Basketball

went into the locker room with a 27-22 lead.

McLeod had three dunks to start the third quarter and a Horn layup completed an 8-0 run. McLeod’s 15 points in the third came on seven dunks and a free throw to help PW build a 50-37 lead going into the fourth.

Then PW’s defense took over.

The Colonials outscored the Owls (15-9), 21-3, in the final quarter to finish off their 50th straight win at Colonial Gym, 71-40.

While McLeod only scored two points in the first half, he made his presence felt in other ways. He blocked five shots before halftime — and altered a few others — while grabbing eight of his game-high 13 rebounds.

Horn added 16 points for the Colonials and Alan Glover scored 12.

Ward Roberts led Bensalem with 20 points — all in the first three quarters.

— Ed Morlock NORRISTOWN 50, PERK VALLEY 41 » In the wake of their heart-breaking loss against Spring-Ford during the semifinal round of the Pioneer Athletic Conference playoffs earlier this month, Norristown needed some time to step back and shift focus.

“There was a lot of anger, some people weren’t talking on the team,” said junior guard Marcus Sanford. “That created a better relationship with us. It created a hunger in us.”

Eleven days after that loss, the Eagles got their feast.

Norristown got double-digit scoring efforts from four different players on the way to a 50-41 win over Perkiomen Valley during the second round of the District 1-6A playoffs Tuesday night. With the win, the No. 7-seeded Eagles (17-7 overall) will face No. 2 Abington next Friday night in the quarterfinal round. The win also ensures Norristown a spot in next month’s PIAA6A playoffs, their first trip since 2013.

No. 23-seeded Perk Valley (13-11 overall), falls into the district playback round as eight teams will be vying for two more spots at states.

Junior guard Marcus Sanford and senior center Darius Hopewell scored 12 points apiece while junior guard Vernon Tubbs had 11 and junior forward Mickell Allen added 10.

Perk Valley led once on the night, junior wing Tyler Strechay opening up the second half with a 3-pointer to make it 15-14 before Norristown pulled away for good with a 10-2 run over the next four minutes.

For the night, Strechay scored a game-high 15 points while junior guard Zach Krause added 10, including the Vikings first six points.

— Tom Nash MOUNT ST. JOE’S 66, MARPLE-NEWTOWN 41 » By the time Grace Niekelski intercepted a tipped pass, weaved her way through and around defenders and took it all the way in for two, Mount St. Joseph’s Academy was speeding towards the District 1-5A Quarterfinals.

Niekelski was on her way to a game-high 30 points and the fifth-seeded Magic were headed to a 6641 victory over No. 12 Marple-Newtown.

“I think we worked really hard this season so I’m excited to be going to the second round,” said Niekelski, who scored 10 of her points in a decisive fourth quarter for Mount.

Marple-Newtown stayed close to the Magic for three quarters but Mount pulled away in the fourth.

All of the Magic’s primary weapons began to connect. Niekelski hit a jumper from the foul line and moments later scored off the tipped pass.

Lauren Vesey hit a spotup jumper then moments after completed a threepoint play off a fast break. What was once a 12-point lead had been stretched to 19.

“We started pushing the ball more,” Niekelski said, “instead of just walking it up the court. And we could get down there quickly.”

Mount’s defense put its stamp on the fourth quarter.

“We started doubling (Devon Adams, 16 pts) on the bottom,” Niekelski said, “and started getting a bunch of steals from that.”

“We battled in the first half,” Marple-Newtown coach Ryan Wolski said. “I think towards the end we just ran out of steam.”

Back-to-back baskets in transition by Lauren Vesey and Grace Niekelski helped give Mount an early 12-3 lead.

Kelly Rothenberg scored six first-quarter points for the Magic, keying a 14-9 advantage after one.

Mount continued its push into the second quarter, and when Megan Dodaro went baseline, completing a three-point play, the Magic had their first double-digit lead of the night at 21-11.

But the Tigers were tough to shake.

Halle Robinson was hitting for Marple-Newtown, including a pair of firsthalf threes, and Devon Adams was battling underneath. Marple was very much in contention at the half, down 26-22.

Mount started to gain more control in the third, and Niekelski’s buzzerbeating jumper off a rebound increased the gap to 44-32 and sent Mount sprinting into the fourth.

Of her 30-point effort, Niekelski said with a smile: “That’s probably one of my best games.”

— Kev Hunter