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GAME SUMMARIES

TIGERS CUT DOWN HIGHLANDERS IN
WPIAL FIRST ROUND, 56-33

(2/19/13) North Allegheny opened the game on a 15-2 run and rumbled into the WPIAL Class AAAA Quarterfinals with a 56-33 win over Baldwin on Tuesday night. After falling behind early, the Highlanders began to find their rhythm from beyond the arc in the second quarter as Nikki Corcoran dropped in a pair of three-pointers, and Kayla Eberst and Taylor Duchon added treys as well. However, the Lady Tigers matched Baldwin’s perimeter shooting with five triples of their own, including two from Maddie Nellis, allowing NA to take a 30-17 lead into intermission.

In the second half, the Tigers used crisp back-door passing to balloon their advantage and put the Highlanders away, outscoring Baldwin 26-16 over the final 16 minutes. Taylor Brennan poured in a game-high 17 points, while freshman Abby Gonzales added 14 points, and sophomore Meg Morningstar posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. For the Highlanders, Corcoran pumped in a team-high 10 points.

The Tigers held Baldwin to 25% shooting on the night and allowed just 5 of 16 from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, North Allegheny knocked down 51% from the field and dropped in 5 of 9 from three-point land. While the Tigers shot well for the game, both teams found the scoring tough in the opening quarter of the contest as the Tigers held only a 2-0 lead halfway through the first quarter.  That’s when Abby Gonzales jump started NA’s offense with some timely steals and assists. For helping the Tigers open up a healthy lead early in the game, Gonzales was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.  

With the win, the second-seeded Tigers improve to 20-3 on the season and will face Gateway in the WPIAL Quarterfinals. Baldwin’s season ends with an 11-12 record overall. As of the writing of this article, NA’s quarterfinal meeting with Gateway will be held on Friday night at a site and time to be determined. The game will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.

NORTH ALLEGHENY - 56  BALDWIN - 33
SCORE BY QUARTERS

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CHARTIERS VALLEY SLIPS PAST TIGERS IN DOUBLE OVERTIME, 47-42

(2/11/13) For the first time in almost two months, the Lady Tigers lost a game as the Chartiers Valley Colts upended North Allegheny on Monday night, 47-42, in double overtime. The loss snapped a 16 game winning streak for the Lady Tigers in their final game before the WPIAL playoffs. Abby Gonzales and Meg Morningstar led the Lady Tigers with 11 points apiece. Mariah Wells paced the Colts with 19 points.

NA ends the regular season with an impressive 19-3 record while Chartiers Valley finishes up at 16-6.  Both teams will head to the post-season and await the release of the WPIAL playoff brackets on Tuesday night.

CHARTIERS VALLEY - 47  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 42

SCORE BY QUARTERS

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LADY TIGERS TRIUMPH OVER SPARTANS, 57-44

(2/10/13)  In a non-section battle between two playoff bound teams and section champions, the Lady Tigers topped the Hempfield Spartans on Saturday afternoon, 57-44. North Allegheny built a 27-15 lead by halftime and coasted to the win in the second half. Sophomore Meg Morningstar and freshman Taylor Lake handled the Spartans down low, scoring 14 and 10 points respectively. Morningstar crashed the glass for eight rebounds while junior guard Taylor Brennan added 10 points, including two treys. For Hempfield, Monica Burns led in scoring with 13 points on the day.

North Allegheny improves 19-2 overall with their 16^th win-a-row. The Section 1 champion Spartans fall to 19-3 overall with the loss. The Lady Tigers will wrap up their regular season schedule on Monday night with a home contest against another playoff bound team, the Chartiers Valley Colts. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 pm.

NORTH ALLEGHENY - 57  HEMPFIELD - 44

SCORE BY QUARTERS

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NA WRAPS UP SECTION SCHEDULE WITH 48-24 WIN

(2/8/13)  The Lady Tigers finished their section schedule on Friday night with a 48-24 triumph over the rival North Hills Indians at NASH Gymnasium. The Section 3 Champions led by only five at halftime but turned up the heat on North Hills in the second half, outscoring the Tribe 31-12 over the final 16 minutes of the game.

