Lake-Lehman players mob Molly Jenkins, right, after the junior knocked down a last second 3-pointer that gave the Black Knights a dramatic victory in Wednesday’s PIAA Class 3A second round matchup in Pottsville.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Jenkins’ 3-pointer at buzzer sends Black Knights to quarterfinals
Lake Lehman’s Ella Wilson goes up for a bucket in the fourth quarter as the Black Knights outlasted Columbia.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Lake Lehman’s Lia Keefe looks for a shot in a frantic fourth quarter on Wednesday.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Lake Lehman’s Molly Jenkins, left, and Hailey Kline celebrate the Black Knights’ 50-48 win on Wednesday. Jenkins hit the winning shot at the buzzer and Kline scored a team-high 18 points.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Columbia’s Bria Droege, left, and Lake-Lehman’s Hailey Kline battle for a loose ball during the first quarter of Wednesday’s state tournament matchup.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Lake Lehman’s Lia Keefe hugs Molly Jenkins as they celebrate their 50-48 win at Martz Hall in Pottsville.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
POTTSVILLE — Lake-Lehman’s Molly Jenkins isn’t a 3-point shooter, but she became one at the right time Wednesday afternoon.
Jenkins nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer — only her second basket of the season behind the arc — as Lehman edged Columbia 50-48 in a PIAA Class 3A girls basketball state second-round game at Martz Hall.
Jenkins shot from just right of the key sent the District 2 third-seeded Black Knights (25-5) into the quarterfinals and sent District 3 runner-up Columbia (24-5) home brokenhearted.
“In practice, we mess around,” said Jenkins, whose only other 3-pointer of the season came Jan. 9 against Nanticoke Area. “But in a game I’m not usually allowed to shoot them. I was like, ‘Well, there’s only four seconds left. Here we go.’”
Lehman will play District 2 champion Dunmore (24-3) on Friday at a site and time to be determined. Lehman defeated Dunmore 51-40 in overtime on Jan. 28. Dunmore routed D12 champion Imhotep 52-34 in its second-round game.
Columbia took a 48-47 lead with 21.2 seconds left on a jumper by Bria Droege as the Crimson Tide battled back from an eight-point deficit midway through the fourth quarter. Lehman called a timeout with 18.3 seconds remaining and wanted to get the ball into the hands of one of its shooters.
“I wanted to get to Ella (Wilson) on the left wing,” Lehman coach Charlie Levan said, “but I wanted to get the ball to Hailey (Kline) to drive to the win. Figured we’d get her on the foul line. Didn’t work out that way.”
Instead, the ball ended up with Jenkins, who does most of her work inside collecting rebounds and getting occasional baskets in the paint. She calmly swished the 3 -pointer and the buzzer sounded a tick later.
“Unreal,” Lavan said. “And I’m constantly telling Molly ‘You’re not a 3-point shooter.’ But guess what, she is now.”
Lehman had opened a 39-31 lead — the biggest either team had all game — midway through the fourth quarter as Wilson sandwiched a 3-pointer and layup around an inside basket by Lia Keefe.
“We went up eight points and I started feeling really good about the flow of the game,” Lavan said. “And then we just messed up. Turnovers, turnovers.”
Columbia’s 1-2 halfcourt trap created many of Lehman’s 24 turnovers and also aided in the Crimson Tide’s comeback. So did Droege, who scored 16 of her game-high 32 points in the fourth quarter.
Columbia caught Lehman on a short jumper by Droege to knot the score 44-44 with 1:12 left. Wilson nailed a 3-pointer with 57 seconds remaining to put Lehman up 47-44. Droege, though, struck twice and her second basket with 21.2 seconds left gave Columbia a 48-47 lead.
Kline finished with 18 points and Wilson had 10. Kline and Jenkins each had seven rebounds.
PIAA Class 3A Second Round
Lake-Lehman 50, Columbia 48
LAKE-LEHMAN (50) — Kline 7 4-8 18, Hunt 2 2-2 7, Wilson 3 2-2 10, Keefe 3 1-2 7, Jenkins 3 1-2 8, Biscotto 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 10-16 50.
COLUMBIA (48) — Soto 1 0-0 2, Burke 0 0-0 0, Gambler 0 0-0 0, Bro.Droege 5 2-2 12, Bri.Droege 13 4-6 34, Wylie-Smith 1 0-0 2. Totals 21 6-8 48.
Lake-Lehman`8`13`11`18 — 50
Columbia`10`10`8`20 — 48
Three-point goals — LL 4 (Hunt, Wilson 2, Jenkins). COL 2 (Bri.Droege 2).
