PIAA GIRLS CLASS A Sharpsville falls in overtime

The Blue Darlings were out-scored by 10-2 in the extra session by Cameron County.
By BILL ALBRIGHT
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
CLARION, Pa. -- After 32 minutes of playoff basketball, the Sharpsville and Cameron County High girls teams couldn't decide the issue.
However, in overtime, it was all Cameron County as it out-scored Sharpsville 10-2 for a 57-49 win, in the opening round of the PIAA Class A playoffs on Saturday at Clarion University.
In the extra period, it was practically all Brittany McLean for Cameron County (22-6), as the point guard scored seven of her game-high 27 points.
"She is just a great point guard and it is hard to contain her," said Sharpsville coach Jeff Hanley of McLean. "They just put the ball in her hands in the overtime, and we had a difficult time getting anything going or even getting off a good shot."
Held lead: The Blue Darlings (13-13) began with a deliberate, patient offense, holding a 10-6 lead one minute into the second period.
"We wanted to take our time with the basketball," said Hanley. "We have a difficult time scoring 60 points a game, so our objective wasn't to go out there and run-and-gun with them."
However, Cameron County sandwiched two 8-0 runs around five points by Sharpsville's Sarah Gill, to take a 22-15 lead. CC led 25-20 at halftime.
"These kids have learned to fight," said Hanley. "We were down all four playoff games, and they fought back in every one of them and they won a couple of them."
Spurt nets lead: Then, the Blue Darlings put together an 11-4 run during the final six minutes of the third quarter to take a 34-30 lead.
"There is no doubt that was our best quarter we played all year," said Hanley. "They were just fantastic. We knocked down open jump shots, we got the ball where it needed to be and we played good defense."
The Raiders took over in the final period of regulation, tying the score at 47 to force the extra period.
"Credit their coach [Patrick Lewis] because they did an outstanding job in the fourth period," said Hanley. "It was just a solid effort by their girls and the coach."
Three foul out: Fouls were a thorn for Sharpsville. Exiting early in the fourth period were Maggie Pisarcik and Steph Vasconi, and Gill, the point guard, left in overtime.
Gill led the Blue Darlings with 16 points, while Josie Cattron added 11 and Erika Black scored 10.
"The officials didn't lose the game for us, but there were some extremely questionable calls out there today that seemed to hurt us in crucial situations," said Hanley.
Sharpsville was 4-63 over its previous three seasons before this year.
"We don't dwell on what happened two or three years ago," said Hanley. "We could care less what happened then because these girls stepped up when we got our summer program going, and they made a commitment to no longer be the doormat of the Mercer County Athletic Conference."