Trailing 17-6 in the second quarter, North Hills closed the gap to 17-12 behind the low post efforts of Bre Bertram who finished with 16 points on the night. In the second half, the Tigers defense held the Indians in check by forcing 26 total turnovers while their own low post player, freshman Taylor Lake, poured in a game-high 17 points. Lake added seven rebounds and three steals on her way to Wright Automotive Player of the Game honors. Building on Lake’s efforts, freshman Abby Gonzales chipped in with nine points, nine rebounds, and six steals.

North Allegheny improves to 18-2 overall and finishes its section schedule with an 11-1 mark. North Hills ends its season with a 7-15 record and 3-9 section mark. The Lady Tigers are back in action again this afternoon with a tough non-section contest against Hempfield. Tip-off is slated for 3:30 pm at NASH.

NORTH ALLEGHENY - 48  NORTH HILLS - 24

SCORE BY QUARTERS

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LADY TIGERS CLINCH SECTION TITLE OUTRIGHT,
BEAT SHALER 40-31

(2/4/13)  Wright Automotive Player of the Game Taylor Brennan netted 13 points and the North Allegheny Lady Tigers fought off a spirited Shaler squad, 40-31 on Monday night.  Despite falling behind early, the Lady Tigers rallied back behind a late spurt of offense in the opening half, taking a lead they would never relinquish just before the break.  The win gives North Allegheny the Section 3 title outright, with just one section contest remaining.  The Lady Tigers will be back at it on Friday night when they welcome the North Hills Indians to the NASH Gym.  The game is scheduled for 6:30 pm and will be broadcasted on the North Allegheny Sports Network.

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LADY TIGERS ROAR PAST RAMS FOR SHARE OF SECTION CROWN

(1/31/13) The North Allegheny Girls Basketball Team locked up at least a share of the Section 3 title on Thursday night by punishing Pine-Richland, 57-11. The Lady Tigers dominated the Rams in every phase of the game for a convincing win. In one of many telling stats, NA dropped in six three-pointers while Pine-Richland connected on only four field goals for the entire game, hitting just 13% on the night. The Rams added to their shooting woes by committing 26 turnovers.

The Lady Tigers suffocated the Rams from the start as NA rode the hot hand of sophomore Devvin LaBarge. North Allegheny outscored Pine-Richland, 18-5, in the opening period with LaBarge accounting for 12 of the Tigers points. Part of a 20 point night, LaBarge hit 8 of 13 from the field on her way to Wright Automotive Player of the Game honors.

Late in the first quarter, Pine-Richland’s Caitlin McMaster knocked down a three-pointer to cut the NA lead to 13-5. North Allegheny buried the Rams by tallying the game’s next 32 points before Pine-Richland scored again in the early potion of third quarter. Denying the Rams even a glimmer of hope, the Tigers defense thieved 18 passes and blanked PR in the second and fourth quarters. In addition, North Allegheny dominated the boards by a 35-12 margin.

Joining LaBarge on the scoresheet, freshmen Abby Gonzales and Taylor Lake scored 10 apiece. Lake grabbed a team-high six steals while junior Danielle Wall posted a team-best eight rebounds. The best Pine-Richland could muster was a four point performance from both Chelsea Rourke and Marisa Hombosky.

North Allegheny improves to 16-2 overall and 9-1 in Section 3. Pine-Richland falls to 5-16 and 2-9 within the section. Having already claimed a share of the conference crown, the Lady Tigers can earn the title outright with a win at Shaler on Monday night. The game will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 pm.

NORTH ALLEGHENY - 57  PINE-RICHLAND - 11

SCORE BY QUARTERS

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LADY TIGERS CLAW PAST PANTHERS FOR NON-SECTION WIN

(1/28/13) The North Allegheny Girls Basketball Team won their 12^th game in-a-row on Monday night with a 40-37 non-section decision at Upper St. Clair. The Lady Tigers held off the Panthers in the final seconds as USC guard Diandra Conwell missed a three-point shot at the buzzer. North Allegheny was led by freshmen Taylor Lake and Abby Gonzales who scored 10 points apiece.  Upper St. Clair was paced by Jordan Serio's 10 points.

The Lady Tigers improve to 15-2 overall while the Panthers drop to 8-9 on the season.  North Allegheny has chance to lock up a Section 3 title on Thursday night when the Lady Tigers host the Pine-Richland Rams. The game will be broadcast live on the internet courtesy of the North Allegheny Sports Network. Game time is slated for 7:30 pm.

