COAL TOWNSHIP - Shamokin Area completed a successful defense of its Pennsylvania Heartland Athletic Conference Division I championship Tuesday, but like almost everything else this team does, it wasn't easy.
The Indians, after playing maybe their best half of offensive basketball, scored only 11 points in the second half and had to withstand Danville's defensive pressure for a 41-40 win over the Ironmen, who could have forced a tie for the division title with a win.
Shamokin completed the regular season 17-5 overall, 13-1 in the division, and with a 12-game winning streak. Danville dropped to 15-6, 11-3.
Junior Kelsey Yacko was the key performer. She had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, adding three assists and three steals, and was given the assignment of bringing the ball upcourt late in the game after Danville's defense started to force turnovers.
"I started bringing the ball upcourt lately when the other girls need help," said Yacko, who usually splits time between the wings and under the basket. "When I bring the ball up it usually helps us open up a little bit."
"We started to struggle when Steph (Pancher, who had 14 points and six rebounds) got injured in the third quarter," Shamokin coach Bill Callahan said. "We've really worked on that (Yacko bringing the ball upcourt). She's a good athlete and she gives the other girls a break when they start getting tired."
Shamokin had a 36-27 lead midway through the third quarter when Danville went on a nine-point run to tie the game with 5:43 left in the game. Shamokin retook the lead on a foul shot by Olivia Bonshock and was still clinging to a 39-37 lead with 11.7 seconds left in the contest. Bonshock blocked a Danville shot and Yacko got the rebound and was fouled. She hit both shots with 7.8 seconds left to make it 41-37, but Danville's Maddy Moser hit her fourth 3-pointer, from about 25 feet away, with 2.4 seconds left and Danville called timeout. Shamokin needed two plays to inbound the ball and run out the clock for the win.
Shamokin had a 30-25 lead at halftime, but neither team could get much offense going in the second half. The number of shots taken by both teams dropped from 46 in the first half to 25 in the second.
"We were really anxious," Yacko said. "We wanted it really bad and so did they. We really had to work a lot harder. It means everything (winning the division again). We were supposed to be the worst team this year."
"I really thought our defensive pressure against their halfcourt offense was good in the second half," said Danville coach Steve Moser. "I really thought the Yacko girl was the difference. We just could never get a lead, either. We worked hard to get the game tied but when you do that, you sometimes run out of gas."
"I thought it was two good teams playing a tough game," said Callahan. "We've played two close games and we got lucky both times."
Moser paced Danville with 14 points and Siobhan Bross scored 11.
Game Summary
DANVILLE (40) - Herman 3 0-0 7, James 3 0-0 6, Moser 5 0-0 14, Beaver 0 0-0 0, Bross 4 3-5 11, Romeo 1 0-0 2. Totals 16 3-5 40.
SHAMOKIN (41) - S. Pancher 5 4-5 14, Schiccatano 0 0-1 0, Britton 0 0-0 0, Bonshock 3 3-5 9, Yacko 5 3-4 13, Zalar 2 0-0 5. Totals 15 10-15 41.
Danville 15 10 7 8 - 40
Shamokin 13 17 6 5 - 41
3-point FGs: Danville (5) - Herman, Moser 4; Shamokin (1) - Zalar.