"Basketball is a game of runs" is an often used saying.

That's because it's just simply very true.The Jim Thorpe girls basketball team found that out the hard way against Schuylkill League Division 1 opponent Blue Mountain on Thursday.The Lady Olympians hung tough for the first 14 minutes of the game, but the Eagles used a 13-2 run at the end of the second quarter to come away with a 57-36 victory.Thorpe was able to stay neck and neck with Blue Mountain (11-1) for most of the first and second quarter.The reason was the Lady Olympians long 1-3-1 zone defense. It's been the go to for their success on the season and it flustered the Eagles early.However, good teams find a way to make adjustments and Blue Mountain's adjustment was senior guard Abby Fanelli. Fanelli scored nine points in the second quarter and also had three steals to help the Eagles go on their big run. After a tie ball game at 17-17, Blue Mountain picked up the intensity and in the blink of an eye held an 11-point halftime advantage."Jim Thorpe is a long and athletic team and we weren't able to get going offensively for most of the first half," said Eagles head coach Ruth Weidman. "Toward the end of the first half we started to hit some outside shots and get to the foul line and that gave us some confidence, which then transitioned to the defensive side of the floor as well."Blue Mountain turned up the defense during its game-breaking run and never let up. Thorpe turned the ball over 18 times from the Eagles 13-2 run at the end of the second quarter until the end of the game."That team is leading Division 1 for a reason and they're simply just a better basketball team than we are," said Jim Thorpe coach Rob Kovac. "We battled and we went toe to toe with them for 14 minutes, but then we broke down defensively and turned the ball over way too often."Our passing has to get better and we will keep working on that as the season progresses."Blue Mountain kept the foot on the gas pedal in the third quarter outscoring Jim Thorpe 12-1 to put the game away.Kayley Kovac led the Lady Olympians with 14 points.FABULOUS FANELLI ... Senior guard Fanelli was the driving force behind the Eagles victory. Fanelli scored a game-high 22 points, including 16 points in the first half.STIFLING DEFENSE ... The Blue Mountain "D" was tough throughout the night, forcing Jim Thorpe into 21 turnovers. The Eagles also held Times News leading scorer Kayley Kovac to 14 points.BLUE MOUNTAINKaledas 0-0-0-0 Challenger 2-2-8-6, Fanelli 6-8-10-22, McQuillan 1-2-2-4, Martin 2-0-0-5, Moyer 2-0-0-5, Kutz 2-0-1-4, Ebling 2-3-3-7, Gordon 0-2-2-2, Umbenhauer 1-0-0-2. Totals 18 -17-26-57.JIM THORPERichards 2-0-0-6, P. Kovac 3-0-1-8, Condly 1-0-0-2, Ohl 1-0-0-2, K. Kovac 4-6-9-14, Cressman 0-0-0-0, Waselus 0-1-2-1, Lignore 0-3-6-3. Totals 11-10-18 -36.Blue Mountain 12 18 12 16 - 57Jim Thorpe 10 9 1 16 - 36Three-pointers: BM - Challenger 2, Martin 1, Moyer 1, JT - Richards 2, Kovac 2.