NORTH ALLEGHENY - 40  UPPER ST. CLAIR - 37

SCORE BY QUARTERS

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LADY TIGERS WIN AGAIN, BOUNCE BUTLER ON THE ROAD

(1/24/13) The North Allegheny Girls Basketball Team picked up a big road win on Thursday night, besting the Butler Golden Tornado, 48-27. The game was physical but the Lady Tigers out-muscled the Golden Tornado on the glass, winning the rebound battle, 23-16.  Freshman Abby Gonzales was a force on the boards as she collected eight rebounds to go along with eight points. Sophomore Meg Morningstar collected five rebounds and paced NA with 10 points. 

The Tigers defense did a number on Butler, holding the Golden Tornado to just 28% shooting. Butler was limited to just two points in the fourth quarter to allow NA to pull away with a game ending 14-2 run.  Butler was led by Caitlin Baxter who posted 10 points and Samantha Marak grabbed a team high nine rebounds.

The victory keeps the Lady Tigers in command atop Section 3 with an 8-1 record.  The Tigers also upped their overall mark to 14-2 with their 11^th win in-a-row.  Butler falls to 8-9 overall and 4-3 in section play. North Allegheny looks to continue their winning ways with a visit to Upper St. Clair on Monday night in a non-section affair. 

NORTH ALLEGHENY - 48  BUTLER - 27

SCORE BY QUARTERS

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NA WINS 10th STRAIGHT WITH KEY SECTION WIN OVER OAKLAND CATHOLIC

(1/21/13) Hot outside shooting in the first half and rock solid defense in the second half lifted the Lady Tigers to a huge section win over Oakland Catholic on Monday night, 47-33. Avenging an early season loss in December to the Eagles, North Allegheny built a double-digit first half lead and fended off their foe in the remaining 16 minutes to give the Tigers some breathing room atop the Section 3 standings. The third-ranked Lady Tigers now own a 1 ½ game lead over second place Oakland Catholic thanks to the win.

North Allegheny jumped to a 22-10 halftime lead by bombarding Oakland Catholic with three pointers.  Hitting 43% from beyond the arc, the Lady Tigers connected on 6 of 14 shots from the outside while the Eagles shot a total of only 5 of 13 from the field in the opening half.  Of the sharpshooters on the night, freshman Abby Gonzales knocked down three treys and Taylor Brennan added a pair.  Also getting in the mix, Devvin LaBarge and Maddie Nellis connected from the outside to build a 12 point lead at intermission.  

In their previous meeting in December, NA led 21-10 at halftime but the Eagles rallied for a 38-34 victory.  This time around, the Tigers raced out of the gates by forcing a pair of turnovers that led to a Gonzales three-pointer and a lay-in by Meg Morningstar to increase the lead to 27-10.  From there, North Allegheny used a patient offensive approach to eat up clock and keep Oakland Catholic from mustering any potential comeback.  A big part of that effort was senior point guard Maddie Nellis, who warded off any defensive efforts from the Eagles to thwart the Lady Tigers, and also went 6-for-6 at the free-throw line in the closing minutes of the game.  For her contribution, Nellis was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.

On the night, Brennan led the Tigers in scoring with 10 points and added a pair of steals. Nellis posted nine points and three steals while Gonzales added another nine points.  For Oakland Catholic, senior Mara Fitzgerald topped out with 11 points and Nicole Johnson chipped in with 10. 

North Allegheny’s record now sits at 13-2 overall and 7-1 in section play while the Eagles drop to 6-9 overall and 5-2 in the section.  The Lady Tigers look to add on to their current 10 game winning streak with a visit to Butler on Thursday night.  Game time is slated for 7:30 pm. 

NORTH ALLEGHENY - 47  OAKLAND CATHOLIC - 33

SCORE BY QUARTERS

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LADY TIGERS OUTLAST RAIDERS, 40-36

(1/17/13) The North Allegheny Girls Basketball earned another road section win on Thursday night by taking down the Seneca Valley Raiders, 40-36.  The Lady Tigers survived a second half rally by the Raiders to win their ninth game in-a-row.

Trailing most of the night, Seneca Valley tied the game at 29-29 with 5:54 remaining.  North Allegheny answered with a 7-0 run as Taylor Lake dropped in two free-throws, Taylor Brennan sank a three-pointer, and Abby Gonzales converted a steal and lay-in for a 36-29 lead. The Raiders rallied again, cutting the NA lead to 38-36 with under a minute to go, but Gonzales made it a two possession game with a pair of free-throws with 29 seconds left on the clock for a 40-36 advantage.  Gonzales’ free-throws, and the Tigers stingy defense, iced the game in the final stages of the contest.

