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LANG NAMED TO ALL-SECTION TEAM

Junior forward Jackie Lang was selected to the WPIAL Class AAAA Section 3 All-Star team as chosen by the section coaches.  The top five players were selected and coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.

CONGRATULATIONS, JACKIE!!!

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UPPER ST. CLAIR ENDS LADY TIGERS' SEASON, 59-35

To listen to a replay of the game, click here!

The Upper St. Clair Panthers never trailed as they built an early lead and went on to defeat the Lady Tigers, 59-35, in the first round of the WPIAL Quad A playoffs at North Hills on Saturday afternoon.  Junior Julie Figan led NA with 13 points while junior Jackie Lang added eight.  USC was led by Andrea Pion with 18 and Alex Gensler with 17.

The Panthers got off to a quick 6-0 lead behind field goals by 6-2 Emily Mueller, Pion and 5-10 senior Meghan McLean.  After Lang hit one of two to put NA on the scoreboard, Pion scored on a put back to make it 8-1.  Figan brought NA a little closer with a basket but Mueller answered and Grace Hyland drove the lane to score as the lead went to 12-3.  Lang got loose under the basket to score, but Mueller put back another rebound to make it 14-5.  One for two from the line by Lang closed out the first quarter scoring as USC took a 14-6 lead into the second stanza.

The Lady Tigers rallied at the beginning of the second quarter to cut the lead to three.  Junior Dawn Murphy drained a long trey from the right side and senior Maria Nolan drove for two as NA pulled with three at 14-11 with 6:40 remaining in the quarter.  It was a close as the Lady Tigers would come.  USC came back to score the next seven points on two free throws by Pion, a triple by McLean and two foul shots by Gensler.  Nolan score on a short jumper to stop the run and make it a 21-13 game.  Hyland answered with a three from straight away before Lang scored on a put back to make it 24-15.  Figan's put back cut the margin to seven, but Mueller answered with a put back to give the Panthers a 26-17 lead at the intermission.

Upper St. Clair dominated the third quarter to take total control of the game.  After Gensler opened the second half scoring, Figan drove across the middle and hit a one-harder to make it 28-19.  The Panthers scored the next 14 points behind Gensler and Pion.  Gensler, the leader scorer for the Panthers, was held to just two foul shots in the first half but responded big-time in the third quarter.   During the run, Gensler and Pion both scored six with Hyland adding two as USC took a commanding 42-19 advantage.  After Figan hit a triple, Gensler scored two more times and Pion added a pair of foul shots as the Panthers finished the third quarter with a 48-22 lead.

With the game in hand, USC slowed the pace in the fourth quarter.  After Mueller scored, Lang scored on a putback and Figan drilled her second triple of the game to cut the lead to 50-27.  After McLean hit a jumper, freshman Kelly Brennan hit a long trey to make it 52-30.  Gensler drove, scored and added a foul shot to push the lead to 55-30.  Brennan came back with another triple to make it a 55-33 game.  Figan dropped in one of two from the line to make it 55-34 with 4:35 remaining.  With USC holding the ball and looking for layups in the final moments, Pion was able to get loose twice to push the margin to 59-34.  Junior Andrea Elmore completed the scoring with one of two from the line with 1:23 left as the Panthers went on to the 59-35 victory.

The Panthers dominated the statistics.  USC made 23 of 49 from the field (46.9%) although they hit on only 2 of 15 (13.3%) from three-point land.  At the foul line, the Panthers were 11 of 15 (73.3%).  NA was able to make only 13 of 47 (27.7%) but did hit four of ten (40.0%) from beyond the arc.  From the line, the Lady Tigers were four for ten (40.0%).  The taller Panthers outrebounded NA, 30-24, and outscored the Lady Tigers, 30-14, in the paint. Lang and senior Maria Nolan had seven rebounds to pace NA.   A big key to the game was defense as USC forced 23 NA turnovers resulting in 32 points.  For her efforts, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Julie Figan as the Player of the Game.

With the loss, the NA finished the season with a final record of 13-11.  The Lady Tigers won seven of their final eleven games as they rallied to take a playoff spot for the first time in three years.  Upper St. Clair advanced to the quarterfinals where they will meet New Castle on either Friday or Saturday.

Box Score
Photo Gallery

GAME SUMMARY
UPPER ST. CLAIR - 59  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 35

WPIAL QUAD A GIRLS TOURNAMENT

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STRONG FOURTH QUARTER LEADS LADY TIGERS OVER AMBRIDGE, 58-51

To listen to a replay of the game, click here!

Senior Maria Nolan scored 20 points to lead the Lady Tigers to a 58-51 victory over Ambridge in the regular season finale at the Senior High gym on Monday night.  NA held a slim 39-38 advantage going into the final period before the Lady Tigers broke the game open.  Freshman Kelly Brennan added 14 points while junior Julie Figan tallied 10 for the winning Lady Tigers.

6-1 freshman Erin Smith put Ambridge on the board first with a short shot from under the basket.  Nolan came back to tie the game just 51 seconds into the contest.  After Smith scored again, Nolan dropped in a pair of free throws to tie the game at 4-4.  Senior Katie Polley gave NA its first lead with a put back, and Nolan scored again to make it an 8-4 Lady Tiger lead with 4:40 remaining.  The Bridgers scored the next eight points behind a pair of baskets by the #2 scorer in the WPIAL, Kiki Brown, along with two more baskets from under the hoop by Smith.  Brennan was able to make three of four foul shots in the last minute of the quarter as NA cut the lead to 12-11 after one period of play.

