Both teams showed an abundance of heart and fortitude, as well as pressure under fire, as Hollidaysburg came back from a 36-25 fourth-quarter deficit to stage a furious 15-4 run that tied the game, 40-40 after four quarters and forced the four-minute overtime session.

In the overtime session that went back-and-forth, sophomore guard Mary Haigh scored five points, senior guard Gia Adams chipped in a field goal and last-second free throw, junior guard Morgan Ruggery connected on three of four clutch free throws, junior forward Anberlyn Petrecca scored a field goal, and junior guard Hannah Homan made a free throw, as the Lady Marauders (3-0 overall and in the conference) outscored the Lady Tigers, 14-12 to grind out the victory.

“It was a very physical game,” said Ruggery, whose 11 points put her in the double-figure column with BG teammates Haigh (12), Petrecca (11) and Stella Yeskey (10). “Both sides battled super hard offensively and defensively in what was a great atmosphere here.”

BG coach Kristi Kaack also gave plenty of credit to Hollidaysburg, which placed four players in double figures. Senior guard Makenna Weimert led the Lady Tigers (4-2 overall, 3-1 conference) with 14 points, junior Kate Steiner added 12, senior Clare Padamonsky chipped in 11, and senior Jillian Sidney scored 10.

Clare Padamonsky gets free for a shot under the hoop past Anberlyn Petrecca.

“Hollidaysburg is always a quality opponent,” Kaack said. “They’re well-coached — (Lady Tigers head coach) Deanna Jubeck does a great job with their program, and to get a game like this in our third game of the season is certainly going to help us for the rest of this season. It was a great game.”

And one that wasn’t decided until the very end of the overtime session. After Adams hit a jump shot to give BG a 49-47 lead, Homan converted one of two free throws to make it a 50-47 game.

Weimert scored from inside to narrow the gap to 50-49 for Hollidaysburg with 29 seconds left in the OT session, before BG broke Hollidaysburg’s press and Ruggery drew a foul. She hit both free throws with 19 seconds left, staking the Lady Marauders to a 52-49 lead.

After a missed Hollidaysburg shot, BG regained possession and Ruggery was fouled after taking the inbounds pass with 10 seconds left. She converted one of two free throws to put BG ahead, 53-49.

Weimert connected on a 3-ball from the top of the circle with three seconds left, pulling Hollidaysburg back to within one point, 53-52, but Adams was fouled with two seconds left and made one of two free throws to set the final 54-52 margin of victory for BG.

“This time of the year, it’s great competition to have BG on the schedule and go down to the wire with them in overtime,” Jubeck said. “It just shows how much toughness and grit that our girls have to come back the way they did tonight.

“I think that our kids never gave up, and played with a lot of heart,” Jubeck added. “And we got some turnovers and steals off of our defensive pressure.”

Steiner led the Hollidaysburg comeback with seven fourth-quarter points, while Weimert and Padamonsky scored five apiece.

“I thought that it was a good collective effort on our part,” Kaack said. “I thought that we battled. Good teams overcome adversity, and we did that tonight.”

Both teams play again Friday night, as the host squads in a boys-girls doubleheader. BG welcomes Westmont Hilltop, while Hollidaysburg plays Bishop McCort.

HOLLIDAYSBURG (52): Lightner 2 1-2 5, Weimert 5 3-6 14, Padamonsky 2 7-10 11, Sidney 3 2-2 10, Steiner 2 7-8 12, Hayer 0 0-0 0. Totals – 14 20-28 52.

BISHOP GUILFOYLE (54): Ruggery 2 6-8 11, Haigh 4 2-2 12, Petrecca 4 1-2 11, Adams 2 1-2 6, Williams 0 0-0 0, Homan 1 1-2 4, Yeskey 5 0-0 10. Totals – 18 11-16 54.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Hollidaysburg 3 7 13 17 12–52

Bishop Guilfoyle 8 11 10 11 14-54

3-point goals: Hollidaysburg 4 (Sidney 2, Steiner, Weimert); Bishop Guilfoyle 7 (Petrecca 2, Haigh 2, Ruggery, Adams, Homan).

Records: Hollidaysburg (4-2 overall, 3-1 in the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference); Bishop Guilfoyle (3-0, 3-0).

Officials: Chris Rickens, Sean Albright, Damon Rickens.

JV: Hollidaysburg, 29-18. High scorers – Taryn Leighty, H, 9; Bella Bianconi, BG, 8.