JACKSON TWP — A late rally sparked by a great individual effort.

Things seemed to be lining up for Seneca Valley’s girls basketball team to end years of frustration against North Allegheny. But the Tigers didn’t cooperate.

Despite 36 points from senior forward Olivia West, the Raiders dropped a 61-56 decision to NA at William Paul Gymnasium Monday night.

It is the 14th straight year that the Tigers have taken both regular season meetings against the Raiders.

“It’s been so long since we’ve beaten NA, we all wanted to do it this season. We wanted it for each other,” said West. “This is heart-breaking.”

West fouled out with 22 seconds left and the Raiders trailing 58-54.

Taylor Rawls and Jasmine Timmerson iced the game from the free throw line.

“Olivia is a beast,” said Seneca Valley coach Dorothea Epps. “She really showed tonight where she stands among the best players in the WPIAL. She had that determination that she wasn’t going to let us lose. That’s what you need from your best player.”

The Tigers (18-1, 12-1) are the defending WPIAL and PIAA champions. Head coach Spencer Stefko admired SV’s effort tonight, especially that of West.

“She’s been killing us for four years,” he said. “She does a little bit of everything, has moves but is also savvy. I can’t say enough about her.

“This game could’ve gone either way,” added Stefko. “We just made a couple of more baskets than they did, but it sure felt like a one-possession game.”

SV trailed 49-36 after three quarters, but Jess Bickart and West combined for a 7-0 run in the first 1:45 of the period.

West converted a 3-point play with 1:30 to go and her free throw with 45 seconds remaining cut the NA lead to 56-52. That was as close as the Raiders would get.

“They’re always good,” Epps said of the Tigers. “Even in years that could be considered down for them, they’re still a very good team.

“We were down by double digits tonight and the girls fought back. I’m very proud of them.”

Timmerson scored 19 points to lead the Tigers and Mia Tuman came off the bench to score 17.

While SV (11-8, 8-5) has clinched a WPIAL Class 6A playoff berth, it will enter Thursday’s section finale at Butler on a 3-game losing skid.

“We don’t want to take moral victories because we believe we’re better than that,” said Epps. “We don’t want to limp into the playoffs and the girls know it. We have a tough game coming up against Butler and need to prepare for it.”

NORTH ALLEGHENY 61

Jasmine Timmerson 8 2-7 19, Caroline Henderson 1 0-0 3, Cam Phillips 4 0-0 9, Lydia Betz 1 0-0 2, Emma Fischer 1 2-3 4, Taylor Rawls 1 4-4 7, Mia Tuman 7 3-3 17, Grace Heliger 0 0-0 0. Totals: 23 11-17 61.

SENECA VALLEY 56

Jess Bickart 3 0-0 7, Kirsten Vislosky 1 2-2 4, Olivia West 12 10-13 36, Chloe Leonard 3 3-3 9, Gracie Cato 0 0-2 0, Lauren Folino 0 0-0 0, Emerson Peffer 0 0-0 0, Brionna Brown 0 0-0 0, Anna Felitsky 0 0-0 0, Allison Sevin 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 15-20 56.

North Allegheny 13 19 17 12 — 61

Seneca Valley 10 13 13 20 — 56

3-point goals: North Allegheny 4 (Phillips, Rawls, Henderson, Timmerson); Seneca Valley 3 (West 2, Bickart).

Thursday: Seneca Valley at Butler