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Walker and Wetzel were a winning combination for Peters Township

By Chris Dugan 4 min read
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Gemma Walker was awarded a game ball after scoring her 1,000th career point during Peters Township’s 59-55 overtime win against Bethel Park.
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Gemma Walker drives to the hoop during Peters Township basketball action.
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Natalie Wetzel of Peters Township poses with the game ball that she received for scoring her 1,000th career point.
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Natalie Wetzel (14) drives to the hoop for two of her 15 points during a 53-49 Peters Township victory against Chartiers Valley.

Gemma Walker and Natalie Wetzel go together as well as peanut butter and jelly or cookies and milk.

In other words, on their own they are very good. But when put together, they form an almost unbeatable combination.

They were the perfect combination for Peters Township basketball.

With Walker, a cat-quick guard, and Wetzel, a tall, talented and versatile forward, leading the way, Peters Township returned to elite status in Class 6A this season and gave opponents fits on both ends of the court.

A senior, Walker is a drive-first penetrator on offense with a knack for getting all the way to the rim. Those times when she didn’t make it to the hoop, Walker usually attracted a crowd of defenders and passed off to Wetzel for an open shot and basket. On defense, Walker is a pest. A speedy disruptor.

Wetzel is a different type of player than Walker, which made the combination so difficult for opponents to defend. At 6-3, Wetzel could simply stand in the low post and dominate opponents. However, there is much more to her game. She often played away from the basket, from where she made textbook jump shots over smaller opponents, even from behind the three-point line. She was as dangerous from 20 feet away from the basket as she was from two feet.

“Natalie played around the rim more and outside while Gemma is a prototypical wing,” PT head coach Steve Limberiou explained. “The assists they had between the two of them is amazing. They really worked well together.”

Wetzel averaged 17.3 points per game during the regular season and Walker averaged 15.7. Together, they helped Peters Township start the season with 20 consecutive wins and finish with a 24-3 overall record and berths in the WPIAL semifinals and PIAA’s second round.

Both players scored their 1,000th career point this season.

“And both had the assist on the other’s 1,000th point,” Limberiou recalled.

“The impressive thing about those two is we needed both of them to be good, and our opponents knew that, too. Yet the analytics showed how amazingly effective they both were. It’s not like they were both taking 25 shots a game.”

Because of their exploits, Walker and Wetzel have been selected as The Almanac girls’ basketball Co-Players of the Year.

“They were the two best players,” Limberiou concurred. “It’s hard to put one over the other. They were co-MVP types for us.”

A St. Francis University (Pa.) recruit, Walker dished up two assists and grabbed three rebounds a game for the Indians. She was a first-team Big ⅚ all-conference selection.

A junior, Wetzel also garnered all-section accolades and has received more than 20 Division I offers, including Pitt and West Virginia. She pulled down 8.2 rebounds and picked up 3.3 assists a game.

While Walker and Wetzel are different types of players who work well together, their personalities are much different.

“Gemma is very mature for her age,” Limberiou said. “She’s more talkative than Natalie. She has a way of getting the younger players, even the junior varsity players, involved in everything we do, which doesn’t always happen with seniors. It’s something I really appreciate about her.

“Natalie, I don’t think I’ve met many people who have the desire to win that she does. I wish people would see how competitive she is, even in practice. She wants to win everything we do. She’s a true competitor.”

Wetzel is even competitive about labels. She doesn’t like being called a post player simply because of her height.

“I don’t call myself a big,” she is quick to say. “I’m able to play the wing and also play in the paint. I’m flexible.”

Walker was disruptive on the defensive end as her quickness caused opponents problems, especially those who were facing her for the first time. In two PIAA playoff games, against Lebanon and runner-up Spring-Ford, Walker scored 54 points, most coming on drives through the heart of the defense.

Like most competitive people, Wetzel and Walker enjoyed the Indians’ remarkable season but each was left wanting more.

“At the end of the day, we had a good record but I wish we could have won something,” Wetzel said. “We almost had a perfect regular season. I hope next year we can win them when it counts.”

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