14 and counting
Belle Vernon girls basketball downs Lincoln Park in 1st round
BELLE VERNON 鈥� Belle Vernon took advantage of turnovers and second-chance points in a 85-62 victory over Lincoln Park in the first round of the WPIAL Class 4A girls basketball playoffs on Monday night at Belle Vernon Area High School.
The BVA Lady Leopards (20-3), who won their 14th straight game, will play Elizabeth Forward (17-6) in the quarterfinals on Thursday at AHN Arena on the campus of Peters Township High School. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
The Lady Leps鈥� 20 wins ties a school record that was set in 1998.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a familiar foe and a rivalry game, but we will be ready,鈥� Belle Vernon coach Cornelious Nesbit said. 鈥淲e just have to play our game, regardless of who they put in front of us.鈥�
Belle Vernon played the Lady Warriors twice this season in Section 3-4A and won both games by scores of 70-56 and 55-53.
The BVA Lady Leopards had a 13-7 lead with 4:39 left in the first quarter, and closed the period on a 7-2 run for a 20-9 advantage.
Belle Vernon outscored Lincoln Park, 8-4, in the early part of the second quarter, and had a 28-13 lead after Emerson LaCarte converted on a three-point play.
Lyla McConnell scored on a putback for two of her 20 points, and the home team had a 30-13 cushion with 5:31 remaining in the first half. Belle Vernon had a 22-17 advantage in the second frame for a 42-26 halftime lead.
鈥淲e scouted them (Lincoln Park) and we respected them,鈥� Nesbit said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a good basketball team, so we didn鈥檛 take them for granted.鈥�
The home team outscored the visitors, 27-19, in the third quarter for a 69-45 advantage heading into the final frame. Lincoln Park had a 17-16 edge in the fourth quarter.
Belle Vernon鈥檚 Aubrey Brown led the game in scoring with a career-high 24 points on nine field goals, including five 3-pointers, and was 1 of 3 at the foul line. Brown, a sophomore, had three blocks. Teammate Lyla McConnell added 20 points. She pulled down 11 rebounds and was two assists shy of a triple-double.
鈥淲e told our best players: 鈥榊ou have to step on the gas at the beginning,鈥� and I think Aubrey (Brown) and Lyla (McConnell) really stepped on the gas for us,鈥� Nesbit said. 鈥淥ur message was to let them know that they are in for a fight. We have so many different scorers, so you have to pick your poison with us, and tonight, Aubrey and Lyla were the poison.鈥�
The home team鈥檚 Isis Almyty had 11 points. Mia Roebuck put in nine and Saylor Lee had eight. Lee had seven rebounds, five steals and three blocks.
Belle Vernon鈥檚 Abby Russell had eight assists and six rebounds.
Patty Wesolowski led Lincoln Park in scoring with 19 points. Teammates Brooke Certo (14), Ashtyn Michael (14) and Scarlet D鈥橝mico (13) were in double figures.