The difference between Tamaqua and Pottsville’s girls’ basketball teams was clear from start to finish Tuesday night.

The Blue Raiders’ size, experience, and toughness were too much for the under-sized Crimson Tide in a Schuylkill Girls Basketball League Division 1 game.

Tamaqua rolled to a 44-24 win, setting up a highly anticipated matchup with Blue Mountain on Friday.

The Raiders’ dominant performance featured a trio of standout players. Lauren Ligenza posted a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Millie Black also recorded a double-double, scoring 15 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, while Leah Black contributed 13 rebounds.

Tamaqua head coach Erika Davis was pleased when told the trio nearly combined for 40 rebounds.

“That’s a great stat,” Davis said with a smile.

Indeed, the Raiders’ size and length were a major problem for Pottsville, especially on defense. Davis had Ligenza, Millie Black, and Kendall Miller positioned at the top of a zone defense, which disrupted the Tide’s offense.

“We’re utilizing our length, and we knew they were a penetrating team,” Davis said.

Pottsville head coach Damian Fritz agreed, noting that his team struggled to break through Tamaqua’s defense.

“Their size is difficult,” Fritz said. “I felt if we had hit a few early shots, we might’ve been able to get things going or at least build some confidence.”

Tamaqua took control late in the first quarter, breaking a 4-4 tie. Ligenza grabbed a rebound off a missed Millie Black free throw, then Millie Black and Miller scored to push the lead to 10-4. The Raiders’ momentum only grew in the second quarter, as they scored 12 of the next 14 points, taking a commanding 22-6 lead with 3:13 left in the half.

During the run, the Blacks and Miller each scored four points, and the Raiders went into halftime with a comfortable 24-9 advantage.

Miller helped Tamaqua extend its lead in the third quarter, scoring five points, including a three-pointer from the corner. Pottsville responded with a brief flurry, as Jo Barnhart and Jess Simintius each hit a three-pointer, but the Tide couldn’t get closer.

“There’s one thing our kids have to be really good at: defense,” Fritz said. “We have to be sharp in our rotations. Early on, I thought we got some good looks.”

But Tamaqua’s defense stifled Pottsville’s offense, preventing any chance of a comeback.

“We’ve got to start converting our free throws,” Davis said. “We need to shoot better from close range. Every game is different, and after watching the game film, we put our game plan in place.” SHE SAID IT ... “We got on them about it; we needed to make adjustments. We were standing flat-footed... I know Leah Black was swarming everywhere.” – Coach Erika Davis on the team’s response to the rebounding battle. BY THE NUMBERS ... Tamaqua grabbed 47 rebounds, 23 more than Pottsville. From the floor, Tamaqua shot 20-of-48 (41.7%), while Pottsville was 8-of-37 (21.6%). THEY CAN PLAY ... Barnhart, Siminitius, Fegley, and Megan Brennan all showed flashes of potential for Pottsville. However, the team must become more consistent with its shooting to be competitive.

POTTSVILLE

Goodman 0-1-3-1, Brennan 1-0-0-3, Davis 0-0-0-0, Huda 0-2-2-2, Ciavarella 0-0-0-0, Fegley 1-0-2-2, Barnhart 4-0-0-9, Siminitus 2-0-0-5. TOTALS: 8-3-7-22.

TAMAQUA

Osenbach 0-0-0-0, M. Black 7-1-4-15, Ellington 0-0-0-0, Ligenza 5-0-6-10, Miller 5-2-2-13, L. Black 3-0-4-6, Gormley 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 20-3-16-44.

Pottsville 4 5 7 6 - 22

Tamaqua 10 14 9 11 - 44

Three-pointers: Pottsville - Brennan 1, Barnhart 1, Siminitus 1; Tamaqua - Miller 1.

Records: Pottsville (1-3; 0-2); Tamaqua (3-2; 1-1).