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Defense the key to South Fayette’s blowout win

By Chris Dugan sports Editor dugan@observer-Reporter.Com 3 min read
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Lainey Yater (11), Rachel Black (25), Maddie Webber and Ava Leroux (25) jump up and down in jubilation after South Fayette defeated Woodland Hills, 68-25, to earn a second straight trip the WPIAL Class 5A championship game in girls' basketball. South Fayette (23-2) battled Oakland Catholic (22-3) in the finals on March 4 at the Petersen Events Center.

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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Maddie Webber (34) soars to the basket as Woodland Hills defender Carmen Vasquez (24) can only watch the Villanova recruit excel during South Fayette’s resounding win, 68-25, during the WPIAL Class 5A semifinal playoff game.

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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Despite heavy defensive pressure from Cierra Guest (10) and Carmen Vasquez (24) of Woodland Hills, Ava Leroux puts up a successful hoop during South Fayette’s 68-25 win in the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals.

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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Lainey Yater embraces Addy Bennett, who is the daughter of South Fayette girls basketball coach Bryan Bennett, after the Lions defeated Woodland Hills, 68-25, to land in their second straight WPIAL championship game.

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Lainey Yater embraces Addy Bennett, who is the daughter of South Fayette girls basketball coach Bryan Bennett, after the Lions defeated Woodland Hills, 68-25, to land in their second straight WPIAL championship game.

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Erica Hall (32) puts up a successful shot during South Fayette's 68-25 win over Woodland Hills in the WPIAL Class 5A semifinal game.

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By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Despite heavy defensive pressure from Cierra Guest (10) and Carmen Vasquez (24) of Woodland Hills, Ava Leroux puts up a successful hoop during South Fayette’s 68-25 win in the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals.

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Erica Hall (32) exerts herself as she shoots over the outstretched arm of Hope Hawkins (1) during South Fayette's 68-25 win over Woodland Hills in the WPIAL Class 5A semifinal game.

McMURRAY – With all-state senior forward Maddie Webber on the perimeter, stellar senior center Ava Leroux in the pivot and a talented cast of role players, the South Fayette girls basketball has enough offensive firepower to overwhelm most opponents. Yes, the Lions’ offense is good.

According to Leroux and head coach head coach Bryan Bennett, the Lions’ defense though is often overlooked.

South Fayette’s defense forced Woodland Hills into 12 turnovers in the first quarter, 27 in the game and the Lions cruised to a 68-25 victory in the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals played Feb. 28 at Peters Township High School’s AHN Arena.

The win sent South Fayette (23-2), the defending champion, into the title game played March 4 at the Petersen Events Center against Oakland Catholic, a 58-51 winner over McKeesport in the other semifinal. (Results were too late to be published in the print edition of the March 5 Almanac.)

“I think our defense does get overlooked,” Bennett said. “Our defense is a big reason for our offense.”

South Fayette harassed and stymied Woodland Hills at every turn in the first quarter. In addition to forcing 12 turnovers – several that led directly to fast-break layups – the Lions held Woodland Hills to only one field goal in the first eight minutes and led by a whopping 25-2 after one quarter.

“Our defense doesn’t get the credit it deserves,” Leroux said. “We always try to be as active with our hands as possible, stay big and we have to be physical. Defense wins championships, and that’s where we’re headed.”

That much was apparent when South Fayette held Woodland Hills (13-12) scoreless over the first 5 ½ minutes while forging a 13-0 lead. The Lions led 27-2 and 31-4 early in the second quarter.

“We had to play good defense and make it a full-court game because of their size,” Bennett said of Woodland Hills. “Early in the game we did a good job of getting pressure on the ball.”

Woodland Hills wanted to slow the game to the pace of a leisurely stroll and make it a half-court contest. The Wolverines never got that chance because the Lions’ defense kept forcing live-ball turnovers that led to scoring opportunities at the other end of the court.

“Turnovers against a team like South Fayette is a recipe for disaster,” said Woodland Hills coach Theron Pitts. “They have a mindset to put you away with every turnover, every rebound, every possession. They’re the No. 1 team in the state for a reason.

“When you turn the ball over against South Fayette, they’re like piranhas in a sea of blood. They are out to bite, bite, bite.”

South Fayette kept chewing away at Woodland Hills and led 46-13 at halftime.

The Lions led 52-15 midway through the third quarter when Bennett began taking out Webber, Leroux and the Lions’ other starters. Both Webber and Leroux scored a team-high 14 points. Rachel Black added nine. Erica Hall contributed eight and Juliette Leroux came off the bench to score eight.

In all, nine Lions cracked the scoring column.

“We have some talented kids, but as we get deeper in the postseason we won’t be able to rely on our offense as much against really good teams,” Bennett said. “Defense, I know you can bring it every day.”

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