Jan 10, 2016 By Paul S. Brittain for The 3 min read

Connellsville’s girls basketball team built a 21-point halftime lead before holding off a furious Uniontown rally for a 50-38 win on Saturday.

Connellsville (5-9) used a double-team defense on Uniontown’s Khai Harris that held the Lady Raiders’ scoring leader to four first half points. But Harris keyed the second half rally by scoring 15 points as Uniontown cut the lead to seven points with over four minutes left.

Connellsville coach Kenny Johnson said he pulled out of the double team on Harris with about three minutes to play after Uniontown made some effective halftime adjustments. “Their rally was a bit of their effectiveness and a lot of what we did in throwing the ball away and relaxing (with the lead),” Johnson said.

“In the first half, we looked like we were still in bed,” said Uniontown coach Jason Winfrey. “Coach Johnson had a good game plan and my hat’s off to him.”

In the third quarter, Winfrey pulled Harris out if the game briefly and it made a difference. “After I took her out and sat her down, she got her composure and played better.”

Uniontown struggled to score in the first half, falling behind 16-6 and 31-10 at the breaks.

Connellsville spread the scoring evenly among its five starters, with Megan Haggerty, Allie Grimm, and Abbey Davis all contributing three-point field goals.

Uniontown’s only first quarter field goal was a trey by Abby Marinucci, while Harris and Yolanda Jackson had the team’s only second quarter field goals.

Connellsville closed the first half with a six-point run by Bauer, who scored the first basket of the second half, followed by a pair of baskets by Dae-Lin Burnsworth.

Trailing 39-10, the Lady Raiders scored the next 10 points on a pair of baskets each by Jackson and Harris and a basket by Marinucci.

Bauer scored to interrupt the run before Jackson scored and Harris scored five points to cut the lead to 41-27 after three quarters.

The Lady Raiders began the final quarter on an 11-4 run, led by six Harris points, a trey by Mylaysia Ellis, and a basket by Kierra Rose to offset four free throws by Bauer as the lead was cut to 45-38 with 4:24 left.

That’s where Uniontown appeared to hit a wall of exhaustion as Bauer and Burnsworth combined for the last five points to close out the game.

Bauer had a triple double with 21 points, 11 blocked shots and 13 rebounds.

Winfrey said, “They gave a great effort in the second half and I’m proud of them. They learned a lot and we feel good going into Monday’s game against Laurel Highlands.”

Johnson said the win gave the Lady Falcons two straight victories and “we’re working a few things out and preparing for the end of the schedule.”