The Altoona community has embraced the girls basketball team in a big way as it gears up for its first PIAA semifinal game for the first time in 21 years this evening.

Not only did fans show up at Cumberland Valley High School on Friday night to watch a huge Lady Lion upset over Cardinal O’Hara, but there were also an ample amount of students that showed up and made the two-hour trip to Mechanicsburg.

“This has been everything I could have imagined it would be,” Altoona coach Chris Fleegle said. “They always say to get fans to come support you at Altoona, you have to win. Friday night and after Friday night, you see what everyone talks about. The more you win at Altoona at the highest level, the more people come support you.

“It’s been a great feeling for not only the school district and my players, it’s been a cool thing for everyone.”

Next up in the Class 6A playoffs this evening is District 3 runner-up Dallastown, which beat WPIAL champion Canon-McMillan, 54-39, on Friday evening in the quarterfinals. The winner will play either Upper Dublin or Archbishop Carroll in the state championship on Friday night at the Giant Center in Hershey.

While Altoona has played in overtime twice already in the state playoffs, the Lady Wildcats has also gone an extra four minutes once, as well. Dallastown beat Emmaus, 68-65, in overtime in the second round after beating Spring Ford, 50-41, in the first round.

The Lady Lions have had to come from behind in two of their three state playoff games, including being down 10 in the fourth quarter on Friday against Cardinal O’Hara.

Still, the team has found a way in the end when it really counts.

“I just think it’s our toughness and grit,” Fleegle said. “We just have a never give up mentality. This group has played with each other for a long time. We have great senior leadership, and they don’t want this to end. Having that kind of philosophy is a really tough time to beat.”

Dallastown’s Ava Jamison is one in particular for Fleegle and Co. to watch tonight. Jamison is averaging 15 points per game and reached the 1,000-point mark.

Freshmen Denyla Handy (13.6 points per game) and Natalie McLane (10.5) are also keys.

“They’re very disciplined. They run very good set play offense,” Fleegle said. “They have a very good freshman point guard. They have a senior 3-4 player that’s very good. They have good shooters. They’re really well-coached. They play a really tough schedule. Yeah, they’re a good basketball team.”

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. from Big Spring High School in Newville.