McCutcheon Tops Northridge 76-59 in LaPorte Semistate Semifinal, Ending Season

McCutcheon parlayed length, postseason experience and an offensive-rebounding edge into a 76-59 victory over Northridge in the Class 4A LaPorte semistate semifinal at LaPorte on Feb. 21, advancing to the semistate final and ending Northridge’s postseason run. The result was reported in the game coverage and box-summary details published after the game.

Keara Lipscomb-Allen led all scorers with 20 points, and MaxPreps credits her with four steals and a 67 percent field-goal rate. Lillie Graves provided the secondary punch, but published accounts differ on her final line: MaxPreps lists Graves at 17 points on 5-for-12 shooting with five assists and five steals, while an Original Report headline credited Graves with 20 points and 12 rebounds. World Infonasional includes a different Graves line in a separate game table, underscoring the conflicting stat fills across outlets.

McCutcheon opened the game with Lipscomb-Allen banking the first layup and trailed only once early, at 7-4, before taking control. The Mavericks finished the night with 16 offensive rebounds, and MaxPreps noted that McCutcheon has now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in 12 consecutive contests dating back to last season, a persistence that helped sustain second-chance scoring and tempo late in the game.

Defense shifted momentum. McCutcheon began in a zone and flipped to man-to-man, where senior Trinity Wilburn made her mark with nine points, two charges drawn and six steals, according to World Infonasional. Wilburn prevented Florida-bound guard Kennedy "KK" Holman from scoring on consecutive possessions and helped hold Holman to 11 points as Northridge repeatedly struggled with jump shots.

Ameria Gibson is listed by MaxPreps as contributing nine points and seven rebounds, and World Infonasional reports that Gibson "went down" during the game, a moment Graves called galvanizing. Graves told World Infonasional, "Last year, we didn't know what to expect on this stage. This year, it means a lot more. We have nine seniors and we have all played together growing up... After Ameria went down, we wanted to do it for her." Lipscomb-Allen added context on her game feel, saying, "I just know how the game flows. That really helps me, and if I know people are covering me, somebody has to be open."

World Infonasional lists McCutcheon at 22-5 on the season after the win, and the Mavericks’ combination of veteran leadership and an offensive-rebound identity gives them a clear blueprint heading into the LaPorte semistate final. With seniors anchoring the roster and national-caliber opponents like Northridge featuring recruits such as Holman, McCutcheon’s performance in LaPorte should amplify the program’s profile as it prepares for the semistate final.