Town and Country Newspaper

Sports Article

Lady Indians Beat Phoenixville in Overtime

Written by Ernie Quatrani, Correspondent
2012-02-02

Holly Crossin lays up for a shot in Friday nights home game against Phoenixville. Crossin score 14 points for the night.

A resurgent Upper Perkiomen girls basketball team rode the long range marksmanship of Kim Kachmar and the clutch free throw shooting of Holly Crossin and Stacey Auckland to a wild 52-48 overtime win over Phoenixville last Friday evening at Upper Perk.

Kachmar tossed in five three-pointers for her 15 points while Crossin and Auckland each scored 14 and combined to take over the game in the fourth quarter and overtime.

The game was a tense affair throughout with Phoenixville (5-6 in the league) trying to keep its hold on second place in the PAC-10’s smaller-school division and the Tribe (4-7) hoping to keep alive its chance of getting into the Final Four.

“The kids played very hard, and, as a staff, we’re really proud of them. Probably the signature win of the year,” said coach Pete Sovia.

After three periods of intense basketball, Phoenixville led 34-32 entering the fourth quarter, but Crossin and Auckland quickly scored from the lane to give Upper Perk the lead.

The Phantoms countered on a great individual effort by Jada Boyce (15 points), who stripped the ball in the backcourt and was fouled while depositing a lay-up. The free throw gave the lead back to Phoenixville, 37-36.

But Crossin converted a nice inbound feed from Dani Moser, and Kachmar put in the last of her treys to give the Tribe a short-lived 41-37 advantage before Phoenixville came back with a 6-0 run.

Bailey Stover hit a long jumper and a bucket off an offensive rebound to tie the game, and with 1:15 left, Kristen Habbel’s shot from the top of the key gave the Phantoms a 43-41 lead.

On the next possession, the Tribe worked the ball into Auckland, and she converted from the lane with 48 seconds left to knot the score.

Later, UP got the ball back after a Phantom turnover, but Auckland missed a long shot at the buzzer.

In overtime, the teams traded baskets before Auckland gave the Tribe the lead for good on a short jumper with 2:48 left. Crossin coolly added a pair of free throws, and Auckland hit the back end of two charity tosses for a 50-45 lead.

Habbel nailed a trey to get the Phantoms within two with16 seconds left, but Auckland made two more free throws to put the game out of reach.

“(Crossin and Auckland) were both incredible, making critical foul shots, and Stacy made her last two shots from the field under tremendous pressure. She really, really showed her experience and led the team to victory,” said Sovia.

The pair did the bulk of their scoring in the second half, both finding room in the lane thanks in large measure to Kachmar, who tied a career high in points.

With the junior guard raining threes from the corners, the Phantoms were forced to widen out their zone.

Auckland appreciated the outside help. “I did [well] because my whole team was passing the ball, getting each other open, and moving the defense, so the inside was open for me,” she noted.

Kachmar’s threes gave the Tribe a shot in the arm on several occasions during the game.

“It was Kim’s best game of the year. She has had some tough luck shooting. She really kept us alive during some offensive dry spells. She shot the ball with great authority tonight,” Sovia said.

“I thought we played really, really well,” said Kachmar. “We really looked for each other, we were talking to each other, and that’s what really helped us win, I think.

“And, also, we scored.”

The JV game was a thriller also as Dionnae Bussey’s offensive rebound and put back with 40 seconds left gave the Tribe a 44-42 win. Holly Graber had 16 points.

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