Hazleton Area’s Marissa Trivelpiece battles with Owen J. Roberts’ Olivia Leclaire (left) and Brooke Greenawald during the first round of states.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
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Hazleton Area’s Kyra Antolick looks for an outlet under pressure by the Owen J. Roberts defense on Friday.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Hazleton Area’s Brooke Boretski guards Owen J. Roberts’ Olivia Leclaire in the first round of the state tournament on Friday.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Hazleton Area’s Brooke Boretski brings the ball down court against Owen J. Roberts in the first round of the PIAA Class 6A tournament on Friday at Berwick Middle School.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Hazleton Area’s Jaya Franek fends off Owen J. Roberts’ Gabrielle Koury on Friday.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
SALEM TWP. — By the time opportunity arrived Friday night, the situation was somewhat dire.
And the Hazleton Area girls basketball team couldn’t do enough to change it as Owen J. Roberts ended the Cougars’ season with a 45-35 victory in a PIAA Class 6A first-round game at Berwick Middle School.
District 1 ninth seed Roberts (20-8) advances to the second round Tuesday where it will by D1 runner-up Pennsbury (22-5) at a site and time to be announced. D2 champion Hazleton Area ended its season at 21-6.
“What was a killer was we missed some things early we wanted to get,” Hazleton Area coach Joe Gavio said. “And the big thing was keeping them off the boards. They killed us on the board again on foul shots.”
Hazleton Area trailed 38-19 entering the fourth quarter, but the OJR gave the Cougars ample chances to rally. The Wildcats missed their first five shots and first eight free throws, not scoring until there was 2:09 to play. Yet, Hazleton Area managed to whittle just eight points off the 19-point deficit.
Rebounding, as Gavio stated, was an issue. When OJR was missing those free throws, it was also grabbing rebounds to extend the possession and work the clock. OJR’s Avery White finally solved the free-throw shooting misery, hitting all six of her attempts in the final 2:09 to end any comeback hopes. The Wildcats didn’t have a field goal in the fourth quarter.
Hazleton Area got into the 19-points hole for two reasons.
First, the Cougars pulled within 17-15 late in the second quarter on a 3-pointer by Kyra Antolick. The defense, though, couldn’t stop OJR from ending the half with a 7-0 run.
“They had that 7-0 run and we were in the game.” Gavio said. “And we missed a couple little ones there that could have rolled in. They were right there and it we make them it’s a different game.”
Then came the third quarter where Hazleton Area went cold, hitting just 1-of-10 field goals. Add some turnovers, and OJR blasted off the first six points to go up 30-15.
PIAA CLASS 6A FIRST ROUND
Owen J. Roberts 45, Hazleton Area 35
OWEN J. ROBERTS (45) — Hannah Clay 2 1-2 7, Kate Friedemann 0 0-0 0, Avery White 4 10-10 19, Olivia Leclaire 2 6-11 10, Alexa Vogelman 0 0-2 0, Avery Wentzel 0 0-0 0, Olivia Hannum 0 0-0 0, Maddi Koury 1 0-0 2, Emily Schall 2 0-0 5, Gabrielle Koury 0 0-0 0, Allie Iyloob 0 0-0 0, Kendall Cunningham 0 0-0 0, Ava Clemson 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 17-29 45.
HAZLETON AREA (35) — Carley Krizansky 2 0-0 4, Lacie Kringe 0 0-0 0, Marissa Trivelpiece 2 0-0 4, Kyra Antolick 3 0-0 8, Olivia Wolk 1 1-2 3, Isabella Colyer 0 0-0 0, Julia Mooney 0 1-2 1, Brooke Boretski 1 5-5 7, Jaya Franek 0 1-2 1, Faith Grula 2 0-1 5. Totals 11 8-12 35.
OJ Roberts`13`11`14`7 — 45
Hazleton Area`7`8`4`16 — 35
Three-point goals — OJR 4 (Clay 2, White, Schall). HA 3 (Grula, Antolick 2).