BETHLEHEM — Two factors turned Crestwood’s five-point halftime lead Tuesday night into a heartbreaking 45-41 loss to Archbishop Wood in a PIAA Class 5A girls basketball semifinal game.
The first was Wood abruptly correcting its ghastly 3-point shooting in the first half. The other was Crestwood missing several chances to cut the deficit in the fourth quarter after numerous defensive stops.
So instead of District 2 champion Crestwood (26-4) heading to the state championship game for the first time, District 12 champion Wood (16-12) will make its sixth consecutive appearance.
Wood routed Crestwood 69-35 in the semifinals last year, but the Comets had the experience edge, and it showed in the first half.
Crestwood used a 9-0 run in the second quarter started by a layup by Charlie Hiller off a turnover. Jackie Gallagher’s rebound basket off a steal by Jordan Andrews gave Crestwood a 21-14 lead at the 2:56 mark.
Moreover, Crestwood’s defense forced Wood into poor 3-point shooting, something the Comets made a part of their game plan. The Vikings were 1-of-12 from beyond the arc in the first half as the Comets led 23-18 at the break.
“Give Crestwood a ton of credit,” Wood coach Mike McDonald said. “They were rattling us a little bit, so we weren’t getting a lot of shots in rhythm like we like to.”
Wood’s Makayla Finnegan fixed the 3-point shooting to start the third. Her two 3-pointers erased Crestwood’s lead. Crestwood went up for the final time when Hiller nailed a 3-pointer at 3:22 for a 27-26 advantage.
Wood then went on a run featuring another 3-pointer — this one from Emma Yogis — to take a 39-28 lead into the third quarter.
“The third quarter, that’s what killed us,” Crestwood coach Mary Mushock-Namey said. “It was an 8-0 run and I could have taken a timeout, but I’d already used two in the first half and I felt we were going to get back into it and make it a close game so I wanted to save them.
“The third quarter, they came out and threw a punch and we tried to battle back, but that run was a little too much to battle back.”
Crestwood had opportunities to cut into the deficit in the fourth quarter, but didn’t take complete advantage. Down 41-31, the Comets made consecutive defensive stop only to come up empty on the offensive side of the court.
Keira Dougherty tossed in a rebound with 3:39 left to cut Wood’s lead to 43-37. Crestwood then had five consecutive defensive stops yet failed to score. The Comets fouled in the final minute, but even shaky free-throw shooting by Wood couldn’t get them within striking distance.
A basket by Hiller at the buzzer was Crestwood’s first field goal since Dougherty’s rebound.
“We won by at least one and that’s all we needed to do tonight,” McDonald said.
Wood will play District 7 champion South Fayette (29-1) for the championship at 6 p.m. Saturday at Giant Center in Hershey.
PIAA Class 5A Semifinals
Archbishop Wood 45, Crestwood 41
ARCHBISHOP WOOD (45) — Sophia McDonald 1 0-0 2, Zoey Whalen 5 2-4 13, Makayla Finnegan 4 5-6 15, Abbie Kelly 2 0-0 4, Colleen Besachio 0 1-2 1, Addison Payne 2 0-5 4, Casey Thompson 0 0-0 0, Emma Yogis 2 0-0 6. Totals 16 8-17 45.
CRESTWOOD (41) — Cameron Vieney 2 1-2 5, Charlie Hiller 5 3-4 15, Jackie Gallagher 3 3-4 10, Jordan Andrews 2 2-2 6, Keira Dougherty 2 1-2 5, Norah Sklarosky 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 10-14 41.
Archbishop Wood`8`10`21`6 — 45
Crestwood`10`13`5`13 — 41
Three-point goals: AW 5 (Whalen, Finnegan 2, Yogis 2). CRE 3 (Hiller 2, Gallagher).
