Big second quarter lifts Methacton over Lansdale Catholic
LANSDALE >> Coming off Friday night’s stinging, last-second defeat against Perkiomen Valley, Methacton started out sluggish against Lansdale Catholic Saturday afternoon, falling behind 13-3.
But then the Warriors began the second quarter on a 14-0 run, pulling in front of the Crusaders for the first time and building a lead they would never relinquish.
“We came out, knew we needed to make our shots, buckled down on defense,” the Warriors’ Ryan DeOrio said, “and got into what our team can do.
“Coming off the tough loss Friday night, we were slow in the first quarter but came out strong in the second.”
Said Methacton coach Craig Kaminski: “Coming into this gym, you know you’re always in for a war against LC.”
#Methacton girls a 59-56 winner over @LCCrusaders pic.twitter.com/1ok3lzVmEA
— Kev Hunter (@khunter10) January 7, 2017
The Warriors rallied in the second quarter and then withstood a hot-shooting Crusader comeback in the fourth, holding on for a 59-56 non-league victory on the road.
“I think it was good that we did have a game right away, to get rid of that loss instead of having to think about it for three or four days,” said Kaminski, whose team lifted its overall record to 9-2 (4-1 PAC Liberty) on the season. “We got that (Friday) game out of our system and got that good winning attitude back that quick.”
DeOrio was key for the Warriors, handling the ball, running the floor, keeping the team calm when the Crusader press began to tighten, and also delivering a pair of threes as well as some clutch foul shooting and a game-high 20 points.
“My shot’s been off a little bit lately so it felt good to hit a couple threes and be able to hit my foul shots,” DeOrio said.
The Warriors led by seven at the half and by eight after the third. Then, Lansdale Catholic began to heat up from the outside, nailing six 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, including three by Bryn Wassel, whose 18 points were a team high.
LC’s 24-point fourth quarter nearly matched the 25-point bulge Methacton had in the second. But DeOrio was a steady force for the Warriors. She came up with a steal on the defensive end, worked the ball to Sydney Tornetta, who then found a wide open Sydney Thompson for an easy jumper and a 48-40 Methacton lead.
“We knew we needed to stay under control and not get panicked, even when (LC) was pressuring us,” DeOrio said. “We just had to stay under control and take care of the ball.”
Threes by Emily Smith and Wassel brought the Crusaders within five points then as close as four, and then a pair of free throws by DeOrio made it 59-53 Methacton with just 20 seconds to go.
Wassel hit another three to make it a three-point game with four seconds left, and then LC immediately fouled, putting Tornetta on the line.
She missed both attempts but Thompson came up with the biggest defensive rebound of the game, squeezing it tight as the final seconds ran out.
Several heroes emerged for Methacton down the stretch, including Jill Zerbe, Olivia Pennypacker and Nicole Cooper off the bench.
“They did a tremendous job and gave us some sparks, some baskets — a lot of little things that really helped us,” Kaminski said. “They were a big part.”
The Crusaders (6-5, 2-1 PCL), down by as many as 10, came roaring back in the fourth, triggered by a buzzer-beating three by Lauren Crim to end the third.
“I told the girls if you put yourselves in that much of a hole, to win you have to play perfect,” LC coach Joe Mack said, “and that’s really hard to do. I thought we played with a lot of urgency in the fourth quarter. We shot the ball well, played with confidence.
“We just dug ourselves too big of a hole. We were able to stop their dribble penetration in the first quarter, we were rebounding, and we knew (Methacton) was gonna make a run, but you can’t give up 25 points in the second quarter. If we can be more consistent on the defensive end, we’ll be in good shape.”
Methacton is at Pope John Paul II Tuesday night and LC is at Hallahan that same evening.
