The Jordan rules

WILLIAMSBURG - Open shots are just too sweet to pass up. Especially when time is winding down, regardless of the quarter.

Jordan Hileman's step-back 3-pointer with 1.8 seconds left in the second quarter Tuesday night was just the latest example for the Williamsburg High School senior.

But what she didn't know was that she was three points shy of the 1,000-point plateau before that shot left her hands.

Hileman scored the 20 points she needed to reach the milestone in the first half of the Lady Pirates' Inter-County Conference North game to lead Williamsburg over visiting Juniata Valley, 65-41.

"Jordan is just a phenomenal player," Williamsburg coach Don Appleman said of Hileman achieving the mark. "She's been an outstanding player for us for four years. Tremendous work ethic, plays extremely hard. This is just a reward for all of the hard work she's put into it."

With seven seconds left in the second quarter, Olivia Everhart forced a turnover near midcourt and passed ahead to Hileman, who had no one between her and an easy layup.

But being the competitive player she is, she felt three points was better than two.

"I just figured that since there was seven seconds left on the clock [when I got the ball], I saw that there was no one in the lane - might as well get three instead of two," Hileman said. "I had no idea I needed three. I knew I needed seven coming out of the last timeout, but I had no clue that I needed the 3 at the end [of the half]."

Hileman's 20-point effort, Everhart's eight points, and the Lady Pirates' defense were all keys to the 39-14 lead Williamsburg had at halftime.

The Lady Pirates (15-1, 11-0 ICC North) forced the Lady Hornets (8-10, 5-8) into 15 first-half turnovers.

"I think we didn't score in the first half. We had the opportunities to score - we missed a lot of layups," Juniata Valley coach Jama Greene said. "I was pleased with the effort from my kids in the second half. My kids never gave up, which we could have."

The Lady Hornets got 11 points from Jenna Morgan in the third quarter, but Becca Shaw's three 3-pointers for Williamsburg kept Juniata Valley from cutting into the 25-point lead.

Morgan finished with a team-high 18 points, while Shaw netted 13 for the Pirates.

"For us to be successful, we need to get some balance. We know that," Appleman said. "We'd like to see some of these other kids like Becca and Kelsie [Bookhammer] get their own shots."

Everhart had 14 points, six rebounds, and five assists, and Hileman - who admitted she teared up while being recognized at the beginning of halftime - finished with 23 points, six boards, and five assists.

"It feels absolutely amazing," Hileman said. "It's just as much of a team accomplishment as it is an individual. I wouldn't be able to do this if I didn't have my teammates around me, supporting me, and getting the ball to me so I can shoot. Absolutely amazing. Words can't even describe it. I didn't think I would cry."

Game notes: Appleman coached with a heavy heart Tuesday after his mother, AnnaBelle, passed away Monday. Hileman said the team dedicated the win in AnnaBelle's memory. "She's been not real good for the past couple of years," Appleman said of his mother. "She had a stroke about three weeks ago. She really went downhill. We were expecting it, but it's still not an easy thing to deal with. We have so much help here. We have good assistants, support people, and the kids have been great." ... Former Williamsburg boys coach Dick Buckley was in attendance. Buckley led the Pirates to the 1966 state championship.

JUNIATA VALLEY (41): Morgan 7 2-6 18, Briggs 1 0-0 2, Myers 0 2-4 2, Grugan 1 1-2 3, Zinoble 4 0-0 8, Culp 1 0-0 2, Kyper 2 0-0 4, Anders 0 0-0 0, Snyder 1 0-0 2. Totals - 17-52 5-12 41.

WILLIAMSBURG (65): Hileman 9 3-4 23, Everhart 6 1-2 14, Bookhammer 1 2-2 4, Emeigh 1 0-0 2, Shaw 5 0-0 13, Barroner 1 0-0 3, Tolksdorf 2 0-0 4, White 0 0-0 0, Lynn 0 0-1 0, Edwards 1 0-0 2. Totals - 26-73 6-9 65.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Juniata Valley4 10 16 11 - 41

Williamsburg15 24 16 10 - 65

3-point goals: Juniata Valley 2-11 (Morgan 2); Williamsburg 7-25 (Shaw 3, Hileman 2, Barroner 1, Everhart 1).

Records: Juniata Valley (8-10, 5-8 ICC North); Williamsburg (15-1, 11-0 ICC North).

JV: Williamsburg, 44-11. High scorers-Edwards, W, 14; Anders, JV, 9.