Yough girls outlast Highlands in 2OT to end postseason win drought

By: Andrew White
Thursday, February 13, 2025 | 10:50 PM

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In a game filled with twists and turns — turnovers, fouls, momentum shifts and clutch moments — Yough battled through adversity and came from behind to secure a grueling 53-47 double-overtime win over Highlands in a preliminary-round game of the WPIAL Class 4A girls basketball playoffs Thursday.

It was Yough’s first postseason triumph in 15 years.

“That game had a little bit of everything,” said Yough coach Brian Znavor, whose team advanced to play at No. 1 Blackhawk at 7 p.m. Monday. “We didn’t play well. A lot of turnovers, a lot of missed shots, a lot of runs. I’m proud of how hard the girls played up until the final buzzer.”

The contest started with Highlands jumping out to an 8-0 lead within the first two minutes, fueled by quick 3-pointers from Bella Bonnett and a layup from Tyarah Woody, the Rams’ leading scorer.

Yough struggled until a much-needed three-point play from Brooke Kowalski finally got the Cougars on the board.

The opening frame ended with Highlands ahead 12-8. Yough had just one field goal in the quarter, with six of their points coming from the free-throw line.

The second quarter was more of the same.

Woody’s three-point play extended Highlands’ lead early, and the Rams (6-15) appeared poised to take control. However, a flurry of turnovers from both teams prevented either side from finding a rhythm.

By halftime, Highlands led 25-16, but growing foul trouble loomed large. Three Rams starters had three fouls.

Yough (11-11) clawed its way back into the game despite continued struggles with turnovers and missed opportunities.

After falling behind 32-18, the Cougars responded with a 10-0 run sparked by aggressive defense and trips to the line. A banked-in 3-pointer from Brooke Wieland capped off the surge, cutting the deficit to four points by the end of the third.

“Woody went to the bench,” Znavor when asked about what contributed to the game-changing run. “She does a great job of handling the press, so once she got into foul trouble, we were able to be more effective in pressuring the ball. When we’ve found success this year, it’s been because we’ve been able to apply pressure and cause turnovers.”

The fourth quarter went back and forth, with Yough taking its first lead of the game at 37-36 after a steal and layup by Evelyn Gates.

Highlands answered with a 3 from Kailah Jones, but foul trouble continued to take a toll on the Rams. Woody fouled out with 4:26 left in regulation.

Multiple players from both teams missed crucial shots down the stretch. With 6 seconds remaining and the score tied 45-45, Highlands missed a pair of free throws.

Yough had a last-second opportunity, but a final shot missed the mark, sending the game to overtime.

The first overtime saw offensive struggles, and Highlands suffered another blow when Bonnett fouled out.

A three-point play from Yough’s Hailey Bock put the Cougars ahead, but Highlands forced another tie. Both teams had multiple chances to win the game at the free-throw line, but misses extended the game to a second overtime.

In the second overtime, the Cougars finally took control.

A mid-range jumper from Kowalski and a steal and score from Wieland gave the Cougars a six-point lead with under 30 seconds to play, sealing the game.

“The one thing I will say about these girls is they give it everything. They have since the beginning of the season and did it tonight,” said Znavor. “A playoff win doesn’t happen much here, so I’m proud of them.”

Yough’s previous playoff victory, coincidentally, also came against Highlands, on Feb. 13, 2009.

Tags: Highlands, Yough