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By: Kate Harman
When you play with ball handlers and scorers as prolific as Mandy McGurk and Maggie Pina, sometimes you just have to get out of their way.
At least, that’s what Allie Lynch was thinking to herself in the waning moments of Notre Dame’s Pennsylvania Independent Schools semifinal contest against Abington Friends.
Just seconds remained on the clock in a tight – and tie – game when the play drawn up from the sideline was done in such a way to allow McGurk and Pina to do their thing.
Create their own space for a shot.
Drive to the basket.
That kind of thing.
But, instead, Allie Lynch was open, so McGurk passed it to Pina, who found Lynch down low. The sophomore was fouled on the shot and made one of two free throws, which ended up being the difference for the Irish, as Notre Dame defeated the Kangaroos, 51-50, Friday at Westtown.
“We set up the play for Maggie [Pina] and Mandy [McGurk],” Lynch said. “So, I just figured I would get out of their way so they could drive. But then they pressured her so hard that when I cut to the basket, I was wide open. I didn’t expect it, but I also knew what to do when it happened.”
She also knew what to do from the free throw line – even though the stripe hasn’t been too kind to the guard this season.
“I’ve been having trouble shooting free throws all season so I was really nervous.” Lynch said. “[The walk to the foul line] felt a little longer than it should have, but I knew I made four earlier in the game so I thought I could make it. I changed my routine so I’m not thinking about it as long. When I think about it I miss them.”
Not on Friday. On Friday, she went 5-for-6 from the line.
“The first half of the season I was shooting okay,” Lynch said. “Then I started missing them in games. Halfway through the year I changed my routine. Today, it really showed.”
The contest was never more than a few possession game, as every trip down the floor for each side seemed to hold special significance. The Irish (15-10) led for the majority of regulation, with the Kangaroos (22-6) taking a one bucket lead with 12.8 second remaining before Caitlyn Mullen answered for Notre Dame, sending the game into overtime.
After the first extra period the game was still deadlocked.
With her team running out of time in the second overtime, Pina deftly worked her way around a few defenders and found Lynch by the left block.
“It was set up for me to drive,” McGurk said. “Then I realized the girl was so tight on me and other people were open so I thought people would have better opportunities if I laid it off.”
For the first time since 2011, the Irish will play for a state championship, against Shipley, Saturday, 4:30 p.m., at Westtown. Notre Dame hasn’t won a PAISAA title since 2008.
“I’m so excited,” McGurk said. “My freshman year we were expected to go to the finals and we didn’t, we came up short. Getting over that hump, winning that game, is such a relief and now it’s just one more game.”
@Ka_Harman
Notre Dame 16 11 8 7 5 4 – 51
Abington Friends 13 9 8 12 5 3 – 50
ND: Mandy McGurk 19, Maggie Pina 11, Allie Lynch 10, Emma Kichula 5, Caitlyn Mullen 4, Riley Gillin 2
AF: Zaniyyah Ross-Barnes 17, Paige Mott 13, Kendall Hodges 7, Jordan Smith 7, Mihjae Hayes 4, Siana Wynn 2