In the second quarter, Brown hit a jumper but junior Andrea Elmore scored on a putback to make it 14-13.  Courtney Parisi sent back a rebound to increase the margin to 16-13, but senior Laura Sudo answered with a put back of her own to cut the lead to 16-15.  Nolan hit the boards and sent in a rebound to give NA a brief advantage at 17-16 with 2:53 left in the half.  Brown and Nolan exchanged hoops as NA continued to lead by one, 19-18, with 1:11 left.  After Lexi Fontana made one of two from the line, Nolan scored again to give NA the lead to 21-19 with 43 seconds remaining.  After Parisi tied the game, Fontana scored with seconds remaining to give the Bridgers a 23-21 advantage at halftime.

In the third quarter, the lead went back and forth as both teams battled to take control of the game.  Nolan tied the game at 23-23 forty-six seconds into the third quarter, but Brown got loose on a fast break to regain a two-point advantage for Ambridge.  Nolan tied the game again with a short jumper, but Fontana drove for a basket to make it a 27-25 Bridger lead.  After Parisi's basket gave Ambridge a four-point lead, Figan scored and added a foul shot to cut the margin to 29-28 with 4:38 remaining in the quarter.  Nolan then put NA back ahead with a hoop, but Brown again had the answer for the Bridgers.  Two foul shots by junior Jackie Lang once again put NA on top, 32-31, but Fontana drove to regain the lead for Ambridge with 3:07 left.  Sudo answered for NA, but Brown drained a trey with 57 seconds left to make it a 36-34 Bridger lead.  Brennan came back with a trey for the Lady Tigers, but Fontana scored to regain the lead for Ambridge with 14 seconds remaining.  Figan had the last answer in the quarter as she scored with two seconds on the clock as the Lady Tigers took a 39-38 lead into the fourth quarter.

Lang got NA off quickly in the final period with a hoop, and Brennan hit another triple to give the  Lady Tigers a 44-38 lead early.  Smith came back with a shot from under the basket for Ambridge, but NA scored the next nine points to take control of the game.  A hoop by Nolan, a trey from the corner by Figan, a foul shot by Brennan, a basket by Figan and another free throw by Lang gave NA a 53-40 lead with 2:24 left in the game.  After Fontana scored to break the run, Lang made one of two from the line.  Brown came back with a three to cut the lead to nine with 1:27 left, but Brennan hit two foul shots to make it a 56-45 NA lead.  With 1:12 remaining, it was Brennan again with a pair of free throws to extend the margin to 58-45.  Brown was able to drop in two more long threes in the last minute, but the game belonged to the Lady Tigers as they took home a 58-51 victory.

Statistically, both teams shot at a 37.7% from the field.  NA made 13 of 61 while Ambridge hit on 20 of 53.  From beyond the arc, the Lady Tigers were just 3 of 16 (18.8%) while the Bridgers were 4 of 13 (30.8%).  From the foul line, NA made 15 of 21 (71.4%) while Ambridge was one for two (50.0%).  Thanks to Nolan, Sudo, and Lang, NA led in second chance points, 15-7.  The Lady Tigers forced 14 Ambridge turnovers resulting in 22 points.  For her efforts, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Maria Nolan as the Player of the Game.

With the win, the Lady Tigers completed the regular season with a final record of 13-10.  The WPIAL Basketball Committee is meeting tonight to announce the pairings for the upcoming Quad A tournament.  We will post the information as soon as possible.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 58  AMBRIDGE - 51

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PETERS TOWNSHIP STOPS LADY TIGERS, 57-40

Box Score

Peters Township defeated the Lady Tigers, 57-40, in a non-section contest on Senior Day at the Senior High gym on Saturday afternoon.  Freshman Kelly Brennan had 16 points to pace NA while Emily Correal led the Indians with 23 points and 16 rebounds.

After leading 14-12 after one quarter, the Indians outscored NA, 14-4, to take a 28-16 halftime lead.  In the third quarter, the Lady Tigers rallied to cut the margin to 38-30 going into the final period.  Peters Township pulled away in the fourth quarter to go on to the 57-40 victory.

The Lady Tigers made only 14 of 52 from the field (26.9%) and just 1 of 8 from three point land.  From the foul line, NA converted on 11 of 20 (55.0%).  The Indians were 23 of 49 (46.9%) from the field and one for two (50.0%) from beyond the arc.  At the foul line, the Indians made 10 of 13 (76.9%).  It was a sloppy game with NA forcing 28 Peters Township turnovers but giving up the ball 23 times.  NA battled the taller Indians in the paint with PT taking a 28-26 advantage.  The NA bench outscored the Indians, 21-10.  Senior Cyedha Banks led NA with seven rebounds while senior Maria Nolan had two blocked shots and three steals.

