South Fayette girls showing improvement
For the South Fayette girls, the start of the season has been akin to a summer at Kennywood on the basketball court. Full of ups and downs.
“It’s been bumpy and there will be more bumps to come,” predicted Lady Lions’ coach Matt Bacco. “That is the roller coaster that is the basketball season.”
The Lady Lions reached the apex for 2017 when they closed out the old year with a sensational win against Bethel Park in the Lady Hawks’ Holiday Tournament. South Fayette overcame a 20-point deficit to post the come-from-behind triumph, 64-55, against one of the top-ranked Class 6-A clubs.
“We told our kids that their character would be tested and it certainly was,” Bacco explained. “We believe in our kids. We believe in their heart. Bethel Park is a great team and Jonna (Burke) is an unbelievable coach. You need to do a lot of things right and have some luck to beat them.”
Lucky for the Lions, they have Sam Kosmacki and Maddie Gutierrez, among others, on their side. Both were named to the all-tournament team with Kosmacki claiming MVP honors.
Kosmacki pumped in 18 points, pulled down 11 rebounds, blocked two shots, dished up four assists and collected three steals against the Hawks. The 5-11 senior forward tossed in 13 markers in the tournament opener, a 65-50 win against Mohawk.
Meanwhile, Gutierrez chalked up 11 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals against the Hawks. The senior led with 15 tallies against Mohawk.
Yet balance has been the Lady Lions’ MO. Jordyn Caputo and Maura Castelluci tossed in 13 and 11 points against Mohawk. Castellucci finished with 13 and Caputo chipped in seven against the Hawks. They tossed in 17 and 16 points in a 56-50 win against Winchester Thurston in The Challenge at Mt. Lebanon held Jan. 6.
The foursome along with Jordan Head combined for a follow-up win against Montour, 67-45, to start the new year. But the roller coaster ride continued. The Lions lost 63-34 to West Allegheny (5-0, 11-3) on Jan. 11 but rebounded to beat Chartiers Valley (2-2, 7-5) on Jan. 15. With the split, the Lady Lions moved into sole possession of second place in Section 1-AAAAA with a 3-1 slate. They are 7-4 overall.
The Lady Lions, though, have not yet rounded into the form that led them to last year’s PIAA state semifinals and the WPIAL quarterfinals. They finished 20-7 with a section banner in 2017.
“We have a long way to go, but I like our direction,” Bacco said. “I’m starting to see some evidence that we are getting it. Our focus is on continuing to get better and to be as complete as we can be come playoff time.”
The Lady Lions have improved their team play as multiple players continue to lead a balanced offensive attack. The team averages 56.3 points per game. Plus, as the triumph against BP demonstrated, they have learned how to win.
“As they continue to learn to play more unselfishly and think of each other first, they’ll continue to play better basketball,” Bacco predicted. “We’re still learning how to play the right way. We are seeing more examples of it and are beginning to understand the difference between winning and losing basketball.”
Bacco is also pleased to see good fortune coming his team’s way because of their personality and drive.
“They are great kids and work hard,” Bacco said of his players. “They deserve good things to happen for them.”
Notes: In the win against CV on Monday, Sam Kosmacki tossed in 19 points. Mackenzie Wagner and Megan McConnell led the Colts with 19 and 17 tallies.