Thursday basketball rundown: Indiana girls too tall for Hempfield

With two of the WPIAL’s tallest players in recent memory patrolling the paint in Eve Fiala (6 feet 5) and Katie Kovalchick (6 feet 4), Indiana knows where its bread and butter lies.

The Little Indians went to the well repeatedly on Thursday night at Hempfield (4-3, 0-0), feeding Fiala and Kovalchick inside over and over again en route to a 70-52 non-section win. A Dayton recruit, Fiala scored a game-high 24 points while Kovalchick finished with 19 for Indiana (5-2, 2-0).

Sarah Podkul scored a team-high 19 points while Ashley Hosni contributed 15 for the Spartans in the defeat.

Hampton boys outlast Fox Chapel

In a non-section showdown matching two playoff hopefuls, the Talbots (6-1, 0-0) emerged from a back-and-forth contest with a 58-55 win thanks to a game-high 21 points from Peter Kramer, including five 3-pointers. Asher White scored 13 points and Will Siegel added 12 for the host Foxes (6-2, 2-0).

Seneca Valley boys top Penn-Trafford

Luke Lawson continued his smooth transition from the football field to the basketball court for the host Raiders (2-5, 0-0). The Navy football recruit scored a game-high 18 points in a 55-42 win against the Warriors (2-7, 0-0).

Bishop Canevin boys battle past Carlynton

The defending WPIAL and PIAA Class 1A champion Crusaders (5-0, 0-0) kept up their perfect start with a 52-41 road win against the Cougars (4-3, 0-0). Michael Vaughn had a game-high 16 points and Shea Champine chipped in 14 in the victory, while Jaiden McClure finished with a team-leading 14 for Carlynton.

California boys nip Frazier at buzzer

Aidan Lowden led all scorers with 28 points and Dom Martini added 12, but Cole Wolpink was the hero with a game-winning basket at the buzzer to lift the Trojans (3-3, 0-0) past Frazier (1-7, 0-1), in a 73-71 thriller on the road.

Chartiers Valley girls edge Montour

Emma Reynolds led the Colts with 14 points and Ella Cupka added 11 in a 49-46 home win for Chartiers Valley (5-2, 1-0). Jordyn Wolfe finished with a team-high 14 points while Raegan Kadlecik scored 13 for the Spartans (2-7, 0-1).

Norwin girls knock off Kennedy Catholic

Kate Botti scored a team-leading 15 points to run red-hot Norwin’s winning streak to seven games to start the season with a 53-29 home win. Ava Kobus added 13 and Kendall Berger chipped in 11 for the Knights (7-0, 0-0).

Oakland Catholic overpowers Mt. Lebanon

The Eagles picked up an impressive 64-35 home win against the defending WPIAL Class 6A champs thanks to a 16-point effort from Alexa Washington, who led three players in double figures for Oakland Catholic (6-2, 2-0). Jenny Smith finished with a team-leading 16 points for the Blue Devils (4-3, 2-0).

Peters Township girls topple Fox Chapel

Natalie Wetzel scored a game-high 21 points to go with 17 from Gemma Walker and 12 from Sami Bewick in a 62-45 road win for the Indians (7-1, 2-0). Elsie Smith had 19 points for the Foxes (6-2, 2-0), who had won six in a row.

Freedom girls bounce back to beat Shenango

Fresh off their first loss of the season following a 6-0 start, the Bulldogs responded with a 56-48 home win against the Wildcats (5-2, 1-1). Shaye Bailey scored a game-high 27 points and Julz Mohrbacher added 14 for the Bulldogs (7-1, 2-0).

North Catholic girls victorious over Seneca Valley

Alayna Rocco led all scorers with 15 points for the Trojanettes (6-2, 2-0), who remained unbeaten against WPIAL competition with a 49-17 win against the visiting Raiders (2-5, 0-0).

Wade carries Clairton girls past Jeannette

Jeannette (0-8, 0-0) held Iyanna Wade well below her early-season average of 42 ppg, but the star sophomore still turned in a fantastic performance with 23 points, 8 assists and 8 steals in a 54-20 home win for Clairton (3-1, 1-0).

Three stars

*** — Emma Larkin scored 34 points to power Geibel Catholic (3-4, 0-0) to a 47-38 win against visiting Leechburg (1-5, 0-0).

** — Brandin “Beebah” Cummings kept up his stellar play for Lincoln Park (5-0, 2-0) with a game-high 33 points in an 87-47 rout at Ambridge (3-6, 1-2).

* — Seton LaSalle standout Mallory Daly is just getting started with her junior season, but she’s already surpassed 1,000 career points, eclipsing the mark in a 45-37 win against Burgettstown (4-3, 0-0). Daly scored a team-high 15 points in the home win for the Rebels (4-2, 0-0).