Upper Dublin clutch from foul line in 4th, tops Liberty in PIAA-6A first round

BETHLEHEM >> For Megan Ngo, free throws are about repetition.

“It’s just fundamental – you do the same thing every time,” Upper Dublin’s freshman guard said. “You just got to do exactly what you did before. And if you miss you got to get the next one but it’s just once you’ve done it so much it just comes natural.”

And when Friday night’s PIAA-6A girls basketball first-round contest with Liberty tightened in the fourth quarter – the host Hurricanes slicing a 10-point deficit down to two – Ngo and her sister, junior Amy, proceeded the duplicate the same result, calmly converting from the foul line to seal the Cardinals’ advancement.

The pair attempted all 14 free throws for Upper Dublin in the final quarter and connected on 13, including the final 10 to help the Cards hold off the District 11 runner-up and claim a 47-36 victory at Liberty’s Memorial Gymnasium.

“Megan and Ame, they’re knock-down shooters so as impressive as it is it’s not surprising just because of how good of shooters they are,” Upper Dublin coach Morgan Funsten said. “I don’t know if the rim was hit on those 16 foul shots they took down the stretch.”

Freshman Colleen Besachio scored nine of her 13 points in the second quarter as the Cardinals (18-11) took a 21-18 lead into halftime after Megan Ngo’s buzzer-beating putback and never relinquished the advantage in the final 16 minutes.

“They had some momentum going into halftime and I thought that kind of gave us momentum,” Funsten said. “And then I thought in the first half I didn’t think we defended all that well, I thought we gave up some easy stuff that we typically don’t give up. And I thought in the third quarter, I thought we won the game in the third quarter on the defensive end.”

Megan Ngo chipped in 11 points, making all six of her free throws in the fourth as UD went 16-of-17 at the line for the game.

“They’re cool as can be, those two,” said Funsten of his freshmen tandem. “It’s scary to think what their age is and they’ve become leaders on the team, you go from being a freshman to being a leader and I think they let their game do the talking and they lead by example and they make good basketball player decisions and it’s why they’re in the position they’re in.”

Amy Ngo hit 7-of-8 free throws in the fourth to score a game-high 16 points for the Cardinals, who advance to the second round for the first time since 2020 to face unbeaten District 3 champion Cedar Cliff – a 45-28 winner over Garnet Valley – Tuesday at a site and date to be announced.

“It’s really exciting,” Besachio said. “I was nervous coming into this but it’s such a good atmosphere to be in and especially after you win it feels even better. But me and (Megan) were just ready for it and we stayed ready, we just help each other out.”

Emma Pukszyn scored 13 points to pace Liberty (14-12), which was looking for its first PIAA win since 2012.

An Ava Kopetskie basket to open the third had the Hurricanes within 21-20 but Upper Dublin collected the next seven points – the first four by Besachio before Amy Ngo drained a 3-pointer off a Nora Brady assist for a 28-20 advantage.

“Defensively we were getting stops on D and we just couldn’t make a shot,” Funsten said. “Couldn’t make a shot and then Amy to make that three to go, I think to make it 28-20, right – it was 25-20 to 28-20, I think Colleen and her scored on back-to-back possessions and she was able to relax.

“Once she saw the ball go through the basket I think that’s a big reason why she made all of her foul shots down the stretch.”

A Pukszyn bucket in the third’s final seconds had UD up 30-24 heading to the fourth.

Alaina Sanders hit a jumper then two Megan Ngo free throws pushed the Cardinals’ lead to 34-24 with 6:15 remaining. After a Ruby Miller basket, Sanders scored off an inbounds to have UD again ahead by 10 at 36-26.

A Layla Orth 3-pointer then a Kopetskie runner cut the Cardinals lead to 36-31. After the Hurricanes forced a steal, Kopetskie knocked down a jumper and was fouled with 2:03 to go. A Liberty player, however, came off the bench to celebrate after the play, resulting in a technical foul.

“I didn’t even see the girl come out and I was just like ‘OK,” said Besachio with a laugh.

Kopetskie completed her 3-point play to make it 36-33 while Amy Ngo hit the first of two free throws from the tech. The junior went back to the line for a 1-and-1 and connected on both ends to put UD up 39-34.

The Hurricanes missed a shot inside and Besachio grabbed the rebound – Megan Ngo eventually fouled at 1:05 and made both halves of her 1-and-1. After Liberty was whistled for traveling, Megan Ngo converted another 1-and 1 for a 43-34 lead with 38.9 seconds remaining.

“I think that towards the end we were strong with the ball,” Megan Ngo said. “And we all came to the ball and just to make sure we didn’t turn it over.”

Two free throws from Amy Ngo with UD in the double bonus at 16.9 seconds made it 45-34.

Liberty scored the last four points of the first quarter on baskets from Pukszyn and Jordan Thompson to lead 9-7.

Besachio registered her first points on two free throws at 7:48 to knot things at nine then connected on a jumper off an inbounds to pull UD level again at 11.

“I just felt like I started off a little too slow in the first quarter and I just told myself, I was just like I need to start going cause we all needed to play,” Besachio said. “And I just feel like I wasn’t doing what I could do so I was just telling myself.”

Abby Thompson’s 3-pointer gave Liberty a 14-11 edge but Megan Ngo buried a trey off a Besachio feed while Besachio’s 3-point play off a drive had Upper Dublin leading 17-14 at 3:37.

A Kopetskie basket then a Miller jumper had the Hurricanes back ahead 18-17, however the Cardinals scored the half’s last four points – Besachio converting on a drive then Megan Ngo grabbing a rebound off a missed three and putting a shot in just before the buzzer had UD up 21-18 at the break.

Upper Dublin 47, Liberty 36
Upper Dublin 7 14 9 17 – 47
Liberty 9 9 6 12 – 36
Upper Dublin: Amy Ngo 4 7-8 16; Colleen Besachio 5 3-3 13; Megan Ngo 2 6-6 11; Alaina Sanders 2 0-0 4; Nora Brady 1 0-0 3; Totals 14 16-17 47.
Liberty: Emma Pukszyn 4 5-6 13; Ava Kopetskie 4 1-1 9; Layla Orth 2 0-0 5; Ruby Miller 2 0-0 4; Abby Thompson 1 0-0 3; Jordan Thompson 1 0-0 2; Totals 14 6-7 36.
3-pointers: UD-Brady, A. Ngo, M. Ngo; L-Orth, A. Thompson.