Lady Mikes claim tourney title
Carmichaels' team poses with the championship trophy, the roving trophy and 2018 Bituminous Coal Queen Holly Lesko of Albert Gallatin after defeating Waynesburg Central in the first ever King Coal Lions Christmas Tournament girls championship game, 35-33, on Friday night at Carmichaels Area High School.
Carmichaels' Gina Ranieri hits a driving shot to give her team a 31-28 lead over Waynesburg Central聽during the King Coal Lions Christmas Tournament girls championship game at Carmichaels Area High School on Friday night. Ranieri scored a game-high 19 points in the Lady Mikes' 35-33 victory.
Carmichaels' Emma Hyatt (right) and Waynesburg Central's Riley Morehead battle for a rebound聽during the King Coal Lions Christmas Tournament girls championship game at Carmichaels Area High School on Friday night.
Carmichaels coach Ian McCombs watches his team play against Waynesburg Central聽during the King Coal Lions Christmas Tournament girls championship game at Carmichaels Area High School last year. The Lady Mikes won, 35-33. McCombs has moved over from the Lady Mikes to become Carmichaels' boys coach after the retirement of Don Williams.
Waynesburg Central's Nina Sarra looks to make a play while Carmichaels' Kylie Sinn and Emily Menhart defend聽during the King Coal Lions Christmas Tournament girls championship game at Carmichaels Area High School on Friday night.
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Waynesburg Central coach Dave Sarra talks with his players during a timeout against Carmichaels last year.
Waynesburg Central鈥檚 Clara Paige Miller sinks a free throw to complete a three-point play against Carmichaels during the King Coal Lions Christmas Tournament girls championship game at Carmichaels Area High School on Dec. 28. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Waynesburg Central鈥檚 Emma Mankey (2) whips a pass to Jules Fowler (15) during a game last season at Carmichaels.
Members of the King Coal Lions Chrsitmas Tournament girls all-tournament team pose with their awards and 2018 Bituminous Coal Queen Holly Lesko of Albert Gallatin at Carmichaels Area High School on Friday night. Pictured are (from left) C.P. Miller and Jules Fowler of Waynesburg Central, Lesko, and Emma Wyatt, Kylie Sinn and Gina Ranieri (MVP).聽Geibel Catholic's Hannah Geary and Jefferson-Morgan's Autumn Gustovich were also chosen for the all-tournament team.
Carmichaels' Kylie Sinn (10) seems to be a bit outnumbered as she faces five Waynesburg Central players聽during the King Coal Lions Christmas Tournament girls championship game at Carmichaels Area High School on Friday night.
Carmichaels' Shelbee McCann (24) hits a driving shot against Waynesburg Central in the fourth period聽during the King Coal Lions Christmas Tournament girls championship game at Carmichaels Area High School on Friday night. McCann's only basket of the night put the Lady Mikes ahead to stay in a 35-33 win.
Carmichaels鈥� Kylie Sinn puts up a jump shot over Waynesburg Central鈥檚 C.P. Miller and Riley Morehead during the King Coal Lions Christmas Tournament girls championship game last year won by the Lady Mikes at Carmichaels Area High School. Both teams and all three players will be in action again at this year鈥檚 tournament starting tonight. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Carmichaels' Emma Hyatt puts up a shot in between Waynesburg Central's C.P. Miller (33) and Taylor Lohr (5) as official Gene Franks looks on in the background聽during the King Coal Lions Christmas Tournament girls championship game at Carmichaels Area High School on Friday night.
Carmichaels' Emma Hyatt puts up a one-handed shot against Waynesburg Central聽during the King Coal Lions Christmas Tournament girls championship game at Carmichaels Area High School on Friday night.
CARMICHAELS 鈥� Carmichaels鈥� girls basketball team claimed a piece of history last Friday night.
The Lady Mikes were victorious in the first ever King Coal Lions Christmas Tournament girls championship game by rallying past Waynesburg Central, 35-33, in front of a big crowd at Carmichaels Area High School.
