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Central overcomes slow start in win vs. New Oxford


It took the Central York girls' basketball team several minutes Friday to eradicate the bad taste that had been left in their mouths from Tuesday's loss to William Penn, just the Panthers' second of the season.

After falling behind in the first quarter to New Oxford on Friday, the Panthers refocused themselves and came away with a 49-36 win at home. Central outscored the Colonials, 41-23, through the final three quarters of the game and had five players put up five or more points in the win.

“We were just kind of searching for what was going to be more effective, and then we kind of settled in,” Central York head coach Scott Wisner said about the change in his team.” Found out what was going to work, and I think the kids got more comfortable. We felt like we couldn’t get into a good flow or a good rhythm at all. Part of that was a little bit of an after effect from the loss at York High, I think.

“We were able to settle it down and figure it out.”

The Colonials opened the second with Presley Berryhill hitting two straight shots to put her team up by 10, but the Panthers responded with nine points of their own to move within one and ended the first half trailing 21-19.

Again New Oxford hit back-to-back shots to open up the second half, and again Central responded. Nikson Valencik hit a long jumper and Sarah Sepic followed up with basket of her own. Lydia Shellenberger then found Emma Saxton near the hoop, and she tied the game at 25.

Saxton, who finished the game with 14 points, went the length of the court on the Panthers’ next possession and gave them their first lead of the game. From there the Panthers held the Colonials to just 11 points the rest of the way to pick up their 11th win of the year.

Friday’s victory was also the second time during the 2015-16 campaign that these two sides played a tight ballgame.

“The first time we played up (in New Oxford) it was a tale of two halfs,” Wisner said. “We got a fast start, and they really took control in the second half, and we were able to hang on. Tonight that switched, and you’re going to have that when you have two good teams playing.”

New Oxford (36)  

Stabler 1 0-0 2, Sauter 0 0-1 0, Berryhill 3 1-4 8, Luckabaugh 4 0-0 9, Smith 1 0-0 2, Kaelyn Long 3 7-10 13, Slonaker 1 0-0 2. Totals — 13 8-15 36.

Central York (49)   

Valencik 3 2-3 8, Fabbri 3 0-0 8, Wagner 1 0-0 2, Emma Saxton 6 2-4 14, Williams 3 0-0 6, Sepic 2 0-0 5, Shellenberger 1 0-0 2, Preston 2 0-0 4. Totals — 21 4-7 49.

New Oxford _ 13 _ 8 _ 7 _ 8 _ — _ 36   

Central York _ 8 _ 11 _ 17 _ 13 _ — _ 49  

3-point goals — CY 3 (Fabbri 2, Sepic), NO 2 (Berryhill, Luckabaugh).