Third-quarter scoring outburst fuels Neshaminy girls basketball win at Pennsbury (PHOTO GALLERY)

Neshaminy freshman Kristin Curley (21) and another Lady Skins’ defender don’t give Pennsbury shooter Mary Miller (13) much of a look at the basket in girls basketball battle between the schools Jan. 24, 2017 at the Falcons Nest.   (Steve Sherman – 21st-Century Media)

FALLS TOWNSHIP – Coming off last week’s loss to Suburban One National League (SONL) rival Abington, Neshaminy entered last night’s girls basketball battle against Pennsbury with a focus on defense. The 73 points the Lady Skins allowed the Ghosts was 20 more than Neshaminy allowed in any single game this season.

The Skins were firing on all cylinders Tuesday night, Jan. 24 at the Falcons Nest, limiting Pennsbury to single digits in all four quarters in a 49-21 triumph that helped Neshaminy stay even with second place Abington, which toppled previously unbeaten and league-leading Council Rock North.

“We had a lot of defensive letdowns against Abington,” admitted Neshaminy sophomore Brooke Mullin. “The practices after Abington were really preaching defense and how we really need to improve our defense if we really want to win these games.”

Ahead 18-11 at the half, the Skins were sparked by a 19-1 scoring string in the third quarter, put 10 players in the scoring column and had its reserves playing all five spots by the final frame. All but nine of Neshaminy’s points came from freshmen and sophomores in its lineup including a trio of 3-pointers in the first half by starter Allison Harvey (9 pts.).

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Ironically, the Falcons led 9-8 after the initial period. Pennsbury sophomore Kate Mix led the way with five of her seven points in the first frame including a 3-pointer to open the scoring for the Falcons.

“You want to stop the game right there because you know they’re coming,” said Pennsbury head coach Frank Sciolla .“They have tremendous experience, their culture is set in place and they played really well in the second half.”

Neshaminy sophomore Brooke Mullin (6 pts.) and the Skins looked at it from their own perspective.

“There’s nothing worse than losing so I got the team together and said ‘they are so hyped because they are winning,’” said Mullin. “We have to keep pushing the ball and show them who’s better.”

The Neshaminy players must have taken the conversation seriously. The Skins started the second quarter off with a 5-0 scoring string, a run highlighted by layups by senior Devon Storms (4 pts.) and freshman Kristin Curley (4 pts.). The visitors extended the string to 10 points with Harvey’s third 3-pointer in the game together with a layup by freshman Emily Tantala (4 pts.).

The third period is where Neshaminy really took off. Mullin started things off offensively with a pair of made free throws then added a one-handed hook shot off the glass and a coast-to-coast layup off a Falcon turnover –one of 18 possession flips for Pennsbury in the duel.

Skins senior Emily Alexis (5 pts.) continued the scoring onslaught with a layup scored off a feed from freshman Olivia Scotti (7 pts.) and another tallied off yet another Falcon turnover.

Neshaminy capped the period off with 3-pointers by Scotti and classmate Kelli Kowalick.

The Skins’ reserve team outpaced Pennsbury 12-9 in the fourth quarter with field goals by Tantala and Scotti along with a 3-pointer by freshman Alex Ziegler (5 pts.) highlighting the final frame.

The Falcons finished with field goals by junior Danielle Cady (4 pts.) and a 3-pointer by classmate Sydney Buell (6 pts.) along with a pair of made free throws from both players.

“Three assists and 18 turnovers – that’s normally going to be an issue with us because of our skill level,” said Sciolla.

“We were able to play with them for the first quarter so we proved we could hang with them for a little bit. But we still struggle playing for each other; we have to get better there.”

Pennsbury falls to 5-9, overall, 1-6 in the SOL National Conference. The Falcons travel to Council Rock South Friday night. The Hawks outpaced Pennsbury by 16 points the first time the sides squared off Jan. 3 at the Falcons Nest.

Meanwhile, Neshaminy – now 12-4, overall, 7-2 in the SONL – hosts Rock North Thursday night in a chance to avenge an earlier season loss to the Indians suffered right after the new year on a pair of free throws made by CRN sophomore Dana Bandurick as time expired.

Contact Steve Sherman at ssherman@21st-Centurymedia.com or @BucksLocalSport on Twitter

Neshaminy 49, Pennsbury 21

(Jan. 24 at Pennsbury)

Pennsbury 9 2 1 9 – 21

Neshaminy 8 10 19 12 – 49

NESHAMINY (12-4, 7-2: SONL) — Olivia Scotti 7, Hannah Stonkus 2, Alex Ziegler 5, Emily Tantala 4, Kelli Kowalick 3, Devon Storms 4, Emily Alexis 5, Kristin Curley 4, Allison Harvey 9, Brooke Mullin 6; TOTALS — 17 9-11 49.

PENNSBURY (5-9, 1-6: SONL) — Sydney Buell 6, Danielle Cady 4, Mary Miller 2, Kate Mix 7, Skyler Sulby 2; TOTALS — 6 7-12 21.

3-POINT GOALS: N —Scotti, Ziegler, Kowalick, Harvey 3; P — Buell, Mix.