Improvement for Upper Perkiomen's girls basketball team could be just over the horizon. New head coach Christopher Lonergan claims his players could see significant

Jenna Langenback, left, takes a shot in the lane against Brandywine Heights

advancement this season. 

            "I'm already seeing progress," he said. "It's exciting how hard we played. I'm enthusiastic about how far we have to go. Hopefully our basketball skills will catch up with our athleticism."

            On Tuesday, the Indians opened their season with a 39-29 non-league loss to Brandywine Heights. They couldn't overcome a difficult offensive first-half performance.

            The Tribe rallied in the second half, scoring 20 points.  Azlynne Thyberg's three-pointer early in the fourth quarter trimmed their deficit to eight points.

            However, a pair of sisters allowed the visiting Bullets to pull away. Addison Benner, a senior post player, finished with a game-high 19 points. Sophia Benner, a ninth grader, finished with 14 points, including four 3-pointers.

            Six players scored for the Indians during Lonergan's first varsity game on the bench since the end of the 2006-07 season. Olivia Keyser, a sophomore post player, finished with 10 points. 

            Thyberg, a senior, added nine points. Jenna Langenback and Makayla Marshall each added three points.

            According to Lonergan, Upper Perkiomen struggled to contain both Benner sisters early on. They accounted for all but two points to help Brandywine Heights build a 21-9 halftime lead.

            "They are both straight-up scorers," Lonergan said. "That is a very good team."

            The Indians picked up their game in the second half after converting just 3-of-22 shots from the field before halftime. Keyser posted two baskets. Addison Benner blocked several shots during the first half for the Bullets

            Marshall added three points during the third quarter, including a jumper from the right wing. Thyberg drained a 3-pointer late in the quarter.

            According to Lonergan, 27 turnovers and only seven offensive rebounds were too much to overcome.

            Down 32-19 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Tribe scored the initial five points. Keyser converted a layup off a pass from Langenback, then Thyberg's three-pointer brought them within 32-24.

            "We've got to do a better job following our missed shots," said the coach, whose team converted just 4-of-12 free throws. "We need to crash the boards. That's how we need to score a majority of our points."

            Lonergan praised Keyser's ability to remain in her first career varsity start despite foul trouble. She played most of the fourth quarter with four fouls and finished with 10 rebounds.  "Olivia could become an inside force," the coach said.

            He described Thyberg's performance as the team's biggest surprise. The guard finished with four rebounds and two steals.

            "I'm very happy with how Azlynne played," Lonergan said.

The Indians resume their schedule Thursday on the road against Quakertown. An appearance in the Tuplehocken Tip-Off Tournament will occur over the weekend.