Lee Supply needed a win Monday night to strengthen its playoff chances in the girls' division of the J. Budd Grebb Memorial Basketball League, and it did just that with a 49-43 win over Belle Vernon Dairy Queen Monday.
“We are getting to the point where playoff spots and seeds are being determined,” Lee Supply coach Phil Stewart said. “This was a good win for us tonight and one that we needed.”
Four of the six teams in the league will advance to the playoffs. Lee Supply clinched at least a share of the fourth playoff spot, regardless of what happens the final week of the regular season.
Unbeaten AMD Industries, Dax Thomas State Farm and BVDQ also are in the playoffs.
Lee Supply (4-3) never trailed and took control of the game early at California's Mechanic Street Playground outside court.
Jenna Miller (California Area) scored 11 of her game-high 18 points in the first half to pace Lee Supply as it took a 24-21 lead into halftime.
Despite only having a three-point lead at the intermission, Lee Supply controlled the game in every aspect as it forced BVDQ (5-3) into several turnovers and won the first half transition battle.
“We were able to make some defensive plays and it got us going,” said Stewart. “Even in the second half after we opened up a lead and then they cut into the lead, we stepped up defensively and it was the difference.”
The teams stepped it up offensively to start the second half and BVDQ seemed primed to make a run to take the lead.
Olivia Greco hit a three-pointer to cut the BVDQ deficit to 37-36 with 12:36 to go, and nine seconds later, Liv Seto (Brownsville Area) picked up her fourth foul.
However, BVDQ was not able to take advantage as Lee Supply strung together a run to extend the lead to double figures.
BVDQ made a run late to make the score respectable, but its comeback was a little bit too late.
Seto added 11 points for Lee Supply while Sierra Short (Charleroi Area) scored 12 points, Celine Monica had 11, and Greco added nine to combine for 32 points for BVDQ.
Miller (six) and Ali Seto (five) combined for 11 rebounds for Lee Supply while Rylie Campbell (Belle Vernon Area) had 10, Short had seven, and Kelsi Smith (seven) combined for 24 rebounds for BVDQ.
AMD Industries 50, CCBC 26
AMD (7-0) remained unbeaten and moved within a game of clinching the regular season crown with the win over CCBC (0-8).
Brownsville's Maris Seto had 18 points and 10 rebounds for AMD while Nicole Zenick had 12 points and Cassidy Stollar had 10.
Sydney Szychmick (California Area) had eight points for CCBC.
“My senior girls played an unselfish game and I played them a lot tonight,” said AMD coach Melanie Greco. “I really enjoyed watching them work together.”
D.T. State Farm 49, Cedarbrook 21
Dax Thomas State Farm (5-2) clinched a playoff berth and moved into second place in the standings as it rolled over Cedarbrook (1-6).
The only way Cedarbrook can qualify for the playoffs is by winning its final three games and having Lee Supply lose its final three. That would force a tie for the fourth spot.
Cedarbrook and Lee Supply have to complete a game in which Cedarbrook holds a lead at halftime.
There was no other information available on the State Farm-Cedarbrook game.
Bill Hughes is a free lance writer.
