Seneca Valley girls winning streak ended at 10
WEXFORD — Dorothea Epps knew the fourth quarter would be the biggest hurdle for her Seneca Valley girls basketball team Thursday night.
Winners of 10 straight games entering a showdown with defending WPIAL champion North Allegheny, the Raiders were the better team through the first 24 minutes.
That’s when the host Tigers made their move.
NA made seven of its 10 attempts from the field in the final eight minutes and forced the Raiders into seven critical turnovers that aided a 59-46 victory for the Tigers.
The Raiders were on the wrong end of a 23-4 run in the final period. They led 42-36 entering the quarter.
“We knew they’d come after us in the fourth,” Epps said. “We kept fighting, but bad turnover and poor shots were too much for us.”
The Tigers (9-1, 3-1) did not enjoy a lead until Kellie McConnell’s basket put NA up 45-44 with 5:05 remaining in the game. It came in the midst of five straight turnovers committed by the Raiders (10-3, 3-1).
“We had girls dribbling with their head down and not seeing open shooters,” said Epps.
McConnell hit another bucket and Lydia Betz drained a 3-pointer for a 50-44 lead. The Raiders were reeling and were never able to regain their footing.
It came in stark contrast to the first three periods, when it was the Tigers searching for answers.
SV led 15-8 after the first quarter and despite three treys from Caroline Henderson in the second, NA was not able to hold momentum for long ... not with SV’s Natalie Hambly knocking down 3-pointers from two steps behind the arc and teammates Gracie Cato and Emerson Peffer scoring in the paint.
Hambly’s fourth trey of the first half, coming with four seconds left, gave SV a 31-23 lead at the break.
“We were executing the gameplan,” said Epps. “We were sticking on their shooters and offensively, we were moving the ball well and looking for the open player.”
NA coach Spencer Stefko lauded the energy displayed by the Raiders.
“Honestly, Seneca came in here looking to play at a level that we weren’t ready for,” he said. “We turned it up in the fourth quarter, but we can’t wait that long.”
Hambly scored 19 points for the Raiders and Peffer added 11.
Henderson sparked NA with 18 points while Betz and McConnell both netted 16.
“The girls wanted this one so bad,” said Epps. “We’re close. We just need to figure out those last four minutes.”
SENECA VALLEY 46
Makayla Canty 2 0-0 4, Natalie Hambly 6 2-2 19, Emerson Peffer 5 1-4 11, Allison Sevin 2 0-0 4, Gracie Cato 2 0-0 4, Brooke Dufford 2 0-0 4, Kaydence Kilhof 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 3-6 46.
NORTH ALLEGHENY 59
Caroline Henderson 6 2-2 18, Kellie McConnell 6 3-4 16, Lydia Betz 7 0-0 16 Rae Shanahan 1 1-2 3, Grace Heliger 2 2-2 6, Cate Pingpank 0 0-0 0, Vange Balouris 0 0-0 0. Totals: 22 8-10 59.
SV 15 16 11 4 — 46
NA 8 15 13 23 — 59
3-point goals: SV 5 (Hambly 5); NA 7 (Henderson 4, Betz 2, McConnell).
Monday: Norwin at Seneca Valley
