BETHLEHEM – Emily McDonald ran the Abington Heights offense from the point guard position.
On the other end of the floor, she helped shut down the Bishop Shanahan attack in her role as a post defender and rebounder.
McDonald led the Lady Comets in points and led all players in rebounds with a double-double Wednesday night when Abington Heights defeated Bishop Shanahan 40-35 in a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 5A girls basketball second-round game.
The win advanced the Lady Comets (20-7) into Saturday’s 1 p.m. state quarterfinal against District 11 champion Bethlehem Catholic (22-5) at Pleasant Valley High School in Brodheadsville.
McDonald led a balanced attack by scoring 11 points, including going 4-for-4 at the foul line in the last minute. She orchestrated an offense that committed just eight turnovers.
“I do play point guard on the offensive end and sometimes I guard post on defense,” McDonald said. “But, I’ve been playing both for a long team. I can really guard (positions) one through five and I’ll do whatever is the best for my team.”
McDonald’s nine defensive rebounds were more than any other player had total. She added two more on the offense end for 11 total.
“I really want to win and keep playing,” said McDonald, who missed out on her junior season while recovering from ACL surgery. “It’s important to me. I’m a senior this year. I didn’t get to play last year. I want to play the longest I can.”
Rebounding was a big part of extending the season. The Lady Comets led the Eagles 13-2 in offensive rebounds and 39-24 in total rebounds.
“That was our focus tonight,” Abington Heights coach Deanna Klingman said. “Especially in the second half, so we could get out and run.”
Kate Scoblick had seven rebounds, six of them offensive. Madeleine Walsh came off the bench to add six rebounds, including five offensive. Peyton Houlihan grabbed five defensive rebounds.
The Lady Comets did not yield an offensive rebound in the last 27-plus minutes. By then, they were also shutting down Bishop Shanahan at the 3-point line.
The combination allowed Abington Heights to outscore Bishop Shanahan 23-11 in that time and complete a comeback from a 22-12 deficit earlier in the second quarter.
Bishop Shanahan opened the 10-point lead by starting 6-for-12 from 3-point range. It was 1-for-13 the rest of the way with the only 3-pointer coming from long range with 45 seconds left.
“We planned a lot for the post,” McDonald said. “They had a really good post player. She’s really physical. So, we planned to help down. We got caught sleeping on a few and we got beat out there, but we switched it (defensively) later in the second and that helped us a lot.”
Abington Heights scored the last four points of the first half and first four of the second to move in front 25-24.
Maggie Coleman then put the Lady Comets ahead to stay 28-26 on a 3-pointer with three minutes left in the third.
Coleman finished with eight points and six assists. Scoblick scored all six of her points during the third quarter when the Lady Comets took a 34-28 lead.
Abington Heights did not hit a field goal in the fourth quarter. It hung on with its defense, rebounding and then 6-for-6, free-throw shooting in the last 1:18. Madison Zalewski made the first two before McDonald made her four.
Carmel Ambrose, who hit the late 3-pointer, led District 1 champion Bishop Shanahan with 13 points and three steals.
Scranton defeated West Chester Rustin 58-49 in the second half of the doubleheader at Freedom.
Freshmen Zya Small and Chrissy Jacklinski combined for 40 points.
Small had 24 points, 13 rebounds, six blocked shots and four steals. Jacklinski’s 16 points included a banked in 45-footer at the first-half buzzer.
The Lackawanna League Division 1 rivals are one win away from meeting in the state semifinals. Scranton plays Saturday at 1 p.m. at Easton Middle School against Archbishop Wood, which is three ways away from a fourth straight state title.
CLASS 4A GIRLS
Jenna Hillebrand scored 28 points to lead Scranton Prep past Villa Joseph Marie at Easton Middle School.
The Lackawanna League Division 1 and District 2 Class 4A champion Classics led 42-26 at halftime.
CLASS 2A BOYS
Former Abington Heights player Michael Hughes scored 20 of his 23 points in the first half as Holy Cross routed Claysburg-Kimmel 72-24 for its fourth straight Mercy Rule playoff victory.
Hughes, who made four 3-pointers in the first half and another in the third quarter, helped the Crusaders to a 48-20 halftime lead, then they gave up just four points in the second half.
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