SOUTH ABINGTON TWP. — Meghan Corridoni sank a free throw with five seconds left in the game to give Holy Redeemer a 46-45 win over Abington Heights in a non-league girls basketball contest on Thursday, Dec. 17.
With the Lady Comets trailing by three points with 1:21 left, Abington Heights senior Mariah Tulaney scored on a reverse layup and, after making a steal, converted a free throw to tie the game, 55-55, with 11.2 seconds remaining.
On the ensuing possession, Corridoni, a senior, was fouled shooting a jump shot. She missed the first free throw attempt, but knocked down the second after an Abington Heights time out to give Redeemer a one-point advantage.
After quickly being fouled, Holy Redeemer’s Lydia Lawson missed the front end of a one-and-one at the free-throw line, but Abington Heights was unable to attempt a shot in the final seconds.
“I thought both teams played real hard,” Abington Heights head coach Deanna Klingman said. “A lot of these kids haven’t played in a game environment like this one. I thought they handled the pressure and put themselves in a great position at the end of the game.”
Holy Redeemer (3-1) used a 6-2 run, punctuated by a 3-pointer from junior Talia Kosierowski, to lead 11-5 at the end of the first quarter. Abington Heights (4-2) made just two of 11 attempted shots in the quarter.
“We have to do a better job being a little bit more patient on the offensive end, instead of taking the first available shot,” Klingman said.
Lady Comets sophomore Cassie Ksiazek scored 10 of her 12 points in the second quarter and Abington Heights ended the first half on an 8-3 run to lead 26-25.
“Hats off to Abington (Heights), I thought they played well,” Holy Redeemer head coach Chris Parker said. “The last time we played here, we got beat so I knew they were going to lay it all on the line.”
Abington Heights junior Nicole Getz converted a pair of 3-point plays in the third quarter, but Kosierowski also hit two 3-pointers to keep the Lady Royals within striking distance, down three entering the final quarter.
“We had spurts where we knocked down some shots and we had cold spurts,” Parker said. “I don’t think we played our best basketball, but good teams find a way to win. I was proud of the way the girls were able to stay together and pull out a victory.”
Despite the loss, Klingman believes the experience of playing in the game will be beneficial for the team throughout the rest of the season.
“I think this game is going to help us tremendously to get prepared for league play,” she said. “Holy Redeemer is a very good basketball team. I thought they were solid all-around.
“We’ve played two really good games back-to-back. We had a couple kids coming back from injuries, (junior) Alessia Brunori missed the last four games and junior Olivia Baker is also back now. I think we’re going to get better and better every day.”
