IN GOOD HANDS

SHICKSHINNY — As Northwest's starting five got introduced, the home crowd got louder with the announcement of each name.

But as the game tipped, the home fans wanted — no, needed — a reason to erupt for the home team. Like a volcano, they sat subtly while the Rangers figured things out. Then, coming out of a second quarter timeout, the Rangers blew the lid off the game, and the place, with Northwest scoring 12 unanswered points and not looking back in a 47-27 victory over East Juniata in the opening round of the District 4 Class 2A girls basketball playoffs Tuesday night.

With the win, the Rangers play second-seeded Muncy at a date, time and place to be determined. The Rangers fell at home to the Indians, 37-25, on Jan. 16, but then won a classic, 42-41, to capture the Mid-Penn championship on Saturday.

"I think they're excited for it. This is where we were shut down last year," Northwest coach Jaxson Yaple said. "We played a good game in the first half last year — all defense — and we ended up coming up short, and the girls were crushed by it. We're excited for it."

With offense being stagnant for both teams at the start of the second quarter, East Juniata called a timeout. It did the Tigers more harm than good. Ava Ruckle started and ended a 12-0 run with a pair of 3-pointers, which were sandwiched by a 3-pointer and an And-1 from Ali Miner.

The duo finished with 27 combined points and five combined 3-pointers.

Despite looking up at the scoreboard and facing a deficit that carried over from the first quarter, Yaple kept the message simple.

"I think it was nerves from the playoffs, but more excitement," he said. "I told them in the timeout 'breathe, we're alright.' ... We stayed calm, we stayed cool, we stayed poised and we executed when it mattered."

After the damage had been done, the Tigers never put together a run of more than six straight points. That's thanks in large to the Rangers' suffocating defense.

Northwest showed different looks all night and the Tigers never seemed to get into a rhythm. They often had the ball stolen, rushed shots or were even led out of bounds with the ball a few times.

"Defense is where we want to pride ourselves," Yaple said. "If we play good defense, we think we think we can score with anybody we play against. That's where we had to pride ourselves tonight and where our focus has to be for the playoffs."

The Rangers benefited from such in the final minute of the third. As Ashlyn Hermanofski sank a 3, Yaple called a timeout to change the defensive plan to a full court press. It worked with a Ruckle steal and Ninotti 3.

It also ensured East Juniata's Landyn Cramer would be stopped. She scored nine of her team-high 13 points in the quarter, driving to the hoop much of the time and drawing four shooting fouls.

Ninotti carried the momentum into the fourth by taking a steal the distance for a layup and helping the Rangers start the frame on a 6-0 run.

Six different players scored a point for Northwest, which got playing time for its backups with just under three minutes remaining.

"It's good to know I have multiple people that can put the ball in the basket and makes it that harder when other teams have to prepare for that many people to score," Yaple said. "Having that many people who can score -- especially 3-point shooters -- just stretches the defenses out and opens the driving lanes. It's a good thing to have."

The crowd remained an explosive factor with the Tigers at the stripe, shouting at the top of their lungs every time a Tiger was set to shoot. It worked wonders. As a team, East Juniata shot 3-for-9.

The Rangers could use that energy for a decisive Round 3 against Muncy.

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