“Proud … just proud,” Fleegle said.

The Lady Lions took a banked-in 3-pointer from Norwin’s Ava Christopher at the end of regulation to send the game to overtime, only to see the Lady Knights connect on another one off the glass in the first minute of overtime.

But that was all that Norwin managed to get in the extra period as Zaelinh Nguyen-Moore and Brionna Hudson put the team on their backs in the final minutes in a 59-54 overtime victory over Norwin at the Altoona Fieldhouse.

“If you would have gone back four years ago, I would have probably said it was (Norwin’s) night,” Fleegle said. “Maybe a little pouting on my end. Not with this group.

Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski Altoona's Brionna Hudson is squeezed by Norwin's Elizabeth Yarosik (left) and Guiliana Giannikas.

“I said to them, ’14-18-year-old young people, when they bank that 3 in, it was hard for me to stomach.’ I needed 30 seconds to regroup and get back out there. And then they banked in another one in overtime. There’s a ton of toughness and resilience in this group. They’re never going to quit.”

Nguyen-Moore, who led Altoona with 23 points on the night, sank a pair of free throws to go up three with 23.1 seconds to play in regulation. That set up Christopher’s heroics to send the game to overtime.

“She yelled ‘bank,'” Norwin coach Brian Brozeski joked. “Ava is a competitor, and she’s always willing to take big shots in big moments. She wasn’t afraid of it.”

After Kylie Rodkey banked in another to open overtime, that was when Altoona’s defense buckled down the rest of the way.

Nguyen-Moore converted on a 3-point play to tie the game with 1:09 remaining.

“I just had the idea that this is our last home game, and I really stand prideful in protecting our house,” Nguyen-Moore said. “The seniors that have been with us, we’ve been together throughout elementary school and middle school, so it means a lot to me to stay with this group a little longer.”

After getting a stop at the other end, Hudson sank the last of her three 3-pointers for the night to give the Lady Lions a 57-54 lead.

At the defensive end, the Lady Lions’ Raylin Eyer blocked a shot, and Hudson was able to scoop it up and take it for a layup at the other end in the final seconds for the 59-54 win.

“I’m proud of the girls. We’ve been battling all season,” Brozeski said. “(Altoona) made a bunch of shots, and good for them. Hudson is a beast. I can’t say enough about (Nguyen-Moore), too. Their team, in general, they did a nice job. That was a great game.”

Altoona hit 10 3-pointers for the night, led by Nguyen-Moore with four of them.

“She’s a superstar,” Fleegle said. “Not a lot of local coaches get to see her play, but after watching her tonight, if someone doesn’t say she’s the best point guard in the area, I just have to shake my head.”

Hudson had 15 points to follow Nguyen-Moore.

Christopher had 20 points to lead Norwin, while Nia O’Barto put in 14 points off the bench.

The Lady Lions will play Pennsbury out of District 1 on Tuesday at a site and time to be determined. Pennsbury beat Mechanicsburg, 35-27, on Friday evening in its first-round game.

NORWIN (54): Rodkey 3 0-0 8, Fraser 1 0-0 2, Yarosik 2 1-2 5, Christopher 8 0-0 20, Graney 0 0-2 0, Giannikas 1 0-0 3, O’Barto 6 0-0 14, Brozeski 1 0-3 2, DeMarines 0 0-0 0. Totals — 22 1-7 54.

ALTOONA (59): Nguyen-Moore 6 7-7 23, Hudson 6 0-0 15, Eyer 2 2-2 8, Cogan 3 1-2 7, Harpster 2 0-0 5, Cuspert 0 1-2 1, Heyward 0 0-0 0. Totals — 19 11-13 59.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Norwin 12 12 16 11 3 — 54

Altoona 11 8 21 11 8 — 59

3-point goals: Norwin 9 (Rodkey 2, Christopher 4, Giannikas, O’Barto 2); Altoona 10 (Nguyen-Moore 4, Hudson 3, Eyer 2, Harpster).

Records: Norwin (20-5); Altoona (21-4).

Officials: Jordan Forster, Matthew Hilbert, Brad Martz