Photo by Paul Krajnyak Shadyside’s Tory Hendershot goes in for a layup during Thursday’s game against Malvern.

SHADYSIDE — Sitting as the No. 1 seed in a crowded sectional tournament usually means that you will have a pretty favorable match-up in the first round before things start getting a little tougher.

Such was the case Thursday night as top-seeded Shadyside welcomed 1-20 Malvern to get what Coach Serge Gentile and company hope is a long, fruitful tournament run underway.

Tory Hendershot scored 14 points, to equal the Hornets, while Baylee Wach added 12 and the Tigers forced 25 turnovers while holding Malvern without a field goal in the second half in cruising to a 59-14 victory on the home boards.

The victory improves Shadyside to 19-4. They will face off against Steubenville Catholic in the next round of the sectional tournament Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.

The Crusaders secured a victory over Caldwell, 47-33 on Thursday.

“We were coming off a long break so I kind of figured we might come out a little sluggish getting used to the game and the atmosphere again,” Gentile said. “And we missed some shots that we normally make, but overall I thought we played well and was solid on defense.”

The Tigers actually scored the initial seven points of the game before a 6-5 Malvern run made it a 12-6 score midway through the first. Shadyside preceded to score the final four of the opening frame for a 16-6 reading.

Gentile’s squad opened the second with a Macy Coffland triple and a Hendershot basket to extend the lead to 15 before Lanie Bower’s charity toss made it 21-7.

After a Hope Whaley 3-pointer made it 28-10 a short time later the hosts hit four consecutive field goals off of steals to push it to 36-10.

Danielle Lewis’ basket not only stopped the 8-0 Shadyside run at 3:27 of the second quarter, it turned out to be the final field goal Malvern converted the remainder of the game.

After leading 40-12 at the break, and with Gentile subbing freely since midway through the second quarter, the Tigers held the Hornets scoreless in the third quarter while pushing the margin to 51-12.

Malvern’s scoreless streak ended after 15:59 of clock time when Madison Casler hit a pair of free throws, on a turning clock, late in the fourth quarter.

In all, Shadyside outscored their visitors by a 19-2 margin in the second half.

“I think we came out and showed a little more of who we are in the second quarter once we got settled in,” Gentile said.

“We were finishing better and when we started picking them up full court it took our intensity to another level.

“The thing is, no matter who you play you have to show up and score more points than the other team. It’s the tournament now and you have to be ready against every team you play.

“Hopefully we will show up ready to go again on Saturday no matter who we play. These games are all tough this time of year.”

Shadyside won the battle on the glass by a 31-16 margin and turned the ball over only seven times, with reserves playing most of the second half, while Malvern finished with 25 miscues.

Whaley led the Hornets with seven points and was one of two Malvern players to make a field goal and one of four to score. The visitors connected on 4 of 30 shots in the game for 13 percent.

Coffland finished with nine points for the winners Kamdyn Elerick had a team-high seven rebounds.