Spratt scores 19, Central Bucks West holds on to beat North Penn

TOWAMENCIN >> When the pressure was at its peak, Central Bucks West didn’t waver.

“When things get really rough, we gotta hold on to that steering wheel a little tighter,” said coach Zachary Sibel.

Emily Spratt scored eight of her game-high 19 points in a decisive fourth quarter that was capped off by a big defensive stop in the final seconds, as the Bucks went on the road and came away with a 45-44 victory over rival North Penn in a Suburban One League Colonial Division game Tuesday night.

“North Penn’s a team that’s always gonna play tough,” Sibel said. “They have a new coach (Brianna Cullen) who is coming in with a lot of energy and she really knows her stuff. She had those girls ready to play. They were coming off a big win and they took that momentum and they played with it.

“Those girls made shots and I don’t think a lot of them were easy shots. So from the get-go, you know that you’re coming into a tough place to play against a team that really wants to win.”

North Penn (1-2, 0-1 division) cut into what was a nine-point West lead, thanks in large part due to the three-point shooting of Abby Plaugher (16 points), clawing to within 44-42 with 1 minute, 30 seconds to play.

Spratt hit one of two free throws to extend the West lead to 45-42 with 1:25 left and then North Penn regained possession with about 42 seconds to go.

In the final moments, West guarded the three-point line so tightly, North Penn was forced to settle for a two by Olivia Stone, making it 45-44 with just a few ticks left. Ava Longo alertly took her time inbounding for the Bucks, effectively using up the final seconds until the horn sounded.

“I was really impressed with us at the end, with the girls knowing the time and the score and what we needed to do,” Sibel said. “When you have leaders like Spratt and girls like Tai Henkels and Katie Finnan, who have played minutes, those girls can keep the end goal in sight.”

That final defensive stop was testament to the Bucks’ (2-0, 1-0 division) ability to come together.

“When we went to that one timeout and Sibel talked to us and we all got to talk to each other,” Spratt said, “we were like ‘okay, we gotta pick it up. (North Penn’s) making every shot they take. We gotta get out, just work together, talk to each other, be there for each other. As long as we work as a team and we work together, we’ll be good.'”

The Bucks trailed by one at the half but began to work their magic in the third. Back-to-back baskets by Spratt, including one in transition, provided a 37-28 advantage entering the fourth. Henkels finished with 12 points for West.

“We played West Catholic on the road but this was our first league road game and that’s always tough to get used to,” Spratt said. “Some of these girls have never played in front of crowds before so I think them getting used to it and us getting used to them and girls filling into new roles, it’s definitely new for everybody.

“So I think that once we got that clicking and by the fourth quarter, we were starting to get into a groove. It was a little late but better late than never. Once we started clicking, our shots started falling.”

CB West used a patient offensive sequence to open the scoring, using that one extra pass to find an open Henkels, who sank a three to put the Bucks in front.

West led 4-0 midway through the first until North Penn got its first points of the night, a drive to the hoop by Caleigh Sperling (15 points).

The Knights got hot from the outside, with Kelly Donnelly and Cameron Crowley each hitting threes to help make it 13-8 North Penn at the end of the first quarter.

There would be six lead changes in a back-and-forth second quarter.

The Bucks came out with a 6-0 run, capped off by a basket by Longo, to push in front 14-13.

A Sperling jumper put NP back ahead, 15-14, and Sperling later hit a three and scored in transition to help build the Knight lead to 20-16.

Back came West.

The Bucks surged, a bucket by Henkels making it 21-20, before North Penn closed out the first half with a drive by Abby Plaugher to make it 22-21 at the break.

West led by nine in the third and fourth and withstood North Penn’s final charge. In the fourth, Spratt scored twice on drives, once in transition, and also hit a three and later added the final free throw that helped provide the difference.

“She’s a captain and has been an all-league player, so we’re gonna lean on her, especially in those big moments,” Sibel said. “She’s a person that’s performed her whole life. That’s why she’s going to (Thomas Jefferson University) and why she does what she does for us. Having a player like that to lean on really helps. She’s had big games in this gym so she’s no stranger to that. She did a really nice job down the stretch.”

Central Bucks West 45, North Penn 44

CB West: Tai Henkels 4 2-3 12, Katie Finnan 1 2-2 5, Emily Spratt 7 4-6 19, Ava Longo 2 0-2 4, Gabi Senior 1 0-0 2, Alexis Castro 1 1-2 3. Totals 16 9-15 45.

North Penn: Abby Plaugher 5 3-6 16, Caleigh Sperling 7 0-0 15, Olivia Stone 2 1-2 5, Kelly Donnelly 1 0-0 3, Cameron Crowley 1 2-2 5. Totals 16 6-10 44.

CB West        8 13 16  8 – 45

North Penn    13  9  6 16 – 44

3-pointers: C-Henkels 2, Finnan, Spratt; NP-Plaugher 3, Sperling, Donnelly, Crowley.