A clutch fourth-quarter performance lifted New Castle past Hollidaysburg in a nonsection battle.

The Lady ’Canes (17-3) trailed 44-39 entering the fourth, but a slight modification to their defense sparked a 20-7 advantage in the final period.

Hollidaysburg (14-2) came in ranked No. 9 in the state by the Patriot-News of Harrisburg. New Castle is ranked No. 2 in the WPIAL in Class AAA by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The highly anticipated matchup lived up to expectations.

“Both teams were trying to get out and run the floor,” Lady ’Canes coach Jason Rankin said. “We jumped out early, and they were able to counter. They actually took over in the third quarter. We went to a half-court trap in the fourth, and that’s really what changed the game.”

New Castle’s Christina Talbert scored 12 of her game-high 18 points in the fourth quarter. She also went 4 of 5 from the free-throw line in the last frame to seal the victory. LaShauna Brothers netted 17, with 13 coming in the first quarter, when the Lady ’Canes went up, 19-12. Hollidaysburg fired back by outscoring New Castle, 15-8, to tie the game at 27.

The Lady Golden Eagles, led by Morgan Griffith’s 18 points, took control early in the third quarter before New Castle came roaring back.

“We’re a veteran group, so a five- or six-point lead isn’t going to make us panic,” Rankin said. “And we score quickly because of the trap, so we know we’re never out of the game.”

The Lady ’Canes can win an outright Section 2-AAA title with a win at home against Ambridge on Friday. Rankin said the game means more than that, though.

“It’s senior night,” he said. “I’d like to send them off to something good. And I’d like a big crowd to send them off because they’ve accomplished a lot.”