Lady Leopards clinch 5th spot out of WPIAL for state tournament
Belle Vernon used a dominant second half to defeat Section 3-4A rival South Park, 44-27, on Wednesday night in the fifth-place consolation game of the WPIAL Class 4A girls basketball playoffs at Belle Vernon Area High School.
The Lady Leopards improved to 22-4, and will enter the PIAA Class 4A Girls Basketball Championships as the fifth-place team out of the WPIAL (District 7). Belle Vernon’s 22 wins breaks a program record for victories in a single season that was set last week.
Belle Vernon will play the winner of Carrick and Clearfield on March 7 at a site and time to be determined. The Lady Leopards will be at their opponent’s home gymnasium or a neutral site in the first round of the state tournament.
Clearfield (17-6) is the District 9 champion and Carrick (13-8) represents District 8 as its top team among Class 4A schools in the Pittsburgh City League.
The Lady Eagles dropped to 16-10 this season, and will represent the WPIAL as the sixth-place team in Class 4A. South Park will play the District 10 champion (Slippery Rock or Harbor Creek) on March 7. The site and time have yet to be determined, but the same situation will most-likely apply for the Lady Eagles as Belle Vernon.
Wednesday’s contest was the rubber match between the two teams, as South Park won the first meeting, 39-38, on Dec. 18 before the Lady Leopards returned the favor with a 42-32 triumph on Jan. 22. The two squads each won on the other’s home court.
After both teams scored 21 points in the first half, Belle Vernon used a 9-3 advantage in the third quarter for a 30-24 lead heading into the fourth period. The Lady Leopards won the final frame, 14-3.
The home team had a 15-13 edge in the opening quarter before the visitors won the second, 8-6.
Sophomore Aubrey Brown led Belle Vernon and the game in scoring with 13 points. She was one rebound shy of a double-double, and blocked two shots. Teammate Lyla McConnell connected on three 3-pointers, and added a two-point field goal for 11 points. McConnell had five assists.
Isis Almyty put in nine points and six rebounds for the home team. Belle Vernon’s Abby Russell had three assists and steals apiece. Teammate Emerson LaCarte also sank a three-point shot.
Bella Stromberg and Hayley Bennett paced the Lady Eagles’ offensive output with each scoring eight points. Stromberg made one 3-pointer. Teammate Nika Contakos nailed two shots from beyond-the-arc.
Boys basketball
Eden Christian Academy 58, Jefferson-Morgan 39 — The Warriors came out of the gates fast and maintained their advantage in a victory over the Rockets in the fifth-place consolation game in the WPIAL Class 2A basketball playoffs at Jefferson-Morgan High School.
Eden Christian (19-7) had a 23-28 lead after the first quarter, and extended its advantage to 41-24 at halftime after an 18-16 edge in the second period.
The Warriors won the third quarter, 11-8, to push their lead to 52-22. The Rockets (23-3) had a 7-6 edge in the fourth period.
Jefferson-Morgan’s season is still alive, as it will play the winner of the District 9 championship final between Clarion and Redbank Valley. The game is scheduled for Saturday. The first round of the PIAA playoff tournament will be held on March 7. The site and time of the Rockets’ first is yet to be determined, but Jefferson-Morgan will be the visiting team, and most likely have to travel to the home gymnasium of its opponent.
In Wednesday’s contest against Eden Christian, the Rockets were led in scoring by Brayden Ellsworth, who scored 12 points. Teammate Triton Farabee added 11.
The Warriors’ Samuel D’Ippolito had a game-high 19 points. Michael Sample added for the visitors.
Eden Christian’s opponent for the state tournament is yet to be determined, but the Warriors will enter as the fifth-place team out of the WPIAL.
Ligonier Valley 59, Southmoreland 50 — The Scotties’ season came to an end in a tough way following a loss to the Rams in a Class 3A PIAA play-in game at Southmoreland High School.
Southmoreland (15-11) had defeated Ligonier Valley (14-12) twice in the regular season, but the Rams proved the third time is the charm after taking advantage in the second quarter and pulling off the upset for the seventh-and-final spot for the WPIAL in the Class 3A state tournament.
The Scotties had a 19-15 lead after the opening period, but Ligonier Valley outscored the home team, 12-5, in the second for a 27-24 halftime advantage. The Rams won the third quarter, 16-11, and the fourth, 16-15.
Ligonier Valley’s Michael Vargulish-Graver led all scorers with 24 points. Teammate Greyson Daughtery added 10.
Southmoreland was paced offensively by Noah Felentzer’s 16 points.