The Lady Tigers will complete regular season play with a non-section contest against Ambridge tonight at the Senior High gym.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 7:45 pm.  Game time is scheduled for 8:00 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
PETERS TOWNSHIP - 57  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 40

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LADY TIGERS TOP NORTH HILLS, 47-29, TO FINISH
IN 3rd PLACE TIE IN SECTION

Box Score

The Lady Tigers defeated North Hills, 47-29, at North Hills on Thursday night for their seventh victory in the last nine games.  Junior Julie Figan led the way with 15 points while freshman Kelly Brennan added 12 and junior Jackie Lang 10 for the winning Lady Tigers. 

After falling behind, 12-11, after one quarter, the NA defense took over, holding the Indians to just seven points over the next two periods.  At halftime, the Lady Tigers had taken a 27-16 advantage.  In the third quarter, the lead increased to 38-19 before the Indians outscored NA, 10-9, in the final quarter.

The Lady Tigers did not shoot well from the field, making 15 of 46 for 32.6%, but just 2 of 11 (18.2%) from beyond the arc.  From the foul line, NA regained their touch, making 15 of 18 (83.3%).  The Indians made only 13 of 31 from the field (41.9%) but just one of seven from three-point range (14.3%).  From the foul line, the Indians converted just 2 of 8 (25.0%).  The NA defense made the difference in the game forcing 27 turnovers that resulted in 20 Tiger points.  NA outscored NH, 22-10, in the point and 14-3 in second chance points.

With the win, NA finished section play with a 6-6 record, good for a third place tie and a playoff berth from Section 3.  The overall NA mark improved to 12-9 on the season.  The Lady Tigers will host Peters Township tomorrow afternoon with game time set for 2:30 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 47  NORTH HILLS - 29

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BUTLER'S LATE SURGE DOWNS LADY TIGERS, 68-57

To listen to a replay of the game, click here!

Butler used a 10-0 run late in the third quarter and early in the final period to defeat the Lady Tigers, 68-57, at the Senior High gym on Monday night.  Freshman Kelly Brennan led NA with 15 points while junior Julie Figan added 13 and junior Jackie Lang 10.  With the win, Butler clinched the section title while improving their overall record to 22-1.  Even with the loss, the Lady Tigers have clinched a playoff spot in the upcoming WPIAL playoffs.

The Tornado jumped off to an early lead behind baskets by Kayla Gilliland, Lyndsy Day, Olivia Bresnahan and Erica Miller with Brennan scoring the only early NA hoop as Butler took an 8-2 lead.  After senior Laura Sudo scored on a putback, Bresnahan drove for a basket to push the lead to 10-4 with 5:05 remaining in the quarter.  Butler would not score again as the Lady Tigers closed out the quarter on an 8-0 run.  Figan scored to cut the lead to 10-6 before Brennan drove for a basket to make it a 10-8 game with 3:18 remaining.  After junior Andrea Elmore hit one of two from the line, Brennan drained a long trey to put NA on top, 12-10, as the first quarter ended.

The Lady Tigers quickly pushed the lead to 18-10 on a drive by Brennan, a put back by senior Maria Nolan and a jumper by Figan.  After a Butler time out, the Tornado regrouped and rallied.  A three by Karissa King and a hoop by Bresnahan cut the margin to 18-15 with 5:43 remaining in the half.  Sudo answered for the Lady Tigers with a basket and foul shot to push the lead to 21-15.  Butler scored the next eleven points to recapture the lead.  A hoop by Bresnahan, a put back by Gilliland, and another trey by King gave the Tornado a 22-21 advantage.  Two baskets by Casey Cygan off the Butler bench pushed the lead to 26-21 before Figan scored and Lang hit one of two from the line.  After Bresnahan scored to make it 28-24, Sudo came back with another basket to cut the margin to 28-26.  Cygan's steal and layup gave Butler a 30-26 lead at the intermission.

The Tigers hit two treys from the left corner in the first minute of the second half to retake the lead at 32-20.  Figan hit the first and Brennan dropped in the second just 43 seconds into the third quarter.  Gilliland made two free throws to tie the game, but Brennan answered with one of two from the stripe to give NA a 33-32 advantage.  After Bresnahan put Butler back ahead, Lang scored from under the basket to make it a 35-34 NA lead.  On foul shot by Gilliland and two more by Lyndsy Day pushed the Tornado back on top, 37-35.  After Lang tied the game, Brennan drove for a basket to give the Lady Tigers a 39-37 advantage with 3:07 remaining.  It would be the last NA lead of the game.  Butler then went on a 10-0 run to take control of the contest.  Gilliland tied the game at 39-39, Jenna Manuel's only basket of the game gave Butler the lead, and Katherine Sylvia's put back with seconds remaining made it a 43-39 Tornado lead after three periods of play.

The fourth quarter belonged to Butler.  Bresnahan and Cygan scored early to complete the 10-0 run and push the Tornado lead to 47-39.  After Nolan hit a jumper, Butler scored the next nine on baskets by Cygan along with two foul shots by Day and a three-point play by Cygan as the lead went to 56-41 with 3:59 remaining.  Lang finally broke the run with a basket and one of two from the line.  Junior Dawn Murphy drained a long triple from the right side to cut the lead to 56-49 with 3:18 still left.  After Bresnahan drove for a hoop, Figan hit on two free throws to cut the margin to 58-51 wih 1:26 left.  Erika Miller then scored a layup, but Lang answered to make it a 60-53 game with 1:07 left.  Miller came back seconds later with a basket and foul shot to push the margin back to ten.  Two free throws by Bresnahan made it 65-53 before Elmore scored from under the hoop with 31.8 left.  After Day made one of two free throws, another basket by Elmore cut it to 66-57.  Two final foul shots by Day completed the scoring as Butler completed the 68-57 victory to boost their section record to 11-0.

