HARRISBURGT This Mid-Penn Conference Commonwealth division match featured two heavyweight opponents, and neither one was let down.
Altoona, in third place, was not far behind Central Dauphin, who went into the game unbeaten and tied for top place in the Commonwealth.
With a strong start, Altoona (10-2. 5-1 Commonwealth) jumped out to a double-digit lead in the first half. After the interval, CD (10-1, 5-1) changed the course of events, but a thrilling comeback attempt was unsuccessful, and Altoona won 59-58.
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The Lady Lions were playing at their best right from the start, taking an early 13-2 lead in the first three minutes of play. Brionna Hudson, a forward for Altoona, started the run with five points, setting the tone early.
CD had fits all half long from Altoona’s relentless on-ball defense and full-court press. In addition, the Lions made six three-pointers in the first half and were unable to miss any of them. At the half, the Lady Lions led 38–26.
Notes at halftime: CD had a lot of problems in Q1 due to Altoona’s defensive pressure. That makes for a fantastic first half when combined with a scorching shooting display.- CD gave away far too many open glances at the rim and from three. The continual movement of Altoona gave CD fits.
Randy Gambelunghe, the head coach of Central Dauphin, had a straightforward message for his team: CD had a tough hill to climb in order to come back into the game.
Gambelunghe assured his troops that it wasn’t over. Our defense isn’t as good as it was in the first half. We must fight through screens and apply more pressure to the ball.
CD did precisely that.
Altoona’s open shots at the rim and from three point range were eliminated as the Lady Rams’ defensive intensity increased.
CD trimmed Altoona’s advantage to 48-42 going into the final quarter after outscoring Altoona 16-10 in the third frame.
Altoona only made two field goals in the last quarter as they continued to struggle. Olivia Green and Kayanah Taylor led CD in a comeback that reduced Altoona’s advantage to 52-51.
Altoona lead 59-56 following a string of free throws and clutch baskets from Taylor and Maya Dickerson of CD. With ten seconds left, CD had a chance to tie the game.
Altoona won 59-58 as Taylor drove down the court and made a layup in a matter of seconds before Altoona let the clock run out.
A disappointing conclusion to such a thrilling match.
The stars
In this matchup, the star power was enormous. Brionna Hudson, Lanie Wilt, and Melana Eyer from Altoona were paired with CDs Green and Taylor, and it didn’t let them down.
Although they didn’t do much in the first half, Green and Taylor were the main players behind CD’s comeback in the second half. Green finished with 12 points, while Taylor had 18.
In particular, 12 of Taylor’s 18 points came in the second half.
Gambelunghe remarked, “I believe in the second half.” Kayanah’s ability to reach the basket was recognized. I said to them, “Let’s give Kayanah the ball so she can make a play.”
Wilt and Hudson also had fantastic games on Altoona’s side. Together, the two scored 17 and 15 points at the end.
Moments that win games
To win a game, a sequence of plays and momentum swings are required. But Altoona had a crucial moment that helped them win the match.
In the last quarter, Altoona went on a lengthy scoring drought, going more than four minutes without making a basket. Eyer ended the drought with a stunning pass to a wide-open Kendall Cogan with CD trailing just 52-51.
Kendall Cogan leads 54-51pic.twitter.com/W6l1oCIj02 with a much-needed bucket.
Altoona’s only field goal in the game’s last six minutes was Cogan’s bucket. And in the end, it had a significant impact.
They stated it.
Brionna Hudson and Lanie Wilt discuss Altoona’s strong points and their perseverance during the second half.This tweet: https://HLKJcxjwYW
I was shouting. A three is required. I wish I could take a break. Taylor is a freshman, so I’m not angry with her. She will most likely make more plays for us, so I’ll put up with that.Randy Gambelunghe, head coach of CD, on the game’s last possession.
Compared to Altoona, their court is smaller here. With Hudson up top and our length, I assumed she could snag some balls or make awful passes. I believed we could accomplish that ahead of schedule and keep them in check. Chris Fleegle, the head coach of Altoona, mentioned employing a full-court press against CD early on while we were putting pressure on the gas and starting our transition attack.
Statistics
Dauphin Central
Taylor, Kayanah 4-2-(4-4) 18, 4-0-(4-4) Olivia Green 12, 0-3-(0-0) Maya Dickerson 9. 3-0-(2-2) Sam Sembrot, Mikayla Matincheck 3-0-(0-0) 6. Matthews Syncere 1-3-(0-0) 5.
The Altoona
Wilt Lanie 3-3-(2-2) 17. 4-1-(4-4) Brionna Hudson 15. Nguyen-Moore Zaelinh 4-0-(2-4) 10, Eyer Melana 2-0-(5-6) 9. 0-0 Raylin Eyer 0-1- 3. 0-1-(0-0) Samantha Harpster 3. Cogan, Kendall 1-0-(0-0) 2.
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Rymir Vaughn can be followed on X@RymirVaughn.
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