CENTRE COUNTY — The State College girls’ basketball team is now 1-1 after a loss in the finals of the State College Tip-Off Tournament, while St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy rebounded from a loss to Indiana with a big win over Warren.
Here’s the latest in local girls’ basketball action.
State College Tip-Off Tournament
State College girls’ basketball team rallied in the second half to overcome Reading in the 2025 Tip-Off Tournament, but the magic did not carry over to the final against District 7’s Norwin.
Down 26-19 at halftime against Reading, the Lady Little Lions turned to their defense and outscored RHS 25-14 in the second half to take a close, 44-40 victory.
The third quarter told the story as SC went on a 15-5 run and took a 34-31 lead heading into the final eight minutes.
And despite intense pressure from Reading in the fourth quarter, the Lions held on for the four-point win.
Sienna Wilson led things for SC with 17 points, and McKenna Whitehurst added 10. Deseray Mobley and Sheree Wilson both scored six points.
The win put State College into the final against 2-0 Norwin, but a cold fourth quarter sent the team to a close, 50-46 loss.
SC managed just two points down the stretch while Norwin, ahead 48-46 with less than a minute to play, got two foul shots from Nia O’Barto that sent Norwin to the tournament championship.
It was the second year in a row that Norwin was able to edge the Lions in the tournament championship.
State College, now 1-1, will begin its Mid-Penn Commonwealth season with a home game against Altoona and then an away game at Harrisburg.
St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy girls’ basketball team started quickly against Indiana on Friday night in the SJCA Tip-Off, but they could not keep it going against the undefeated Little Indians.
Ahead 18-16 after the first quarter, SJCA was held to just 6 points in the second quarter and fell behind 32-24 at the half.
And despite 11 points from Naomi Crispin in the final two quarters, Indiana held on for a 53-46 victory.
The WolfPack were able to draw within five points late in the game, but Indiana made six clutch free throws down the stretch to preserve the win.
Crispin, who was named to the All-Tournament Team, led SJCA with 23 points while Aubrey Yartz added 11 and Lauren Himes scored 6.
Indiana put four players in double figures led by Julia Antonelli with 16.
It was a different story on Saturday in the consolation game against Warren.
Himes and Crispin combined to score 21 points in the first quarter–Himes had four 3-pointers–as SJCA broke out to a 31-3 lead.
From there, it was all St. Joe’s as the WolfPack rode to an 81-22 victory.
Himes finished with 24 points, Crispin with 23 and Alexia Luckovich with 11 as the WolfPack took their third win of the season against two losses.
Next up for SJCA will be a home game on Friday against Juniata and then an away game at East Juniata on Monday.
Philipsburg-Osceola opens with win over BEA
Philipsburg-Osceola Lady Mounties opened their 2025-26 basketball season with a 38-21 home victory over LHAC foe Bald Eagle Area on Dec. 3.
The Mounties broke things open with an 11-3 run in the second quarter that gave them a 19-7 halftime lead that they would not lose.
Emily Gustkey scored 21 points in the game for P-O, and Kaycie Hughes added 15 as the pair accounted for 36 of their team’s 38 points.
Gustkey and Hughes combined to nail eight 3-pointers as P-O kept up the pressure in the second half to take its first win.
BEA got 10 points from Kinsey Clark while Lilly Harter had 6 in what was the team’s first loss of the season.
Two days later at D-6 power Forest Hills, the Lady Bald Eagles took their second loss.
Forest Hills, always a contender for the district championship, started quickly and pulled away for a 56-19 win over BEA.
Ashlyn Thompson and Clark each scored 6 points for BEA, and Danyka Smith and Harter both scored 3 points.
The loss put the Eagles’ record at 0-2 with home games against Bellwood-Antis and Penns Valley coming up.
Philipsburg-Osceola will next play against Clearfield at home on Friday night and then travel to Central Cambria on Saturday afternoon.
Penns Valley grabs two wins
After an opening night loss to St. Joseph’s Academy, the Penns Valley Rams responded with two LHAC wins.
On Dec. 3, the Rams took their first win of the season with a 68-56 win at Bellwood-Antis, and then they took win No. 2 at Chestnut Ridge, 57-27, on Dec. 5.
Against B-A, PV broke out early to a 22-10 first-quarter lead and then held on for the hard-fought 12-point victory.
Bellwood outscored the Rams 32-25 in the second half, but PV had a big enough cushion to survive and take its first win.
Ellie Romig led PV with 23 points, Elle Dinges added 19, and Paige Johnson scored 16 as the Rams also took their first LHAC win.
Two days later on Dec. 5 at Chestnut Ridge, the Ram defense held CR to single digits in every quarter on the way to a 57-27 victory.
By halftime the score with 35-14, and PV kept it going with another 14-6 run in the third quarter.
Romig again led PV with 17 points while Sydnie Dalton scored 11 and Lilly Smith added 9.
The win put Penns Valley at 2-1 for the year with games against Hollidaysburg, BEA and Clearfield on the schedule.
