SCRANTON — Abington Heights guard Hannah Kowalski did everything she could to keep the Lady Comets season alive, but a strong finish from New Oxford prevented that from happening.

The Colonials began the fourth quarter with a 13-3 run and held off Abington Heights, 58-44, in the first round of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Class 5A girls basketball playoffs March 11 at Marywood University.

Kowalski scored 20 of her game-high 22 points in the first half when she made four 3-pointers and scored on several strong drives to the basket.

“I knew I wanted to leave it all out on the floor,” Kowalski said. “I wanted to come out as strong as I could and give my best effort. They came out with a lot of energy and I think we had a little bit of trouble handling it, but we played as hard as we could and we definitely fought until the end.”

New Oxford’s Kaelyn Long, who finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds, scored five in the first quarter when the Colonials took a 15-12 lead.

Olivia Baker scored six of her 10 points in the second quarter to help Abington Heights cut its deficit to one point at the half.

Abington Heights started the second half with an 8-2 run, after a basket from Baker, to take a 37-32 lead with 3:58 left in the third quarter.

“We told our post players the elbow shot is going to be open in the second half,” Abington Heights head coach Deanna Klingman said. “Olivia gave us a good boost there.”

New Oxford (22-8) answered the Lady Comets’ run with a 16-1 surge of their own to lead 51-38 with 4:18 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Long scored seven points and Haley Luckabaugh, who finished with 18 points, hit two 3-pointers during the Colonials run.

“(Long) got on a roll and then they hit some outside shots, and that gave them an extra boost,” Klingman said.

Abington Heights cut the deficit to nine points after Erin Albright’s second basket of the fourth quarter with 1:33 left, but New Oxford closed the game on a 8-0 run.

Abington Heights (14-12) made just 7 of 29 shots in the second half, including 0 for 18 from three-point range.

“It wasn’t our shooting night from the perimeter and we needed that,” Klingman said. “Give credit to them; they hit their free throws and they’re good team.”

Despite the loss, Kowalski reflected back fondly on the final month of the season that included a win in the District 2 title game.

“Starting as a six seed in districts and making it this far is a really big deal for us because we’re such a close team and we wanted to get as far as we could,” she said. “I think we played really hard down the stretch and we definitely deserved every minute of it.”

Abington Heights Hannah Kowalski scored a game-high 22 points during the Lady Comets 58-44 loss to New Oxford in the first round of the PIAA Class 5A girls basketball playoffs March 11.
http://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_ABJ-AH-Girls-Hoops-1.jpg.optimal.jpgAbington Heights Hannah Kowalski scored a game-high 22 points during the Lady Comets 58-44 loss to New Oxford in the first round of the PIAA Class 5A girls basketball playoffs March 11. Stephanie Walkowski | For Abington Journal

Abington Heights Olivia Baker finished with 10 points and four rebounds during the Lady Comets 58-44 loss to New Oxford in the first round of the PIAA Class 5A girls basketball playoffs March 11.
http://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_ABJ-AH-Girls-Hoops-2.jpg.optimal.jpgAbington Heights Olivia Baker finished with 10 points and four rebounds during the Lady Comets 58-44 loss to New Oxford in the first round of the PIAA Class 5A girls basketball playoffs March 11. Stephanie Walkowski | For Abington Journal

Abington Heights Nicole Getz drives to the basket as New Oxford’s Kaelyn Long defends during a PIAA Class 5A first-round girls basketball game March 11.
http://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_ABJ-AH-Girls-Hoops-3.jpg.optimal.jpgAbington Heights Nicole Getz drives to the basket as New Oxford’s Kaelyn Long defends during a PIAA Class 5A first-round girls basketball game March 11. Stephanie Walkowski | For Abington Journal

By Robert Tomkavage

rtomkavage@timesleader.com

Reach Robert Tomkavage at 570-704-3941 or on Twitter @rtomkavage.