DALLAS TWP. — Dallas had one of its worst offensive performances of the season in Wednesday’s District 2 Class 5A girls basketball third-place game.
The defense made sure Crestwood did as well.
Dallas held Crestwood to a season-low in points, adding undersized but aggressive rebounding to its defense, for a 42-35 victory and a spot in the PIAA Class 5A state playoffs.
Dallas (20-7) will be the District 2 third seed and will open with the District 1 second seed, either Villa Maria Academy (17-7)/Bishop Shannan (14-11).
Crestwood finished 17-8. The Comets also had just 35 points in a 35-28 win over Berwick on Jan. 11. Dallas won all three meetings this season.
“People are finding our weakness and that’s, of course, shooting,” Crestwood coach Mary Mushock-Namey said. “With two 6-footers, you’re going to pound it inside all game long if you could. When they take that away, they’re forcing you to shoot from the outside. Unfortunately, the shots didn’t fall for us today.”
Crestwood was just 1-of-11 shooting 3-pointers through the first three quarters. The Comets hit three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, but two came in the final minute.
Dallas was just good enough offensively, especially at the foul line where it shot 17-of-22. The Mountaineers came into the game scoring 60 or more points eight times.
“We weren’t executing our offense right,” Dallas coach Vince Bucciarelli said. “She played tough man-to-man defense on us. Give her credit. Give Crestwood credit.
“But I was happy at halftime because we only gave them 10 points in 16 minutes.”
Crestwood trailed 14-10 at halftime. Charlie Hiller and Jackie Gallagher opened the third quarter with baskets as the Comets tied the score 14-14.
Crestwood could never get past the Mountaineers, who went on a 9-0 run and had the Comets chasing the lead the rest of the way.
Molly Walsh started the run with a 3-pointer. She then fought for a defensive rebound on the floor and passed the ball to a teammate. Caitlyn Mizzer finished off things with a layup. Elizabeth Viglone followed with a layup off a turnover before Mizzer capped the run with another layup.
Viglone and Walsh battled inside against the bigger Crestwood team to finish as the game’s top rebounders. Viglone had 10 along with eight points. Walsh had eight boards and 16 points. She also battled through a calf cramp in the third quarter.
Dallas had just one field goal in the fourth quarter, but free-throw shooting kept Crestwood at bay.
District 2 Class 5A Third Place
Dallas 42, Crestwood 35
CRESTWOOD (35) — Hiller 3 0-2 5, Petrosky 1 0-0 3, J.Gallagher 4 0-0 10, K.Gallagher 2 0-0 4, Dougherty 3 0-0 6, Andrews 0 0-0 0, Vieney 1 3-4 6. Totals 14 3-6 35.
DALLAS (42) — Mizzer 3 2-2 8, DelGaudio 1 2-2 4, Casey 1 2-4 4, Viglone 3 2-4 8, Walsh 3 9-10 16, Wydra 1 0-0 2. Totals 12 17-22 42.
Crestwood`2`8`10`15 — 35
Dallas`10`4`15`13 — 42
Three-point goals — CRE 4 (Petrosky, J.Gallagher 2, Vieney). DAL 1 (Walsh).