Statistically, the Tornado outshot the Lady Tigers making 26 of 54 for 48.1%.  From three-point land, Butler was only 2 for 12 (16.7%).  At the foul line, Butler converted on 14 of 21 for 66.7%.  The Lady Tigers hit on 23 of 58 from the field (39.7%) and 4 for 11 from beyond the arc (36.4%).  Usually good at the foul line, NA made only seven of 14 for 50.0%.  NA did a good job on the boards, outrebounding the Tornado, 29-27.  Butler used the press and fast break points in the final period to pull away as they outscored NA, 14-2, on fast break baskets.  For her efforts on the night, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Kelly Brennan as the Player of the Game.

With the loss, the Lady Tigers dropped to fourth place in the Section 3 standings with a record of 5-6 while the overall mark fell to 11-9. The Lady Tigers have clinched a playoff spot in the WPIAL post-season that will begin next week.   NA will travel to North Hills on Thursday night to complete section play against the Indians in a 7:30 pm contest. 

Box Score
Photo Gallery

GAME SUMMARY
BUTLER - 68  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 57

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LADY TIGERS UPSET #3 NEW CASTLE,54-47

Box Score

Freshman Kelly Brennan scored 18 points while junior forward Julie Figan added 15 to lead the Lady Tigers to a 54-47 upset victory at New Castle on Friday night.  The Lady Tigers outscored the Lady 'Canes, 19-14, in the final quarter to break a 33-33 tie after three quarters.

After falling behind, 11-8, after one quarter, the Lady Tigers rallied to outscore NC, 10-0, take a 26-23 lead at the intermission.  NA extended the margin to five points in the third quarter, but the Lady 'Canes came back to tie the game at the end of the quarter.  The fourth quarter belonged to the Lady Tigers.  NA built a 50-38 advantage with 1:11 remaining behind a pair of triples by Figan and good foul shooting by Brennan, who finished with 11 for 15 from the stripe.  New Castle rallied to cut the lead to four late in the game, but junior Dawn Murphy dropped in a pair of free throws to secure the victory.  After missing the entire season due to surgery, senior Maria Nolan returned to score six points for the winning Lady Tigers.

With the win, the Lady Tigers avenged an earlier two-point loss at home to New Castle.  The NA section record improved to 5-5, good for third place in Section 3.  The overall Lady Tiger record now stands at 11-8 on the season.  NA has now won five of the last six games, including five straight section wins to put themselves in a good position for a playoff berth.

NA will host Butler on Monday night as section play moves into the last week.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 7:15 pm.  Game time is set for 7:30 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 54  NEW CASTLE - 47

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MT. LEBANON TOO STRONG FOR LADY TIGERS, 50-20

Box Score

The top-ranked Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils defeated the Lady Tigers, 50-20, at Mt. Lebanon on Monday night.  Lebo built a 22-12 halftime lead on their way to the win.  Freshman Kelly Brennan and junior Julie Figan had six points each to pace NA.

After taking an 8-4 lead after one quarter, the Blue Devils extended the margin to ten points at halftime.  In the third quarter, Lebo outscored NA, 15-4, to take a commanding 37-16 advantage into the final period.  With both teams playing their bench players in the fourth quarter, the Mt. Lebanon reserves outscored the NA reserves, 13-4, for the final thirty point margin.

Statistically, the Lady Tigers were unable to do much offensively.  NA made only 6 of 36 (16.7%) from the field and were 0 for 10 from beyond the arc.  From the foul line, the Lady Tigers converted 8 of 13 (61.5%).  Lebo hit on 20 of 49 from the floor (40.8%) and 3 of 9 from three-point range (33.3%).  At the foul line, the Blue Devils made 7 of 12 (58.3%).  North Allegheny committed 25 turnovers while forcing only 15.  Individually, Brennan led with seven rebounds with junior Jackie Lang pulling down five boards.

The loss ended a five-game NA winning streak as the Lady Tigers fell to 10-8 overall.  NA will be back in section action on Friday night when they travel to New Castle for a 6:00 pm contest.

GAME SUMMARY
MT. LEBANON - 50  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 20

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PENN-TRAFFORD NO MATCH FOR LADY TIGERS, 60-25

Box Score

The Lady Tigers built a 19-2 lead after one quarter and did not look back as they went on to a 60-25 non-section victory at Penn-Trafford on Saturday afternoon.  Junior Jackie Lang led the way with 19 points while junior Julie Figan added 13 for the winning Lady Tigers.

The statistics back up the dominance of the Lady Tigers in the game.  From the field, NA shot 21 of 36 (58.3%) and five of 12 (41.7%) from beyond the three-point arc.  At the foul line, the Lady Tigers converted 13 of 17 (76.5%).  Freshman Kelly Brennan had a good game with seven points, four rebounds and two assists while junior Dawn Murphy hit three of four from three-point range.  The Warriors had a bad day all the way around making only 8 of 32 (25.0%) from the field and 2 for 10 (20.0%) from three-point land.  From the foul line, P-T was 7 for 13 (53.8%).  The NA defense forced 20 turnovers resulting in 25 points.  The Lady Tigers dominated inside also outscoring P-T, 26-10, in the paint.

