McKeesport, PA. – The Penn State Greater Allegheny Women’s Basketball Team (10-7, 7-1) will look to punch their ticket to the Penn State University Athletic Conference playoffs on Friday when they go on the road to face Penn State York (5-8, 3-5). A win would clinch PSUGA their first playoff berth since the 2013-2014 season and help continue their epic turn around from a year ago.
After stumbling in their first game of 2019 against PSU-Beaver, it has been all up hill for head coach Chrissy French and her team as they have rattled off four straight victories. Their latest win came over PSU-New Kensington on Monday 87-22. It was a big day for PSUGA’s two leading scorers as they flexed their offensive muscles throughout the night.
After breaking the single-game three-point record the game before, sophomore Tina Clybourn (Pittsburgh, PA./Brashear HS) built on her performance recording her second 30+ point game finishing with 32 points on the night. Her efforts earned her both the PSUAC and the United States Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Week awards and have only helped build her confidence as the team comes down the home stretch.
PSUGA also saw a big day from junior Teaira Hartley (East Stroudsburg, PA./East Stroudsburg North HS) who put up a season high 26 points and nine rebounds in the win. Hartley was also a force on defense picking up 11 steals and causing havoc for the newly formed New Kensington women’s basketball program. The defense in general played a big role in the win holding New Kensington to single digits in each of the four quarters, including only allowing two in the second quarter, on their way to the win.
After PSUGA’s win, and another PSU-Mont Alto loss, the magic number to clinch a playoff berth has been cut to just one setting up this playoff scenario. After the team went just 4-17 a year ago, they have completely turned things around more then doubling their win total and finding themselves right in the thick of the playoff picture.
Penn State York enters Friday’s game in a fight for their playoff lives in the PSUAC East Division. After going 2-3 in their last five games including tough losses to top seeded PSU-Lehigh Valley and PSU-Brandywine, they are sitting at 3-5 in conference play and in third place in the division. They are coming off a big performance last time out defeating PSU-Schuylkill 62-25 in a game where York’s Ashton Ball led with 13 points off the bench.
In six previous matchups with PSU-York, PSUGA has had the upper hand with a record of 4-2. Last season, it was York who would get the better of PSUGA picking up a 64-42 victory. For PSUGA, it was a big day for Alex Hall (Washington, D.C./Bell HS) who scored a career high 17 points in the loss.
Tip-off for Friday’s game is scheduled for 5 p.m. and will be the first half of a men’s and women’s basketball doubleheader at Penn State York.