Leading the Tigers in scoring, Brennan converted 3 of 6 shots from beyond the arc on her way to a 12 point night.  Gonzales followed with 11 points and a team-high nine rebounds.  Abby Trzeciak was the top scorer for the Raiders with 12 points. 

North Allegheny improves to 12-2 overall and 6-1 in Section 3 with the victory.  Seneca Valley drops to 6-6 overall and 3-4 in section play.  The Lady Tigers host the Oakland Catholic Eagles on Monday night with first place at stake in the section.  The game will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.   

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NA WINS 8th STRAIGHT, TOPPLES INDIANS

(1/14/13) The North Allegheny Girls Basketball Team won their eighth game in-a-row with a 47-41 victory over North Hills on Monday night. The Lady Tigers trailed 12-9 after the opening period and then exploded for 22 points in the second quarter for a 31-24 halftime lead. 

NA maintained their advantage in the second half with intense defense, allowing only 17 points for the rest of the game and just five points in the fourth quarter. Individually, Devvin LaBarge and Abby Gonzales led the Tigers in scoring with 11 points apiece.  The Indians top scorer was Bre Bertram with 18 points. 

The road win improved the Lady Tigers record to 11-2 overall and 5-1 section play.  North Hills falls to 4-10 overall and 1-5 in Section 3.  North Allegheny returns to action on Thursday night with a visit to Seneca Valley.   Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm. 

NORTH ALLEGHENY - 47  NORTH HILLS - 41

SCORE BY QUARTERS

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LADY TIGERS KEEP ROLLING, SOAR OVER TITANS, 43-25

(1/11/13) North Allegheny Girls Basketball ran their win streak to six in a row by way of a 43-25 victory over visiting Shaler on Friday night.  Despite less than stellar offense by both teams in the first half, the Lady Tigers stormed out of halftime, outscoring the Titans 31-13 following the break.  As a team, North Allegheny shot 62% after halftime, including sinking two of four attempts from beyond the arc. 

At the opposite end of the court, the Lady Tigers' defense was smothering, limiting Shaler to just 10 successful field goal attempts in the entire game.  Wright Automotive Player of the Game Abby Gonzales led North Allegheny on the defensive end, with game highs of 5 steals and 7 rebounds to go along with 13 points.

Meg Morningstar netted 17 points, while Maddie Nellis, Taylor Brennan, and Taylor Lake also found the scoresheet for the Lady Tigers.  The loss drops Shaler to 4-8 overall, while the Titans remain winless in the section.  The Lady Tigers, meanwhile, recorded their tenth win of the season, and boast a 4-1 record within the conference.

Up next for the Lady Tigers is a home contest against New Castle on Saturday night.  Tipoff is set for 6:30 pm.  North Allegheny will conclude the first half of its section schedule on Monday night against North Hills.

NORTH ALLEGHENY - 43  SHALER - 25

SCORE BY QUARTERS

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LADY TIGERS WIN 5th STRAIGHT, PUNISH PINE-RICHLAND

(1/7/13) The North Allegheny Girls Basketball Team pounded the Pine-Richland Rams on Monday night, coming away with a 61-28 road victory.   The Lady Tigers opened the game on a 10-0 run, and despite a brief rally by the Rams that cut the score to 18-16, NA ran away from the Rams on their way to the blowout victory.  North Allegheny closed the first half on an 11-2 run, capping the effort on a Maddie Nellis three-pointer to bring the score to 29-18, Tigers. 

Nellis finished the night with 12 points and did a nice job of handling the Rams pressure defense.  For her efforts, Nellis was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.   North Allegheny had six players record at least eight points or more with Taylor Brennan topping the list with 14 points.   

The Lady Tigers improve to 8-2 overall and 3-1 in Section 3 play.  North Allegheny currently sits atop the section in a three-way tie with Seneca Valley and Oakland Catholic, also with 3-1 marks.  Meanwhile, Pine-Richland drops to 4-8 overall and 2-3 in section action.  North Allegheny returns to the court on Friday night when the Lady Tigers take on the Shaler Titans.  Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 pm.  The game will be broadcast live on the North Allegheny Sports Network. 

