Short-handed Planets girls fall to Rams
ADAMS TWP — The Mars girls basketball team put up a fight, but the Planets were outnumbered.
Planets coach Tony Howard was without his team's leading scorer, senior Elaine Hasek, and his starting point guard, junior Alexa Lee, after both fell ill with a stomach virus following the team's 38-36 win at Kittanning Thursday night.
The two absences put the Planets behind the 8-ball in a 51-45 loss to Pine-Richland in the 12th annual St. Barnabas Medical Center Girls Roundball Classic at Mars High Saturday night.
The Planets were without a third starter for much of the game as junior forward Meghan Kelly was on the bench with foul trouble.
"I guess, in the end, it was kind of a blessing in disguise," said Howard. "We have a lot of younger girls who we want to get playing time in these nonsection games because we're going to need them this season.
"But we hope to get Alexa and Elaine back soon," he added.
The Planets (2-3) trailed 25-19 at halftime, but when Ashley Lynch drained a 3-pointer midway through the third period, it cut P-R's lead to one point at 28-27.
Then the Rams took control, as Abbie Altman's 3-pointer from the top of the key gave the Rams a 43-31 lead with 4:41 left in the game.
Mars' Marley Good came off the bench to spark the team with a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, but P-R's offense protected the ball before Kathleen Humes made both free throws to extend her team's lead to 50-41 with 32 seconds left.
Kayleigh Jackson and Brittany Byerly led the Rams (2-2) with 10 points each, but the team also had three other players score at least seven points.
"On any given night, it could be a different girl leading us in scoring," said Rams coach Molly Copple. "We won this game with team chemistry."
While the Planets shot 64 percent (16-of-25) from the free throw line, Howard was impressed with junior forward Kelsey Pelles, who went 6-for-6.
"She's a player who we hope can get to the line often," said Howard. "We're always preaching to the girls to not foul, but get fouled early. We did get to the line a lot tonight.
"The girls should feel good about the way they played tonight."
Byerly and Lynch were chosen as MVPs for Pine-Richland and Mars, respectively.
PINE-RICHLAND 51Abbie Altman 3 0-2 7, Kayleigh Jackson 3 1-4 10, Lisa Rader 2 0-0 4, McDarragh Minnock 0 2-2 2, Brittany Kilian 3 1-4 7, Kathleen Humes 2 5-8 9, Brittany Byerly 3 2-5 10, Ellen Graszl 1 0-0 2, Kelly Keenan 0 0-6 0.
Totals: 17 11-31 51.
MARS 45Ashley Lynch 3 3-6 10, Carly Clark 3 0-1 8, Marley Good 2 0-0 6, Lizz Tumminello 1 4-8 6, Corinne Gressang 2 2-2 6, Kelsey Pelles 1 6-6 8, Randi Francis 0 1-2 1, Meghan Kelly 0 0-0 0.
Totals: 12 16-25 45.
Pine-Richland 13 12 12 14—51Mars 11 8 10 16—453-point goals: Pine-Richland 6 (Jackson 3, Byerly 2, Altman); Mars 5 (Clark 2, Good 2, Lynch).
Monday: Hampton at Mars
