1972 revisited!
JEFFERSON TWP — There is an unwritten rule in Chris Andreassi’s head.
“When we have a four-point lead with three minutes to go, it’s Nina time,” the Knoch girls basketball coach said. “We want the ball in Nina Shaw’s hands.”
The Knights obeyed that rule — and left their gym Saturday with the program’s first section championship since 1972. Knoch (17-2, 11-0) clinched the title with a 56-48 win over Highlands (16-3, 8-2).
“This feels unbelievable,” Knoch senior and four-year starter Madilyn Boyer said. “I’ve been working toward this for a long time. Getting it my senior year couldn’t be better.”
Knoch’s win was its 14th straight. Highlands had an eight-game win streak snapped. The Rams hadn’t lost since dropping a 50-33 decision to the Knights on Jan. 10.
Shaw made sure her team got the better of Highlands again.
The game was tied five times in the second half, the last at 46 with 3:48 to play. A layup by Boyer and two free throws by Shaw gave Knoch a 50-46 edge with 3:01 left — and invoked Nina time.
“I knew I was getting the ball in my hands at that point ... I wanted the all in my hands,” Shaw said.
Shaw sank two free throws with 1:48 left for a six-point lead. After Jocelyn Bielak canned a layup for Highlands with 1:26 left, Rams coach Jason Kerr called a timeout.
Shaw hit two more free throws with 36.5 seconds to play, then iced the game with two more with 24.8 ticks on the clock. The junior guard sank all 10 of her free throws in the fourth quarter. She is averaging 85% at the line this season.
“We practice how to close out games like this all the time,” Shaw said. “I wasn’t nervous at all.”
She even came up with a steal in the final 30 seconds to set up her own game-winning free throws.
Highlands came back from a 12-point deficit to take a couple of brief leads in the second half, but could not build on those advantages.
“We got tired. We were gassed,” Highlands coach Jason Kerr said of his team down the stretch. “We didn’t substitute at all in the second half. That wasn’t by design, it just worked out that way.
“We knew we had to foul and try to deny that girl (Shaw) the ball, but when you’re that tired and you’re chasing around somebody that good ... it’s difficult.”
Shaw led the Knights with 15 points. Hattie McGraw netted 14 points, including four treys. Freshman Karlee Buterbaugh scored eight points and grabbed nine rebounds before fouling out with 5:52 remaining. CeCe Kosecki came off the bench to hit two treys and contribute four assists.
Bielak led Highlands with 13 points and four assists. Maria Fabegras had 10 points and six rebounds, Kate Myers seven points and nine rebounds.
“Winning this section title was definitely on these girls’ radar,” Andreassi said. “They’re enjoying this, but they feel they have a lot more they want to do, too.”
HIGHLANDS 48
Kaleigh Nerone 3-5 0-0 6, Shelby Wojcik 1-5 3-4 5, Jocelyn Bielak 6-6 1-2 13, Kate Myers 3-12 0-0 7, Casey Teriberry 0-1 0-0 0, Maria Fabregas 4-12 0-2 10, Ava Niktkowski 2-2 0-0 5. Totals: 20-45 4-8 48.
KNOCH 56
CeCe Kosecki 2-10 0-0 6, Karlee Buterbaugh 4-5 0-2 8, Hattie McGraw 5-11 0-0 14, Naturelle Ewing 3-8 1-6 7, MacKenzie McGraw 0-3 0-0 0, Nina Shaw 1-6 13-15, Madilyn Boyer 3-6 0-4 6. Totals: 27-49 14-26 56.
Highlands 8 16 13 11 — 48
Knoch 14 15 9 18 — 56
3-point goals:Highlands 4 (Myers, Fabregas 2, Nitkowski), Knoch 6 (Kosecki 2, McGraw 4)
Monday: Mohawk at Knoch
