HS GIRLS BASKETBALL: OWEGO PICKS UP WIN OVER SECTION III FOE (2024-02-12)

Tioga County Sports Report
OWEGO — The Owego girls basketball team pumped out 21 fourth-quarter points to turn away Auburn, 63-49, in non-conference action Monday evening.

The Maroons trailed, 51-47, with 2 ½ minutes remaining in the game, but the River Hawks closed out the night on a 12-2 run.

Auburn came in attempting to snap a four-game losing streak while Owego was trying to rebound from a pair of heartbreaking setbacks (by a combined three points).

It was a much-needed win for Owego.

“We had a tough week last week with the two tough losses in different ways, us not scoring well against a good Waverly team, and then we had a good lead late against Seton and they caught fire in the fourth quarter and our defense kind of let us go a little bit there,” coach Luke McEvoy said. “It was nice to bounce back against a solid Auburn team today, an opponent that we don't normally see.”

The River Hawks jumped out to a 17-10 first-period advantage behind nine points from Madison McEvoy and another eight by Ava Brown.

In the second quarter, Brown put in seven more points, while McEvoy and Cassie Doane added four and two, respectively, for a 30-24 lead.

Lexi Herceg nailed a pair of field goals in the third stanza while Brown and McEvoy tacked on one 3-pointer apiece, giving the River Hawks a 42-34 advantage.

McEvoy canned two more treys in the final frame and finished the quarter with eight points, giving her a game-high 24. She connected for five 3-pointers and went 7-for-8 at the free throw line on the night.

Brown added five more points in the fourth, giving her 20 total. Herceg contributed six points, Ashlyn Dalton had five, and Taylor Dalton and Doane scored four apiece.

Auburn’s Peyton Maneri, who last week surpassed 1,100 career points, scored 18. She came in averaging 23.6 points per game.

“The Maneri girl’s a heck of a player and I thought this matchup today and then playing Corning tomorrow will prepare us for sectional play,” McEvoy said. "I believe based on my thoughts that this should get us the two seed. hopefully, so we don't have to go to Maine-Endwell and we can host Maine-Endwell.

Owego improved to 11-8 while the Maroons slipped to 9-9. The River Hawks travel to Corning Tuesday.

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IN PHOTO 1: Owego’s Taylor Dalton. ... PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.

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