Penn’s Valley completed fourth quarter rally; defeats Bellefonte
BELLEFONTE – For most of the contest Friday night, the Bellefonte girls basketball team was keeping visiting Penn’s Valley at bay with its stifling defense.
But in the final stanza, the Lady Rams offense exploded as it scored 24 points en route to the 45-34 come from behind victory on the road.
“It was a 33-minute game and we won 27 off it and they won five. There was a 5-minute stretch in that game they got the momentum and made every shot,” Bellefonte coach Adam Gearhart said. “I warned the girls they were coming after us. I can’t fault my girls but that one got away. That one stings a little.”
Abbie Carr had quite a game for herself, finishing with nine points, 12 rebounds and six blocks. She led a stingy Red defense that kept the Lady Rams to just 21 points in three quarters of play.
Teammates Mallorie Smith and Maddie Stover finished with eight points each.
Penn’s Valley was led on offense by Maci Ilgen, who netted a game-high 15-point effort. Teammate Emma Butler rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12.
Opening the second half, the Red Raiders held a 22-17 advantage.
Penn’s Valley started the third quarter scoring on a inside jumper by Ilgen, cutting the Lady Raider lead to three.
Moments later, Lauren Young got the ball in transition and connected on a lay up as she was fouled on the way in. She completed the old fashioned three-point play by hitting one from the charity stripe in reading the lead to 25-19.
After forcing Penns Valley into a turnover, Bellefonte got the ball into Smith. Smith was fouled and went to the line and went a perfect 2-for-2.
Seconds later, Steiner stole the ball and was fouled on her way in for the lay up. She hit both and put her team up by 10 at 29-19 with 2:54 left in the period.
Ilgen got her team on the scoreboard again in the final seconds to cut the lead to eight.
But before the buzzer could blow, the ball got to Carr. She did not disappoint, hitting the periods final shot and giving her team a 31-21 lead going into the fourth quarter.
The momentum started to change at the beginning of the fourth when Penn’s Valley drove to the heart of the Lady Raiders defense.
Led by Ilgen, her team managed to outscore the “Red and White” 25-3 in the period.
However, both teams battled hard until the end as the last period produced over 14 combined trips to the foul line.
But when the final buzzer blew, the Lady Rams came out the victors of an 11-point contest.
In the junior varsity contest, Penn’s Balley also to that contest 46-23.
Bellefonte is back in action Monday as it travels to Clearfield.