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NA CRUSHES MOON, 61-19, FOR NON-SECTION WIN

(1/5/12) The North Allegheny Girls Basketball Team hammered the Moon Tigers on Saturday afternoon, 61-19, at NASH gymnasium.  North Allegheny proved to be the more ferocious Tigers on the day by invoking the mercy rule against the visitors from Moon.  NA allowed only seven points to Moon after three quarters on their way to a commanding 52-7 lead.  Freshman Abby Gonzalez led all scorers with 13 points, followed by sophomore Devvin LaBarge who scored 10.

Fourth-ranked North Allegheny improves to 7-2 overall with the non-section win while Moon falls to 6-6 on the season.  The NA Lady Tigers return to section action on Monday night with a visit to Pine-Richland.  The opening tip is slated for 7:30 pm and  the game will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 61   MOON - 19

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NELLIS' CLUTCH TREY LIFTS LADY TIGERS TO HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT TITLE

To listen to an archived broadcast of NA's thrilling win, click here!

(12/28/12) Maddie Nellis netted a career high 11 points, including a game-winning three-pointer in overtime, to lead the Lady Tigers to a 50-47 win over the fourth-ranked Penn-Trafford Warriors in the title game at the Wright Automotive Holiday Tournament.  With the game tied 47-47 and a minute to play in overtime, Nellis came open beyond the arc and buried a clutch trey.  The senior guard followed that up by forcing a crucial tie-up on the defensive end of the floor that secured the game for the Tigers.  Nellis was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game and also received Holiday Tournament MVP Award.

The Tigers trailed most of the first half until Nellis knifed through the Penn-Trafford defense for a last second lay-in to give NA a 22-21 advantage at the half.  For the Warriors, Taylor Cortazzo had a big first half with 11 points but was silenced by the Tigers defense in the final 20 minutes of the game.   Maria Palarino picked up the pace for the Warriors in the second half and tallied 16 points, 14 of which came after halftime.   However, it would not be enough in a see-saw second half as the inside-out combo of Taylor Lake and Taylor Brennan combined for 23 points.  Lake corralled nine rebounds while Brennan sank three treys in addition to Nellis’ superb outing. Also favorable to the Tigers cause was the Warriors struggles from the free-throw line.  Penn-Trafford connected on only 6 of 13 free-throw attempts.

North Allegheny improves to 6-2 overall while Penn-Trafford suffers their first loss of the season, falling to 7-1 for the season.   The Lady Tigers have the next seven days off before a non-section home game against the Moon Tigers.  Tip-off is slated for 2:30 pm. 

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 50   PENN-TRAFFORD - 47 (OT)

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LADY TIGERS PULL AWAY FROM PLUM, 56-41

(12/27/12) The Lady Tigers opened the Wright Automotive Holiday Tournament with a 56-41 win over the Plum Mustangs on Thursday afternoon.   Plum entered the contest with a distinct height advantage, led by 6-3 forward Courtney Zezza.  However, the Lady Tigers won the battle of the boards, out-rebounding the Mustangs, 36-26.  Of the NA rebounds, 11 were offensive tallies and were a big part of the reason the Lady Tigers came away with the victory.  Sophomore Meg Morningstar was tops on the Tigers with 10 rebounds, on her way to Wright Automotive Player of the Game honors.

Another key factor in the North Allegheny victory was the Tigers ability to run the floor and wear down the Mustangs.  While Plum jumped to a 13-8 lead in the first quarter, the Tigers’ constant pressure and hustle eventually wore down the Mustangs as the game rolled along.  A Devvin LaBarge three-pointer at the end of the first quarter pulled NA to within 13-11 at the end of one quarter.  The triple by LaBarge opened the flood gates for NA as the Lady Tigers went on a 21-7 run for a 29-20 second quarter lead.  The run was aided by two Taylor Brennan three-pointers and another trey by Sarah Clogan.  The Tigers success from beyond the arc helped NA to a 31-23 halftime lead.

In the second half, LaBarge and Brennan continued their hot shooting and put Plum away with four more three-pointers.  With Plum trailing by nine points at 36-27 and six minutes to play, LaBarge hit two crucial shots from beyond the arc to quickly balloon NA’s lead to 42-27 and bury the Mustangs.  Courtesy of the Tigers ability to run the floor with point guard Maddie Nellis, freshman Abby Gonzales came away with several easy lay-ins for a 10 point night, scoring eight of her 10 in the second half.  Brennan and LaBarge both finished with 13 points.

