District 6-AAA girls final
Teams: Hollidaysburg Lady Tigers (14-8); Tyrone Lady Eagles (20-3)
Site, time: Altoona Area High School Fieldhouse, 7:30 p.m., tonight.
The coaches: Hollidaysburg - Deanna Jubeck (35-13 in two years). Tyrone - Luke Rhoades (69-72 in six years)
Path to the finals: Hollidaysburg - first playoff game. Tyrone - first playoff game.
Starting lineups: Hollidaysburg - G Hannah Mercer (34, 5-7 jr., 6.5), G Rachel McClain (20, 5-4 sr., 6.8), G Susie Ellis (24, 5-6 jr., 9.8), F Alex Gildea (25, 5-8 sr., 15.2), C Morgan Griffith (40, 5-11 jr., 13.7). Tyrone - G Nicole Gripp (12, 5-6 jr., 9.6), G Jordyn Swogger (22, 5-7 so., 10.7), F Olivia Stever (21, 5-7 sr., 14.1), F Alex Brooks (32, 5-8 jr., 5.7), F Alayna Hettinger (33, 5-8 jr., 8.0).
Key reserves: Hollidaysburg - F Courteney Storm (11, 5-8 so., 5.0), G Michele Muir (23, 5-7 jr., 2.8), G Amy Tomassetti (12, 5-5 jr., 3.0). Tyrone - F Emily Brokenshire (4, 5-7 sr., 2.9), F Morgan Taylor (23, 5-6 jr., 4.2).
Who they get: The winner plays the winner of the game between the fifth-place team from District 7 and the District 8 runner-up on March 10 at a District 6 site. The loser plays at the fourth-place team from District 7 in a play-in game on Tuesday.
Notable: Tyrone is the top seed, but Hollidaysburg is the defending champion, and the Lady Tigers won a head-to-head matchup on Dec. 20, 67-54. Griffith scored a game-high 27 in that game. Tyrone is 18-1 since then, its only loss coming by a point at Central. Hollidaysburg also defeated the Lady Eagles in last year's 6-AAA semifinals, 79-44. Mercer is two assists shy of 100 for the season. Hollidaysburg's district championship last year was its third all-time but its first since 1991. ... The Lady Eagles have held 13 teams to 38 points or fewer. ... Neither team will be in this championship game next year - Hollidaysburg is moving up to Class AAAA, while Tyrone will be dropping to Class AA.
- Philip Cmor
