MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore's Devon Walker shoots against Montoursville during Monday's game.
JERSEY SHORE — The Jersey Shore student section roared a few feet away, but Nyla Kutney only heard the basketball bouncing off the floor. And then the sweet sound of the ball going through the net.
A sophomore playing just her fourth high school basketball game after missing last season with an injury, Kutney embraced the pressure late Monday night against the Bulldogs. She wanted the ball and she owned her big moments. After Jersey Shore trimmed an 11-point deficit to three, Kutney drained four consecutive free throws.
Jersey Shore kept coming back and still had one last shot to tie in the closing seconds, but Kutney again delivered. This time she blocked Peyton Dincher’s 3-point attempt with less than a second remaining. Shyanne Klemick then hit a game-clinching free throw and sealed Montoursville’s riveting 62-58 win. A game which swayed back and forth like a pendulum was filled with outstanding performances by players from both gritty teams.
Ultimately, the young sophomore helped make the big difference.
“I wasn’t really nervous,” Kutney said. “I’m just trying to block out the noise. It felt really good making them.”
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jocelyn McCracken shoots for Jersey Shore against Montoursville on Monday night.
Long-time rivals battled hard throughout and produced, one of the area’s best basketball games in this young season. Jersey Shore erased an eight-point first-quarter deficit, built a 10-point lead late in the second and led by eight at halftime. Montoursville may have been staggered but it came roaring back, dominated the third quarter, went on a 23-4 run and never trailed again.
All 10 players Montoursville coach Sean Walker used made strong impacts and his bench was especially vital. That included Kutney who scored seven points and grabbed five rebounds. She saved her best for last and was ready when Jersey Shore went for the tie. Dincher, an outstanding freshman guard, had helped fuel the fourth-quarter comeback and caught a pass near the top of the key.
Dincher quickly set her feet and let the ball fly, but Kutney came charging out from the foul line and blocked it. Klemick came out of the ensuing scrum with the loose ball and Montoursville (2-2) secured a dramatic win which could pay big dividends as this season continues.
“I just knew there were only a couple seconds left,” Kutney said. “I knew she was going to shoot so I stayed up and went after it.”
“Since taking the program over I’ve heard nothing but stories about her. I told her, ‘Nyla I just need you to be an athlete,’ and she’s a natural athlete,” Walker said. “Each and every game that we have played so far, she keeps progressing. She just gets better and better.”
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Sydnie Stone tries to get a shot off as Jersey Shore's defense closes in on Monday.
Montoursville grew much better after Jersey Shore went on a 21-3 run over a near nine-minute span and built a 10-point lead late in the second quarter. A Sydnie Stone runner stopped the bleeding and made it 32-24 at halftime, but the Bulldogs appeared in control. Instead, Walker switched to a full-court press and Montoursville quickly changed the game’s course.
The Warriors forced eight third-quarter turnovers and scored 23 points, going ahead to stay on Alaina Marchioni’s putback three minutes into the third quarter. Six players scored during that game-changing run and Montoursville snapped a two-game losing streak, revealing both its character and potential.
“I know what they are and I know from the last three years being at Williamsport and facing them, I know that fight is there. It’s just sometimes you have to will it out of them,” Walker, Williamsport’s former JV coach, said. “I think sometimes we get a little lazy or a little bit of hurt feelings but once we kick it back in gear we can be dominant, especially with our press we can be very dominant. I’m excited with what we’re doing.”
So is Jersey Shore.
The Bulldogs (3-1) already have matched last year’s win total and never sulked after Montoursville built its first-quarter and second-half leads, repeatedly coming back hard. Jersey Shore already has matched last year’s win total and has a nice mix of talented newcomers and hard-working veterans. It was not the result Jersey Shore wanted Monday, but it learned a lot which could make it better as the season continues.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Nyla Kutney drives against Jersey Shore on Monday night.
“The effort’s there and the intensity is there; they play very hard,” Jersey Shore coach Darrin Bischof said. “In the long run you’ll see mistakes like that will turn over, where we’re the ones capitalizing and not struggling a little bit in the third and fourth quarters.”
