WHITEMARSH — Garnet Valley is going to work on its foul shooting in practice this week. It is one of the few basketball teams remaining in Pennsylvania that can say such a thing.
Despite shooting 55.8 percent from the floor (19-for-34) in a PIAA Class 6A semifinal at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School Monday night, the Jaguars incurred some problems at the charity stripe. Eight missed freebies had left the window cracked for Neshaminy, which had trailed by eight points with 45 seconds to play.
Amid the amplified roars of Neshaminy’s student section, Jill Nagy stepped to the line with 8.5 seconds to go. The senior guard missed the first shot, but made the second to put GV ahead by three points.
Neshaminy had a chance to tie. Senior guard Allison Harvey, who is probably the team’s best 3-point shooter, had an open look from the corner. The ball went in and out of the basket. Brooke Mullin corralled the rebound, but time ran out before Mullin could kick the ball back out.
Garnet Valley claimed a 51-48 victory and is going to Hershey Friday night to play for the program’s first state championship.
The Jags (30-1) will meet undefeated Peters Township (29-0), which defeated Upper Dublin in overtime in the other semifinal.
“It’s very exciting. We’re so close,” said senior forward Emily McAteer, who was sensational in the second half. “We worked so hard for this all season, and we’ve been so hyped all season. All the hard work is paying off.”
But those final ticks must have felt like forever, right?
“I was really hoping Nagy would make the second foul shot, which she did. At least if they made a 3, we would have overtime,” said McAteer, who led the Jags with 19 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. “I mean, obviously, we have to work on our foul shots tomorrow. I was just hoping their last shot wouldn’t go in, and we would get the rebound. That’s what happened and now we’re going to Hershey.”
The Jags celebrated, though not too seriously. There wasn’t a big pile up on the court or anything. They can save their big dance for Friday.
“Right now we’re excited to finally make it to the championship,” said senior Brianne Borcky, who has been McAteer’s partner-in-crime all four years at Garnet Valley.
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