Jan. 22 District 9 girls basketball recaps
KNOX, Pa. – Natalie Bowser hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 16.2 seconds to play, and Payton Simko missed the front end of what should have been a two-shot foul with 8/10th of a second to play, as Keystone beat visiting Clarion, 35-33.
The Lady Panthers trailed by three, 33-30, following a free throw by Noel Anthony with 50.7 seconds to play but got within one when Emma Gruber hit a pair of free throws with 35.5 to go.
Anthony then missed two free throws with just under 31 seconds to play setting up Bowser’s go-ahead triple from the right elbow.
Clarion’s Rebeka Kettner then missed a jumper with about seven seconds to play that would have tied the game, but the rebound went out of bounds off Keystone with 4.6 seconds remaining.
Bowser deflected the inbounds pass out of bounds leaving the Lady Cats with 3.9 to go.
Kettner then had her 14-to-15-foot jumper blocked by Bowser right into the hands of Simko, who was fouled shooting a jumper with 0.8 showing on the clock.
Simko’s first free throw bounced off the rim and away from the hoop, and the second one, which went in, was waved off when Taylor Alston was called for a lane violation for breaking the 3-point arch, which she was standing behind before the shot went up.
Missed free throws haunted Clarion in the game, as the Lady Cats were 7 of 31 from the line, including 2 of 10 in the fourth quarter.
Clarion led 24-22 going to the fourth quarter but trailed 28-24 with just over five minutes to play before the Lady Cats went on a 7-0 run that included a go-ahead three from Jordan Best and a jumper by Gia Babington that gave them a 31-28 lead.
Mia Traister got Keystone back within one when she banked home a shot with her foot on the 3-pointer line with two-and-half to play before Anthony hit 2 of 4 free throws over a 35-second span to restore Clarion’s 3-point lead.
Gruber got Keystone back within one, 33-32, when she hit two free throws with 35.5 to play setting up Bowser’s heroics.
Bowser had a monster game for the Lady Panthers with 23 points and 17 rebounds. Gruber added six points and six assists, and Sydney Bell had four points and nine rebounds.
Ketner led Clarion with eight points, including six in the third quarter, while Alston and Best each scored seven.
Enhanced details for this story were taken from watching Keystone’s YouTube feed of the game. The game can be rewatched, along with Keystone/Clarion boys’ game, here.
NORTH CLARION 55, KANE 32
KANE, Pa. – For the second time this season, North Clarion beat Kane on its homecourt this time getting 26 combined points from Gwen Siegel and Claire Kriebel in a 55-32 victory.
Siegel led the She-Wolves, who also beat Kane 56-30, Dec. 29 in the championship game of the Kane Christmas Tournament, with 16 points with Kriebel adding 10. Ten of Siegel’s points came in the third quarter.
Madison McFarland chipped in eight points in the win with Amya Green scoring seven.
Maya Smith scored 12 points to lead Clarion.
ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 40, COUDERSPORT 27
COUDERSPORT, Pa. – Syd Alexander scored a game-high 13 points to lead Elk County Catholic to a 40-27 road win over Coudersport.
Lucy Klawuhn added nine points and Tori Newton eight for the Lady Crusaders.
Liz Frame led Coudersport with 11 points with Emma Chambers adding eight.
PORT ALLEGANY 31, BRADFORD 19
BRADFORD, Pa. – Building a 25-9 lead after 24 minutes, visiting Port Allegany rolled to a 31-19 win over Bradford.
Ella Moses had an all-around strong game for the Lady Gators with six points, 12 rebounds, seven steals, four assists, and three blocked shots.
Kayleigha Dowell led Port Allegany with 11 points while adding seven rebounds, Evin Stauffer chipped in four points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals, and Jessica Borowsky had five points and five rebounds.
Carli Persichini led Bradford with eight points.
INDIANA 70, REDBANK VALLEY 47
INDIANA, Pa. – Holding Redbank Valley without a field goal in the fourth quarter, Indiana pulled away from the visiting Lady Bulldogs for a 70-47 victory.
The Lady Indians led by eight, 52-44, going to the fourth quarter before outscoring Redbank Valley 18-3 in the quarter.
Hope Cook led Indiana with a game-high 27 points with Eve Fiala adding 15 and Katie Kovalchick 11.
Alivia Huffman and Caylen Rearick each had 13 points from Redbank Valley.