Jersey Shore forward Jocelyn McCracken was a force and scored both a career and area-high 28 points. The sophomore was virtually unstoppable in the first half, scoring 18 points, including 12 straight to open the second quarter as Jersey Shore went on its big run. McCracken had a hand in 14 of the team’s first 16 points that quarter and added six rebounds and five steals.
McCracken was a handful in the post, but Montoursville’s press forced her to come out more since she is one of the team’s top ball-handlers. That negated Jersey Shore’s strength inside, but the Bulldogs still revealed a potent blend with McCracken on the inside and Dincher (13 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, 4 steals) a skilled shooter who also is outstanding attacking the basket.
“We stressed at halftime that I don’t think they have anyone that can play her (McCracken) in the post. If we can continue to get it to her they can’t stop her down there,” Bischof said. “The problem was getting it to her in the second half. When she has to come out and handle the ball it’s tough for her to get down on the block.”
It took a team effort to slow Jersey Shore down following its 32-point first half and that is what Montoursville produced. Senior Maddie Adams shined, scoring 16 points, pulling down a game-high 10 rebounds and adding two steals. Maddie Labatch scored 12 points, collected nine rebounds and made four steals. Stone scored nine points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Marchioni (8 points) played strong defense.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Drew Sees dribbles against Jersey Shore on Monday night.
And when Walker went to his bench there was no drop off. On a night Montoursville experienced foul trouble, the reserves came up huge. Kutney, Kristen George, Maya Neiman, Mahlon Yonkin and Ashlyn Loe all provided sparks in crucial areas, helping the Warriors build that lead and then hold off Jersey Shore’s comeback.
“They know that everybody plays a part on this team. It’s not just one, it’s not just two. Everyone has something to do with this team, so everybody is going to get minutes,” Walker said. “When you come off the bench be ready to contribute. It’s not about scoring all the time. It’s coming down and grabbing rebounds, playing good defense and doing things like that changes the complexion of the game also.”
Devon Walker showed all those qualities and was key in Jersey Shore rallying throughout the fourth quarter, creating several turnovers while finishing with eight rebounds. Celia Shemory added six points and eight rebounds; freshman Cailyn Schall dealt four assists and different players took turns making something positive happen.
Even down 10 with less than three minutes remaining, Jersey Shore showed no quit and Dincher scored five straight points before Shemory made it 55-52. Cue Kutney who made her four straight foul shots. Unfazed, McCracken went coast to coast for a layup before Walker’s steal and layup made it 61-58 with 12 seconds remaining.
“I feel like other teams in the league will do the same thing Montoursville did, so it’s a matter of us adjusting and being smart with the basketball, so I think this will help us,” Bischof said. “We will continue to grow.”
MONTOURSVILLE (62)
Maddie Labatch 4 3-4 12, Maddie Adams 5 4-4 16, Alaina Marchioni 4 0-2 8, Shayanne Klemick 2 1-4 6, Sydnie Stone 4 1-5 9, Nyla Kutney 1 5-6 7, Kristen George 0 0-0 0, Maya Neiman 0 2-2 2, Mahlon Yonkin 1 0-0 2, Ashlyn Loe 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 16-27 62.
JERSEY SHORE (58)
Peyton Dincher 3 5-6 13, Jocelyn McCracken 10 8-11 28, Cailyn Schall 0 2-2 2, Sophia Kauffman 0 0-1 0, Natalie Haight 0 0-0 0, Rachel Lorson 1 1-1 3, Devon Walker 2 0-4 4, Celia Shemory 3 0-1 6, Rayne Herritt 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 16-26 58.
Montoursville 19 5 23 15 — 62
Jersey Shore 16 16 6 20 — 58
3-pointers: Montoursville 4 (Adams 2, Labatch, Klemick); Jersey Shore 2 (Dincher 2).
Records: Montoursville 2-2. Jersey Shore 3-1.
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