BY CHRIS MANNINGNorthern Tier Sports Report
MONTOURSVILLE — NEB was ice cold from the field on Thursday as they fell 44-28 to Northwest in the District IV, Class AA consolation final contest.
The Rangers, on the other hand, were red hot most of the evening, hitting eight 3-balls on the day, including five of their six first half field goals being from deep. And the one that was a two the girls had a toe on the line.
Northwest led 10-5 after one, then extended that lead to 22-12 at the half. NEB played them even in the third to keep it a 10-point deficit, but the Rangers out scored them 11-5 in the second half to pull away.
Despite the tough end to their year coach Ben Beebe was proud of the season they put together.
“I think this is the first time we’ve won over 20 games,” he said. “No matter what you look at, how you look at it, it’s just tough when you don’t finish.”
In her final game as a Panther Leah Beebe finished with seven points, three assists, and three steals for NEB.
“She is one of the best, coachable kids every,” said coach Beebe. “Even though she is my daughter she still takes the brunt of the coaching, and she handles it well, but she should. She’s a role model to all these other girls in how dedicated, and hard working you need to be.”
Kara Dughi had 11 points and seven boards to lead NEB, as Mallorie Maynard added five points, six boards, and two blocks.
Katrina Russell notched three points, and five rebounds, as Aurelia Kolesar had two points, and two steals. Izzy Kapr chipped in with three boards.
NEB led 2-1 early off a Russell lay-up from a Kolesar assist. After a Ranger 3-ball Kolesar bagged a jumper for a 4-4 contest.
Northwest would out score NEB 5-1 the rest of the quarter to take the 5-point lead at the break.
A Dughi jumper to start the second made it 10-7, but a Northwest 3-ball extended the lead to 13-7.
After a Russell free throw cut it to 13-8 Northwest went on a 5-0 run to push the lead to 18-8 with 5:17 left in the half.
Beebe stemmed the bleeding with a deep 3-ball, then followed that up with a free throw for an 18-12 score, but Northwest went 4-for-4 from the charity stripe down the stretch for the 10-point lead at the break.
Dughi got the deficit into single digits with a free throw to start the third, but a 6-0 run from Northwest put them up by 15.
Beebe hit another 3-ball, only for the Rangers to come back with another trey to make it 31-16.
That’s when Dugi went on an 7-0 herself - hitting two freebies, a lay-up, and a 3-ball - to cut the deficit to 31-23, only for the Rangers to get a lay-up just before the horn to keep it a 10-point game.
A pair of Maynard free throws to start the fourth cut it to an 8-point deficit.
Northwest, though, got the next five points for a 38-25 score.
A Maynard corner three was nothing but net to cut it to a 10 point game again with 4:40 to play, but those were the last points NEB would score.
Northwest would go 6-for-8 from the free throw line down the stretch to secure the win.
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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING
