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By Matt Michelone
For the Mirror
CRESSON -- Both of the Central Cambria and Penn Cambria girls basketball teams had trouble shooting for much of their Friday night LHAC match up. Each of the defenses held their opponent to prolonged scoring droughts at times. A couple of them as many as five minutes if not more.
The Lady Red Devils, though, found their grove in the second quarter on offense and locked things down defensively -- especially in the third quarter -- en route to a 41-34 triumph over the Lady Panthers at the Penn Cambria gym.
Central Cambria got separation in part to a 15-5 run in the third quarter which let them take the lead 34-25 after the third.
"We came out a little bit more poised in the second half," Central Cambria coach Brittany Bracken said. "Even though we know what Penn Cambria does, I still think they sped us up a little bit in the first half.
"I like what we did defensively, one shot, get a rebound. I still think offensively they disrupted us a little bit, but overall to hold a team to 34 points, that's great."
Central Cambria's offense overcame an eight minute drought in the second after ending a 12-0 Lady Panther run. Alana Long and Katie George both scored four points as part of the Lady Red Devil second.
George came up with a key floater with a little over a minute to play.
McKenna McCoy, though, answered with a mid-court 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Lady Panthers a 20-19 lead at the break. McCoy led the Lady Panthers with nine.
Penn Cambria coach Josh Himmer believed his team's shooting problems played a big factor in the defeat.
"Our girls just didn't translate practice maybe into the game," he said. "I think we were 10-for-40 from the field, and we were 5-for-23 from 3. It really just comes down to us making shots. I think we probably missed 12 uncontested layups.
"I got to find a way to get the girls confidence back. We're getting great looks. We just got to find a way to put in the hoop and have a little more confidence about what we're doing."
The Lady Devils meanwhile put the locks down on defense and the offense responded as Long nailed a pair of threes. She finished the night with 13 points to lead all scorers followed by Abigail Sheehan who had 10.
Penn Cambria didn't go down without a fight as Avery LeMaster knocked down a 3 with a little over 30 seconds to play in the game to cut the deficit to two.
"I think we did a really great job finishing as a team, too," Bracken said. "The girls on my bench were positive energy, my girls on the court were positive energy. When everyone is playing together and there's positive energy, good things happen."
Himmer credited the Lady Panthers efforts on defense for keeping them in the game.
"Half of the game I have to give them credit," he said. "They held them to three points in the first quarter. To hold a team around 37 points (before the last four free throws) on your home floor and not win is very disappointing."
CENTRAL CAMBRIA (41): Al. Sheehan 1 0-0 3, Ab. Sheehan 2 4-4 10, Long 4 3-6 13, Link 1 0-0 2, A. Ruddek 0 0-0 0, Barra 2 0-2 4, R. Ruddek 1 1-2 3, George 3 0-0 6. Totals: 14 7-10 41.
PENN CAMBRIA (34): Ronan 3 0-0 7, Saleme 0 0-0 0, Hite 1 0-2 2, Ave. LeMaster 2 2-4 7, Ava. LeMaster 1 0-0 2, McCoy 4 0-0 9, Beard 2 0-0 5, Anderson 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12 4-10 34.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Central Cambria 3 16 15 7 -- 41
Penn Cambria 9 11 5 9 -- 34
3-point goals: Central Cambria 5 (Al. Sheehan, Ab. Sheehan 2, Long 2), Penn Cambria 4 (Ronan, Ave. LeMaster, McCoy, Beard)
Records: Central Cambria (4-2), Penn Cambria (3-3).
Officials: Ray Witkowski, Shawn Sinclair, Sam Zambanini
JV: Penn Cambria, 42-25. High scorers--Rowyn Ruddek, CC, 12; Makayla Bianconi, PC, 12.