Bishop Guilfoyle defeated Northern Cambria 49-29 Saturday at the Bryce Jordan Center to claim the PIAA Class A girls basketball championship.
Following was our live in-game blog:
The Mirror crew is courtside at tbe Bryce Jordan Center for the PIAA Class A girls basketball championship between defending champ Bishop Guilfoyle and Northern Cambria.
And the wireless is working!
The teams have just taken the floor for their final warmups. The music's blaring, and the officials -- a District 6 trio led by Leiwstown's Tona Williams, the lead referee -- are out.
Williams is joined by Sue Kovensky and Chuck Glasser.
We'll provide frequent updates over the next 90 minutes ...
FIRST QUARTER
Dunchack controls the tip ... BG in straight man to man as NC spreads floor and Ariel Rocco opens the scoring with a corner shot.
(Note to devouts: This won't be total play-by-play but just wanted to get started).
BG empty on first two trips.
Alli Williams gets the Lady Marauders on the board with a layoff from the post.
Kelsey Livoti nails a 3-pointer for BG and then follows with a runner to give BG a 7-4 lead and then Williams gets away with a walk -- and a possible charge -- and will be at the line for a three-play play attempt. as BG builds a 9-4 lead with 3:28 left in the quarter.
NC coach Eric Thomas, upset with the call, gets a timeout.
Williams misses the free throw, but NC turns it over. BG quickly pounds it into Williams, who scores and looks pretty unstoppable so far. She has six of BG's points.
Janae Dunchack makes a free throw to pull NC within 11-5.
Guilfoyle's balance is now showing as freshman Halee Adams buries a 3-pointer for a 14-7 lead. Livoti gets loose for another layup and BG leads after one quarter 16-7.
SECOND QUARTER
The game is taking shape, and it's not pretty for Northern Cambria.
Elyssa Ehredt -- another BG freshman -- scores off an inbounds pass, putting BG up 22-7 with 6:28 left in the half. All five starters have now scored for BG.
Wiliams scores again -- she's hit five of seven from the field -- and it's more than clear BG, which is getting every loose ball, is the more physical team.
Northern Cambria can't get the ball in and has to use a timeout, its second.
Quick stat recap: BG has hit 11 of 20 from the floor, NC is 4 of 14 and has committed eight turnovers so far. Dunchack, so far a Colt bright spot, makes her third field goal and her seventh of NC's 10 points.
BG tries to melt the last 1:10 of the and turns the ball over with 15 seconds left -- the only mistake, seemingly, the Lady Marauders have made all half. But NC rushes up, gives up a steal and Guilfoyle hits Adams at the other end for a layup that beats the buzzer.
That pretty much sums up the first half as BG goes into the locker room up 28-11 and 16 minutes from its fourth state title and third in three years.
Four BG starters have at least two buckets each, headed by Williams' 10 points. Only Dunchack has more than one field goal for Northern Cambria.
The rout appears on and the Lady Colts, who played BG to overtime in the Distict 6 final, will need to make some adjustments quickly.
THIRD QUARTER
Guilfoyle comes out and appears content to be patient, understandable with a now 30-13 lead with four minutes and change to go in the quarter.
Northern Cambria is shooting 20 percent (5-25) while BG is hitting 48 percent (13-27).
The Lady Colts are showing some life and Dunchack gets two offensive rebounds, is fouled and makes a free throw, cutting BG's lead to 31-18 with 2:08 left in the period -- and now Ariel Rocco coaxes in a 15-footer, pulling Northern within 31-20, the closest its been since the first quarter.
BG, though, calmly keeps its poise and executes a Floyd-to-Adams give and go to push it back to 33-20.
Guilfoyle has the ball back and is working for the last shot, trying to burn the last 35 seconds -- and it does as Adams scores again down low and now has nine points.
BG leads 35-20 and you can be sure it will be spread out in the fourth quarter.
FOURTH QUARTER
NC continues to play with character as Rocco hits a bucket and two free throws, pulling the Colts within 35-24 before Williams cleans up a miss for her first points since early and a 37-22 lead with 6:08 left.
Dunchack scores and BG is spread with 5:10 left, content to weave.
Williams hits a couple of free throws and now has a double-double with 14 points and a dozen rebounds. I find myself with her ballhandling, ability to face the hoop and her physicality and curious where she'll fit into the Division I level at St. Francis. Power forward? Probably, but she can really dribble and break pressure, too, which will be an asset.
Some frustration may be setting in for the Colts as Brianna Kochinsky is called for an intentional foul on Adams, who makes the free throws for a 42-26 lead at 3:30. NC's top scorer, Kochinsky remains without a field goal.
I'm starting to anticipate when Mark Moschella will remove Alli Williams to what should be a desevedly loud curtain call.
BG fans can smell it. They're clapping with the Lady Marauders in their spread and 1:43 left.
Ehredt, the granddaughter of Tom Irwin, makes a pair of free throws and it's 45-26. No movement from Moschella on Williams, though.
Moschella insets three subs but leaves seniors Williams and Floyd out there. Meanwhile, Thomas removes Dunchack, Kochinsky and Rocco to a police ovation.
No curtain for Alli, who's still out there are the clock runs out.
Final: BG 49, Northern Cambria 29.
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