinal.

There was no masking the fact that this was one of the most thrilling playoff games this season.

Mt. Lebanon overcame an incredible performance by

Bethel Park star Liv Westphal to defeat the visiting Black Hawks, 59-58, in overtime. The No. 4-seeded Blue Devils(17-3) will travel to play No. 1 and defending champion North Allegheny Wednesdayin the semifinals.

Westphal, a senior guard andDuquesne recruit, scored 39 points, including the final 18 of the game for Bethel Park (15-4). The last of her six 3pointersforced overtime.

“She was phenomenal,” Mt. Lebanon coach Dori Oldaker said. “She hit the big shots. [Duquesne coach] Dan Burt is going to be very happywith her.”

But the biggest shot of the game turned out to be a free throw, and it came with some controversy. With the score tied, 58-58, Mt. Lebanon’s Morgan Palmer dribbled to the right side, looking to dish the ball to teammate Brooke Collins in the corner. As Palmer dribbled, Westphal was whistled for a foul after slightly bumping Palmer, who hit the first of two freethrow attempts to give Mt. Lebanon the lead. After a timeout, Westphal raced up the court and misfired on a long3-point attempt.

After the game, Bethel Park coach Jonna Burke was adamant that the foul should not have been called. Burke also was displeased that three of her starters fouled out, saying that none had fouled out previously this season. The game was physical on the court, and a Bethel Park fan was even ejected in the fourth quarter after voicing to an official his displeasure with the way the game was being officiated.

“I didn’t see a foul. I’ll tell you that,” Burke said. “I don’t think you make that call at that point in the game. I’ve been coaching for 26 years and I’ve been a part of many close games. And when they come down to the wire, even kids driving hard to the hoop, the refs usually swallow the whistle and let the kids play unless it’s something blatant.”

A frantic final minute of overtime saw Palmer, who finished with 16 points, knock down a 3-pointer, Westphal make two free throws, Mt. Lebanon’s Reagan Murdoch connect on a 3pointer, and Westphal tied the score, 59-59, on a driving layup with 11 seconds to go.

“She is our glue,” Oldaker said of Murdoch. “I’m so happy for her because she just does everything that’s notgoing to make the paper.” Well, this time it did. The stars came out in this game. Not only did Westphal go for 39 after tallying 33 in her team’s first-round win, but Mt. Lebanon standout junior guard Ashleigh Connor delivered by scoring 28, including 11 in the fourth quarter and overtime. Westphal was third and Connor fourth in the WPIAL in scoring in the regular season.

Bethel Park opened a double-digit lead in the second quarter after Westphal made two 3-pointers to put the Black Hawks ahead, 24-12. But Mt. Lebanon closed the half on a 15-4 run to pull to 2827.

It was a revenge game for Mt. Lebanon, which fell to Bethel Park in in the 2020 semifinals.

“I know we all wanted to win this one really bad,” Connorsaid.

Connor called it one of the best games she has been a part of, and Oldaker gave it high praise, as well.

SaidOldaker, “This felt like astate championship game.”