AUSTIN –– Coudersport needed all four quarters to defeat a spunky Port Allegany team, 52-39, to advance to the District 9 Class AA finals.
With the victory, Coudersport advances to the District 9 Class AA finals against Kane – 38-27 winners Friday over Cranberry – next week at a site and time to be determined.
Haley Keck’s 16 points and Shae Black’s 10 points led Coudersport while Autumn Buchsenschutz’s 15 points and Bri Roys’ 10 paced the Lady Gators.
After a seesaw first quarter, it was Port Allegany which led at the end of the period behind Buchsenschutz, who scored 10 points and two 3-pointers to help put the Lady Gators up 14-11 after one quarter.
“We came in with some intensity after the Curwensville game and it carried over into that first quarter,” said Gator head coach Jason Luther.
The Lady Falcons held Port Allegany to just a 3-pointer by Buchsenschutz and a field goal by Cailey Barnett while going on a nine-point run in the last two minutes to build a 23-19 halftime lead. Keck accounted for seven of the nine points while Ally Easton scored the other basket.
”We picked up the tempo of the game late in that second quarter and were able to score some quick baskets,” said Lady Falcons’ head coach Chris Fink.
The third quarter was a carbon copy of the second with the Falcons utilizing another nine-point run while holding the Lady Gators to just five points to build a 38-24 lead after three quarters.
Roys accounted for all five points coming off the bench for Port Allegany, hitting a 3 and a two-point basket. Shae Black scored four of her 10 points coming off the bench for Coudersport.
“She played a great game for us tonight coming off the bench and actually all of the subs did a great job for us tonight,” Fink said.
Kiara Perkins added four points in the quarter to help Coudersport offensively.
Port Allegany went on a seven-point run in the fourth quarter to cut the score to 44-31 before Coudersport scored eight points at the end of the quarter to put the game away.
After the game, coach Luther praised his squad.
“We ran off a seven-game winning streak and collectively improved as a team,” Luther said. “We take pride in the fact that we let our players play basketball. They hit us with a triangle-and-two which we have seen all season long. Tonight, their size and depth hurt us and wore us down.
Luther continued, “We did what we have done all season long attacking the basket and their size made us alter some shots and they capitalized on it. We are young and hope we can build on this season and come back stronger next season. It’s a shame that Autumn’s [Buchsenschutz] season had to end tonight but she was a great player for us.”
As for Coudersport, coach Fink was pleased with his girls off the bench.
“We can play up to 10 or 11 girls and they stepped up tonight for us. We used a triangle-and-two against them and they attack it in the first half. Haley [Keck] and Skyler [VanWagenen] ran our offense well tonight and Kiara Perkins played well for us tonight.”
A long layoff may have been the cause for a slow start for Coudersport.
“It definitely helped that we had the depth tonight and I think that wore them down,” Fink said. “They play a playoff game and we have been sitting waiting and I think that was why we were sluggish in the first half.”
AT AUSTIN
Port Allegany (39)
Sprankle 1 0-0 2, Stauffer 0 2-4 2, Autumn Buchsenschutz 5 2-3 15, Barnett 3-2 0-0 5, Garzel 1 1-4 3, Bri Roys 4 0-0 10, Lathrop 1 0-0 2. Totals: 16 5-11 39
Coudersport (52)
VanWagenen 2 0-1 2, Perkins 2 1-6 5, Gleason 1 2-4 4, A. Easton 3 0-2 6, Haley Keck 5 6-6 16, Wood 3 0-0 6, Shae Black 3 4-7 10, E. Easton 1 0-0 3. Totals: 25 13-26 52
Port Allegany 14 19 24 39
Coudersport 11 23 38 52
Three-point goals: Port Allegany 5 (Buchsenschutz 3, Roys 2); Coudersport 3 (Keck 2, Wood 1)
Total Fouls: Port Allegany 20, Coudersport 15. Fouled out: Stauffer (Port Allegany)