For Plum, junior guard Krista Pietropola notched 12 points and seven rebounds to lead the Mustangs.  Alyson Weifenbaugh, who scored six points in the first three minutes of the game, tallied nine for the entire contest.  Guard Angelena Borriello posted eight points, including two three-pointers. 

With the win, North Allegheny improves to 5-2 overall and will face the Penn-Trafford Warriors at 3:30 pm on Friday in the Wright Automotive Holiday Tournament title game.  Plum drops to 6-3 overall and will take on North Hills at 1:30 pm in the tournament consolation game.  Tune into live coverage of the tournament championship game via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network with Randy Gore and Lee Mohn calling the action. 

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 56   PLUM - 41

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GIRLS BASKETBALL DROPS BUTLER, 54-34

(12/21/12) The Lady Tigers raced out to a 14-5 first quarter lead and never looked back, winning their section matchup against Butler, 54-34.  Wright Automotive Player of the Game Abby Gonzales led all scorers with 21 points, on 9 of 11 shooting.  Gonzales also pulled down six rebounds, and buried three triples from beyond the arc.  Devvin LaBarge was the only other member of the Lady Tigers in double figures, netting 10 points on the night. 

The win bumps North Allegheny into an early season three-way tie atop the section with Pine-Richland and Seneca Valley.  Next up, the Lady Tigers will jump out of section competition for the Wright Automotive Holiday Tournament, scheduled for December 27 and 28.  Their first opponent will be Plum, a matchup scheduled for 3:30 pm on Thursday, December 27.  Be sure to catch all the action on the North Allegheny Sports Network.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 54   BUTLER - 34

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LADY TIGERS FALL TO OAKLAND CATHOLIC ON ROAD, 38-34

(12/17/12) The Oakland Catholic Eagles edged the North Allegheny Girls Basketball Team on Monday night, 38-34.  The Lady Tigers opened up a 21-10 halftime lead but the Eagles rallied with 28 second half points.  Freshmen Taylor Lake and Abby Gonzales helped NA build their double-digit lead at intermission by producing nine points apiece on the night.  Sophomore Devvin LaBarge chipped in with six points.

However, Mara Fitzgerald and Nicole Johnson led a furious Oakland Catholic comeback by scoring 14 of the Eagles 19 fourth quarter points.  Oakland Catholic's defense also sparked the rally by forcing numerous Tigers turnovers down the stretch.

The Lady Tigers fall to 3-2 overall with the loss and 1-1 in Section 3. For Oakland Catholic, the victory was their first of the season as the Eagles improve to 1-2 overall and 1-0 in section play.  The Lady Tigers return to action on Friday night with a home contest against the Butler Golden Tornado.   You can hear all the action live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network when NA hosts Butler.  Tip-off is slated for 6:30 pm. 

GAME SUMMARY
OAKLAND CATHOLIC - 38    NORTH ALLEGHENY - 34

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LADY TIGERS CRUSH RAIDERS, 74-30

(12/13/12) After a slow start, the North Allegheny Lady Tigers trounced the Seneca Valley Raiders on Thursday night for a 74-30 victory in their Section 3 opener.  North Allegheny trailed the Raiders, 5-4, late in the first quarter before a lay-in by Meg Morningstar, a steal by Maddie Nellis, and a buzzer beater by Sarah Clogan gave the Tigers an 8-5 lead.  The back-to-back buckets to end the first period sparked a 15-2 run that saw the Lady Tigers grab command of the game, on their way to a 24 point outburst in the second quarter and a 44 point margin of victory.

Three Lady Tigers reached double-digits in the game, including freshman Taylor Lake who posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.  Clogan posted a strong second half, scoring eight of her 10 points in the final 16 minutes of the game.  After recovering from a preseason injury, junior Taylor Brennan came off the bench to bury three treys on her way to 13 point night.  Brennan’s shooting from beyond the arc helped NA stretch their lead over the Raiders to a comfortable level, earning the shooting guard the Wright Automotive Player of the Game Award. 

Amongst the Tigers impressive performance was 5-4 senior Maddie Nellis who created four steals and grabbed six rebounds.  Meg Morningstar notched nine points and pulled down five rebounds.  For the Raiders, their lone senior Kaitlyn Eagle led with seven points.  Junior Katie Brown added six points and six boards.  Freshman Paige Montrose chipped in with six points as well.    

