Sectional Girls Basketball O'HARA 30 PLEASANT HILL 23

On March 3, discipline and patience paid off for the Archbishop O'Hara High School Lady Celtics in their Sectional Basketball game with Pleasant Hill, winning by seven points 30-23. _____ Having lost to O'Hara in the Grain Valley Tournament by 16 points on January 29th, Pleasant Hill decided at the outset to "hold the ball" and keep the high-scoring Celtics at a snails' pace. _____ As a result, the score was only 5-4 after the initial quarter. _____ The game opened up after that with some meaningful shots by Alex Smith and O'Hara went on to the victory. She became the game's top scorer with 10 points, six of which were three-pointers. _____ Ashley Clark and Lindsey Hanaway also hit treys in the low scoring contest. _____ Pleasant Hill ended up with a better win-loss record with 24-4 to O'Hara's 22-6, but two of Pleasant Hill's losses were to the Celtics. _____ By going into the quarterfinals on Saturday against Staley at Warrenburg, it became O'Hara's first time since 2003 to go that far in the playoffs. _____ Staley had won by four points beating Saint Joseph Benton 48-44 to face the Celtics. O'Hara will test its defense against Staley's top scoring duo Brynn Williamson and Bree Fowler.