Just before the spring season swings into full gear, let’s take some time to appreciate the greatness of the NA Girls’ Basketball season.

While the season may not have ended with a cutting down of the Petersen Events Center nets, the 2022 NA Girls’ Basketball Team was nothing short of incredible.

On paper, the season was expected to be generational for the star-studded roster featuring 2021 All-Section nominees and returning players Emma Fischer, Jasmine Timmerson, Taylor Rawls, and Cam Phillips. 

The starting lineup had experience in a deep playoff run, and they had what it takes to win. 

The season started off hot, with a win against tough opponent Bethel Park and Penn Hills the next day in the Wright Automotive Tip-Off Tournament.

Those two wins were just the start, though. The Lady Tigers went on to win their first 15 games, most of them convincing wins of over double-digit differences — especially during a three-game stretch where the Tigers smoked Penn Hills by 28 points, then section opponent Pine Richland by 25, and finally another formidable section opponent Penn Trafford by 24. The closest win in that streak was a clutch victory by three points against the 14-4 Norwin squad.

The sixteenth game spelled the end of the lossless start, with a 25-point loss to Norwin their second time around — a tough loss to a good team.

The Lady Tigers would bounce back easily, though, taking their next five games against mostly section opponents, highlighted by an astronomical performance on Senior Night against North Hills, winning by 50 points, holding the Indians to only ten points.  You read that right.

The Lady Tigers even won the Hoops for a Cure tournament — an annual WPIAL charity event — with a dominating performance against Shaler, winning a by a 20-point differential.

The girls would drop their regular season finale to Indiana, who themselves went 19-3 overall. North Allegheny finished their regular season atop their section with a record of 20-2overall, and a 13-1 section record.

The team finished second in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette postseason rankings, only behind an insanely good undefeated Mt. Lebanon team who was in the other half of the Six A WPIAL section.

The Tigers would open up their playoff run against section opponent and fifth seed Seneca Valley.  The WPIAL quarterfinal and first round game did not disappoint as the Lady Tigers easily bested the Raiders by 18 points and scored 65 points in the game. 

The Tigers walked confidently into the WPIAL semifinal against Upper St Clair, a gritty team who quietly won 15 games this year in a tough section. 

Sadly, the NA squad fell to the Panthers in the semifinals in a low scoring affair of 48-44. The Tigers were losing by double digits early in the second half but staged a near-comeback. 

Coming third in the WPIAL, however, did secure the Lady Tigers a qualifying spot in the PIAA tournament.  The opening round matchup was going to be a tough battle against a strong Cumberland Valley team who were coming off a hot playoff run in their section.

The game did not disappoint — a double overtime thriller that didn’t end the way the Lady Tigers wanted it, falling to the Eagles by three points.

Nevertheless, the girls’’ season was nothing to underestimate.

The Lady Tigers won their fair share of awards with Jasmine Timmerson taking home First Team All-Section honors, Emma Fischer getting Second Team, and Cam Phillips, Taylor Rawls, and Lydia Betz all getting honorable mentions.

If you see any players on the team, congratulate them for a phenomenal run. They made North Allegheny proud.