Jul 18, 2018 By Bill Hughes for The 3 min read

Storylines were the theme Wednesday night in the girls division of the Budd Grebb Memorial Basketball League.

Dairy Queen (8-0) clinched the regular season title with a 55-47 win over AMD Industries (5-3) by using a 12-4 run over the last 4:24 to pull away late.

Trailing 42-29, AMD went on a 14-1 run to tie the game, and DQ coach Melanie Greco called a timeout.

Did she give her team sage advice?

“I didn’t tell them anything,” she said through laughter. “The girls were tired and I wanted them to catch their breath.”

It worked for DQ, who only dressed six players, as it took control and closed the game out.

AMD coach Bill Wagner talked about how his team, which only had seven players, kept fighting from behind after holding its last lead at 14-13.

“We would get behind and three or four times, we would trim into their lead,” he said. “We were able to tie it, but we just couldn’t get the lead.”

Brooke Poling (Frazier) led DQ with 18 points, while Emily Venick (Trinity) had 17 points and Natasha Yanief (Thomas Jefferson) finished with 11 points and 14 rebounds.

“We were outmatched by an average of six inches at each position and when Bill went with two six-foot girls, I thought we were in trouble,” said Greco. “But our girls fought hard for this one.”

Lindsay Steeber (Belle Vernon), who keyed the 14-1 run in the second half for AMD, led the team with 15 points, while Kaelyn Venick (Trinity) had 14 and Grace Henderson (BV) added 12 points.

Duda Farms (4-4) clinched the fourth and final playoff spot with a 63-19 win over Cedarbrook (2-6).

“I am happy with how the girls played and our goal was to make the playoffs,” said Duda Farms coach Larry Cash. “We pressed them and rotated out players to keep fresh.”

Cedarbrook only had five players, but was in the game early.

Sarah Stitch hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 9-9 halfway through the first half, but the team faced fatigue as it was worn down by the Duda Farms press.

“I am proud of the girls and they gave it their all,” said Cedarbrook coach Dennis Stitch. “They had nothing left to give.”

Aniya Tarpley (Brownsville) led the way for Duda Farms with 14 points, while Sierra Twigg (Frazier) and Presleigh Colditz (Belle Vernon) each had 11. Emma Seto (Brownsville) added 10 points.

Twigg grabbed 10 rebounds for Duda Farms.

Rayona Lewis (Brownsville) led Cedarbrook with eight points, while Ali Petrisek (Bentworth) grabbed 10 rebounds.

In the nightcap, Dax Thomas State Farm (5-3) defeated Lee Supply (0-8), 51-28.

“I am very proud of the girls (as they) fought on every possession,” said Lee Supply coach Dan Lynch. “We played a very talented team.”

Rachel Wobrak (BV) led State Farm with 22 points. Chloe Pordash (Serra Catholic) added 10 points and Taylor Rodriguez (BV) dished out five assists.

Deja Gudel (California) led Lee Supply with 12 points.

The final week of the regular season kicks off Monday as Lee Supply plays Dairy Queen at 7 p.m., State Farm plays Duda at 8, and Cedarbrook plays AMD at 9.

DQ has clinched first place. AMD Industries and State Farm are tied for second and Duda Farms is one game back in fourth.