So Close
JACKSON TWP — Upset-minded Seneca Valley had rival North Allegheny on the ropes.
Then came the fourth quarter.
The Raiders' girls basketball team led by as many as eight points (40-32) in the third quarter and was up 46-43 as the final period began.
That's when the Tigers turned up the heat defensively and the Raiders' offense hit a lull in a 64-53 loss at home Thursday night.
“NA's pressure was the difference; it made us lose our composure,” said Raiders coach Dorothea Epps. “Late in the game, we were playing not to lose.”
SV's final lead of the night came with Olivia West's basket with 5:43 left in the game, putting the Raiders up 48-47.
NA senior forward Lizzy Groetsch and sophomore guard Jasmine Timmerson led their team's effort down the stretch.Groetsch hit two free throws to put her team up 49-48. Timmerson hit a pair of treys and when a shot from Groetsch fell with 3:30 to go, the Tigers' edge had reached 56-48.Groetsch had just five points entering the fourth, but scored eight in the decisive quarter. She scored 17 points per game last season in leading the Tigers to the WPIAL Class 6A championship.“Lizzy's good at letting the game come to her,” said NA coach Spencer Stefko. “Maybe some other coaches would have forced the ball to her earlier in the game, but we have a lot of players who can score.”The Raiders finished the game on the wrong end of a 21-7 fourth-quarter run. They made just two of 10 field goal attempts in that span, including Kirsten Vislosky's 3-pointer at the final buzzer.“We have a long way to go defensively, but I'm proud of our girls,” said Stefko. “They battled for 32 minutes.”The Raiders (1-3, 0-3) are without seasoned point guard Jess Bickart, who broke her wrist last week. Her absence undoubtedly contributed to the Tigers opening the game on a 9-0 run.
But the Raiders soon got back on their feet. They trailed 18-11 after one period and led 29-24 when West drained a trey with 2:16 left in the first half.“We believed we could win at the start of the night,” said Epps. “We just told the girls to go out, play hard and let the chips fall where they may.”Senior guard Jaden Davinsizer fueled SV's 9-0 run to start the second half.“You have to give all the credit in the world to Seneca,” said Stefko. “They hit us with a good punch in the first half and saved some for the second.”West (17 points) and Davinsizer (16) combined for 33 points for the Raiders. They are both shouldering point guard responsibilities while Bickart is out.“It's by committee,” said Epps. “Chloe Leonard and Gianna Talento are involved there, too. Olivia has the most poise.Timmerson paced the Tigers (4-0, 3-0) with 15 points.<b>NORTH ALLEGHENY 64</b>Jasmine Timmerson 6 1-2 15, Kellie McConnell 1 2-2 5, Cam Phillips 2 2-4 7, Emma Fischer 3 2-2 8, Paige Morningstar 3 3-7 9, Lizzy Groetsch 4 5-7 13, Mia Tuman 3 1-3 7. Totals: 22 16-27 64.<b>SENECA VALLEY 53</b>Jaden Davinsizer 6 1-1 16, Allison Sevin 0 2-2 2, Kirsten Vislosky 1 1-2 4, Olivia West 6 2-2 17, Chloe Leonard 2 2-2 6, Gianna Talento 2 0-0 4, Sydney Ring 2 0-0 4, Emerson Peffer 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 8-9 53.North Allegheny 18 14 11 21 — 64Seneca Valley11 20 15 7 — 533-point goals: North Allegheny 4 (Timmerson 2, McConnell, Phillips); Seneca Valley 7 (Davinsizer 3, West 3, Vislosky).Monday: Seneca Valley at Butler
