Wendy Beveridge’s Three-Point Buzzer Beater Seals Lady Cats’ Big Comeback Win (01/30/16)

The Clarion Area Lady Cats Basketball Team came all the way back from a 15-2 deficit at the end of one quarter, to down the visiting Cranberry Lady Berries, 44-43, last evening (Friday, January 29th) with freshman Wendy Beveridge putting in the buzzer beating trey, to end the game in thrilling fashion.

Lady Cats celebrate thrilling victory

Lady Cats celebrate thrilling victory

After Cranberry jumped out to a 6-0 lead, Wendy’s older sister, Kelly scored on the Lady Cats only bucket of the first quarter. Cranberry went on a 9-0 run to end the stanza.

Clarion clawed their way back into the game, in the second quarter and were within six, at 27-21, at the half, thanks in large part to Maddie Weaver’s six points, including the two period ending free throws. The third quarter saw the Cats hold the Berries to just four points. With the quarter winding down, Jenna Beichner tied the game at 31-all, on a layup. And with just 1:10 left in the frame, Alexis Constantino hit a free throw, giving Clarion their first lead of the game at 32-31. The score would remain the same through the quarter.

Gloria Kroh, who had a very big inside game, moved the Cats’ lead to 34-31 on a layup to open the fourth. But a 7-2 Cranberry run, saw the Berries regain the lead at 38-36, with just under three minutes left. Berry senior Kendra Schreck scored all the points during that run.

Clarion regained the lead, at 39-38, on a put back by Kroh, with about 2:00 remaining. Kroh followed that with another bucket to up the Bobcat lead to three, at 41-38. But a basket by Malliah Schreck and a three pointer by Erin Merryman put the Berries back on top by two, 43-41, paving the way for the exciting finish.

Kelly Beveridge bringing the ball upcourt

Kelly Beveridge bringing the ball upcourt

The Lady Cats got the ball with time running out and Wendy Beveridge fired the desperation shot outside the arc and with the ball barely out of her hands, the buzzer blew. The Ball went in and the Lady Cats’ celebration began.

Kroh had ten points for the Lady Cats. Weaver had 8 points, Constantino scored 7 and Kelly Beveridge had six. Sophie Wolf had 4 and Anna Reed and Wendy Beveridge each had three. Beichner had two points.

Merryman led the Berries with fourteen points. Kendra Schreck added 11 and Malliah Schreck added eight.

CAT QUOTES

Coach Tracy Durish had this to say about Kroh’s strong inside play. “Gloria has really been picking up her rebounding lately. She has been working really hard in practice, boxing out and working tough against Jenna and Sophie. The three of them are really enjoying working against each other and it is showing up in practice. Her inside moves have really improved. She’s scoring more points now as the season is getting later.”

Coach Durish commented about Wendy Beveridge’s last second shot, “At the end… If Kelly had been in, we would have went to her on the three. But with her fouling out, her younger sister has been known to, in JV games, to hit the three to win. She is a pretty consistent three point shooter, so she was a no-brainer to go to.

“She hit the three with three people on her, at the end of the Varsity game. I think that is a pretty big deal for a freshman. She didn’t blink an eye. She stepped up. She wanted to hit the three and not only win the game for us. It was exciting for her to do it. And everybody gave her credit, because it really takes a lot to step up and do that.”

Coach Durish concluded, “It’s exciting. We’ve won two in a row now. I feel like we are gaining momentum as we get towards the end of the season and the playoffs.”

The Lady Cat JVs won their game 22-19, behind Wendy Beveridge’s fourteen points.

Cranberry led 4-3 after one and 6-5 at the half. Clarion led 12-11 after three.

Alexis Constantino scored 6 points and Maya Thornton added two for Clarion.

Malliah Schreck had 12 for the Berries, with Hanna Duncan adding 4 and Carley Wice contributing one point.

The Lady Cats will host North Clarion on Wednesday (February 3rd).

(Thanks to Andy Beveridge for the Junior Varsity information.)