Wright puts spin on South Fayette victory
At South Fayette, Lailah Wright easily is the female version of a Harlem Globetrotter. For the junior surely knows how to wow the crowd.
During a 64-35 victory over Milton Hershey in a first-round PIAA Class 5A playoff game, Wright contributed nine points, a handful of assists as well as a number of steals but what excited the fans most, bringing them to their feet, was a spin move for a bucket that cemented South Fayette’s supremacy over the Spartans.
“I always did that move when I was younger,” Wright said. “It has always been my thing. One of my signature moves.”
The maneuver and basket occurred at the 3:35 mark of the second quarter as the Lions stretched a 13-point first-frame advantage to 33-11.
“Lailah’s spectacular,” said South Fayette coach Bryan Bennett. “There’s some moves that she’s made throughout the season and you wonder how she does it.
“She’s so athletic, and she’s getting better and better every day. She’s a worker in the gym. She is where she’s at right now because of all the hard work she puts in.”
Wright and the rest of the Lions put the work in prior to taking on the Spartans. They studied film and realized they were going to have to contend with a team that, though it featured a 17-10 record and finished eighth in District 3, sported a taller lineup than their own.
Milton Hershey’s smallest starters measured 5-8 and 6-foot center Journey Wright led the offensive attack. She scored nine points for the Spartans.
“We saw their size on film but when we came here and saw them we were like, they’re big,” Wright said, “but we knew we could run them off the floor and that’s what we did.”
The Lions raced to a 7-0 lead and coasted to a 22-9 edge after eight minutes. They led 39-18 at halftime and invoked the “Mercy Rule” at the 2:23 mark in the third stanza when the margin swelled to 53-23.
“We jumped on them right away and I was pleased with that,” Bennett said.
The Lions did not let the weeklong layoff after winning their fourth WPIAL title in five years impact their play.
“This is a veteran group of kids,” Bennett explained. “As the week of practice progressed we gradually got better. Give them credit, they came into the game and wouldn’t have a let down. Being in this position before really does help.”
Bennett also added that scouting the Spartans aided the Lady Lions.
“We watched them on film and they were extremely athletic. I was worried about their size. They’re a big team and they try to exploit you inside.
“Give my kids credit. We did a good job getting them off the block and the first few possessions when they got the ball inside our doubles did a good job of limiting them. I was pleased with our kids’ performances.”
All five starters shone in their area of expertise and three of them finished in double figures.
Juliette Leroux totaled all 13 of her points in the final three quarters. Haylie Lamonde finished with 13 markers, including a 3-point field goal. Ella Vierra pumped in 10 points.
Ryan Oldaker buried three treys to finish with nine points.
South Fayette improved to 26-1 overall and advanced to the second round of the tournament. The Lions will play Penn-Trafford (20-6) at Peters Township, 6 p.m. Wednesday.
PT WINS
Peters Township had the longest trip of anyone in the WPIAL in the first round of PIAA tournament and worked overtime to return home with a victory.
The Lady Indians defeated Susquehannock, 46-41. They outscored the District 3’s third-place team, 7-2, in the extra period.
Peters Township (16-11) held a 35-29 lead heading into the fourth frame before Susquehannock (20-7) tied the game at 39 to force overtime.
Maddyn Mehl led three Peters Township players in double figures with 12 points. Alina Sopko scored 11 and Jordyn Welsh chipped in 10.
With the victory, the Lady Indians advanced to the round of sixteen in the Class 5A division. They play Manheim Central (18-8) on March 11 at Altoona. The seventh-place finisher in District 3 upended WPIAL runner-up Thomas Jefferson, 43-41, in the opening round of the PIAA tournament.