Schuylkill Valley’s struggles in the District 3 playoffs continued Friday night.
Searching for their first district playoff win since 2008, the fourth-seeded Panthers were simply outmatched in all phases by fifth-seeded Lancaster Catholic, which cruised to a 60-31 win in a District 3 Class 4A girls basketball quarterfinal at Leesport.
“We played hard,” Schuylkill Valley coach Jason Bagenstose said. “We got good shots, they just didn’t go in.”
The Crusaders (22-4) dominated for the majority of the game, relying on their speed and effective shooting to build a big lead. On defense, Lancaster Catholic used its size advantage to slow the Panthers.
“Lancaster Catholic, they expect to play in playoff games (and) they expect to win,” Bagenstose said. “We have to get that mindset where we belong here, and now we’re here to win.”
The Crusaders jumped to a 10-point lead early in the first quarter and remained comfortably ahead the rest of the night. Lancaster Catholic hit several 3-pointers early in the game and led 24-11 after one quarter.
“They didn’t miss in the first quarter,” Bagenstose said. “They have shooters everywhere.”
Schuylkill Valley (20-3) was inconsistent in generating open scoring chances, as the Crusaders played tight defense. The Panthers also committed several costly turnovers in the first 16 minutes and trailed 38-17 at halftime.
“It’s just something that they have to get used to,” Bagenstose said. “When you get to (the) playoffs, you’re not going to get away with mistakes.”
Lancaster Catholic sophomore Lily Lehman led all scorers with 10 points in the first half and 17 overall. Senior Jeriyah Johnson had 14 points.
The Crusaders remained in control in the third quarter, leading by as many as 33 points. Schuylkill Valley was unable to garner any momentum, as Lancaster Catholic continued its exceptional shooting performance.
“They just don’t miss,” Bagenstose said. “That team is very fundamentally sound.”
Things remained largely the same in the fourth quarter, as the Crusaders led by as many as 32 points.
“They never give up,” Bagenstose said about his players. “They play hard to the end.”
Senior Jadyn Heck-Hoppes led the Panthers with eight points. Sophomore Natane White finished with seven points, while senior Madison Ziska scored six.
Schuylkill Valley will play in the consolation semifinals Tuesday, when they will host No. 9 seed Bishop McDevitt at 7 p.m. A win will earn the Panthers a spot in the state playoffs, while a loss will bring their season to an end.
“We’re definitely keeping our heads up,” Ziska said. “We’re going to use the motivation from our loss to play our next district game.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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