Liberatoscioli hits free throw with no time left to send Great Valley to Sweet 16

FAIRVIEW VILLAGE >> Tessa Liberatoscioli sank a free throw with no time left on the clock Saturday afternoon to break the ninth tie of the game and give Great Valley a 40-39 win over West York in the opening round of the PIAA Class 5A girls basketball playoffs at Methacton High School.

Liberatoscioli scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds and the Patriots (24-5) overcame a rough shooting day to advance to the round of 16 and a matchup on Wednesday at a time and place to be determined against Trinity, a 54-29 winner over Penn Hills. Alayna Harris led West York with 14 points and 16 rebounds.

Emma DeRobertis passed the ball inbounds from the left baseline with 6/10th’s of a second remaining to Liberatoscioli, who was fouled to the right of the basket as the final horn sounded. She wound up with four possible free throws after the West York bench was called for a technical foul and hit the first to end the back-and-forth affair.

“I knew that I was going to get the ball,” said Liberatoscioli, the only senior on the team. “I knew I wasn’t going to get the shot.”

District 1 runner-up Great Valley took a 32-31 lead on a free throw by Liberatoscioli to open the fourth quarter scoring and did not lead again until the end as the Bulldogs took a lead of one point and three of two points with ties at 33, 35, 37 and 39.

Harris gave the District 3 fourth-place finisher Bulldogs a 39-37 advantage when she grabbed her own miss and scored with 1:20 to go. But Liberatoscioli scored after stealing the ball with 22 seconds left, Then West York turned the ball over with 13 seconds remaining and the Patriots had one last chance to win the game in regulation time after the ball was knocked out of bounds.

“Our sanity and our composure down the stretch were tested,” said Great Valley coach Alex Venarchik. “That’s why you play the game. That’s why the team continues to grow.”

“We kept our cool,” said Liberatoscioli. “We didn’t let anything get in our heads. We knew what we had to do to win. All the girls on the team play multiple sports. It definitely helps with that, keeping calm and not getting flustered.”

The Patriots took their largest lead of the game at 9-5 on a fastbreak layup by Emily DuPont (6 points). But the Bulldogs came back to tie at 11-11 at the end of the first quarter, led 19-13 after two free throws by Alyssa Zorbaugh (5 points, 7 rebounds) and were on top 23-20 at the half.

“Our defense wasn’t physical in the beginning, the way we usually play,” said Liberatoscioli. “We talked about it at halftime.”

“The key was our defense, shutting down their No. 11 (Alainna Hopta),” said Venarchik. “And keeping No. 12 (Harris) under control. Emily DuPont’s defensive effort on (Hopta) so she didn’t hurt us.”

The Patriots shot just 25 percent from the floor (12-for-48), including 2-for-19 in the second quarter, and were out-rebounded 40-28. But they turned the ball over only five times, with none of the miscues coming in the middle two quarters, and forced 17 Bulldog turnovers. Liberatoscioli shot 8-for-9 from the line as part of a 15-for-19 team effort at the stripe. Ashley Sullivan had five points and five rebounds and Laura Lum scored five for the winners.

“It’s settling everything down with that fan section and the energy was so high,” said Venarchik. “If we settled and started playing the game, we had a chance.”

“It’s crazy,” Liberatoscioli said concerning making it to the second round of state play. “I’ve been in states a couple of times in field hockey. But basketball hasn’t been since 1983. It’s definitely exciting.”

Great Valley 40, West York 39

West York 11 12 8 8 – 39
Great Valley 11 9 11 9 – 40

West York: Ilyes 1 0-0 3, Hopta 2 0-0 4, Harris 6 2-2 14, Hoffman 2 2-4 6, Zorbaugh 2 1-2 5, Generett 2 1-2 5, Torres 1 0-0 2, Rupp 0 0-0 0, Totals 16 6-10 39.

Great Valley: Liberatoscioli 6 8-9 21, DeRoberts 0 1-2 1, Sullivan 2 1-2 5, DuPont 3 0-0 6, Curley 0 0-0 0, Lum 1 3-4 5, Sioutis 0 2-2 2, Valyo 0 0-0 0, Totals 12 15-19 40.

3-point goals: Ilyes, Liberatoscioli.