LEWISBURG–Devon Walker does not score a lot. In fact, she did not score at all Tuesday against Lewisburg.

So maybe one will never see Walker’s name among the area’s scoring leaders. She does not care and neither do her teammates. All they care about is that Walker makes so many vital contributions which produce wins.

And she delivered again, helping Jersey Shore win an intense, entertaining game against a potential playoff opponent.

Walker fueled the offense throughout the third-quarter without scoring a point, breaking down a tough defense and dealing three of her four assists. She also grabbed five rebounds and ignited a swarming defense as Jersey Shore won a back-and-forth contest, 35-30. Peyton Dincher produced a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds) and the Bulldogs (10-6) avenged a December loss against Lewisburg, never trailing in the fourth quarter after the lead changed hands nine times in the third.

“I like helping out wherever I can. I’m not the best shooter but I try to do a good job,” Walker said. “I feel like we all do that kind of stuff and sometimes I do it and other people do it. We have so many people on the bench that can come in and play the spot just as well.”

Jersey Shore is a team which ferociously competes and Walker is a tone-setter. She is all over the court and consistently stuffs the stat sheet. That was crucial again with Lewisburg (7-10) featuring similar relentless competitors and playing stifling defense throughout the game. The Dragons led 16-14 at halftime and were doing a good job contesting each shot and denying Dincher looks.

Walker helped change all that in the third quarter, attacking the basket and setting up her teammates for high-percentage shots. Suddenly, the offense came alive and the teams exchanged leads like a hot potato. Dincher hit a last-second 3-pointer which put Jersey Shore up, 26-24 entering the fourth. The Bulldogs pushed it to a six-point advantage less than two minutes into the fourth before holding off a Lewisburg rally and winning for the seventh time in nine games.

A long jump champion and state qualifier, Walker is one of the best athletes on the court most games. She is fast enough to blow by defenders, pushes the tempo and can turn rebounds into quick scoring opportunities. That might not show up in the individual statistics but it sure has played a big role in Jersey Shore making a seven-win improvement this season.

“We try our best. We do everything we can out there,” Walker said. “I thought we were going to get more, but we still held strong.”

“Devon broke down a couple times in the middle and got to the lane and it helped us a lot. She’s not the greatest shooter in the world, but she’s a spark. She can get up and down the court. She’s the fastest girl on the team and she can jump out of the gym,” Jersey Shore coach Darrin Bischof said. “She’s so good at getting around people she’s so wirey and can turn on a dime and go. It’s good stuff.”

Bischof received similar quality stuff from all the players he used. Lewisburg did its best to slow Dincher, but even during a scoreless first half, she still made her presence felt before coming alive offensively over the last two quarters. Jocelyn McCracken and Celia Shemory battled hard inside against a taller team, freshman Cailyn Schall scored 10 points, Rachel Lorson hit a go-ahead third-quarter jumper and Sophia Kauffman produced both a clutch last-minute steal and rebound.

Put it all together and one gets a look at how Jersey Shore has made some massive strides this season. Lewisburg edged the Bulldogs, 41-38 earlier this season, but they keep progressing and are winning the types of games they lost in December.

“We held our composure tonight. (Monday) we were down in the first quarter (against Danville) and we battled back. Tonight it was the same thing,” Bischof said. “They were all over us, but I told them before it started that I expected that kind of game and that nothing is going to come easy and they’ll have to work their butts off to get it and we did.”

Jersey Shore and Lewisburg are Nos. 4-5 in the District 4 Class AAAA standings and if it stays that way, they would meet in the quarterfinals. What a game that could be if it happens because Rounds 1 and 2 certainly have been outstanding.

Despite missing two players, Lewisburg produced a strong effort and led for most of the second quarter. After Dincher twice found Schall for early-fourth quarter baskets and made it a six-point game, Maria Bozella and Elsa Fallon scored to make it 30-28 midway through the fourth. Schall then made one of the game’s best plays, finding a streaking Dincher for a 3-point play which stretched Jersey Shore’s lead to five.

An Anna Baker jumper pulled Lewisburg within 35-30 with 3.8 seconds remaining, but Dincher made sure the rally stopped there. The freshman guard, who added five steals, silenced hecklers in the crowd as she calmly swished both ends of a 1-and-1.

It was not the result Lewisburg wanted, but it was another example of how tough this team is. Sydney Bolinsky played tremendous defense, Keeley Baker grabbed 11 rebounds and Sophie Kilbride made a run at a triple-double as Lewisburg again did everything it could.

“It was a good game. I love coaching this team. No matter what they always battle and work really hard,” Lewisburg coach Brent Sample said. “I told the girls I’m proud of the effort and hustle.”

Kilbride is having an excellent junior season and the three-year starting point guard played one of her best all-around games against Jersey Shore. Playing all 32 minutes and never slowing down, Kilbride scored eight points, grabbed 11 rebounds, dealt six assists and made 10 steals. It was a virtuoso performance but one which also is becoming common place as Kilbride continues providing strong leadership.

“She’s grown a lot as a player,” Sample said. “She stepped up and played hard and played the entire game and she did a really good job.”

Lewisburg led nearly the entire first quarter until Schall drained a last-second 3-pointer and put Jersey Shore ahead, 7-6. Schall also hit another key 3-pointer early in the second quarter and, despite slowing Dincher at that point, Lewisburg could not open a big lead. When the lead kept changing in the third quarter, Lorson and Shemory twice answered Lewisburg baskets as the opponents went at each other like proud boxers.

No knockout blow really was every delivered, but Jersey Shore earned a victory the hard way. That’s probably why it felt so good.

“We feel stronger and more together this year,” Walker said. “Once we started going and winning a couple games straight we’ve just kept going. We’ve worked out butts off in practice for it.”

JERSEY SHORE (35)

Peyton Dincher 4 3-3 13, Jocelyn McCracken 2 0-2 4, Devon Walker 0 0-0 0, Celia Shemory 2 0-1 4, Sophia Kauffman 1 0-0 2, Cailyn Schall 4 0-0 10, Rachel Lorson 1 0-0 2, Rayne Herritt 0 0-0 0, Jamyson Stellfox 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 3-6 35.

LEWISBURG (30)

Sophie Kilbride 4 0-2 8, Keeley Baker 3 0-0 6, Sydney Bolinsky 2 0-1 4, Maria Bozella 2 0-0 4, Anna Baker 1 2-2 4, Elsa Fallon 2 0-0 4, Caroline Blakeslee 0 0-0 0, Addie Wuerderman 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 2-3 30.

Jersey Shore 7 5 14 9-35

Lewisburg 6 8 10 6-30

3-pointers: Jersey Shore 4 (Dincher 2, Schall 2.

Records: Jersey Shore 10-6. Lewisburg 7-10.