The Altoona Area High School girls basketball team has all the ingredients to be a Class 6A state title contender — the Lady Lions just need some seasoning.

Unbeaten North Allegheny, though, has the recipe for success down pat already.

That played out on Friday night at the Altoona Area High School Fieldhouse. The Lady Lions couldn’t find the bucket early and wound up playing from behind the entire contest, then just didn’t have enough left in the tank to come back in falling to the 2017 PIAA runners-up Lady Tigers, 54-43, before a large crowd at the AAHS Fieldhouse.

“They’ve always been up at the top, and this is one of our first years being ranked high in the state,” Lady Lion junior pivot Bridgid Fox said. “I give them credit. They hit shots, and we couldn’t hit shots. And it’s not our shots that are really affecting us. It’s the pressure that we have to learn to deal with.”

Altoona’s Olivia Hudson scored a game-high 16 points, while Fox scored 14 for the Lady Lions, who dipped to 14-2 this season, both losses coming to the Lady Tigers. Altoona started the game 1-for-10 from the floor, falling behind 9-2 out of the gate, and missed its first 12 3-pointers before Fox converted from the top of the circle with 6 seconds left in the first half.

“I think we were a little nervous just because we had the big crowd. We never had that many people. This was definitely our biggest game,” Hudson said. “We were rushing shots. That didn’t help. They just weren’t falling for us.”

Altoona was getting reasonably good looks much of the contest, the Lady Lions just couldn’t convert. Altoona finished 4-for-23 from 3-point range, with one of the makes being a shot Hudson banked in in the fourth quarter.

The Lady Lions were 18-for-46 from the floor and only were able to get to the foul line for four free throws. North Allegheny, meanwhile, worked the ball well and made seven of 19 treys.

Altoona coach Miriam Colledge felt North Allegheny’s defense was able to pressure her Lady Lions just enough to make them uncomfortable, causing many of those misses.

“We’ve got to execute better. All of their kids execute well,” Colledge said. “When you execute well, that leads to those open shots when you get that extra second to shoot.”

North Allegheny beat Altoona 45-44 in the third game of the season. Last year, the Lady Tigers won the only head-to-head matchup by four.

In the back hallway after the game, NA coach Spencer Stefko told the Altoona coaches he hoped his team didn’t have to play the Lady Lions a third time this season.

“They’re as good as anybody in the Western part of the state. They’re as good as us,” Stefko said. “They’re a much better shooting team than that. I like to think we have something to do with that by contesting their shots, but again, even with contested shots, they usually shoot better than that.”

All-state point guard Rachel Martindale paced the Lady Tigers with 15 points and four assists, throwing several jaw-dropping passes. Meanwhile, Courtney Roman added 11 points, Piper Morningstar scored 10, and all five North Allegheny starters scored at least seven.

North Allegheny improved to 13-0.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game. We were going to have to come out and match their intensity,” Martindale said. “Getting out to the big lead was key. We hit some big shots that really changed the momentum of the game.”

Altoona looked like it was on the verge of getting back into the game on a couple of occasions. Fox scored off a lob and a put-back to narrow the gap that was once as many as 12 down to six points midway through the third quarter.

However, Altoona came up empty on a couple of chances to get even closer, and Martindale made a 3 to ignite an 8-0 run. Fox had two fourth-quarter buckets nullified by charging calls, and the Lady Tigers moved ahead by as many as 19 in the final period before Altoona mounted a late charge.

“It definitely could have changed the game, but it is what it is,” Hudson said of not being able to get a key break at a pivotal time.

Still, the Lady Lions left the court on Friday night hungry.

“We’re committed to wanting to get better and to work harder,” Colledge said. “(The players) know what lies ahead. If they want to move on, this is what they have to go through. They know what it’s going to take to beat a team of this caliber.”

Consider this game a lesson, and one Altoona thinks will help it graduate to the next level: North Allegheny’s level.

“They’re still the top dog, but I think we can give them a run for their money,” Fox said.

Game notes: Altoona only played six players, while North Allegheny used nine. Kayley Burke started in place of Shaina Lear, who was ill. Lear played in short shifts. … North Allegheny was a 36-32 winner in the junior varsity game, which was tied through three quarters. … Altoona travels to Hempfield on Monday.

NORTH ALLEGHENY (54): Martindale 5 3-4 15, Roman 4 0-0 11, Pi. Morningstar 4 1-2 10, Groetsch 3 0-0 7, Fischer 3 3-4 9, Serbin 0 0-0 0, Chomos 0 0-0 0, Balouris 1 0-0 2, Barcia 0 0-0 0. Totals — 20 7-10 54.

ALTOONA (43): Stevens 0 0-0 0, Hudson 6 2-2 16, Burke 3 0-0 6, Perea 3 0-0 6, Fox 6 0-0 14, Lear 0 1-2 1. Totals — 18 3-4 43.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

North Allegheny 11 17 12 14 — 54

Altoona 6 14 8 15 — 43

3-point goals: North Allegheny 7 (Pi. Morningstar, Roman 3, Martindale 2, Groetsch); Altoona 4 (Fox 2, Hudson 2).

Records: North Allegheny (13-0); Altoona (14-2).

Officials: Tona Williams, Dave Pray, Justin Fraker.

JV: North Allegheny, 36-32. High scorers–Mary Evankovich, NA, 10; Brooklyn Rupert, A, 10.