By Joe Sager

New Castle News




NATRONA HEIGHTS — The television doesn’t always tell the whole story.

The Neshannock High girls basketball team found that out last night.

West Shamokin scoring machine Jill Glover proved to be much better than what the Lady Lancers saw of her on video. After the initial shock, they regrouped and rallied for a 47-38 win in a WPIAL Class AA preliminary-round game at Highlands High School.

Neshannock (12-11) earns the No. 15 seed with the win and moves on to meet second-seeded Bishop Canevin (18-4) on Tuesday at a time and site to be determined by the WPIAL.

“They are an excellent team,” Neshannock coach Luann Grybowski said. “I am going to have to find some magic and see what we can do.”

Glover, a 6-foot-1 senior forward, proved she was much more than an interior presence as the supplied game footage showed. She hit buckets from all over the floor and finished with a team-high 26 points.

“We struggled early. On film, it really did not give Jill Glover any justice. She was much better than I anticipated,” Grybowski said. “She is quick on her feet, can move very well for a big kid, can jump out of the gym and can shoot the 3. In two games I saw, she shot one and it was so off I didn’t think she normally shot from the outside. She knocked the 3 down tonight.”

Glover scored half her points in the second quarter to give the Lady Wolves (12-11) a 24-19 halftime advantage.

“She had a great game,” said Neshannock’s Madison McHale, who scored a game-high 28 points.

The Lady Lancers adjusted their offensive attack and ratcheted up their defensive effort in the second half. It paid off immediately as they limited Glover to two points in the third quarter and gained a 32-26 lead at the buzzer.

“We were down a little bit, so we decided to pick up the game plan,” McHale said. “We weren’t really getting any rebounds, so we needed to put a body on someone and we did that. We needed to get Glover out of the paint.

“We all played our hardest. I think that was the hardest we played all year,” she continued. “We wanted to win that game. That game was ours.”

After Glover scored the Lady Wolves’ only points of the third quarter 2:02 into the frame, Neshannock shut out West Shamokin for the next 7:13. Tenacious rebounding and strong defense fueled that stand.

“The key to the second half was, at that time, we only had four offensive rebounds and six defensive rebounds. We weren’t even rebounding,” Grybowski said. “McHale was like an animal in the second half. She scored and she rebounded. Those rebounds of missed free throws were huge.”

The Lady Lancers got more physical with Glover and denied her easy opportunities in the paint.

“We were supposed to do that from the beginning, but I think we were just kind of timid,” Grybowski said. “You have to be physical with a player like that. They have to take a hit every time they cut to the basket or every time they try to get to the basket. It’s worth one hard foul. We did a tremendous job in the second half. I was very pleased. I have nothing but good things to say about the second half.”

Glover shook loose for eight points in the fourth quarter, but Neshannock held on for the triumph. McHale helped seal the win at the foul line. She converted 11 of her 12 attempts, including all six in the final stanza.

“I get all my free throws driving to the hoop and drawing the foul,” she said. “Any chance I got where I saw an open look was just automatic drive or dish to someone down low and draw the foul. That’s what happened.”

Alexandra Fischer added five points for the Lady Lancers, while Katie Burrelli, Erin Warvell and Cassidy Burrelli all had four.

Neshannock is eager for its next challenge against Bishop Canevin.

“That’ll be a tough one,” McHale said. “Coach will have us prepared and we’ll be ready mentally and physically.”

(Email: ncsports@ncnewsonline.com)