Lady Scots prevail in OT, 63-59
ALVERTON — For the first time since 1976, varsity basketball was played on a wooden floor at Southmoreland High School on Friday night. The 13th Southmoreland Girls Basketball Tip-Off Tournament marked the first varsity games at the current school to not be played on the former hard rubber surfaces.
After Elizabeth-Forward downed Yough, 56-15, in the tournament opener, Southmoreland and Frazier played a memorable overtime game in which the Lady Scotties prevailed, 63-59.
Southmoreland junior Olivia Porter essentially would not let her team lose, scoring 35 points and hitting a buzzer-beating 3-point basket just past the center circle to end regulation tied at 53-53.
“Neither team should have lost the game,” said SHS coach Brian Pritts afterwards. “But I’m really glad it wasn’t us.”
Both teams were hot and cold in the early going as Southmoreland built a 10-6 lead on a pair of treys from Porter and baskets by Julea Claycomb and Maggie Moore.
But Frazier clawed back to lead 12-10 to start the second quarter as freshman Brooke Poling scored a basket and Lauren Mastowski added a free throw to close the first quarter, and Alena Blaszczak hit her second trey of the game to start the second quarter.
The lead changed hands four more times before Frazier (0-0, 0-1) ran off eight points on two baskets by Poling, and baskets from Jovanna Isaac and Emily Marshall to lead 25-19.
Porter scored a fast break basket before two free throws by Poling gave Frazier a 27-21 halftime lead.
Southmoreland (1-0) scored the first eight points of the second half, seven by Porter, to go with a free throw by Addy Nicholson to lead 29-27.
Blaszczak hit a pair of treys for Frazier and Isaac had two baskets as Frazier clawed to a 37-35 lead. But, Porter sank a trey and then a scored a 3-point play to put Southmoreland ahead 41-37 before Poling’s basket made it a two-point game after 24 minutes.
Frazier built a 51-46 lead with 2:21 left as Poling and Isaac combined for 11 points. But, Carissa Cyphert sank two free throws and Claycomb added a basket to cut the lead to 51-50.
Single free throws by Blaszczak and Poling gave Frazier a 53-50 lead with 4.1 seconds left, but Porter’s buzzer-beater sent the game to the four-minute overtime.
Frazier started the extra session with a 4-2 run on Poling’s drive and free throws from Hannah Fell and Blaszczak, to offset two foul shots by Claycomb.
Exchange student Valentina Carducci sank a free throw for SHS and Porter’s driving three-point play changed the lead for the 24th time. Blasczczak sank two free throws for the 12th and final deadlock before Porter drove to score and added a free throw around a free throw by Claycomb to set the final score.
Poling and Blasczczak each scored 19 points for Frazier before the latter left the game with an undetermined leg injury in the final 22 seconds, while Isaac added 13 points.
Claycomb’s 15 points backed up Porter’s career high of 35 points for Southmoreland.
“A lot of people don’t know about us,” said Frazier coach Ken Poling. “They battled this team and we scrimmaged each other (last week).”
He said his freshman daughter, “was nervous but came around tonight. People haven’t seen the best of her yet.”
Of Porter’s buzzer beater, he added, “Anytime someone hits a shot from one foot over half court, we had to give that because we couldn’t risk fouling.”
Pritts said Porter and Claycomb “showed great leadership , especially when Maggie (Moore) and Adeline (Nichsolson) fouled out. Liv’s shot is your clutch player coming through.”
He added, “I’m proud of the girls. We faced a lot of adversity, and my hat’s off to Val (Carducci) in her first game, hitting a foul shot and grabbing key rebounds.
Southmoreland Tip-Off Tournament
Frazier 9-18-12-14-6 — 59
Southmoreland 10-11-20-12-10 — 63
Frazier: Alena Blaszczak 19, Brooke Poling 19, Jovanna Isaac 13. Southmoreland: Olivia Porter 35, Julea Claycomb 15. Records: Frazier (0-1), Southmoreland (1-0).