Key victory: Seto closes in on 1,000 as Lady Falcons edge McGuffey
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Brownsville鈥檚 Emma Seto puts in two of her game-high 18 points during Monday night鈥檚 49-47 victory over McGuffey at Brownsville. Seto came up four points shy of notching 1,000 for her career. The Lady Falcons host Charleroi on Wednesday.
Brownsville鈥檚 Meghan Velosky hits one of her four 3-pointers against McGuffey during Monday night鈥檚 game at Brownsville. Velosky scored 14 points in the Lady Falcons鈥� 49-47 win.
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Brownsville鈥檚 A鈥檢yia Dade takes a jump shot against McGuffey during Monday night鈥檚 game at Brownsville.
Brownsville's Emma Seto makes one of two free throws for the final point of Monday night's game after McGuffey was called for an intentional foul with nine-tenths of a second left. The Lady Falcons won, 49-47.
Brownsville's Olivia McCracken releases a shot against McGuffey during Monday night's game at Brownsville.
Brownsville's Emma Seto takes a bump to the head from McGuffey's Taylor Schumacher (30) as she drives to the basket during Monday night's game at Brownsville.
Brownsville coach Patty Columbia gives instructions to Meghan Velosky during a break in the action of Monday night's game against McGuffey at Brownsville.
Brownsville's Emma Seto (10) dribbles up court after coming up with a steal against McGuffey during Monday night's game at Brownsville.
HILLER 鈥� Brownsville girls basketball coach Patty Columbia was hoping to see senior Emma Seto join her two sisters in the 1,000-point club on Monday night.
While Seto came up a few points short of that goal, Columbia was extremely pleased with the result just the same.
Seto scored a game-high 18 points to help the host Lady Falcons defeat McGuffey, 49-47, in a Section 2-AAA battle as Columbia鈥檚 squad took a big step towards clinching a WPIAL playoff berth.
The Lady Highlanders held a three-point halftime lead but Brownsville turned the momentum with a big third quarter and hit several key shots in the fourth to hold off the visitors.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge section win for us,鈥� Columbia said. 鈥淭his has positioned us very well to be at least the fourth-place team in the section. We鈥檝e still got some work to do though.鈥�
The victory gives the third-place Lady Falcons (5-2, 7-6) a three-game lead over fifth-place McGuffey (2-5, 6-9) and Bentworth. The top four teams in the section qualify for the postseason.
Seto needed 22 points to become the third member of her family along with older sisters Maris Seto and Alie Seto to hit the 1,000 milestone. Currently at 996, she鈥檒l look to get the four more points she needs when Brownsville hosts Charleroi in another section game at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
鈥淐harleroi is very good so we鈥檝e got our work cut out for us,鈥� Columbia said. 鈥淎nd South Park and Waynesburg (the top two teams in the section) are so good 鈥� we knew we had to come out and beat the other teams and so far we鈥檝e been successful at doing that.鈥�
Seto had an off-shooting night and was just four of 10 from the foul line but contributed in other ways with rebounds, steals, assists and good ballhandling.
鈥淪he was feeling the pressure,鈥� Columbia said of Seto. 鈥淲e as a community added to it. We wanted to generate some excitement. We鈥檙e tired of hearing about negativity in Brownsville so we wanted to get people out here and see something positive.
鈥淭he energy in here was awesome, the pep band, the student section and all the fans and a lot of people watching livestream. It was really exciting for our school. But, unfortunately, they鈥檒l all have to come back on Wednesday.鈥�
Brownsville got strong performances from Meghan Velosky and Zhariah Reed who scored 14 and 13 points, respectively. Velosky swished four 3-pointers and Reed added two treys, including a clutch one in the final minutes.
鈥淭hey were triple-teaming Emma but these girls love her so much they kept trying to force it in to her and we kept telling Meghan and Zhariah to shoot the ball,鈥� Columbia said. 鈥淚 admire how much they were trying to help Emma get to 1,000 but I鈥檓 glad they stepped up and hit some shots and helped us get this very important win.鈥�
Taylor Schumacher led McGuffey with 12 points and Claire Redd followed with 11.
The Lady Highlanders led 15-11 after the first quarter and 23-20 at halftime.
Seto, who had just six points at halftime, matched that total with a spurt of three consecutive baskets early in the third quarter. The first two came seconds apart as she hit a layup then stole the inbounds pass and scored again. A bucket off an offensive rebound gave Brownsville a 26-25 lead.
There were five lead changes and one tie in the third quarter but three straight 3-pointers by Velosky helped the Lady Falcons carry a 36-34 advantage into the fourth quarter.
鈥淢eghan has a beautiful shot and hit some big threes,鈥� Columbia said. 鈥淪he stepped up big for us.鈥�
A 3-pointer by Schumacher early in the fourth period put the Lady Highlanders in front 38-36 but Brownsville answered with a jump shot by A鈥檢yia Dade and two free throws by Seto to put the hosts ahead 40-38.
The Lady Falcons would never trail again.
Hailee Kay made one of two foul shots to get McGuffey within one but Reed and Seto both scored on driving layups to make it 44-39.
Baskets by Redd and Kay got the Lady Highlanders within one point again but Reed answered with a dagger 3-pointer that gave Brownsville a 47-43 lead with 1:19 remaining.
鈥淭hat was a huge, huge shot,鈥� Columbia said.
Reed fouled out soon after, meaning the Lady Falcons had to play the final 1:11 without their best ballhandler.
鈥淲e were nervous when she got that fifth foul,鈥� Columbia said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 a young freshman and she plays hard. We had to compensate a little bit with her being out.鈥�
Hannah Shingle made a pair of free throws to get McGuffey within two and Seto made one of two from the line to make it 48-45 with 19 seconds left.
The Lady Highlanders eschewed a potential tying 3-pointer as Redd scored inside to whittle the gap to one with 4.5 seconds left after a McGuffey timeout.
Seto got free on the inbound pass and was shoved out of bounds as she dribbled up court with :00.9 left on the clock. An intentional foul was called and Seto hit one of two free throws to cap the scoring. Dade inbounded the ball for Brownsville but it went off Seto and out out bounds with :00.3 on the clock.
It was by design, sort of, according to Columbia.
鈥淲e told A鈥檢yia we have to get the ball in somehow over on our end of the court but don鈥檛 fire it just make sure you hit somebody with it and some time will expire,鈥� Columbia explained. 鈥淲e knew then with three-tenths of a second left they wouldn鈥檛 have time to catch and shoot so we told our players just don鈥檛 foul anybody on the inbound.鈥�
McGuffey鈥檚 only hope was to have a long pass tipped in but it threw in a normal inbound pass and time expired.
鈥淭his was a very good team effort,鈥� Columbia said. 鈥淭hey played well. I鈥檓 very proud of them. Emma played her heart out. I know she wanted to get it (1,000) tonight so bad but she can do it Wednesday, we鈥檒l take the win tonight.鈥