Claudia Ierullo scored a team-high 17 points to lead three players in double figures as Our Lady of the Sacred Heart continued its march through the PIAA Class 3A girls basketball tournament with a 47-43 victory over Central Cambria Friday night in a quarterfinal game at Norwin High School.
Lola Garner and Leah Parker each added 13 points for the Chargers, who will take on Shady Side Academy – a quarterfinal winner over Camp Hill Trinity – Friday at a time and location to be determined.
OLSH, the third-place finisher in the WPIAL, earned its third straight PIAA tournament victory Friday, but it didn’t come easy.
Ierullo missed four straight free throws in the final quarter as Central Cambria outscored the Chargers 16-8 in the last eight minutes.
The last two of those misses came with 15 seconds remaining and OLSH clinging to a 47-43 lead.
Central Cambria, which won its first District 6 title since 1978, rebounded Ierullo’s second miss and brought the ball upcourt, but the Chargers’ defense prevented the Red Devils from getting off a good shot.
After missing on a contested corner jumper, Central Cambria retained possession and inbounded with 4 seconds remaining, but by that time the outcome was decided.
Keira Link led the Red Devils with 18 points while Katie George added 10. Central Cambria finished its season 20-9.
OLSH, which improved to 25-4 with the win, led 17-10 after one quarter but Central Cambria trimmed the deficit to 24-21 with less than a minute to play in the first half. But Parker – who finished the first half with 11 points – nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Chargers a 27-21 lead at halftime.
Those three points would prove to be crucial in a contest that was decided by four points.
OLSH coach Don Eckerle was pleased with his team’s effort from start to finish.
“We got off to a good start offensively and that set the tone for the game,” he said.
OLSH appeared to be in command in the third quarter, extending its lead to 39-25 at one point. But Central Cambria would not go away.
OLSH smartly used the clock in that last quarter, maintaining possession for nearly a minute and a half at the start of the period without taking a shot, and that proved to be key.
A layup by Ierullo with 1:11 to play gave OLSH a 47-36 lead, but those would be the last two points the Chargers would score. Baskets by George and Link closed the gap to 47-43, but that would be as close as the Red Devils would come.
Eckerle liked the poise his team showed in the final two quarters.
“We played a really good and smart third quarter and fourth quarter with the clock,” he said.
Shady Side Academy will bring a 27-1 record into Friday’s semifinal game against OLSH. “They’re very athletic — and very well coached,” Eckerle said of the Bulldogs.
Shady Side Academy’s lone loss on the season came at the hands of Greensburg Central Catholic, 56-51, in the WPIAL championship game.
OLSH knocked off Greensburg Central Catholic earlier in the PIAA tournament after losing to the Centurions twice earlier in the season, including in the WPIAL semifinals.
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