H.S. Girls Basketball: Dallas’ rally falls short against Abington Heights in D2-5A championship game

WILKES-BARRE TWP. — As grim as the situation appeared Saturday, Dallas was able to improve on it.

The Mountaineers, though, couldn’t improve it completely.

Dallas battled back from a 13-point deficit in the second quarter to tie the score twice. Yet Abington Heights was able to prevent the Mountaineers from taking the lead and held on for a 63-58 victory in the District 2 Class 5A girls basketball championship game at Mohegan Sun Arena

Abington Heights (13-2) advanced to the PIAA Class 5A state tournament and will play at the District 1 champion on March 20. Dallas ended its season at 9-6.

“I’m proud of the kids,” Dallas coach Kelly Martin-Johnson said. “We hung in the game, we didn’t back down, we tried to run as much as we could because that’s been one of our strengths this year. Wasn’t sure what kind of shooting night it would be because of the depth behind the baskets and the setting we’re in. It’s huge accomplishment for our girls to get here.”

The Mountaineers nearly had the opportunity to continue on.

Dallas led 8-6 with 4:10 left in the first quarter when starting forward Claire Charlton left the game with an apparent ankle injury. Abington Heights outscored the Mountaineers 19-4 over the next seven minutes to take a 25-14.

The Comets appeared primed to blow open the game, but then inexplicably began turning over the ball. Ten turnovers in all — after just one in the first quarter — allowed Dallas to rally and tie the score 28-28 at halftime, with Bella Hill finishing off the run with two baskets off miscues.

“We lost our composure out on the top,” Abington Heights coach Deanna Klingman said. “Our one guard wasn’t in position. She was hiding behind the defense and we talked about that this week. She didn’t get out there and they panicked. We know we have stretches like that in basketball, but at halftime we recovered.

“It was like starting the game over.”

After an exchange of baskets to start the third, Abington Heights took the lead for good on a 3-pointer by Clair Marion.

Dallas eventually cut the deficit to 35-34 on a 3-pointer by Hill and a free throw by Victoria Spaciano, but could get no closer.

The Comets worked the clock about midway through the fourth quarter, electing to take their chances from the foul line rather than the field. They hit 12 of 19 free throw attempts in the final period and one field goal.

Hill led Dallas with 20 points, while Spaciano and Kocher added 11 each. Spaciano added a team-high seven rebounds.

Marion scored 22 to pace Abington Heights, including 12 in the Comets’ 21-point third quarter. Rachel McDonald knocked down four 3-pointers in the middle quarters to end up with 15.

District 2 Class 5A Championship

DALLAS (58) — Bella Hill 8 2-2 20, Victoria Spaciano 4 3-4 11, Julia Kocher 4 1-2 11, Deanna Wallace 2 0-0 5, Claire Charlton 1 0-0 2, Audrey DelGaudio 0 1-2 1, Nadia Evanosky 1 6-8 8, Elizabeth Viglone 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 13-18 58.

ABINGTON HEIGHTS (63) — Rachel McDonald 4 3-4 15, Allison Murray 1 2-2 5, Clair Marion 7 6-12 22, Allison Dammer 5 2-4 12, Anna Scoblick 2 5-7 9, Lauryn Notari 0 0-0 0, Lauren Lombardo 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 18-29 63.

Dallas`10`18`16`14 — 58

Abington Heights`19`9`21`14 — 63

Three-point goals: DAL 5 (Hill 2, Kocher 2, Wallace). AH 7 (McDonald 4, Murray, Marion 2).