Medina girls rally late to edge rival Albion

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Samantha Heschke fires up the game winning three point shot in the final seconds of the Mustangs come-from-behind 51-50 home court win over rival Albion this evening. Melia Prince defends for Albion.

Coming from behind with a big fourth quarter scoring surge, Medina rallied to nip rival Albion 51-50 in a Niagara-Orleans League girls basketball game this evening at Medina.

Trailing by seven, 40-33. Medina rallied for the narrow win by out scoring Albion 18-10 in the decisive final stanza.

The Mustangs opened the period with a key 13-2 run on two threes by Harmoni Wilson, a three and a two by Caliyah St. Louis and a basket by Roswyn Oakes to rally into the lead at 46-42.

The Purple Eagles though answered right back with a clutch 8-0 run on a three by Leah Pawlak, two baskets by Aaliyah Jones and a free throw by Melia Prince to regain the lead for what proved to be the last time at 50-46 with less than a minute to go.

That set the stage for the Mustangs big finish as St. Louis hit a basket with 22 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to 50-48 and Samantha Heschke followed up with a huge three for what proved to be the game winning basket with 14 seconds to go for a 51-50 victory.

Albion’s Jocelyn Friedl (4) and Melia Prince (23) and Medina’s Roswyn Oakes battle for a rebound.

St. Louis finished with a game high 25 points as Wilson had 9, Heschke and Alexa Demmer 5 each, Roswyn Oakes 4, Emberlyn Oakes 2 and Tatianna Maxon 1.

Jones finished with 20, Prince 16, Pawlak 10, Jocelyn Friedl and Madison Muckle 2 each for the Purple Eagles.

Medina held a narrow 9-8 lead at the end of the opening period as St. Louis had all 9 points and Jones had 6 for Albion.

Albion surged to as much as a 10 point, 24-14, lead late in the second quarter as Prince scored 10, including a pair of three-point plays, and Jones 6, including a three.

Medina though rallied to cut the deficit to 24-20 at the half capped off by a three by Wilson.

Albion’s Aaliyah Jones puts up a shot as Alexa Demmer (22) and Madison Zeiner defend for Medina.

Baskets by Heschke and St. Louis pulled the Mustangs to within two, 26-24, early in the third period but the Purple Eagles answered with a 12-3 run to open up an 11 point, 38-27, advantage. Pawlak spearheaded that uprising with 7 points, including a three.

The Mustangs did cut the deficit a bit to seven, 40-33, at the end of the third period on a late three by St. Louis.

That set the stage for the Mustangs big fourth quarter 18-10 rally highlighted by two threes by Wilson and one each by St. Louis and the game winner by Heschke.

The first meeting between the two teams this season was equally close as Albion emerged with a narrow 55-53 home court win.

Albion is now 7-4 and Medina 4-5 in N-O competition.

Medina’s Caliyah St. Louis puts up a shot as Albion’s Leah Pawlak looks for a possible rebound.