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EXETER — Pittston Area had pulled to within nine, and it looked like that would be the case heading into the final period. Then North Penn’s Taylor Thames let it fly.
Thames’ 50-footer at the buzzer to end the third quarter summed up Pittston Area’s night.
The Patriots fell to North Penn, 53-37, in the opening round of the PIAA Class 4A girls basketball tournament Friday night at Wyoming Area.
North Penn came into the state tournament as the seventh-place finisher in District 1. Coach Maggie deMarteleire said it was their defense that got them there. It was their defense that will keep them going.
The Patriots struggled early and often to find a flow on offense, leading to 23 turnovers on the night.
“They played hard and they came to play,” Pittston Area coach Kathy Healey said. “They took us out of our rhythm. I think it was their defensive pressure that was the key to the game.”
Pittston Area sharpshooters Liz Waleski and Taryn Ashby struggled to get a shot up with the defensive pressure. Waleski, however, finished her senior season with a team-high 15 points and pulled down six rebounds.
The Patriots, down just 19-14 at the half, were still in position to make a run. Then the third quarter started.
North Penn center Makaela Guiliani scored North Penn’s first six points of the third quarter to take the steam out of Pittston Area.
“We struggled finishing at the basket in the first half,” deMarteleire said. “Makaela came out in the second half and set the tone. Overall, I was just very pleased.”
Another bucket by North Penn guard Sam Carangi opened up an 11-point lead.
The Patriots were able to cut the lead to just nine right before the final quarter. Waleski drove and got a basket with less than eight seconds left. Thames then launched her desperation shot, which banked in off the backboard to extend North Penn’s lead to 12 heading to the fourth.
“It was tough,” Healey said. “They are very aggressive and they would cut off our back doors. They are a very good team.”
Carangi finished with a game-high 17 points. Guiliani finished with a double-double, going for 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Pittston Area wrapped up their best season in school history. The Patriots won the school’s first District 2 girls basketball championship – it was the first Pittston Area basketball district title since 1978. It was the first girls championship of any kind.
Waleski and fellow senior Allie Barber each hit the 1,000-point milestone this season.
“Allie and Liz have been with me since seventh grade,” Healey said. “It’s going to be hard not to coach with them on the floor. They brought our program to new heights and hopefully we’ll stay there.”
North Penn will go on to face the winner of Archbishop Carroll and Spring-Ford, which is scheduled for Saturday.
PIAA Class AAAA First Round
North Penn 53, Pittston Area 37
North Penn (53) — Irisa Ye 2 4-4 8, Taylor Thames 1 6-8 9, Mikaela Guiliani 5 1-2 11, Jess Huber 0 0-2 0, Taylor Putnam 0 0-0 0, Sam Carangi 4 7-8 17, Jess McKenzie 1 0-0 2, Bri Hewlett 3 0-0 6, Mia Melchier 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 18-24 53.
Pittston Area (37) — Kirsten Durling 0 2-2 2, Allie Barber 2 0-2 4, Jamie Chisdock 2 0-0 4, Liz Waleski 4 7-7 15, Megan Cummings 0 0-0 0, Rachel Ferrance 0 0-0 0, Alexa Noone 2 0-0 5, Jordan Fritz 0 0-0 0, Marley O’Brien 2 0-0 5, Taryn Ashby 1 0-0 2. Totals 13 9-11 37.
North Penn`7`12`15`19`—`53
Pittston Area`7`7`8`15`—`37
Three-point goals — North Penn (Carangi 2, Thames); Pittston Area 2 (Noone, O’Brien).