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Abington Heights' #44 Alessia Brunori drives past New Oxford's # 15 Haley Luckabaugh and scores during the game Saturday, March 11, at Marywood University. Jason Farmer / Staff Photographer

It was as good a half of basketball as Abington Heights junior Hannah Kowalski has played.

Turns out, even that wasnt enough.

New Oxford survived a monumental 16 minutes by the Lady Comets point guard, then posted its own second-half run as the Colonials ousted Abington Heights in the PIAA Class 5A tournament, 58-44, on Saturday at Marywood Universitys Insalaco Center.

I knew I wanted to leave it all out on the floor, said Kowalski, who went 7 of 14 in the first half, scoring 20 of her 22 points. I came out as hard as I could and give it my best effort.

Kowalski rained 3s on New Oxford, drilling three in the opening quarter and another in the final minute of the second quarter, combining with Olivia Baker to keep the Lady Comets within striking distance after second-leading scorer Alessia Brunori picked up two quick fouls and sat the final 12 minutes.

Theres no better half of basketball that shes played than that first half, Abington Heights coach Deanna Klingman said.

New Oxford was able to weather the storm.

We knew (Kowalski) was going to take 95 percent of their shots, New Oxford coach Jim Kunkle said. We just got a little tighter on her the second half, played more help defense if she got by her.

The Colonials also went to a longer and more agile defender in Daelyn Stabler, who was able to keep Kowalski in check.

She was definitely quicker than whoever guarded me the first half, and she had long arms which made it difficult, Kowalski said. She definitely challenged me. I didnt get what I wanted the second half.

So Klingman took a different tact.

We said to our post players the elbow shot is going to be there, Klingman said.

Baker hit two mid-range jumpers to give the Lady Comets a 37-32 lead midway through the third.

Then the wheels came off.

After hitting five 3s in the first half, the team missed all 19 long-range attempts in the final two quarters and New Oxford, which got 18 points apiece from Haley Luckenbaugh and Kaelyn Long, pulled clear thanks to an 18-0 run that bridged the third and fourth quarters.

We forced probably the last five or six (3s), but still, the other shots were open when we took them, Klingman said. Great looks. I tell the kids Ill give you those looks every day of the week. Thats basketball.

You need to make those shots when you get to this level. It wasnt just our shooting night tonight from the perimeter, and we needed that.

Contact the writer:

mmyers@timesshamrock.com

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New Oxford (22-8) H. Luckenbaugh 4 8-8 18, K. Long 3 12-16 18, B. Sauter 3 1-3 7, D. Stabler 3 0-0 6, H. Still 1 2-2 5, P. Berryhill 1 2-5 4, A. Nailor 0 0-0 0, L. Slonaker 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15-42 25-34 58.

Abington Heights (14-12) H. Kowalski 8 2-2 22, O. Baker 4 2-2 10, A. Brunori 2 1-2 5, E. Albright 2 0-0 4, G. Evans 1 0-0 3, N. Getz 0 0-0 0, N. Nealon 0 0-0 0, P. Koehler 0 0-0 0. Totals: 17-46 5-6 40.

New Oxford 15 15 10 18 58

Abington Heights 12 17 8 7 44

3-point shooting: NO 3-8 (Luckenbaugh 2-5, Still 1-2, Sauter 0-1), AH 5-32 (Kowalski 4-19, Evans 1-9, Albright 0-1, Getz 0-3). Rebounds: NO 39 (Long 12), AH 28 (Brunori 9). Assists: NO 7 (Long 5), AH 6

(Kowalski 5). Steals: NO 10 (Luckabaugh 3, Stabler 3), AH 7 (Evans 2, Albright 2). Turnovers: NO 14, AH 13. Blocks: AH 5 (Kowalski 2, Baker 2). Fouled out: Kowalski.

Read the rest here:

PIAA GIRLS: Kowalski's effort not enough to carry Lady Comets - Scranton Times-Tribune