With the victory, North Allegheny improves to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in Section 3.  Seneca Valley falls to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in section play.  The Lady Tigers hope to continue their early season success against the reigning section champion Oakland Catholic Eagles on Monday night.  NA’s battle at Oakland Catholic tips off  at 7:30 pm. 

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 74    SENECA VALLEY - 30

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NA TOPS NORWIN WITH DEFENSE, 47-38

(12/11/12) The North Allegheny Girls Basketball team downed the Norwin Knights on Tuesday night, 47-38.  The Lady Tigers once again used a stifling defense by forcing 14 Norwin turnovers while only committing eight themselves.  North Allegheny was led offensively by freshman Abby  Gonzales who posted a team high 12 points.  Also posting double-digits in scoring was sophomore Devvin LaBarge with 10 points.  Freshman Taylor Lake pulled down eight boards and added another eight points as well. 

The Lady Tigers improve to 2-1 with the win.  Norwin falls to 1-3 on the young season.  North Allegheny will open their section schedule on Thursday night with a contest against the Seneca Valley Raiders.  The game will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.

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TIGERS EDGED BY REIGNING WPIAL CHAMPS AT NA TIP-OFF TOURNAMENT

by Lee Mohn

(12/9/12) The North Allegheny Girls Basketball team got off to a flying start on Saturday afternoon against defending AAAA champion Mount Lebanon jumping out to a 10-1 lead and held a 10-3 advantage at the end of the first quarter.  That is when Mount Lebanon woke up and made it a game.  Mount Lebanon would go to half time with a one point lead.  The game stayed close throughout as neither team had more than a six point lead for the rest of the game.  At the end, Mount Lebanon made enough plays to defeat the Tigers 34-30. 

The Blue Devils held NA to 24% shooting from the field and also forced 14 turnovers.  NA got off to the quick start by winning the battle of the boards in the first quarter.  NA had nine offensive rebounds compared to just one for Mount Lebanon.  Meg Morningstar had four of those and finished with eight rebounds for the game.  Morningstar was named the Wright Automotive player of the game for her efforts.  Leading the way on the score sheet for NA was Devvin LeBarge with 10 points.  North Allegheny fell behind in the fourth quarter by six points, but battled back and tied the game with three minutes to go on a three-pointer by Abby Gonzalez.  However, Mount Lebanon would pick up key baskets from Madeline Collins and Christine Eihland to seal the victory. 

Mount Lebanon improves to 2-0 and NA drops to 1-1.  NA will travel to Norwin on Tuesday night.

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LADY TIGERS ROLL THROUGH TROJANS IN SEASON OPENER

(12/8/12) The North Allegheny Lady Tigers charged out of the gate to a 33-4 halftime lead and coasted to a 56-24 victory over the Erie McDowell Trojans in the season opener at the Wright Automotive Girls Basketball Tip-Off Tournament.  The Tigers defense frustrated McDowell into six costly turnovers that NA converted into easy breakaway buckets for a 22-0 lead by the end of the first quarter.  The stampede continued in the second quarter as the Trojans remained stifled by the Lady Tigers defenders.  McDowell didn’t score a point until Krissy Fromknecht dropped in a field goal with 2:40 to play in the second quarter.  By then the Tigers already had grabbed a strangle hold of the game for which they never relinquished. 

Freshman Abby Gonzales was impressive in the first half as she dropped in 10 points and collected a pair of steals.  The master of thievery on the night was senior Maddie Nellis who collected four steals.  Junior Sarah Clogan joined Gonzales in double digits with a 10 point night, including two treys.  The top point getter was sophomore Devvin LaBarge who helped jump start the Tigers in the first half and allowed NA to remain comfortable ahead in the second half with 14 points for the contest.  LaBarge connected on two three-pointers and provided a pair of steals as well, earning Wright Automotive Player of the Game honors. 

To their credit, the Trojans played much better in the second half but it was too little, too late as the Tigers had already built a monstrous lead.  Junior Krissy Fromknecht led McDowell with six points while Caryn Kopay and Marissa Molnar followed up with five points apiece.  The Trojans’ undoing was their inability to take care of the basketball as North Allegheny won the turnover battle, 22-14.  Many of those turnovers led to easy breakaway lay-ups for the Tigers. 

