Lose and go home.

That’s what’s on the line in the postseason.

On Monday, Jim Thorpe made sure it extended its stay in the District 11 4A playoffs.

The Olympians stepped up and took their defensive play to the next level, defeating No. 1 seed Northwestern 62-41 in the Class 4A semifinals to advance to their third consecutive district championship game.

From the onset, Thorpe got after it defensively with both its full-court and half-court pressure. Five turnovers of its own kept it close through one (14-10), but in the second quarter the storyline of the night would start to develop.

The plot featured the Olympians creating turnovers, which led to excellent transition opportunities. The result was a 20-point frame, and a 12-point lead at the half.

A 13-0 run at the start of the second helped Thorpe gain its double-digit advantage, and at one point in the quarter it led by as many as 16 (29-13).

The Olympians forced eight turnovers in the second quarter, and 15 total in the first half as it held the Tigers to a paltry 7-for-20 effort from the field. Skyler Searfoss was the catalyst on the offensive and defensive side of the ball for Thorpe, collecting 15 points and four steals in the opening half.

“None of us were happy with the result in the Schuylkill League championship game,” said Jim Thorpe head coach Nadia Gauronsky. “We thought we could’ve played more effectively defensively and got out in transition more. So, coming into tonight, that was the goal.

“We didn’t hang back tonight, we attacked and ran through the passing lanes. As you can see by the result, I think that made all the difference in the world for us.”

The Olympians were once again dominant on the defensive end, forcing seven turnovers in the third, but they also got hot from the outside as well, which spelled danger for the Tigers, as the combination of both gave Thorpe a 22-point lead after three.

The Olympians, who didn’t hit a triple in the first half, hit three in the third. Leila Hurley knocked down two from the outside and scored nine in the frame to help Thorpe up its advantage and put the game out of reach.

“Going into the game, I knew the key for us was we were going to have to take care of the ball,” said Northwestern head coach Chris Deutsch. “The team that took care of the ball and got out in transition was going to come away with the win, and that was the case.

“Jim Thorpe is so lethal in transition, so you can’t turn the ball over and give them those opportunities. Give them credit; they’re really good. They have girls that can make shots and they played well tonight.”

LEADERS ... Searfoss scored a game-high 23 for Jim Thorpe, with Hurley adding 20. Ali Lister led Northwestern with 12 and Tess Ledeboer added 11.

NEXT UP ... The No. 4 seed Olympians will go on to face Allentown Central Catholic on Thursday at the PPL Center at noon. It’s the third consecutive District 11 championship appearance for Thorpe.

DOMINANT D ... Thorpe forced an impressive 24 turnovers in the game. The Olympians’ pressure was key early as it helped them get out to a 12-point lead after two quarters, getting numerous shots in transition to help them shoot 12-for-21 from the field in the first half.

NORTHWESTERN

Betz 0-0-0-0, Lister 4-4-6-12, Miller 2-1-1-5, Jones 1-0-0-3, Ledeboer 3-5-7-11, Funk 0-0-0-0, Nycs 2-0-0-4, Fisher 0-0-0-0, Sevrain 2-0-0-4. TOTALS: 15-10-14-41.

JIM THORPE

Cinicola 0-0-0-0, Hartman 0-0-0-0, Snisky 4-0-0-8, Yuhas 0-0-0-0, Ginopolas 0-0-0-0, Hurley 5-8-11-20, Searfoss 10-3-3-23, O. Smelas 3-0-0-6, H. Smelas 1-2-2-5. TOTALS: 23-13-16-62.

Jim Thorpe 19 20 18 10 - 62

Northwestern 10 12 8 11 - 41

Three-pointers: Jim Thorpe - Hurley 2, H. Smelas 1; Northwestern - Jones 1.