Bethlehem Catholic girls basketball coach Arnold Alleyne looked pensive as he walked toward the locker room at halftime when his Golden Hawks trailed Archbishop Wood (Warminster), 45-21, in a PIAA Class 5A state quarterfinal on March 14 at Pottstown High School.

“The plan was to give the girls the belief and the confidence that we could cut it to 10,” Coach Alleyne said. “Don’t play the score. Just play solid basketball and keep playing tough. That was the plan.”

That’s exactly what the Hawks did, only the Vikings did it better.

“The things they were running, there were no fancy plays,” Alleyne said. “They pressure you, make you make a mistake, you fall asleep, it’s back door or get a wide open three. Credit to them and the system they run. I really believe that we could compete with them, but we have to continue to develop as a group. I’ll figure it out. I will. And we’ll continue to get better.”

Becahi forward Ayva Radande had Becahi’s first points, but Archbishop Wood tallied 13 straight points and implemented their full court pressure after every score.

The Hawks’ game intensified in the second quarter, putting up 17 points that included 3-pointers from Brame, Kamryn Gallis, and Leah Ault and preventing any more runs from the Vikings.

Radande scored on an offensive rebound, and Brame had a nice jumper as time wound down, but the Vikings continued to land triples and layups, shooting right over the heads of the defense.

Archbishop Wood’s speed picked up in the third quarter, and frustration mounted for the Hawks, who gave up three points on technical fouls.

“I told the girls, when a team is trapping, don’t try to wait for an offensive set,” Alleyne said. “You have to go take it. Trust your game.”

Despite Becahi’s best efforts, the Viking defense continued to stifle the Hawks.

“The girls competed, and credit to [Archbishop Wood] and the things that they do, but we’ll get better for it,” said Alleyne. “We have a good group of girls. The seniors are gone now, and that’s one of the hardest parts, the separation. That’s the toughest part. I can take a loss, but not being able to see them every day is one of the toughest things. They’ve always battled for me from the fall to now. I’m grateful to be around them. I’m proud of Bethlehem Catholic girls basketball.”