By JIMMY SILAY

Coming off a disappointing season last year, the Northgate girls' basketball team rebounded with an impressive performance at the Wilkinsburg Tip-Off Tournament. In their first game, the team beat host, Wilkinsburg in a 43-42 buzzer-beater finish. This victory put them in the championship game against Clairton.

The championship game began with a quick shot made by Erica Benny, followed by 2 points from Clairton. The first quarter was one in which the team never seemed to take a lead for long. By the end of the quarter the team was winning 10-9. With the second quarter underway, Clairton went on a quick 4-point run, followed by two made free throws from Benny. Clairton scored only 3 more points in the half, while Northgate scored only 4 points, 2 from Janice Freeman-Webb and 2 from Savannah Paladin. At the half, the girls' team was losing 17-16.

The third quarter resumed with 2 points from Clairton, followed by 2 points from Chloe Quinn. This back-and-forth scoring continued until the end of the third quarter, when the teams were tied at 26.

With the championship on the line, the Northgate girls came onto the court ready to win. With points from Quinn, Benny, Karianne Hoover, and Kayla Saylor, the team was able to start the fourth quarter with a 14-4 run. However, Clairton responded with a 4-point run of their own, but the team was too far behind to catch Northgate. The girls' team won the game and the championship 43-35.

On Monday night, with their two-game win streak on the line, the team faced Burgettstown. Again, their game went down to the last few moments, but luck was not in their favor. The team lost 35-32.