ALTOONA — With four seconds left in regulation and her team down three, Norwin’s Ava Christopher banked in a 3-pointer to take the game to overtime against Altoona in the first round of the PIAA Class 6A tournament Friday night.

It gave the Knights new hope, and another four minutes on the clock with the game tied 51-51.

“She yelled ‘bank,’” Norwin coach Brian Brozeski joked.

In a twist, teammate Kylie Rodkey also connected off the glass on another trey in the first minute of overtime. But it was the only points that the Knights got in the extra period as Altoona put Norwin away down the stretch for a 59-54 win in overtime.

“Ava is a competitor, and she’s always willing to take big shots in big moments,” Brozeski said. “She wasn’t afraid of it.

“It sucks now, but we have to let it springboard us into next season.”

It was quite the gutcheck for Altoona, which has only played in five games decided by five points or less all season. The Lady Lions are 3-2 in those games.

“Proud … just proud,” Altoona coach Chris Fleegle said. “If you would have went back four years ago, I would have probably said it was their night. Maybe a little pouting on my end. Not with this group.”

Altoona’s Zaelinh Nguyen-Moore, who led Altoona with 23 points, made a pair of free throws to go up three with 23.1 seconds to play in regulation. That set up Christopher’s heroics to send the game to overtime.

After Rodkey banked in another 3 to open overtime, Altoona’s defense buckled down the rest of the way.

Nguyen-Moore converted on a three-point play to tie the game with 1:09 remaining.

After getting a stop at the other end, Brionna Hudson hit the last of her three 3-pointers to give the Lady Lions a 57-54 lead.

At the defensive end, the Lady Lions’ Raylin Eyer blocked a shot, and Hudson was able to scoop it up and take it for a layup at the other end in the final seconds for the 59-54 win.

“When they bank that 3 in, it was hard for me to stomach,’” Fleegle said. “I needed 30 seconds to regroup and get back out there. And then they banked in another one in overtime. There’s a ton of toughness and resilience in this group. They’re never going to quit.”

Christopher led the Knights with 20 points, while Nia O’Barto had 14 points off the bench.

“I’m proud of the girls. We’ve been battling all season,” Brozeski said. “They made a bunch of shots, and good for them. Hudson is a beast. I can’t say enough about (Nguyen-Moore) too. Their team in general, they did a nice job. That was a great game.”

Altoona will play Pennsbury on Tuesday in the second round at a site and time to be determined.