Mt. Lebanon advances to PIAA semifinals
By Eleanor Bailey/Almanac Sports Editor/ebailey@thealmanac.net
Ashleigh Connor (15) and Sophia Nath (14) battle for a rebound during PIAA Class 6A girls’ basketball playoff action. Connor scored 20 points, 17 on free throws, as Mt. Lebanon defeated Bethel Park, 50-41. Connor followed with 23 tallies as the Blue Devils defeated Easton, 46-31, in the state quarterfinals.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Ella Sabatos (24), Brooke Collins (13) and Becky Gillenberger chase after the loose ball while Emma Dziezgowski (3) reacts with encouragement. Mt. Lebanon defeated Bethel Park, 50-41, in the second round of the PIAA playoffs then went on to beat Easton, 46-31, to advance to the state semifinals.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Mary Boff (4) averaged averaged 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists a game last winter for Bethel Park. A senior, she is expected to be one of the top players in the WPIAL this winter.
Defense wins championships, and because of their fortifications the Mt. Lebanon girls are two games away from competing for their first PIAA basketball title since 2011.
The Lebo ladies reached the state semifinals in the Class 6A tournament by suffocating Easton, 46-31, on March 15 at Bald Eagle High School.
The Blue Devils jumped on Easton (27-3) early and stretched a 16-8 first-quarter advantage into a 34-11 halftime lead.
“Our defense was amazing. Smothering in the first half,” said Lebo coach Dori Oldaker.
Gina Smith and Anna Streiff excelled in the defensive department while Payton Collins and Reagan Murdoch helped construct the cushion with their sharpshooting from beyond the arc.
“Gina and Anna were stifling on defense,” Oldaker said. “Payton and Reagan hitting those 3-pointers early in the game was also huge.”
Ashleigh Connor led Lebo in the offensive department. The St. Louis recruit exploded for 23 tallies, eight more than Easton’s highest scorer, Anye Stanton. She finished with 15 points.
Mt. Lebanon (26-1), which allows just 37 points per game, faced District 3 champion Central Dauphin (23-4) in the semifinals. The game played March 18 finished too late for publication in this week’s edition of The Almanac.
Lebo beats BPAshleigh Connor scored only one field goal but it was a dagger to the heart of Bethel Park.
The Mt. Lebanon senior buried a 3-pointer from beyond the arc to propelled Mt. Lebanon to victory, 50-41, over the Lady Hawks in a PIAA second-round game played at the AHN Arena in McMurray.
The bucket came with 3:24 remaining and erased a 33-29 advantage BP created to start the final quarter.
Connor finished with a game-high 20 points. She was 17 of 22 from the free-throw line.
Reagan Murdoch pitched in with 14 points while freshman Payton Collins came off the bench to supply three critical 3-pointers. Anna Streiff completed the Lebo scoring with seven points.
For the Black Hawks, Mary Boff tossed in 12 points. She scored nine in the second stanza as BP edged ahead, 23-21, by halftime.
Emma Dziezgowski and Becky Gillenberger chipped in eight points each while Riley Miller and Ella Sabatos completed the BP scoring with seven and six respectively.
Lebo showed plenty of resilience. The Blue Devils recovered from a slow start, falling behind, 5-0, to take a 13-7 lead into the second quarter. After a nearly even third quarter, 8-7, the Blue Devils bounced back from another five-point deficit, 33-29, to start the final frame.