MECHANICSBURG — Gov. Mifflin was dealt a lethal taste of its own medicine on Monday night.
The 11th-seeded and county champ Mustangs, the top 3-point shooting team in Berks, had their season brought to an end by Cumberland Valley and its powerful outside shooting, which the sixth-seeded Eagles relied on to cruise to a 71-53 victory in the opening round of the District 3 Class 6A girls basketball playoffs.
“We gave up too many second and third shots,” Mustangs coach Mike Clark said. “Other than that, I thought the girls played well.”
Gov. Mifflin (17-9) allowed 71 points, which ties a season high. Defending district champion Cumberland Valley (18-4) made 12 3-pointers and took advantage of second-chance points.
“I think we did well initially on the first shot defensively,” Clark said. “I thought (on) the second and third shot, we gave up too many.”
The first quarter was largely even, as both teams shot the ball effectively from the perimeter. The Eagles clogged up the paint, forcing Gov. Mifflin to shoot from distance.
The Mustangs hit several crucial 3-pointers in the first quarter and trailed 16-14 after eight minutes. Junior Anyah Ortiz had seven points in the first quarter and led Gov. Mifflin with 16 overall.
Cumberland Valley began the second quarter with a 17-0 run to take a 19-point lead. The Eagles dominated the quarter on both ends of the floor, as they played suffocating defense and shot the ball effectively.
Cumberland Valley outrebounded the Mustangs and blocked several shots. The Eagles’ quick defense forced Gov. Mifflin outside the arc, and they did not allow any open shots from close range.
“I thought they did a good job running us off the 3(-point line) and then having help to clog up the lane,” Clark said. “They were bigger than us at every position.”
Cumberland Valley outscored the Mustangs 22-8 in the second quarter and led 38-22 at halftime. The Eagles made five 3-pointers in the first half.
Cumberland Valley maintained its comfortable lead and cruised through the second half. Contrary to the first 16 minutes, the Eagles loosened their interior defense in the second half and focused on guarding the 3-point line.
Gov. Mifflin responded by nailing a handful of 3-pointers from several feet beyond the arc. True to form, Mustangs made 12 3-pointers in the game, six in the second half.
“We always shoot the 3-ball pretty well,” Clark said. “We played our same game we always play and the girls did everything they were supposed to do.”
Despite the efficient shooting, Gov. Mifflin could not cut into Cumberland Valley’s lead. The Eagles outscored the Mustangs 33-31 in the second half and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the final 16 minutes.
Cumberland Valley senior Natalie Parsons led all scorers with 21 points, while sophomore Jill Jekot had 20. Five different Eagles scored eight points or more.
Cumberland Valley will continue its season in the quarterfinals against No. 3 seed Red Lion on Thursday at 7 p.m.
On the other side, Gov. Mifflin’s quest to follow its county championship with a district title is over. Despite the season-ending loss, Clark said he will never forget how the 2021-22 Mustangs responded to adversity.
“I’ll remember nobody giving us a chance in the county,” Clark said. “The girls played (hard) and didn’t listen to the outside people talking.”
Source: Berkshire mont