With the win, the Lady Tigers improved their overall record to 10-7 on the season.  NA will travel to Mt. Lebanon tomorrow night to meet the #1 ranked Blue Devils.  Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm for the non-section contest.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 60  PENN-TRAFFORD - 25

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LADY TIGER DEFENSE STOPS PINE-RICHLAND, 39-33

To listen to a replay of the game, click here!

The Lady Tigers won their fourth straight section game on Friday night at the Senior High gym with a 39-33 victory over Pine-Richland.  A good defensive effort by NA forced 16 P-R turnovers with junior Dawn Murphy scoring nine points off the bench to lead the Lady Tigers in scoring.  Juniors Jackie Lang and Andrea Elmore added eight each for the winning Lady Tigers.

Senior Katie Polley scored the opening basket of the game on a putback to give NA an early 2-0 lead just 25 seconds into the contest.  After Carolyn Steger made one of two from the line, Emily Karr scored a pair of baskets to give the Rams a 5-2 advantage.  Lang put back a rebound to cut the margin to one at the 4:02 mark, and Murphy came in and drained a trey to give NA a 7-5 lead with 3:41 still remaining.  Karr answered with a triple, her seventh point of the quarter, to put P-R back ahead with 2:50 left.  Neither team scored again as the Rams took an 8-7 lead into the second quarter.

Lang made two of four from the line early in the second quarter to push NA back ahead, 9-8.  Katie Wise came back with two free throws, and Tori Pikur drove the lane for a layup as the Rams regained the lead at 12-9.  Senior Laura Sudo hit a short jumper and Murphy made one of two from the stripe to tie the game again, 12-12, with 4:20 left in the half.  After Kayleigh Jackson hit one of two foul shots, Lang scored on a putback to push the Lady Tigers ahead, 14-13, with 2:49 on the second quarter clock.  Freshman Kelly Brennan converted one of two from the line, but Wise came back with a short jumper to tie the game at 15-15.  With seconds remaining in the half, Steger drove for a hoop to give the Rams a 17-15 lead at the intermission.

The Lady Tiger defense took over in the third quarter, holding the Rams to just two points.  After junior Julie Figan drained a trey from the corner to put NA ahead, 18-17, Pikur scored on a layup to regain the lead for the Rams at 19-18.  P-R would not score again in the quarter. Elmore came in to score two key baskets to push NA on top, 22-19, with 2:21 remaining in the quarter.  Neither team was able to dent the scoring column again in the period as the Lady Tigers took a 22-19 advantage into the final quarter.

Sudo scored early in the fourth quarter to extend the margin to 24-19, but Steger dropped in a trey from the left side to cut the lead to 24-22 with 7:22 still left in the game.  After Kelly Brennan scored for NA, Jackson drove across the middle for a hoop to make it a 26-24 game.  Sudo came back with another hoop to push the lead to four, but Wise answered to make it 28-26 with 3:00 left.  Murphy followed with a key triple to extend the lead to 31-26 as the clock went to the 2:32 mark.  Steger kept the Rams close with a drive down the left side to cut the margin to 31-28 with 1:44 remaining.  Elmore came back with another short jumper to make it 33-28 before Karr dropped in one of two from the line.  It was Elmore again from under the hoop with 32.3 seconds left to extend the margin to 35-29.  Wise kept the Rams in the game with a driving layup to cut the lead to four with 22.3 left.  On the inbounds pass, Murphy was fouled and calmly dropped in both free throws to give NA a six-point lead.  After a missed P-R shot, Lang was fouled and converted both foul shots to secure the win.  Wise's basket with seconds left cut the final margin to 39-33 as the Lady Tigers evened the score with the Rams.

Statistically, the Lady Tigers won the game on the boards.  NA outrebounded P-R, 41-27 and outscored the Rams, 22-18, in the paint.  From the field, neither team shot well. The Lady Tigers were14-52 (26.9%) from the field and only 3 for 22 (13.6%) from beyond the arc.  At the foul line, NA converted on 8 of 14 (57.1%) well below their 70.0% average.  The Rams hit on 13 of 45 from the field (28.9%) and only 2 of 9 from three-point range.  At the foul line, P-R was only 4 for 9 (44.4%).  For her efforts off the bench, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Andrea Elmore as the Player of the Game.  Elmore made four of six from the field and pulled down five rebounds and added a steal.

With the win, NA improved their section record to 4-5 and moved into a third-place tie in Section 3.  The overall Lady Tiger record improved to 9-7 on the year.  NA will travel to Penn-Trafford this afternoon to meet the Warriors in a 3:30 pm non-section contest.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 39  PINE-RICHLAND - 33

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STRONG SECOND HALF GIVES LADY TIGERS 45-34
VICTORY OVER SENECA VALLEY

Box Score

Led by junior Dawn Murphy, the Lady Tigers went on a 9-0 run at the beginning of the second half to break a 20-20 halftime time on their way to a 45-34 victory at Seneca Valley on Monday night.  Freshman Kelly Brennan led NA with 14 points while Murphy and junior Jackie Lang had eleven each.

