The one that got away.
That was the prevailing sentiment for the Emmaus girls basketball team last Friday night as they walked off the floor at J. Milo Sewards Gymnasium at Allen High School.
A District XI Championship for a program that hadn’t won one since the 2003-04 season, was there for the taking.
With the way the game was being played out for the better part of three quarters, it almost seemed destined that the Hornets were finally going to break through and win their first district title in 22 years.
They were that close.
That was the harsh reality for head coach Avon Mack’s squad.
With a double-digit advantage heading into the fourth quarter in the District XI 6A championship game and all the momentum and its large fan base behind them, Emmaus watched in stun silence as the lead that they worked so hard to build quickly evaporated as the Red Rovers rallied to stun the Hornets 45-41.
Easton, which was making its fourth straight appearance in the title game, outscored the Hornets 22-7 in the final eight minutes of the game to win their second championship in the last four years.
Emmaus, meanwhile, was left wondering what might have been.
“I thought we played well and followed the game plan for three quarters,” said Mack, the Hornets second year coach. “Our focus, execution, and effort were where they needed to be. In the fourth quarter, though, I couldn’t get us to the finish line. When you’re up 11 (points) going into the fourth, I have to find a way to secure that win.
“I wanted it so bad for them because I truly believe they deserved it,” he added. “They’ve worked incredibly hard. At the end of the day, we just have to learn how to finish.”
The Hornets, who were making their first appearance in a district final in 18 years, trailed 12-7 after one quarter but held the Red Rovers to just one point as they led 18-13 at the break.
At the start of the fourth quarter Emmaus had an 11-point lead and even midway through the fourth and final quarter, the Hornets still had a nine-point lead (34-25), but that’s when things changed as Easton turned up the intensity and forced numerous turnovers as they were able to use an 8-0 run down the stretch to pull out the win.
Asked if there was any thought of slowing down the game heading to the final quarter with a double digit lead, Mack responded: “We don’t really have a stalling element in our playbook. Outside of just dribbling the ball around, that’s not who we are.
‘We believe in execution, running our offense, getting quality shots and trusting our principles. If we execute the way we’re capable of, stalling isn’t necessary.”
Emmaus, which dropped to 20-7 on the season, lost to Easton for the second time this season and for the seventh time in the last eight meetings. Easton, meanwhile, improved to 25-3 on year.
The Red Rovers, who also captured the EPC championship, were led in scoring by senior Ava Muhammed who scored 11 of her game-high 16 points in the second half. Classmate Natalie Amato added 11and junior Gabby Wismer nine.
For the first time all season, Emmaus did not have a player score in double figures. Senior Olive Whitney paced the Hornets with nine points, while sophomores Eva Glover and Gracie Ervin each chipped in eight. Senior Gabby DeVita was held to a season-low three points. Senior Sierra Stevens had a team-high seven rebounds.
“As a coach, I’ll always take responsibility for our losses,” said Mack. “It’s on me to figure out how to get this group over the hump and teach them how to close games. That’s part of growth, and we’ll keep working until we get it right.”
The Hornets will now prepare for the upcoming PIAA State Tournament, which gets underway on Friday. Emmaus will host the fifth-place team from District One, Central Bucks East. The game will be carried LIVE on The Eastern Pa. Sports Network beginning with pregame coverage at 6:45 p.m. Check back later this week to Emmaussports.com for a preview of the game.
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Easton 45, Emmaus 41
Em – Olive Whitney 3 1-2 9, Eva Glover 4 0-0 8, Gabby DeVita 1 1-2 3, Gracie Ervin 2 4-5 8, Sierra Stevens 3 0-0 7, Gabby East 2 0-0 6, Olivia Haberl 0. Totals: FG 15, FT 6-9, 3s (5 – Whitney 2, East 2, Stevens)
Ea – Natalie Amato 4 1-2 11, Gabby Wismer 3 3-6 9, Melina Cole 2 1-5 5, Ava Muhammad 7 1-1 16, Lianna Cole 2 0-1 4, Elena Brunetti 0, Eva Jordan 0. Totals: FG 18, FT 6-15, 3s (3 – Amato 2, Muhammad)
Em – 7-11-16-7 – 41
Ea – 12-1-10-22 – 45