Regular season a wrap for local WPIAL teams
Photos by Mike Longo Jr.
-BASKETBALL-
By Mike Longo Jr.
and Ken Hohman
The western suburbs of Pittsburgh are home to some powerhouse basketball teams. Playoff season for both boys and girls WPIAL teams was fiercely contested this season with eight teams making it to the upcoming PIAA playoffs.
Here’s a look at how teams in the Gazette 2.0 coverage performed during end of the season:
Feb. 21
Girls Class A
OLSH 53 | Frazier 13
The Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chargers delivered a knockout punch early in the Feb. 21 contest, applying a tenacious full-court defensive press from the game's onset. On offense, OLSH fought hard driving to the hoop with reckless abandon and crashing the offensive glass in the same manner.
By the end of the first half, the Chargers had tallied a 33-8 lead. The second half played out similarly, and the Frazier offense could only muster another five total points to close out the contest.
Kaleigh Constantino led the scoring for OLSH with 11 points, as teammate Kyleigh Nagy tossed in nine points for second place.
Girls Class A
Bishop Canevin 76 | Avella 54
Bishop Canevin rode the shoulders of four key players en route to their opening-round win over Avella Feb. 21.
Building a 17-4 first-quarter cushion and cruising from that point on, the Crusaders had four players in double figures. Ashley Lippold had a game-high 32 points while teammates Amber Cross (15 points) Rachel Boehn (12 points) and Josie Bochicchio (10 points) accounted for 69 of the team’s 76 points on the evening.
Feb. 22
Girls Class 2A
Sto-Rox 35 | Seton LaSalle 48
Sto-Rox girls basketball season ended with a 48-35 loss to Seton LaSalle. The Lady Vikes were led by the school’s all-time top-scorer Alicia Young, who picked up 18 points in the losing effort. Young finishes her career with 1461 career points, surpassing Peggy Vith who had the school record with 2,156 points.
Girls Class 4A
Montour 52 | Deer Lakes 42
The Montour Spartans got their game on in the second half of the contest against Deer Lakes after trailing by three points at the half. They wracked up 35 points in the second half while holding Deer Lakes to 22 to turn the game around. Montour's Jordyn Wolfe was the contest's high scorer with 20 and teammate Olivia Lyscik chipped in with 12.
Girls Class 5A
Moon 51 | Woodland Hills 33
Moon Area built an eight-point halftime cushion against the visitors from Woodland Hills and stepped up their game in the second stanza by netting another 23. Meanwhile, the Tigers held Woody High to just 13 in the second to close out a comfortable win.
The Tiger's dependable point-grabber Emma Theodorsson was the game's high scorer, dropping 22 through the net.
Boys Class 2A
Carlynton 74 |
Jefferson Morgan 40
After a tight first quarter which only saw Carlynton up by a single point, the Cougars elevated their game in sensational fashion, routing the visitors from Jefferson Morgan by 34 points. Carlynton had three players account for 55 of the team’s total 74 points scored in the Feb. 22 contest. Jaiden McClure dropped in 21 points, while Khali Kerr added 20 and Austin Milner netted 14.
Boys Class 2A
OLSH 73 | Chartiers Houston 43
The Our Lady of the Sacred Heart train keeps on rolling, carrying the regular season unbeaten record into the playoffs. During the final regular-season game, OLSH’s relentless defense and a fast-paced offense proved too much for Chartiers’ Houston or any other contender this season to handle.
Four players hit the double-figure mark in the game led by senior standout Jake DiMichele with 30 points. Rocco Spadafora claimed 12, Dawson Summers 11 and Bryson Kirschner netted 10.
Boys Class 2A
Sto-Rox 72 | Springdale 46
The Sto-Rox Vikings defeated Springdale 72-46. Senior Guard Corey Simmons scored 28 points to include 17 of 18 from the charity stripe. Jaymar Pearson had 18 points and pulled down 18 rebounds, Josh Jenkins added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Feb. 23
Boys Class 4A
Montour 70 | Burrell 50
Montour Boys defeated Burrell 70-50. Diaun Pinkett led the Spartans in scoring with 28 points and to include six treys. Vason Stevenson and Tyriq Eleam each had 14 points.
Boys Class A
Bishop Canevin 66 |