After the Lady Tigers had taken a 14-11 lead after one quarter, the Raiders came back to tie the game at halftime.  In the third quarter, Murphy hit three treys and a breakaway layup to spark the NA run that gave them a 34-29 advantage after three quarters.  In the fourth quarter, the Lady Tigers outscored the Raiders, 11-5, to pick up their third consecutive victory and sixth in their last eight games.

Good shooting was the key to victory for the Lady Tigers who made 16 of 37 (43.2%) from the field and 5 for 13 (38.5%) from beyond the arc.  At the foul line, NA was 8 for 12 (66.7%).  Seneca Valley made only 11 for 44 (25.0%) from the field but did hit on 4 for 11 from three-point range (36.4%).  At the foul line, the Raiders converted on eight of ten (80.0%).  The NA defense forced 20 Seneca Valley turnovers.

With the win, the Lady Tigers improved their section record to 3-5, the overall mark to 8-7 on the year.  NA will host Pine-Richland on Friday night with game time set for 6:30 pm at the Senior High gym.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 6:15 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 45  SENECA VALLEY - 34

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LADY TIGERS HOLD OFF SHALER, 52-45

To listen to a replay of the game, click here!

Junior Jackie Lang scored 15 points and pulled down ten rebounds to lead the Lady Tigers to a 52-45 victory over Shaler at the Senior High gym on Friday night.  Junior Julie Figan added 12 points as NA won their second straight section game.

The Lady Tigers started quickly as the jumped off to a 6-3 early.  After Jackie Sauer scored to give Shaler a 2-0 lead, senior Ginny Thistle dropped in a pair of foul shots to tie the game.  One of two from the line by Olivia DiNucci put the Titans ahead, but Thistle scored on a putback to give NA a 4-3 advantage.  The Lady Tigers scored the next nine points to push the lead to 13-4 as Figan scored, Lang completed a traditional three-point play and a basket from down low, and senior Laura Sudo scored on a short jumper.  DiNucci made one of two foul shots to close out the first quarter scoring, but the Lady Tigers took a 13-4 lead into the second quarter.

Shaler came out strong early in the second quarter scoring the first eleven points to retake the lead at 15-13.  DiNucci led the way with a putback and a three-point play wit Holly Knaus, Hillary Sauer, and Val McQuade all adding hoops for the Titans.  The Lady Tigers regrouped, however, to regain the lead.  Two foul shots by Thistle and one of two from the line by Lang put NA back on top, 16-15.  Shaler wasn't finished, however, as Haley Sauer scored from in close, Ashley Hohman made two foul shots, and DiNucci hit a field goal to put Shaler back ahead, 21-16, with 3:46 remaining.  The Titans would not score again in the half as NA scored the next eight points to take a halftime lead.  Figan scored and added a foul shot, and Lang followed with a pair from the line to tie the score at 21-21.  Freshman Kelly Brennan gave the Lady Tigers the lead with one of two from the line, and Lang finished the first half scoring with a basket to give NA a 24-21 advantage at the intermission.

The game remained close in the third quarter, but the Lady Tigers managed to extend the lead to six.  Figan hit two free throws just fifteen seconds into the period to push the margin to 26-21.  Junior Dawn Murphy drove for a hoop to make it 28-21 before Jackie Sauer answered.  Murphy then drained a trey to push the margin to 31-23.  After a Shaler turnover, Murphy scored again with a twisting left-handed shot in the paint that gave NA a double-digit lead at 33-23 with 6:07 still left in  the quarter.  Shaler rallied behind a basket by McQuade along with a hoop and two foul shots from DiNucci to cut the lead to 35-31.  Senior Katie Polley answered with a hoop and Lang scored from in close to push the margin to 39-31 with 1:10 remaining.  Maria Bozzo scored for the Titans to cut the lead to 39-33 as the quarter ended.

After DiNucci scored the first basket of the final period, Thistle made one of two from the line to make it 40-35.  DiNucci answered with four straight foul shots to cut the lead to one.  Figan came back to hit two from the stripe to increase the lead to 42-39 with 4:56 remaining.  Neither team scored again until Figan drained a trey from the right side with 2:29 left to extend the margin to 45-39.  Single foul shots by Kelly Brennan, Sudo, and Lang pushed the advantage to 49-39 with 1:04 left.  After Sauer hit a field goal, Brennan made one of two foul shots to make it a 50-41 game.  DiNucci then hit two from the line and Bozzo added two more free throws as Shaler cut the lead to 50-45 with 29.5 left.  Brennan dropped in two more from the line a second later to push the margin to seven again.  Shaler was unable to score in the remaining time as the Lady Tigers finished off the 52-45 victory.

It was a huge win for the Lady Tigers as they won their second straight section game to climb back into the playoff race.  Statistically, NA made 13 of 43 (30.2%) from the floor but only 2 of 11 (18.2%) from beyond the arc.  At the foul line, NA was sold with 24 for 34 (70.6%).  Shaler was held to 15 of 51 from the floor (29.4%) and 0 for 6 from three point land.  The Titans made 15 of 18 (83.3%) from the line.  It was another foul filled game with a total of 45 fouls called and 52 foul shots attempted.  For her efforts in the field and on the boards, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Jackie Lang as the Player of the Game.

