Reserves help Norwin girls rally past scrappy Hempfield; both teams playoff-bound

By: Paul Schofield
Thursday, February 5, 2026 | 10:28 PM

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Things did not look good for the Norwin girls basketball team midway through the third quarter of Thursday’s Section 2-6A game at Hempfield.

Hempfield had opened up a nine-point lead and had a chance to make it double figures.

That is when Norwin coach Brian Brozeski opted to sub out five players. Sort of like a hockey line change.

The move sparked the Knights as they rallied to defeat the Spartans, 56-48.

Norwin (16-3, 8-2) finished second in the section, and Hempfield (13-9, 3-7) finished tied for fourth with Mt. Lebanon and qualified for the WPIAL playoffs. Mt. Lebanon lost to Upper St. Clair, 41-36, on Thursday.

“We put some fresh legs in there, and I felt Jacalynn DeMarines and Makenna Black brought in some high energy in on the defensive side and it stabilized the floor on the offensive side,” Brozeski said. “Makenna gave us some paint presence. She was able to distribute and open things up from the outside.”

Lenyn Brozeski kick-started the comeback with a 3-pointer to trim the Spartans’ lead to 36-30. The Knights finished the third quarter by outscoring the Spartans, 11-5, to tie the score at 41.

Ava Christopher’s buzzer-beater from just inside half-court tied the score.

Norwin kept the momentum going to begin the fourth quarter as Nia O’Barto’s 3-pointer gave Knights the lead for good, 44-42.

O’Barto added another 3-pointer, her fifth of the game, to seal the win. She finished with 23 points off the bench.

“There have been times that Nia has started and times she has come off the bench,” Brozeski said. “She is comfortable either way.”

Norwin ended up making 12 3-pointers. Sophomore Aubrey Graney had 15 points, including three 3-pointers.

Hempfield came out hot against Norwin thanks to the sizzling shooting of senior Gabby Coccia, who scored all 13 of her team’s points in the first quarter. Coccia finished with 19 points.

“Our compete level is always there,” Hempfield coach Bob Madison said. “Anytime you come watch these girls play, you are going to see a great effort. Tonight was no exception.

“I could not be more proud of how they played, the effort they gave. A couple little things here or there may go our way. But that is how to goes.”

Norwin led 14-13 after one quarter despite turning the ball over six times.

Senior Ava Shipman and junior Reagan Fisher each scored six points in the second quarter as Hempfield took a 26-25 into the locker room.

Sophomore Lilly Houghtalen then scored all eight of her points in the third quarter as the Spartans pushed the lead to 36-27.

But a couple missed free throws and missed shots allowed Norwin back into the game.

“We have not been great at the line,” Madison said. “It is not for a lack of working at it. It is one of those things. We had a chance to extend it. We were close, we just did not get there.”

Brozeski said Hempfield has not been an easy place for Norwin over the years

“This is something you cannot take for granted,” Brozeski said. “It is tough here. Hempfield had a nice game plan, and it took us a while to break the code.”

Madison said the team watched the end of the Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair on TV.

“It is exciting to make the playoffs,” Madison said. “I believe it has been 10 years since the team has had the playoffs.”

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Hempfield, Norwin