Perry overcame a dismal third quarter to beat visiting Orange in a key Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division showdown on Wednesday, 39-38.
The Pirates, who led 25-18 at halftime, scored just three points in the third quarter as they fell behind entering the final eight minutes, 29-28, but regained the lead and held off the Lions down the stretch.
“We knew coming in this was a huge game for us,” Perry coach Roy Infalvi said. “They were undefeated in the conference along with us and we were playing them at home, so being able to win this one was big.”
Thanks to Madyson Hacking, who scored a game-high 22 points, the Pirates got off to a hot start.
Hacking hit two of her five 3-pointers in the first quarter as Perry built a 10-0 lead. Her fifth 3-pointer gave the Pirates a 37-34 lead late in the fourth.
“She was huge for us,” Infalvi said of Hacking. “Our other scorers were held a little bit in check. They play a very aggressive, in your face defense. Orange did a nice job with that and gave us some issues on offense. Madyson was big. We needed her scoring, that’s for sure.”
Perry’s defense kept the Pirates in the game during Orange’s third-quarter run.
Despite hitting on just 1-of-19 shots in the period, the Pirates never trailed the Lions by more than one possession.
“I thought we played really, really good defense,” Infalvi said. “We rerouted well and limited their shots to shots that were challenged. I thought we got after it that way. That’s what really kept us in the game. “
Orange had several chances to retake the lead in the closing seconds but the Pirates never gave up a good look at the basket.
“I’m really proud of the way we handled ourselves down the stretch,” Infalvi said. “I thought Saturday’s win at Chagrin was big. It was a tight game and we did a good job finishing the game off. That definitely helped experience-wise coming into this one because we were down going into the fourth quarter and we got the lead back and then we were able to hold on.”
Kayden Lawson led Orange with 20 points.
“Even though she scored 20 for them, we had Gigi Vicini guarded her a big portion of the game and she really did a nice job,” Infalvi said. “Probably half of Lawson’s points were when Gigi wasn’t in there guarding her.”
Vicini also pulled down nine rebounds and took three charges.
“She was big, especially being a freshman in a situation like that,” Infalvi said. “To put her on a player like Lawson, that was big. I was real proud of the way Gigi played.”
The Pirates improved to 10-1 overall and now stand alone in first place of the Chagrin Division with a 6-0 mark. Orange dropped to 8-4, 5-1.
Perry 39, Orange 38
Orange (8-4): Sanford 7, Smith 9, Lawson 20, Gissentaner 2
Perry (10-1): Hacking 22, Vicini 2, Sutyak 2, Moon 3
Orange 6 12 11 9 — 38
Perry 13 12 3 11 — 39
Free throws: Orange 5 of 6, Perry 6 of 12; 3-pointers: Orange 1 (Sanford), Perry 7 (Hacking 5, Infalvi, Moon).