With the win, the Lady Tigers improved their section record to 2-5, the overall mark to 7-7 on the season.  NA will travel to Seneca Valley on Monday night for a 7:30 pm section contest.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 52  SHALER - 45

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LADY TIGERS CAPTURE FIRST SECTION WIN WITH 40-27 VICTORY OVER NORTH HILLS

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Junior Jackie Lang scored 14 points and pulled down nine rebounds to lead the Lady Tigers to a 40-27 victory over rival North Hills at the Senior High gym on Monday night.  NA built a 26-4 lead at halftime and coasted to their first section win.

Neither team did much scoring throughout most of the first quarter.  Senior Laura Sudo scored from under the hoop to give NA a 2-0 lead at the 2:07 mark, but Leigha Zangaro stole the ball and scored to tie the game with 2:59 remaining.  The Lady Tigers then took control of the contest.  Lang scored three straight baskets, two from in close, to put NA on top, 8-2.  A fast break layup by junior Dawn Murphy and another by freshman point guard Kelly Brennan gave the Lady Tigers a 12-2 advantage after one quarter.

The Lady Tigers continued to use pressure defense to force North Hills turnovers in the second quarter.  After Lang made one of two from the line, Courtney Waters scored for the Indians to make it 13-4.  It would be the only NH hoop of the quarter as the Lady Tigers closed out the half with a 13-0 run.  Senior Katie Polley hit on a short runner and Sudo added two foul shots to push the margin to 17-4.  Brennan scored another layup on a fast break and Lang added another quick hoop to increase the margin to 21-4.  With 2:00 remaining, Kelly Brennan hit one of two from the line, and senior Megan Brennan dropped in a pair of free throws to make it a 24-4 game.  Lang's hoop with 55.2 remaining gave the Lady Tigers the 26-4 lead that they held at the intermission.  NA forced 20 turnovers in the first half resulting in 21 points.

Early in the third quarter, junior Julie Figan and Lang scored to push the lead to 30-4 with 6:17 remaining.  At this point, North Hills regrouped and outscored NA, 14-2, in the remaining time in the quarter.  Gabbi Marshall had four points, Zangaro added three, Julie Havrilla hit a trey, Tara Veverka a deuce, and Waters a foul shot for the Indians.  Figan's hoop was the only other NA score as the Lady Tigers took a 32-18 lead into the final period. 

In the fourth quarter, Lang made one of two free throws, and Kelly Brennan added two from the stripe as NA pushed the lead back to seventeen at 35-18 with 4:55 remaining.  Free throws by Ali Patton and Waters cut it back to 35-20.  After junior Andrea Elmore scored on a put back, the Indians scored the next seven points.  A three by Patton and a basket and two foul shots by Marshall cut the NA lead to 37-27 with 39.2 seconds remaining.  Sophomore Becca Aul dropped in a long trey as time was running out to give the Lady Tigers the final margin of 40-27.

Despite periods throughout the game where the Lady Tigers did not score, they still made 15 of 45 (33.3%) for the game.  From behind the arc, however, NA was only 1 for 12 (8.3%).  At the foul line, the Lady Tigers converted 9 of 16 (56.3%).  North Hills hit on 10 of 39 (25.6%) from the field and 2 for 11 (18.2%) from three-point range.  At the line, NH made 5 of 10 (50.0%).  A key to the game was the NA defense that forced 24 turnovers resulting in 24 points.  In the paint, NA outscored NH, 22-8.  For her efforts, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Jackie Lang as the Player of the Game.

With the win, the Lady Tigers improved their section record to 1-5, the overall mark to 6-7 on the season.  NA will host Shaler on Friday night in the first game of a girl/boy doubleheader.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 6:15 pm.

Photo Gallery
Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 40  NORTH HILLS - 27

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FOURTH QUARTER RALLY FALLS SHORT AS BUTLER
EDGES LADY TIGERS, 59-57

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After trailing by ten points going into the fourth quarter, the Lady Tigers mounted a furious rally but came up just short as Butler held on for a 59-57 victory at Butler on Friday night.  Freshman Kelly Brennan led the way with 18 points with junior Jackie Lang adding 16 as NA narrowly missed upsetting #4 Butler.

Butler jumped off to a quick lead, building a 10-1 lead halfway through the first quarter.  A basket by Erica Miller, a foul shot by Olivia Bresnahan, two free throws by Miller, and a triple by Casie Cygan put the Tornado on top, 8-0, just 2:45 into the game.  After senior Ginny Thistle made one of two to put NA on the board, Jenna Manuel added a field goal.  The Lady Tigers began to close the margin at the foul line.  Lang made one of two, senior Megan Brennan two of two, and Lang another pair around a basket and foul shot from Manuel as NA cut the margin to 13-6.  Junior Dawn Murphy scored the first NA basket from the field with 27 seconds remaining as Butler took a 13-8 lead after one quarter.

The Lady Tigers continued to rally in the second quarter finally tying the game midway through the period.  Junior Julie Figan hit one of two free throws and Kelly Brennan drove for a hoop to cut the lead to 13-11 just 36 seconds into the period.  Cygan answered with a basket and Katherine Sylvia came off the Butler bench to make one of two from the line to push the lead to 16-11.  A foul shot by senior Katie Polley and a triple by Kelly Brennan brought NA to within one at 16-15 with 4:40 left in the half.  Sylvia's hoop pushed the lead back to three, but Thistle scored from under the basket and added the foul shot to tie the game at 18-18 with 3:36 remaining.  After a Butler time out, the Tornado scored the next nine points to take a 27-18 lead.  Two foul shots by Miller, a trey by Cygan, and two hoops by Rachel Doutt accounted for the run.  After Kelly Brennan dropped in one of two from the line, a free throw by Bresnahan and a triple by Miller pushed the margin to 31-19 with 21 seconds left in the half.  Senior Laura Sudo made two foul shots with 8.8 left as NA cut the lead to 31-21 at halftime.

