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By Brad Rosemas
For the Mirror
PORTAGE -- Since Portage joined the Heritage Conference prior to last season, the Mustangs have had trouble facing River Valley, the defending conference champions.
The trend unfortunately continued for the Mustangs in the Heritage semifinals on Tuesday night.
River Valley held Portage to its lowest point total of the season as the Panthers defeated the Mustangs for the second time this season, 46-30.
"It was really nothing different than the last time we played them," Portage coach Lance Hudak said. "Offensively, we just never really got it going. We never put a string of a couple baskets together. We'd get one and then go a couple possessions where nothing would happen. Against a talented team like River Valley, that can't happen."
The Panthers (18-5) advance to the title game against Penns Manor on Friday night at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletics Complex.
River Valley had previously corralled the Mustangs to their then-lowest offensive scoring total of the season on Jan. 11, a 59-43 victory in Blairsville.
Both of Portage's losses this season have come at the hands of River Valley, as the Mustangs now sit at 21-2 after their seven-game win streak was snapped. Portage had also won its first 14 games of the season before the first loss to the Panthers.
"Across the board, the girls listened and followed our scheme very well," River Valley coach Ricc Brown said. "They were fantastic. We did a lot of good things. We were knocking down shots when we needed to, getting rebounds on both ends of the floor, getting big stops. Those things are big in these types of games. The girls did great."
In Tuesday's contest, the Mustangs combined to shoot just 11-for-41 (26 percent) from the floor, including going just 5 of 25 in the first half, where Portage produced just 14 points.
The Mustangs tallied single-digit point totals in each of the four quarters.
"We've really been focusing on our defense," Brown said. "We wanted to use our speed and press a little more, but we threw a zone in there to try and take away their 3-point shooting. We did our best to pressure them a little bit, and thankfully our plan paid off tonight."
After River Valley held a 10-5 lead after one quarter, Portage opened the second with a bucket from Brooke Bednarski and a 3-pointer by Alex Chobany to close the gap to 12-11.
The Panthers answered with three consecutive treys to balloon the lead to 10, and River Valley never looked back.
Portage got as close as six after a basket to start the third quarter put the deficit at 22-16, but River Valley star guard Ava Persichetti scored 10 of her game-high 20 points in the frame to put the Panthers ahead by 15 after three.
"We wanted to get that first basket coming out of the half, and we did that," Hudak said. "We were down six and on the verge of getting right back in it. Then, they go down the floor, (Persichetti) hits a three, and we're back down 10. Great players do that when their team needs a basket, and that's what she is. Definitely the best in the area, I think."
Chobany scored 11 points to lead the Mustangs, who will now be idle for multiple weeks until the District 6 playoffs begin.
Portage is currently the No. 2 seed in the Class 2A standings behind undefeated Bishop McCort. Hudak said the Mustangs plan to compete in scrimmages to stay fresh over the break.
"I told the girls, we're here, and there were eight other teams that weren't playing tonight," Hudak said. "We got here again this year. We lost, but now we'll turn the page and find ways to stay ready for districts."
River Valley (46): Persichetti 8 1-2 20, Staats 3 3-6 11, LaMantia 2 4-7 9, R. Kitner 1 0-2 2, K. Kitner 0 0-0 0, Foust 2 0-0 4. Totals -- 16 8-17 46.
Portage (30): Hudak 0 0-0 0, Chobany 4 1-2 11, Bednarski 3 0-1 6, C. Burkett 1 2-2 4, J. Burkett 2 1-2 6, Noll 0 0-0 0, Myher 1 0-0 3, Bagby 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 11 4-7 30.
Score by Quarters
River Valley 10 12 15 9 -- 46
Portage 5 9 8 8 -- 30
3-point field goals: River Valley 6 (Persichetti 3, Staats 2, LaMantia); Portage 4 (Chobany 2, J. Burkett, Myher).
Records: River Valley 18-5; Portage 21-2.