BY JEFF FALK

ASSUMPTION HILL – The game has slowed down for the Lebanon Catholic girls’ basketball team. So much so that the Beavers are never afraid to speed things up.

It was all about pace on Tuesday night at Lebanon Catholic School, as the streaking Beaver girls stayed red hot with an 82-62 Lancaster-Lebanon Section Three triumph over Pequea Valley. Competing at a frantic pace in the open floor, Lebanon Catholic scored in a variety of ways and got contributions from numerous sources in opening a 30-point lead early in the fourth quarter.

It was the Beavers’ tenth win in their last 11 outings, as they improved to 12-4 overall and 6-2 in Section Three. With big games against Northern Lebanon and Lancaster Catholic looming, the result also improved Lebanon Catholic’s standings for the L-L League and District Three Class A tournaments.

Lebanon Catholic is the reigning PIAA Class A champion.

Pequea Valley, which lost to the Beavers 71-53 in Kinzers back on December 15th, fell to 8-5 on the season and 4-4 in the circuit.

“We are at our best when we’re running,” said Lebanon Catholic head coach Patti Hower. “We have people who can run the floor and finish. But it’s a fine line. At some point you’ve got to slow it down, because the clock is in our favor. It’s not always a good shot, and if it goes in, then they’re (her players) reinforced.

“But we can execute in the half court,” continued Hower. “Now we’ve got our top seven players who can change positions. I thought there were some times tonight when we executed really well. It’s making better decisions.”

“I don’t think we mind playing that way,” said Lebanon Catholic senior star Alexis Hill. “We’re an athletic team. We can keep up. I like playing that way. Run and gun, that’s the easiest kind of game. That’s good practice for tomorrow (at home against Northern Lebanon).”

While the pace was furious throughout, the Beavers turned up the intensity in the middle of the opening quarter.

That’s when, already nursing a 10-9 edge, Lebanon Catholic embarked on a 14-5, 4:18 journey that gave it a 24-14 margin. During the run, Jasmine Turner drained a pair of three-pointers, Hill notched six points of her own and Neesha Pierre scored four.

“Offensively, we shot the ball well,” said Hower. “We had a definite size advantage. Alexis controlled the paint. But defensively, I thought we gave them too many points. Too many times we didn’t get back. That’s an area we definitely need to improve.

“It’s the second time around in the section, and if they (the Braves) beat us we’re even (in the standings),” Hower continued. “I think it’s definitely important to create some distance between third- and fourth-place because the top three go to the league playoffs. We’ve got two big games with Northern Lebanon and Lancaster Catholic coming up. And it’s important to beat the teams we should beat.”

“I feel like we could’ve improved,” said Hill. “It wasn’t one of our best ones, but we won, so I can’t complain. I felt like we missed a lot of easy shots and we could’ve been better defensively. It’s just the little things.

“Tonight was an important game,” added Hill. “They’re (the Braves) doing well too. We play Northern Lebanon tomorrow. I’d rather have a game than practice. But every game is important, and you can’t take anyone lightly.”

The Beavers pieced together a similar burst in the middle of the second quarter, this one was a 17-7 spurt that gave them a 48-29 halftime lead. Hill showed the way with eight points, Mars had four, Taylor Bossert drilled a three-pointer and Hannah Callihan dropped in a lay-up.

“I definitely think we’ve improved,” said Hower. “We’re a little hot-and-cold defensively. It’s a mental thing. There are times when we don’t play as intense as we should. But we’re better as a team. We have some big games coming up, and all those things are preparing us for districts and states.

“In the section, I don’t know if there’s anyone who can knock off Lancaster Catholic, us and Northern Lebanon,” Hower added. “If we can’t win the section, we’d like to get to the league playoffs. Maybe we can win a game or two there, and that would definitely prepare us for the district playoffs.”

On a variety of moves around the bucket, Hill tallied 15 field goals and finished with a season-high 30 points. She received offensive support from teammates Bossert, who totaled 15 points on five three-pointers, CMars, who contributed 13 points, and Turner, who pumped in a dozen.

Lebanon Catholic outscored Pequea Valley 24-12 from beyond the arc and 56-40 on field goals that came from inside of it.

“The thing about Alexis is she’s really nice around the basket,” said Hower. “She’s a great passer. She’s very unselfish. But in my mind, she’s a diamond in the rough. At the next level (Division One Northeastern University), they’re going to work with her and she’s going to get even better. She doesn’t act like the star player out there, but she knows when to take it.

“Yes, we are a better team than last year, because I think everyone has improved as an individual,” added Hower. “Adding Taylor (Bossert) has made us better. She can play the back-up point guard and she can score the ‘three’.”

“I didn’t think I scored that much,” said Hill of her three quarters of work. “But hey, good job, Hill! I thought I was doing more assisting. It must have been in the flow. Most of it came on put-backs and from transition. I don’t look to score. I try to get the team involved.”

With Mars converting a lay-in, Hill scoring on a drive and Turner draining a triple, Lebanon Catholic registered the initial seven points of the second half to push its lead to 55-29. The Beavers also recorded the final 12 points of the third stanza – four each from Pierre and Hill, and two each from Mars and Turner – to carry a 74-46 bulge into the final eight minutes of play.

It was 79-49 when Lebanon Catholic began to substitute liberally.

“At the beginning of the season, we had a new player,” said Hill of Bossert. “We had a minor setback because she was still learning. But she’s been a good help to the team. We’re gelling more now. We’re knowing more where each others at. We’re improving. It’s the midway mark (of the season), so it’s time to tighten up.

“You shouldn’t be satisfied with where you are,” continued Hill. “We’re never going to be OK with where we’re at.”

To purchase images in this article email jkfalk2005@yahoo.com, or to view more go to https://lebanonsportsbuzz.com/photo-gallery/.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017-18 Lebanon Catholic Girls’ Basketball Schedule

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lancaster-Lebanon League

 Section Three Standings

	League			Overall
	W	L	PCT	W	L	PCT	PF	PA
Lancaster Catholic	8	0	100.00	14	0	100.00	859	470
Northern Lebanon	6	1	85.71	11	2	84.62	647	507
Lebanon Catholic	6	2	75.00	12	4	75.00	1034	697
Pequea Valley	4	4	50.00	8	5	61.54	804	682
Columbia	3	4	42.86	6	7	46.15	565	692
Elco	2	6	25.00	5	9	35.71	618	646
Lancaster Mennonite	1	6	14.29	4	10	28.57	637	808
Annville-Cleona	0	7	0.00	2	11	15.38	336	537