Canon-McMillan downs Seneca Valley to earn program’s 1st trip to WPIAL championship game

By: Antonio Rossetti
Tuesday, February 24, 2026 | 8:52 PM

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Timely defense and clutch shots down the stretch sent Canon-McMillan to a 47-42 victory over Seneca Valley in the WPIAL Class 6A girls basketball semifinals Tuesday night.

It’s the first trip to the WPIAL finals for the top-seeded Big Macs (20-4), who were led by Madison Clair with 15 points and Brooke Stanton with 13.

Lauren Borella added 11 points, three steals and four straight free throws that helped ice the game.

“I told the girls, dreams do come true,” coach John Fontana said. “You don’t have to go to Disney. We just worked really hard. We fought the entire game. We played a great basketball team — they are good. And that No. 24 (Natalie Hambly), she might be the best player we faced. Just a great player.”

Canon-McMillan’s Brooke Stanton buried a 3-pointer to go up 30-25 right before the end of the third quarter.

At 32-27, Clair made two free throws, and after a Borella steal, she threw an outlet pass to a wide-open Stanton to go up 36-27.

Canon-McMillan appeared to be in control. That was until Hambly tallied 12 consecutive points to cut the lead to 40-39. Hambly used a 3-pointer and a Euro step through the Big Macs defense to cut it to one. She tallied 24 for the game.

When the fifth-seeded Raiders (14-7) had a chance to take the lead, Clair jumped a pass and notched a steal. She was fouled and made both free throws.

“She’s a great player,” Clair said. “If you don’t have a hand up, she’s shooting it, and she’s making it. Our biggest thing is defense, and it wasn’t our best today. We’ve played better games before, but when it comes down to those moments, you can score all you want, but if you can’t stop the other team, you’re not going to win. When I got that steal, I was just thinking, ‘We need a stop.’ That’s what I focused on.”

Canon-McMillan held Seneca Valley to just six points in the third quarter.

“Defense is our main priority in practice,” Clair said. “It’s probably 75 percent defense and 25 percent offense. We all played AAU, we all know we can score, but defense is what we focus on in high school. You can’t always score, but if you can’t stop the other team, you’re not going to win.”

The Big Macs made every free throw down the stretch, burying six straight with Borella making six in the game and four in a row late.

“We made every free throw we needed at the end,” Borella said. “That’s what’s most important. We practice free throws under pressure all the time, so that was really big for us. I’m glad I made them at the end, too. I wasn’t doing too well in the beginning.”

Clair also made timely plays and helped get the offense going with an early 3-pointer in the first quarter.

“You can really count on her in tough situations,” Borella said. “She’s always there to get a steal, make a tough layup, make hard free throws. You can always count on Madison.”

Every time the Raiders made it close, the Big Macs got stops or extended the lead right back.

“We’re always patient,” Stanton said. “We pass the ball. On our team, we look for the open player.”

Stanton made multiple clutch shots.

“Brooke Stanton was outstanding,” Fontana said. “Since we put her in the lineup, we’re undefeated. She’s an outstanding player. She can play defense, she can shoot, she can get to the hoop. She does it all. She’s an outstanding athlete for a sophomore.”

As for the ending sequence, Borella grabbed an offensive rebound and scored to give the Big Macs a 40-36 lead.

Hambly then buried a 23-foot three to make it 40-39.

After getting a jump ball, the Raiders had a chance to take the lead, but Clair swiped a steal and got it up to Borella. The Raiders fouled her and Borella made one of two free throws.

Canon-McMillan and Seneca Valley both grabbed the rebound after the missed free throw, causing a jump ball in favor of the Big Macs.

Clair was fouled on the inbound and made both to go up 43-39.

After the Borella missed free throw, the Big Macs made eight consecutive free throws down the stretch to ice the game.

Seneca Valley held the lead at the end of the first quarter, 10-9, and held multiple leads in the second. However, Canon-McMillan ended the half on a 4-0 run in the last minute to go up 21-19.

“It was very physical,” Borella said. “We knew that coming in, but you just have to play through it and be aggressive back.”

Fontana said he’s proud of his team, which will face No. 2 Norwin in the championship game at 5 p.m. Saturday at Pitt’s Petersen Events Center.

“The program is 50 years old,” he said. “The other day, I met the first coach ever here — she coached in 1976. They’ve never been to the semifinals, let alone to The Pete, so we’re making history while we’re moving forward. It’s just very exciting.”

Tags: Canon-McMillan, Seneca Valley