A game between a pair of 16-win teams was a tale of two halves on Thursday night.

In the end, Palmerton’s huge first half was the deciding factor as it remained undefeated with a 50-42 Colonial League victory over Northwestern.

The Tigers - down by 20 at intermission largely due to a disastrous second period - tried to make a frantic comeback, but the deficit was just too much to overcome.

“We needed the time to get back our composure,” said Tigers’ coach Chris Deutsch about the much needed halftime break. “Down by three after the first period is no big deal, but we got rattled in the second. We needed to get control of our game and I think we did a pretty good job of that in the second half.”

Northwestern (16-4) began the game by jumping out to a 6-2 lead on three baskets by Paige Sevrain with a Palmerton layup by Bethie Morgan mixed in between. Both teams struggled to get into an offensive rhythm as they traded baskets with the period ending on a buzzer beating layup by the Bombers’ Brianna Moore to put the home team up 13-10.

After the Tigers’ Cara Thomas’ two free throws kept her team down by only three points, the Bombers (17-0) went on a torrid 20-3 run to build a commanding 35-15 halftime lead. Moore scored 13 of her game high 26 points in the second with an assortment of driving layups, running one handers and three-pointers.

“Give all the credit to her,” Deutsch said about Moore. “She’s very athletic and can score on any kind of a shot.”

Palmerton coach, Dan Beck praised his senior playmaker.

“I believe she is the quickest kid in the area,” he said. “She continues to prove what she can do. She can score from anywhere in the offensive zone.”

The third period was highlighted by strong scoring runs from both teams. The Tigers made a bid to get back in it as Maci Fisher’s jump shot at the four minute mark cut the deficit to 37-26. But then the Bombers scored seven straight points beginning with a long three and a running one hander by Moore and ending with two free throws by Morgan. Despite Sydney Nyce’s layup with 33 seconds left in the third, Palmerton’s lead stood tall at 44-28 going into the final eight minutes.

The Tigers again sliced the lead to 11 on a three point basket by Brook Balliet with plenty of game left. Sevrain put the score at 46-37 on her layup with 3:40 to go. A free throw by Thomas cut the margin to eight points, but that’s the closest the Tigers’ comeback would get.

“We needed to be more patient and play smarter,” Beck said after watching Northwestern slice into his team’s fourth quarter lead. “Sometimes the girls get too excited. They need to learn how to play with the lead, especially when we were up double figures in the last period.

“Northwestern is a good team and you can’t keep giving them chances to come back. This was a good learning experience for us tonight.”

TOP GUNS ... Moore’s 26 points and Morgan’s 17 led Palmerton. Sevrain led the Tigers with 13.

SHUT DOWN ... Northwestern failed to score from the field during a four and a half minute span in the second period when Palmerton broke the game open.

YOUNG GUNS ... Out of the 10 starters, only three were seniors and the Tigers sent two freshman out on the floor to begin the game.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME ... Palmerton swept the two-game season series. After the game, both coaches said they wouldn’t be surprised if they met in for a third time in the post season.

NORTHWESTERN

Sevrain 6-1-2-13, Fisher 4-0-2-8, Bro. Balliet 3-0-0-8, Thomas 1-5-6-7, Nyce 3-0-0-6, Miller 0-0-0-0, Bry. Balliet 0-0-0-0, Dorney 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 17-6-10-42.

PALMERTON

Moore 9-3-4-26, Morgan 7-3-4-17, Matsko 1-1-4-3, Frantz 1-0-0-2, Nemeth 1-0-0-2, Balliet 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 19-7-12-50.

Northwestern 10 5 13 14 - 42

Palmerton 13 22 9 6 - 50

Three-pointers: Northwestern - Bro. Balliet 2; Palmerton - Moore 5.