Pass out the Hershey's Kisses.
The West Perry girls have booked passage to Chocolate Town and a berth at the Giant Center in the District 3-AAA semifinals.
On Feb. 22 at East Pennsboro, the Mustangs put on a clinic of take-what's-given basketball, shocking Northeastern, first, with a barrage of 3s then, later, with layups off high-post passing, en route to a thorough 53-27 win.
West Perry, which topped Northern Lebanon 39-29 earlier in the week, improved to 22-3. The Mustangs were scheduled to face Conrad Weiser (19-7) at 5:30 on Feb. 25 for the right to defend their district title three days later.
"This is what we wanted to do," said West Perry senior point guard Caity Lavenberg, who turned in another blistering postseason performance with a game-high 18 points. "This is fun."
Against the Bobcats, who lost to the Mustangs by 21 in the final of their holiday tournament, Lavenberg got the fun started.
On her third trip down the floor, Lavenberg knocked down a 3. One possession later, off a pass from Madi Urich, she did it again.
"Caity coming out and hitting those shots early really got us off to a fast start," said Mustang coach Scott Moyer, who is bidding to get to his fourth district final.
Northeastern answered with a 3, but West Perry went inside to Meredith Brown (two free throws) and Gracie Stauffer (putback) to up the lead to 12-3.
Bobcat Lauren Pace hit her second 3 of the period, but Lavenberg responded with her third 3 of the period and, after Payton Houck scored on a baseline pullup and Pace dropped in her third trey, West Perry took a 15-11 lead to the second quarter.
The Mustangs struggled through the second eight minutes, but scored on three straight possessions midway through.
Renee Cless hit a 10-foot jumper off a pass from Stauffer then, in succession, Lavenberg and Urich canned 3s, building a 23-11 lead that stood up until halftime after the Bobcats were held scoreless.
Lavenberg had connected on 4-of-7 shots -- all 3s -- for 12 points at the half. Urich had a fifth trey on four attempts
"We wanted to make them take outside shots," said Bobcat coach Bill Novak, wary of Stauffer and Brown who had ravaged his frontline for 34 points in December. "The problem is, we didn't close out on their shooters like we should have. We needed to be a step faster."
The Bobcats also needed more offense from Houck, a Boston University recruit who went into the game needing eight points for a 1,000, and Jordyn Kloster, who had 26 points in their first-round win over Donegal.
The Mustangs, particularly Urich and Stauffer, weren't going to let that happen.
Urich, who prides herself on her defensive skills, manned up on Houck, making her work every possession.
By game's end, Houck, clearly frustrated, had missed 13-of-14 (mostly contested) shots and 3-of-4 free throws, including one air ball in the second period. She finished with three points.
"We love Madi's attitude (on defense)," said Lavenberg. "She gets it in her mind that she's going to shut someone down, then goes out and does it."
After the break, Kloster, held scoreless in the first half trying to go over or around Stauffer, converted a three-point play that got the Bobcats to within 12.
West Perry shrugged that off and piled on, racing off on a 19-8 run.
It was an electrifying mix of perimeter shooting and patient ball movement leading to easy baskets.
With the Bobcats desperate and selling out on defense, Moyer's high-intellect team picked them apart.
Twice, Stauffer found Brown alone at the rim for layins. Urich hit Lavenberg wide open for a 3. Twice Brown drove baseline for two free throws and another layup. Then, with the Bobcats reeling, Urich cashed a 3 off a pass from Lavenberg and a deuce off another pass from her cousin. Lavenberg, off a feed from Urich, splashed her career-high sixth trey of the game, punctuated the run and sent the Mustangs to the fourth safe and secure up 20, 42-22.
Urich scored nine points in the fourth, four on assists from Stauffer, two on an explosive blow-by drive and three on a steal-and-go three-point play to complete her day with 17 points.
Stauffer added her third putback to finish with six points, 10 rebounds, four blocks and a team-best seven assists.
"We like putting Gracie in the high post. She's a good passer and she draws their big people out," Moyer said. "She missed some shots, but she really had a nice game, rebounding and defending. Even when she's not blocking shots, she causes problems."
Now, Conrad Weiser stands immediately between the Mustangs and a shot at a second straight title. The Scouts, who beat Susquenita and Berks Catholic -- the No. 2 seed -- to get to the semifinals, will be a dangerous matchup.
Weiser isn't big, but it defends the post well by doubling down, presses up and down the floor, traps like mad and has six girls with at least 14 3s.
The Mustangs will have to take care of the ball, run the offense, find open shooters and knock down shots.
Just like they did against Northeastern.