It couldn’t carry that offensive momentum forward however, getting shut out through the first quarter and scoring just six points in the first half. Though it responded well in the time that remained, its 16-point halftime deficit proved to be too much to overcome, as it ultimately fell 46-27.

“The biggest thing is that we came out cold, we came out tight,” said Muncy head coach Craig Weaver Sr. Said. “It can’t do anything but help this team grow though. A loss or two early in the season doesn’t hurt anybody as long as you learn from it.”

Though they played great defense in the first quarter, the Indians gave up some easy points early and struggled to respond. Meadowbrook sophomore Maddy Fasnacht – who finished the night as a Rotary all-star – was able to convert two first-quarter steals into easy layups on the other end, with Alayna Smith adding two more off the offensive glass.

“She’s just a sophomore,” Meadowbrook head coach Shane Devlin said on Fasnacht, who put up nine points on the night. “We’ve got three more years with her, so it’s really exciting to see how much she’s grown in that experience she got at the end of the year last year. You’re already seeing that maturity as a sophomore.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Muncy's Ava Eyer defends as Meadowbrook Christian's Kailey Devlin (5) eyes a shot during the Rotary Classic Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 at Muncy. Meadowbrook won 46-27.

When Muncy finally managed to respond a few minutes into the second quarter, it came in the midst of an 8-2 run to start it from the Lions. By the time the halftime buzzer sounded, the score was 22-6 – a deficit that would make most at the high school level uneasy.

However, rather than going belly-up and letting the game get even more out of hand, the Indians came out of the break much more composed. Through added aggression in attacking the lane and better shot selection, they were able to get the score down to 24-12 and 29-18 approaching the end of the quarter. Weaver credited better energy as one of the key factors in them building up momentum out the break.

“The thing that was nice about it is that the girls found a way to fight back. Just the fact that they had no quit in their body and were willing to go after it,” said Weaver. “We started doing the things that we went over for the game, we got into it. I think we were relaxed, got into the flow and started doing what we needed to do.”

“We were playing hard to the very end of the game.”

Another factor in the team’s boost was the reemergence of Addi Eyer, who also finished the tournament as an all-star. After turning the ball over three times in the first few minutes of the game, she regained her composure in the second half, scoring all eight of her points through the last two quarters and attributing two assists, two steals, two offensive rebounds and just one turnover through the period as well.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Muncy's Ava Eyer (5) pulls down a rebound as Meadowbrook Christian's Alayna Smith reaches in during the Rotary Classic Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 at Muncy. Meadowbrook won 46-27.

“We’ve got to cut those turnovers down at the beginning of the game from her performance, but the nice thing is she settled in,” said Weaver on Eyer. “She fought back through it and had a nice game.”

Though it was on the cusp of dropping its deficit down to single digits, 11 would prove to be the closest it got for Muncy.

Following a timeout from Meadowbrook, the Lions would drain what time was left in the third before a 30-foot heave from standout senior Kailey Devlin struck gold. That marked eight points for her in the quarter alone, which proved significant considering the Indians had done a great job of keeping her at bay in the first half.

“Good ball players are going to get their points,” said Weaver. “And she’s a real good ball player. You can slow her down, but there’s a time where she’s going to do what she does.”

Devlin – who was named MVP of the tournament – scored 20 of her 25 points in the second half, a factor that proved important as Muncy dug deeper into Meadowbrook’s lead. She finished the tournament with 40 and put up 12 of those in its final quarter to cap it off.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Muncy's Anna Zalonis defends as Meadowbrook Christian's Madalyn Fasnacht (14) looks to the basket during the Rotary Classic Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 at Muncy. Meadowbrook won 46-27.

“It’s nice to have a player like that when the other team starts to go on a run,” said Coach Devlin on Devlin. “Kailey [Devlin] is a veteran player. She’s a leader on our team and we kind of look to her first in those moments.”

With this win, Meadowbrook Christian keeps its win streak to start the season alive, upping it to three. Muncy drops down to 1-2, but Weaver was proud of what it was able to accomplish throughout its first tourney of the season.

“I like the atmosphere of the girls, their attitudes. And it’s neat that they never get down,” said Weaver. “They fight back through it and their attitudes are the big thing. Maybe it didn’t show in the first half tonight, but the progress we made from the first loss to Warrior Run to the Wellsboro game last night was unreal.”

“Tonight, we took a step back. But I think that’s what you’re going to get with young players.”

MEADOWBROOK CHRISTIAN (46)

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Meadowbrook Christian head coach Shane Devlin talks with his players during a time-out in the Rotary Classic Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 at Muncy. Meadowbrook won 46-27.

Kailey Devlin 9 6-8 25, Alayna Smith 5 0-0 10, Maddy Fasnacht 4 0-0 9, Hannah Millett 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 6-8 46.

MUNCY (27)

Rosie Zalonis 2 0-0 4, Ava Eyer 3 0-3 6, Addi Eyer 3 2-3 8, Kaylyn Rice 1 1-1 3, Nolah Moyer, 2 2-4 6. Totals 11 5-11 27.

MCHS 8 14 10 14

Muncy 0 6 12 9

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Muncy's Kaylyn Rice defends as Meadowbrook Christian's Madalyn Fasnacht (14) moves the ball down court during the Rotary Classic Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 at Muncy. Meadowbrook won 46-27.

3-pointers: Meadowbrook 2 (Kailey Devlin 1, Maddy Fasnacht 1); Muncy 0.

Record: Meadowbrook 3-0, 1-0; Muncy 1-2, 0-0.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Meadowbrook Christian's Kailey Devlin (5) lines up a shot during the Rotary Classic Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 at Muncy. Meadowbrook won 46-27.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Muncy's Addison Eyer defends as Meadowbrook Christian's Emma George moves the ball down court during the Rotary Classic Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 at Muncy. Meadowbrook won 46-27.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Muncy's Nolah Moyer (23) and Meadowbrook Christian's Emma George struggle for control of a rebound during the Rotary Classic Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 at Muncy. Meadowbrook won 46-27.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Muncy's Addison Gresh (13) looks for a way around Meadowbrook Christian's Alayna Smith during the Rotary Classic Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 at Muncy. Meadowbrook won 46-27.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Muncy head coach Craig Weaver talks with his players during a time-out in the Rotary Classic Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 at Muncy. Meadowbrook won 46-27.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Meadowbrook Christian's Alayna Smith (21) and Muncy's Ava Eyer (5) struggle for control of a rebound during the Rotary Classic Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 at Muncy. Meadowbrook won 46-27.