LEWISTOWN - With every stroke of the wrist in the Mifflin County-Hollidaysburg girls basketball rematch Monday, one could almost sense that every 3-pointer was going to find twine.
The Lady Tigers and Huskies traded baskets most of the way and combined to hit 16 from long range. But in the end, it was the Huskies who avenged a 17-point loss at Hollidaysburg earlier in the season.
The Lady Huskies came out on the winning end of a 57-47 win, thanks to 19 points from Ashleigh Williams and 14 from Whitney Corbin. Alex Gildea led the Lady Tigers with 16.
"I see a lot of maturity here," Mifflin County coach Kevin Kodish said. "They stuck to the course and kept the ball moving."
Hollidaysburg was able to hit eight 3s in the game, but once Mifflin County got the lead, the momentum was just a bit much for the Golden Tigers to hang on to.
"They [Lady Huskies] were very aggressive on both ends of the floor," Hollidaysburg coach Deanna Jubeck said. "We were both shooting the ball well. They got the momentum and the lead, and they put their free throws in."
Corbin and Gildea each did all they could to propel their respective teams. It was Gildea and the Golden Tigers who had the hot hand early.
Hollidaysburg cruised out to a 9-2 lead with three minutes gone in the first period. Gildea exploded for seven points in that span. But the Lady Huskies soon realized their biggest threat was toeing the arc.
Corbin got hot, and Mifflin County knew how to find her. The senior guard poured in a deep, wide-open 3 and then buried another to bring the Huskies within one. After Hannah Mercer hit two from the stripe for the Lady Tigers, Corbin worked her way through the lane to make it 11-10 with Hollidaysburg in the lead after the first.
The 3-point explosion continued in the second quarter. Hollidaysburg hit four threes in the quarter with Gildea, Susie Ellis, Michele Muir and Courteney Storm each burying shots.
But again it was Corbin who kept the Huskies in it. She delivered six points, and Hollidaysburg held a slim 25-24 lead at the half.
The Lady Huskies built a 44-37 lead in the third quarter, and the 3-point game turned into a free-throw battle in the fourth quarter. Mifflin County hit 9-of-13, while Hollidaysburg was 5-for-9.
Ellis dropped a 3 to pull the Lady Tigers within four with two minutes to play. But Mifflin County iced the game at the line.
Hollidaysburg fell to 10-7.
"We have to improve from here. At the end of the month we're all at 0-0," Jubeck said.
HOLLIDAYSBURG (47): Gildea 7 0-0 16, McClain 0 2-2 2, Ellis 4 0-0 10, Griffith 0 3-6 3, Mercer 1 2-3 5, Muir 1 0-0 3, Storm 3 0-0 8, Tomassetti 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16 7-12 47.
MIFFLIN COUNTY (57): Snyder 1 0-2 2, Corbin 5 1-2 14, Williams 4 9-12 19, Halfpenny 5 0-0 12, Knable 1 3-4 6, Cline 2 0-0 4, Chestnut 0 0-2 0, Cassatt 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18 13-22 57.
Score by quarters
Hollidaysburg11 14 12 10 - 47
Mifflin County10 14 20 13 - 57
3-point goals: Hollidaysburg 8 (Gildea 2, Ellis 2, Storm 2, Mercer, Muir). Mifflin County 8 (Corbin 3, Williams 2, Halfpenny 2, Knable).
