Mount St. Joseph pulls out overtime victory

Bethlehem — The Mount St. Joseph Academy girls basketball team lost a 12-point third quarter lead in Friday’s PIAA Class-AAAA state tournament opener and eventually went to overtime against Nazareth Friday night at Freedom High School in Bethlehem.

At the end of the four-minute session when the dust settled and the smoke cleared, the Mount ended its three-game losing streak and advanced to the second round, 48-45.

“I feel like we came together as a team and that felt really good,’ guard Caitlyn Cunningham said. “Coach (John) Miller was just saying remember this feeling and bring it in to the next game, so we’ll do that.’

After a fourth quarter that saw the two teams combine for just seven points, Libby Tacka got the scoring started in overtime with a three-pointer to put the Mount ahead, 40-37.

Sarah Wills made a basket the next possession to put MSJ ahead by four and then it was all about foul shooting.

The Magic went 6-for-6 on their free throws down the stretch to close out the win and advance to face the winner of Garnet Valley and Palmyra.

Cunningham banked in her first free throw, then made three straight to keep the Mount ahead by two possessions.

“I’m not really nervous or anything when I go to the line because I had the same situation when we played in the league championship,’ Cunningham said. “So I kind of just know the feeling. I know that I can make my foul shots. I just tune everyone out, take my two dribbles and shoot the ball.’

Nazareth’s Tessa Brugler made a three to cut the lead to one, 46-45, with 3.3 seconds on the clock.