Betz carries North Allegheny to win over Peters Twp.
MT. LEBANON – Sometimes, you have to tip your cap to the opposition.
Lydia Betz scored a game-high 21 points, which was highlighted by a personal 7-0 run in the first three minutes of the third quarter, to lead North Allegheny to a 43-30 victory over Peters Township on Monday night in the semifinals of the WPIAL Class 6A girls basketball playoffs at Mt. Lebanon High School.
The Tigers (22-2) will look to win their second straight district title Friday against top-seeded Norwin (20-3) at the Petersen Events Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The Indians (22-2) will play Chartiers Valley (16-7) in the consolation final Wednesday. Peters Township defeated the Colts twice this season. All four teams in the semifinals have advanced to the state tournament.
“They just attacked with Lydia Betz one-on-one and that’s what got us in trouble,” Peters Township coach Steve Limberiou said. “That was the main thing that really happened the first three quarters, but credit to her, she made tough shots. I thought we defended her pretty well, but a lot of the scoring was just isolation type of plays.
“We didn’t shoot the ball well. It starts there, and it wasn’t just from three. I think we struggled around the rim, too. The ball just didn’t consistently go in. We have to be able to flip the page onto Wednesday. We still have at least two more games in the season.”
Peters Township scored the first points of the second half as Natalie Wetzel sank two free throws to cut the Indians’ deficit to 22-19 before Betz, who had 12 points in the first half, started to take over.
Betz drove for a basket and swished a shot from behind-the-arc for a 27-19 advantage. North Allegheny had missed a prior shot from three-point range but grabbed an offensive rebound and fired a pass to Betz for the basket.
Betz’s pull-up jumper and a turnover by Peters Township prompted Limberiou to take a timeout with his team down 10 with 4:58 left in the period.
“That’s Lydia,” North Allegheny coach Spencer Stefko said. “She brings her lunch pail to work every day, and there’s not anyone that noticed she scored that many because that’s what she does.”
Cate Pingpank’s putback extended the Tigers’ lead to 31-19, but Wetzel converted on a three-point play and Gemma Walker’s layup pulled the Indians within seven after three quarters.
Wetzel led Peters Township in scoring with 9 points and Walker added 6. Teammate Daniela Radulovich put in 8.
“That is just toughness on another level from our girls,” Stefko said. “To hold players like Wetzel and Walker to 15 combined points is something, and these girls are a heck of a lot tougher than I have ever been in my life.”
Alina Sopko’s basket cut North Allegheny’s advantage to 31-26, but the Tigers went on a 6-2 run for a 37-28 lead with 3:48 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Indians couldn’t cut into the lead over the next two minutes and were forced to foul with 1:38 remaining.
Walker connected for Peters Township’s last points 10 seconds later, but the Tigers scored their last six points at the foul line.
The Indians had a 5-2 advantage in the first quarter after Brianna Morreale connected from beyond-the-arc, but North Allegheny closed the period on a 7-2 run for a 9-7 lead heading into the second.
Peters Township had an 18-17 advantage on a jumper by Wetzel in the middle of the second quarter before the Tigers ended on a 4-0 run for a 22-17 halftime edge.