Indiana girls basketball team rallies in 4th quarter to beat Plum

By: Michael Love
Monday, January 15, 2024 | 10:05 PM

First place in Section 1-5A was on the line Monday evening when the Plum and Indiana girls basketball teams matched up in the first of two meetings this season.

Both the Mustangs and Indians came in 5-0 in section, so something had to give.

Indiana rallied in the fourth quarter to come away from Plum High School with a 41-36 victory. The Indians outscored Plum, 23-12, in the fourth quarter.

“It was a whole team effort in every aspect of the game, and I was really proud of the girls,” Indiana coach Michael Franciscus said. “We had a really good game plan coming in, and the girls executed. We knew we had to contain their star players and also rebound as a team.”

Indiana improved to 11-2 overall.

The Indians begin the second half of the section schedule Friday at Penn Hills.

“The second time through the section is going to be tougher, so we have to be ready,” Franciscus said.

Plum, now 9-5 overall, came into Monday’s clash winners of three of four games in the New Year. The only loss was at undefeated Peters Township by nine points in nonsection play Jan. 5.

The Mustangs start the second half of section play Thursday at home against Gateway.

“It was definitely the kind of game we expected,” Plum coach Rich Mull said. “We had our chances, without a doubt. We just didn’t capitalize on them. We’ll see them again at their place, and hopefully it will be for a chance at a section title.”

Plum and Indiana meet again Feb. 8.

Both teams protected the basketball as there were just eight combined turnovers, five by Indiana and three by Plum.

When senior Megan Marston completed a three-point play — a jumper and a foul shot with 47 seconds left in the third quarter — Plum had its largest lead at 24-18.

The Mustangs also led 34-29 with 3 minutes, 55 seconds left in the fourth after senior Rayla Smith converted a breakaway transition layup off a pass from sophomore Riley Stephans.

From that point, Indiana made its shots from the field and from the foul line, outscoring Plum, 12-2, down the stretch.

Sophomore Julia Antonacci gave the Indians the lead 37-36 with 1:22 left with her second 3-pointer of the late-game run.

Senior forward Cassie Boyer, who collected eight rebounds, went 4 for 4 from the line in the final 21 seconds to seal the win.

“We really work on our foul shooting at the end of practices, and it paid off tonight,” said Boyer, who finished with eight of her 14 points in the fourth.

“It was a total team effort. We’re still undefeated in the section, and the win was another big confidence boost for us.”

Indians senior guard Bella Antonacci led all scorers with 16 points. She scored seven in the fourth and also pulled down eight rebounds.

“We just had to pass the ball better and create better passing angles to work the ball inside and prevent turnovers and also get our shooters in a better rhythm,” Franciscus said of the fourth-quarter turnaround.

“It all created better shooting opportunities, and they took advantage of it.”

Stephans hit one of her three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and finished with a team-best 11 points.

Junior Serena Carnahan added nine, and senior Pascale Olczak contributed seven points and six blocks.

The Indiana defense limited Marston, Plum’s leading scorer, to five points.

“We always talk about being consistent and playing a full game, especially on defense,” Mull said. “We didn’t run them off the 3-point line well enough in the fourth, and it came back to bite us. I am proud of the kids. It wasn’t for lack of effort. It was just a couple communication things here and there we can work on.”

Indiana came out quickly with the first six points. The Indians led 8-2 before Stephans connected on a 3-pointer to draw Plum closer.

A putback from Bella Antonacci with 2:12 left in the first quarter put Indiana up four at 11-7, and it remained that score at the end of the quarter.

The teams continued to play a tight game at both ends of the court in the second. Indiana wasn’t able to extend its lead while Plum scrapped its way back.

The Mustangs grabbed their only lead of the first half when Carnahan drove to the basket, made the layup, was fouled and sank the free throw with 29 seconds on the clock to give Plum a 16-15 advantage it took into halftime.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Indiana, Plum