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Red Raiders squeeze past Millionaires

By Kenny Varner

BELLEFONTE – They saved their best for last.
Wednesday night, Bellefonte and visiting Williamsport fans we glued to the edge of their seats for mostly all of their contest as the Lady Millionaires met up with the Lady Red Raiders.
For four full quarters, the two teams exchanged leads, shifted momentum, rallied and rebound in what seemed like a post season-type atmosphere.
With just less than a minute left, Bellefonte would muster up all the energy it had and clutched onto the 55-51 victory.
Despite the loss, Williamsport coach Demarr Wright was proud of his team’s’ performance.
“You can never be mad at effort. They gave a heck of an effort. We didn’t get the win but that’ll just come with experience,” Wright said. “This is the best kind of game to learn from. You’re in a barn burner to win the game. They didn’t hang their heads and played. We just missed a free-throw’s and unfortunately with our press we missed some easy layups. In the future we will make those.”
Bellefonte got a strong performance from underneath by Lauren Young who clawed and scratched her way to a 25-point performance. Teammates Abbie Carr and Mallorie Smith finished with an 11-point and a 10-point effort, respectively.
Williamsport was led on the scoreboard by floor general Jada Whalen who finished with an exhausting pace, netting 22 on the night. Fellow Millionaire Fondrea McClain also hit the double-digits on the scoreboard posting 12-point game.
What might be left on seen to most was the rebounding a Williamsport’s Samiyah Little who ripped down over 20 rebounds in a losing effort.
“Williamsport came out in a 1-3-1 and we were t anticipating that. We didn’t shoot well in the first half going 8-for-22 to start. But they responded well in the second half,” Bellefonte coach Adam Gearhart said. ” I don’t where they found it but they found a way.”
As the teams entered the fourth quarter, the game could not be any tighter as both had 38.
Williamsport went ahead on a jumper by Whalen just seconds into the period.
Young brought her team back within one, hitting 1-of-2 from the charity stripe, making it 40-39.
With 5:45 left, Halle McCormick was a perfect 2-for-2, extending the lead.
Young again cut the lead to within one as she got open inside and made the basket in traffic.
Momentum continued in the Lady Millionaires direction as they went on a quick 5-0 run. In the run, Mialey took two lay ups in off pressing the ball, opening it up to a 47-41 lead.
However, Bellefonte would begin to chip back away at the lead.
Two consecutive buckets by Abbie Carr started the charge, cutting it to 47-45 with under four minutes to play.
Despite being poked in the eye, Bellefonte’s Abbey Bruni hit 1-of-2 from the foul line, making it back to just a one-point game with 2:20 left.
From there Raisa Gregor hit a free throw and a jumper, giving her team a lead they would never give up.
Despite some mighty tense moments, the Red Raiders came out as 4-point winners.
In the JV contest, the Bellefonte girls rallied back from a large deficit to sneak past the young Millionaires, 37-33.

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