With the win, North Allegheny begins the year with a 1-0 record.  McDowell is now 0-1 and will face Altoona in the consolation game at 1:30 pm this afternoon.  The Lady Tigers hope to claim big trophy at the Wright Automotive Tip-off Tournament when NA battles the reigning WPIAL champions, the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils, at 3:00 pm in the tournament title game.  The contest will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network. 

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WRIGHT AUTOMOTIVE TIP-OFF TOURNAMENT GETS UNDERWAY FRIDAY

(12/6/12) The high school basketball season kicks off in a big way on Friday night as North Allegheny hosts the Wright Automotive Girls’ Basketball Tip-Off Tournament.  NASH gymnasium will play host to four teams, including the Lady Tigers, over the weekend to kick-off the 2012-13 season.  Varsity tournament action will begin at 6:00 pm on Friday as perennial power Mt. Lebanon battles Altoona.  That game will be followed by North Allegheny and Erie McDowell at 8:00 pm.  On Saturday, tournament action continues at 1:30 pm with the Consolation Game to be followed by the Championship Game at 3:00 pm.  The JV squads from all four schools will also be competing on Friday and Saturday as well.   For more information on game times at the Wright Automotive Girls’ Tip-Off Tournament, click here.

In further breakdown the teams that are competing at the Tip-Off Tournament, the opening game of varsity action pits a pair of teams that reached the state playoffs a year ago.  The Altoona Mountain Lions finished with a 19-5 record last season, going 7-3 against WPIAL opponents.  The Mountain Lions fell in the opening round of the PIAA playoffs, 40-35, to Oakland Catholic and are hoping to win a District 6 title and again reach the state bracket.   Mt. Lebanon, the reigning WPIAL champions, defeated Altoona in January of last season in a non-section affair, 62-55, on their way toward a 25-4 record.  The Blue Devils defeated Oakland Catholic for the WPIAL crown before eventually falling to the Eagles in a rematch in the PIAA quarterfinals.  The Altoona-Mt. Lebanon contest should be an exciting one to open play at the Wright Automotive Tip-Off Tournament.

At 8:00 pm, the home-standing North Allegheny Tigers will hit the floor looking to build on a 17-6 record with another post-season appearance under head coach Sherri McConnell.  NA’s lone senior, point guard Maddie Nellis, will help lead a young and hungry group of Lady Tigers this season.  Other notable standouts include shooting guard Taylor Brennan and up-and-coming sophomore Meg Morningstar.   The Tigers opponent on Friday night at the tip-off tournament will be the Erie McDowell Trojans.  The Trojans are coming off a 17-7 season a year ago, including a convincing 56-18 win over Central Tech for the District 10 crown.  At the Tip-Off Tournament last year, McDowell edged the Tigers 48-46.  North Allegheny is hoping for revenge in this year’s rematch.  If you can’t make it to the game, you can hear all the action via our live broadcast on the North Allegheny Sports Network. 

In addition to the Tip-Off Tournament, don’t miss the Wright Automotive Holiday Tournament later this month.  That tourney will feature four girls’ teams and four boys’ teams as part of the two day event.  For more information, click here.

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MEG MORNINGSTAR AMONG TOP PROSPECTS FOR CLASS OF 2015

(6/13/12) The North Allegheny Girls’ Basketball Team, in particular underclassman Meg Morningstar, is receiving some national attention.  Morningstar was one of 200 prospects who attended the Elite Basketball Academy’s Super 64 East camp and has been heralded as one of the top prospects from the Class of 2015 by ESPN.  Morningstar spent her freshman season on the JV squad saw limited minutes in varsity action.  However, the 6-2 Morningstar is expected to make a splash during the winter of 2012-13 for the Lady Tigers.  Below is the write up from ESPN on Morningstar:

Meg Morningstar (Pittsburgh, Pa.), North Allegheny: Morningstar has great length out on the perimeter and a solid knowledge of the game. At 6-2, she has the height to shoot over smaller defenders, and she will add strength and size as she matures. On offense, she does a good job of reading her defender to set herself up for a shot or a quick drive for a pull-up. If you leave her open, she is automatic from the perimeter, but if you close out too soon, she is fast enough to get around the defense and make a play. Morningstar has the skills to be a good player and should only improve with more lateral speed and time for her body to fill out.

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