Otto-Eldred rallies past Lady Pioneers, 61-57
Holly Tonini
West Greene蘑菇视频 McKenna Lampe (14) scores two of her game-high 34 points against Oto-Eldred蘑菇视频 Alyssa Shelander during Saturday蘑菇视频 61-57 loss in the first round of the PIAA Class A basketball playoffs at Bradford Area High School.
West Greene's Kaitlyn Rizor drives the ball past Otto-Eldred's Britney Greeley during Saturday's PIAA Class A girls basketball playoff game held at Bradford High School.
West Greene's Brianna Godwin looks to make a pass around Otto-Eldred's Alyssa Shelander during Saturday's PIAA Class A girls first-round basketball playoff game held at Bradford High School. Otto-Eldred rallied to defeat the Lady Pioneers, 61-57.
Otto-Eldred didn鈥檛 move into the lead until four minutes remained in the game and then the District 9 runner-up closed with a final run for a 61-57 victory over the West Greene girls in the opening round of the PIAA Class A basketball playoffs at Bradford Area High School.
Camryn Thomas鈥� putback gave The Terrors their first lead of the game at 48:47 with just over four minutes remaining in the game.
Thomas finished with a team-high 28 points, including nine in the fourth quarter.
鈥淲e have trouble with big girls. That蘑菇视频 been our Achilles heel this season,鈥� said West Greene coach Jordan Watson said of Otto-Eldred蘑菇视频 6-foot center.
McKenna Lampe answered right back for West Greene (19-6) for a 49-48, but another Thomas basket returned the lead to Otto-Eldred.
McKenna Lampe, who finished with a game-high 34 points, again put the Lady Pioneers in the lead at 51-50 with around 3:20 remaining, only to have Ali Cousins give Otto-Eldred the lead for good after she hit both ends of a one-and-one.
The Terrors鈥� Alyssa Shelander made a pair of free throws for a 54-51 lead, but Madison Lampe made both ends of a one-and-one to draw the Lady Pioneers to a one-point deficit.
Otto-Eldred closed the final 90 seconds with a 7-4 run to secure the opening round playoff victory.
鈥淲e had some turnovers in the fourth quarter,鈥� said Watson. 鈥淲e play mainly sophomores and they鈥檙e not used to winning in crunch time. We don鈥檛 play many close games.鈥�
West Greene raced out to a 23-11 lead after the first quarter, but Otto-Eldred countered with a 14-4 advantage in the second quarter to give the Lady Pioneers a slim 27-25 halftime lead. The Lampe twins both picked up their second fouls in the quarter, so Watson opted to hold them out until the second half.
鈥淲e came out real strong in the beginning. We hit four 3-pointers. McKenna Lampe hit three,鈥� said Watson. 鈥淥ur press was really working.
鈥淭he Lampes got in foul trouble in the second quarter (with two fouls each).鈥�
The Lady Pioneers responded with a 13-10 third quarter for a 40-35 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
McKenna Lampe hit five 3-pointers and eight field goals for her game-high total. Teammate Kaitlyn Rizor finished with eight and Madison Lampe and Marissa Rode scored five apiece.
Cousins also finished in double figures for Otto-Eldred with 15 points.
The Lady Pioneers left Friday morning and stayed overnight in the Bradford area.
鈥淲e practiced at Ridgeway High School and then had a nice dinner,鈥� said Watson.
Though it蘑菇视频 not the outcome Watson and his Lady Pioneers desired, the coach had a positive outlook on this season, as well as the future.
鈥淲e had 19 wins this season. That ties the school record. It was the first time in the state playoffs (for girls basketball),鈥� said Watson. 鈥淲e lose only one senior (Marissa Rode) and have two freshmen coming in that will help us right away.鈥