Pine-Richland Visits North Allegheny In Tonight’s Girls’ Basketball Featured Game

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The MSA Sports & Quad-A Conference Girls’ Basketball Game of the Week features a Section 3 tilt between Pine-Richland and host North Allegheny. The Lady Rams are off to a stellar start to the season with a 7-3 record, having already won more games this year than all of last season. Pine-Richland opened the season with a tip-off tournament title at Ambridge and most recently took home the first place trophy from the Mars Holiday Tournament.  Unfortunately for the Rams, losses to North Hills and Seneca Valley have them owning just a 1-2 record in section play.

North Allegheny is the reigning Section 3 Champions and the top-ranked team according the latest MSA Sports poll released last week. Off to an 8-1 start, the Tigers only blemish is a last second loss to Mt. Lebanon in the second game of the season. NA has won seven straight and most recently grabbed the title at its own Wright Automotive Holiday Tournament with wins over Canon-McMillan and South Park. The Lady Tigers are a perfect 3-0 within the section.

Both of these teams are young, but the Tigers are a bit more experienced despite their youth. Senior guard Taylor Brennan is a three-year starter and easily the most seasoned Tiger, while junior guard Devvin LaBarge has been the hot hand of late, going 8 of 9 from beyond the arc in the last two games to earn Holiday Tournament MVP honors.  Sophomore Abby Gonzales is a spark plug who is as good defensively as she is near the opponent’s basket.  The Tigers are led by seventh year head coach Sherri McConnell who was a standout player at NA and Duquesne University from 1995-1999.  McConnell (Hannan), ranks eighth all-time in the Lady Dukes program with 392 assists and 205 steals.

For the Lady Rams, they have only three seniors on their 19 player roster. Those seniors include Marisa Hombosky, Lydia Songer and Hannah Fasler. Hombosky is a talented multi-sport athlete who was named an All-Section for the Pine-Richland Girls’ Soccer Team.  A fantastic defender on the soccer field, Hombosky uses her athleticism to run the point for the Rams on the hardwood. Sophomore forward Chelsea Rourke is a returning starter who saw significant minutes during her freshman season.  Cliff Foster is in his second year as head coach at Pine-Richland and a member of the LaRoche College Hall of Fame for an outstanding basketball career spanning 2000-2004. Foster is LaRoche’s all-time leader in assists, steals, and games played.

Game time for tonight’s Quad-A Girls’ Basketball Game of the Week between Pine-Richland and North Allegheny is 7:30.  Airtime for tonight’s broadcast is slated for 7:15 with Randy Gore and Dave Floyd on the call. To listen to tonight’s broadcast, click here.