South Fayette relying on defense in WPIAL semifinals
Matt Bacco isn’t sure how much last year’s participation in the WPIAL Class AAA Final Four will help South Fayette (20-3) tonight (Feb. 24) when the Lions take on Hampton (19-5) in the district semifinals. However, he knows for certain this season’s schedule has prepared them for the confrontation to be played at West Allegheny. Tip time is 6 p.m.
“They are very good,” Bacco said of the Talbots, who knocked off Blackhawk, 52-40, in their quarterfinal contest at North Catholic. “Anytime you beat the defending champion, you are doing a lot right.
“We have played in some really tough, competitive games,” Bacco continued, noting victories against Mt. Lebanon and Canon-McMillan as well as games with Peters Township, Bethel Park and Bishop Canevin, all playoff clubs. “All of our non-section games against Quad-A teams have us battle-tested.”
So, too, do the wars against Section 5 foes. Three times the Lions faced Chartiers Valley (15-9) and thrice they defeated the Colts, most recently, 44-35, on Feb. 20 in a quarterfinal playoff contest at North Allegheny.
“That’s the old cliché in sports,” Bacco said about how difficult it is to beat a team three times in one season. “They are very good. It is tough to beat them once, let alone three times,” he added of the Colts.
It’s certainly challenging when your 6-4 senior center is saddled with foul trouble and you have been without your veteran point guard, not to mention when the opposition is shooting lights out from 3-point range.
Though she finished with 10 points and five blocks, Emily Anderson rode the pine for much of the game because of foul trouble. She picked up her second personal with 4:41 to play in the second stanza and her fourth with 40.4 seconds to play in the third quarter. She fouled out with 56.4 seconds left in the game.
Mikayla Fetchet, directing the offense in Carlee Kilgus’s absence, scored seven points for the Lions. The senior also came up with critical steals down the stretch to help turn a deficit into triumph.
“Mikayla has been incredible stepping into the point guard position,” Bacco said. “She is a winner. A tough kid,” he added.
“All of the girls have been incredible dealing with adversity all year,” Bacco continued, noting the Lions also have been playing without Jordyn Caputo, a 5-10 sophomore, in the line-up. “They are mentally tough.
“And when we had to, the girls picked it up defensively, especially when Emily got into foul trouble. Defense was the key to the victory. Always,” he added. “Defense wins this time of year.”
The Lions held the Colts to two field goals in the second stanza as they pulled even, 19-19, by halftime. They also outscored Char Valley, 17-6, in the final eight minutes.
Maddie Guiterrez led the uprising. The sophomore guard fired in 15 points, including a 6-for-6 showing from the charity stripe down the stretch. She also buried a 3-pointer with 4:09 to play that ignited a rally that forged a 38-35 advantage the Colts would not relinquish. During the spree, Autumn Mozick scored a basket and Sam Kosmacki pitched in two free throws.
“When you play a team three times,” said CV head coach Dan Slain, “there are not a lot of tricks or smoke and mirrors. The key is execution. Bot teams gave great efforts. So execution is pivotal. That execution showed when they made their free throws.”
The Colts, meanwhile, made their long-range shots. In fact, seven of their 11 field goals came from beyond the arc. Lauren Wagner buried five treys and finished with 15 points. Mackenzie Wagner had the other two 3-point field goals and supplied 10 tallies.
While the Colts dropped into the first-round PIAA play-in game, the Lions battled for a spot in the WPIAL championship game set for 3 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Petersen Event Center. With Anderson in the line-up for a full game against Hampton, the Lions, who lost in last year’s final, could be hard to stop.
“(Emily) is a lane sweeper and a glass cleaner,” Slain said. “She makes you change shot trajectory.”
NOTES: Chartiers Valley lost to Blackhawk, 59-53, at North Allegheny in its bid to qualify for the PIAA tournament. The Lady Colts get a second chance to earn the seventh slot out of the district when they face Ambridge at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 25 at Canon-McMillan. The Bridgers lost to South Park, 66-48, in their first play-in game.