Allen beats buzzer to lift Bishop Canevin past Mohawk in PIAA quarterfinals

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, March 16, 2018 | 11:36 PM

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Nothing went right for Bishop Canevin girls basketball Friday, until it needed to.

First, the Crusaders team bus never showed up. Parents came together and convoyed through rush-hour traffic to get Gateway High School. The team was stuck in traffic for more than an hour.

Couple that with one of the Crusaders’ worst shooting performances of the season — the team that dons a green clover on the backs of their jerseys was going to have to cash in.

Trailing by one point with 14 seconds left, junior Gillian Gustine set up at the corner to deliver a game-winning 3-pointer but instead of the ball going to the rim it fell short and right into the hands of Bishop Canevin standout Bri Allen, who was waiting to clean up. Allen made a backwards, over-the-head shot to give the WPIAL Class 3A champion Crusaders a 31-30 come-from-behind win over Mohawk in the PIAA Class 3A quarterfinals.

“Someone shot (the ball) and I just happened to look up, get the rebound and I made it,” said Allen, describing her game-winning basket. “I practice that shot. I was in the right position at the right time.”

#PIAA Class 3 A Bishop Canevin 31, Mohawk 30. Here’s a clip of Bri Allens gamewinner in the final seconds. #TribHSSN pic.twitter.com/9tITAZSJWe

— William Whalen (@NittanyState06) March 16, 2018

Bishop Canevin (23-4) moved on to the PIAA semifinals to play East Allegheny (27-1) in what will be a rematch of the WPIAL Class 3A championship game. The Crusaders won 56-52.

Bishop Canevin won a state title in 2013 and is trying to make it back to PIAA title game for a second straight season.

“It’s ‘March Madness’ for a reason right?” Bishop Canevin coach Scott Dibble said. “We must have had the luck of the Irish on our side today. It was a rough day. Nothing was going our way.”

Allen’s last-second shot capped off an unflattering second half for the Crusaders. Bishop Canevin struggled after halftime, managed only five points in the third quarter and went into the final eight minutes trailing 22-20.

“It’s just shock,” Mohawk coach Mike O’Lare said. “And 20 minutes later, it just felt like everything in that second half that we wanted to do was working. These girls did everything they’re supposed to.”

Sophomore Karly McCutcheon scored the Warriors’ first six points to start the fourth quarter and give Mohawk a 28-21 lead with 3:14 left. Gustine came right back down the court after McCutcheon’s basket and buried a 3-pointer that ignited the Crusaders.

“That sparked us up,” Allen said of Gustine’s shot. “The Irish must have been good luck for us.”

Allen finished with a game-high 15 points, and Megan Meyer led Mohawk with 10.

The comeback wasn’t complete though. Allen hit a jumper off the glass and picked up a foul to bring the score to 30-29 still in favor of the Warriors. Things looked like they might start going Bishop Canevin’s way when McCutcheon’s layup attempt rolled off the rim. It was a basket the Warriors needed to slow the Crusaders’ momentum.

Allen was all over the floor diving for loose balls late to try and give her team chances.

“Defense wins championships, and it’s the key to any good team,” Dibble said.

The first half was all defense. Though Bishop Canevin led 11-8 at the end of the first quarter, the Mohawk defense was more than up to the task. Both teams shot poorly in the second quarter as defense took over. Allen paced the Crusaders with four points to give Bishop Canevin a 15-11 lead at halftime.

“Our kids wouldn’t quit,” Dibble said. “When it got down to crunch time, they refused to lose.”

William Whalen is a freelance writer.

Tags: Bishop Canevin, Mohawk