PR Girls Advance in Basketball Playoffs

The Pine-Richland High School girls basketball team set up its ultimate test of the season so far by defeating Norwin, 53-45, in a WPIAL Class AAAA preliminary-round tournament game Friday night at Gateway.

Pine-Richland (8-10) advanced to play No. 1-seeded Mount Lebanon (16-5) at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Baldwin High School.

Baldwin (17-5) is the only WPIAL team this season to earn a victory over Mount Lebanon, which has won the past two WPIAL Quad-A girls basketball titles.

Mount Lebanon is led by senior guard-forward Madison Cable, a Notre Dame basketball recruit who is regarded as one of the top all-around players in the state. Cable averaged 17.1 points per game and is known for getting her jump shot off quickly.

Pine-Richland enters the Mount Lebanon game with victories in three of its last four games, including a solid all-around performance in which the Rams forced 23 turnovers by Norwin.

“Overall we had a great defensive game,” Pine-Richland coach Molly Copple said. “We were able to capitalize on Norwin’s turnovers, and when they pressed us, we were able to break the press.”

Rather than name a star or two from the game, Copple noted a long list of Pine-Richland players who contributed to not only the final score, but to the 43-rebound effort.

Senior guard Abbie Altman led the Rams with 18 points, including three 3-point baskets early in the game. Altman also made four steals and helped Pine-Richland jump out to an 8-0 lead. The Rams broke it open with a 19-13 finish in the fourth quarter.

Also for Pine-Richland, senior guards Kaleigh Jackson made five steals and tossed in 10 points including 6-of-8 from the foul line, and senior guard Kelly Keegan added 10 rebounds and nine points, including five foul shots.

Junior guard Brittany Byerly knocked down a 3-point basket in the second quarter, and junior guard Emily Johanson scored seven points including five foul shots. Junior forward Kara Peters contributed five rebounds.

Norwin finished with only six offensive rebounds.

“Our girls didn’t let up when they were tired, and kept rebounding and scoring on the put-backs,” Copple said. “We had really great team chemistry, and I’m really proud of them. They pulled together and had a really great game.”

Jen Straw led Norwin with 14 points.

Rams Boys End Layoff

Pine-Richland boys (13-6) open the Class AAAA playoffs Wednesday against Connellsville (19-2) at a site and time to be determined.

The Rams boys finished the regular season with a four-game winning streak that included the upset of the year so far, a 56-52 victory over top-ranked and previously unbeaten Shaler last Friday.

Connellsville top scorer Johnny Leonard averaged 21.3 points per game this season.