A foul shot and basket by Bresnahan early in the third quarter pushed the Butler lead to 34-21.  Two foul shots by Kelly Brennan were answered by a pair from Miller as the score went to 36-23.  Lang came back with a basket from in close and two foul shots to cut the margin to 36-27 with 4:40 still left in the quarter.  Manuel came back in to score for the Tornado, but Figan dropped in her first field goal of the game to make it 38-29.  After Bresnahan converted on one of two from the line, Kelly Brennan made two foul shots to bring NA to within eight at 39-31.  Manuel scored again to restore the ten-point margin, but a basket by Thistle and one of two from the line by Lang cut the lead to 41-34 with 2:48 left in the quarter.  Miller had the answer with a long three and Bresnahan drove for a basket to push the margin to 46-34 with 1:07 left.  Two foul shots by Megan Brennan closed out the third quarter scoring as Butler took a 46-36 lead into the final period.

Lang started the scoring in the fourth quarter with a pair from the line, but Bresnahan answered with two free throws to keep the lead at ten.  Lang made two more free throws, but once again Bresnahan was there with a driving basket to make it a 50-40 game.  Murphy then hit a long triple and Lang scored from in close to bring NA to within five at 50-45 with 4:30 on the clock.  Kelly Brennan drove for a hoop to cut the lead to three before Bresnahan made one of two to make it a 51-47 game.  Kelly Brennan scored again to cut the lead to two before two free throws by Miller pushed it back to four at 53-49 with 3:11 remaining in the game.  The Lady Tigers would not quit as Kelly Brennan made two of two from the stripe to make it a two point game again.  Karissa King followed with a key triple to push the margin to 56-51.  Figan got loose under the hoop and converted on a pass from Murphy to cut the lead back to three with 2:12 left.  After NA almost stole the ball in back court, Butler recovered and found Lyndsy Day all alone for a layup to push the lead to 58-53 at the 1:32 mark.  Lang drove and scored with 58 seconds left to make it a three-point game.  After Bresnahan missed two foul shots, junior Andrea Elmore hit a pair with 18.6 left to cut the lead to 58-57.  One of two from the line by Bresnahan pushed the lead to two with 5.5 remaining and the Tornado held on for the 59-57 victory.

It was a game dominated by personal fouls and foul shots.  A total of 40 fouls were called, 22 against Butler.  At the foul line, NA was 29 of 37 (78.4%) while Butler made 18 of 33 (54.5%).  From the field, the Lady Tigers once again were off target making only 13 of 57 shots (22.8%) and just 2 of 14 (14.3%) from behind the arc.  The Tornado converted on 18 of 56 (32.1%) from the field and 5 of 17 (29.4%) from three-point land.  The NA bench came through as they outscored Butler, 25-12.  For her efforts at the line and on the boards, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Jackie Lang as the Player of the Game.

With the loss, NA fell to 0-5 in section, 5-7 overall on the season.  The Lady Tigers will host rival North Hills on Monday night at the Senior High gym.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 7:15 pm.  Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
BUTLER - 59  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 57

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WPIAL GIRLS' BASKETBALL - 2007-08

The Lady Tigers will compete again in the WPIAL in class AAAA along with 28 other teams.  WPIAL girls' basketball section competition will begin December 6-7, 2007 and must be completed according to the schedule.  In Quad A, four teams from each section will enter the WPIAL tournament.  The top four teams will enter the team tournament set to begin on February 8th.  If two teams tie for fourth place but one of the teams has won both head-to-head contests, that team will enter the tournament round.  If two teams tie for fourth place, and the teams split their head-to-head-contests, both teams will enter the playoffs.  If there is a three-way tie for fourth place, the deadlock will be broken in the following head-to-head manner:  if the tied teams are all 2-2 against each other, all three teams will enter the playoffs.  In one team is 3-1 or 4-0 in head-to-head competition, that team will enter the playoffs. 

In the case of a three-way tie for third place: if Team A has a 3-1 record in head-to-head competition, Team B, 2-2, and Team C, 1-3, teams A and B will go to the playoffs.  If Team A, Team B and Team C are all 2-2 against each other, all three teams will enter the playoffs. 

In the event of a four-way tie or more, the same head-to-head rationale will be used.  The teams with the best records among the tied teams will enter the playoffs:
1.  The cumulative section won-lost records of all tied teams will be totaled.
2.  The team that has the best numerical record among the tied teams will enter post-season play.
3.  If the tie cannot clearly be broken, all will enter post-season play.

In Quad A, six teams will qualify for the PIAA tournament.  PIAA bracket placement will be determined on a "Follow the winner" basis.

WPIAL GIRLS' BASKETBALL ALIGNMENT

QUAD A - 29 TEAMS

Any questions or comments should be directed to Athletic Director Bob Bozzuto at:  bbozzuto@northallegheny.org