Carmichaels held the Lady Raiders to nine second-half points in fighting back from a 24-17 halftime deficit to pull out the two-point victory.
Girls tournament MVP Gina Ranieri led the way with a game-high 19 points for the Lady Mikes (3-7). Emma Hyatt followed with eight points and Kylie Sinn chipped in with five points.
The Lady Mikes started out strong before Waynesburg grabbed the momentum in the second period.
Carmichaels jumped out to an early 7-3 lead and held a 13-11 advantage after one period.
Coach Dave Sarra鈥檚 Lady Raiders surged to a seven-point lead by intermission with a 13-4 edge in the second period thanks to six points from C.P. Miller and five from Jules Fowler.
The resilient Lady Mikes outscored Waynesburg 10-4 in the third period to get back in the game.
鈥淭he key to our comeback was every girl on our team was willing to step up and say I鈥檓 open, give me the ball,鈥� Lady Mikes coach Ian McCombs said. 鈥淚t takes a collective effort for everyone to just not be afraid of the moment on a big stage like this. It was big for players one through six-seven to step up and not be afraid of the bright lights.鈥�
Waynesburg held a 28-25 lead late in the third period when Carmichaels鈥� defense clamped down and its offense came up with three straight key baskets.
Hyatt鈥檚 jump shot late in the third pulled the Lady Mikes within 28-27. Shelbee McCann picked the perfect spot for her only points of the game when she hit a driving bucket with six minutes left in the fourth period to put the hosts ahead to stay, 29-28. Ranieri鈥檚 driving basket made it 31-28 with 4:14 remaining.
鈥淭hose were a couple big plays, moments where there鈥檚 a decision to make,鈥� McCombs said. 鈥淒o you pull back out and play it safe or are you going to go get it and go get the win.鈥�
The Lady Raiders (4-4) pulled within one twice in the late going. Fowler hit two free throws to make it 31-30 with 2:35 left. Ranieri made one free throw with 1:09 left then came up with the biggest basket of the game shortly after.
After the Lady Mikes鈥� Emma Holaren missed a pair of foul shots with 25 seconds left, Hyatt grabbed the offensive rebound and missed the put-back but Ranieri snagged that rebound and scored to put Carmichaels up 34-30 with 20 seconds left.
Miller, who led the Lady Raiders with 17 points, gave her team a chance at victory when she converted a three-point play with 11.7 seconds left. Waynesburg forced a turnover on the inbounds pass but missed two shots before fouling Carmichaels鈥� Kylie Sinn with two seconds remaining. Sinn made one free throw set the final score as a halfcourt heave by the Lady Raiders was short.
鈥淚n the third quarter, fourth quarter, I said girls this is the moment where you鈥檝e just got to be confident in yourselves,鈥� McCombs said. 鈥淚 think we needed this game to build that.鈥�
Emma Mankey and Fowler scored seven points apiece for Waynesburg.
Ranieri, Hyatt, Sinn, Miller and Fowler were named to the girls all-tournament team along with Jefferson-Morgan鈥檚 Autumn Gustovich and Geibel Catholic鈥檚 Hannah Geary.
In the consolation game, Jefferson-Morgan held off Geibel Catholic for a 30-28 win.
The Lady Rockets (2-7) outscored Geibel in the third quarter, 7-2, for an 18-13 lead. The Lady Gators held a 15-12 advantage in the final eight minutes.
Jefferson-Morgan led 8-6 after the first quarter, but Geibel tied the game at halftime, 11-11.
Maddie Reeves led Jefferson-Morgan with 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Gustovich tallied eight points, Savannah Clark followed with five points and Brynn Boyd added four points.
Geibel鈥檚 Gayle Pokol shared scoring honors with 10 points and Geary had nine points.
In last Thursday鈥檚 first round, Jefferson-Morgan mustered only one point in the first half as Carmichaels scored a 25-16 victory over its county rival.
The Lady Mikes led 5-1 after the first quarter and 8-1 at halftime. Carmichaels held a 17-15 advantage in the second half.
Hyatt led Carmichaels with nine points. Ranieri added eight.
Boyd scored a game-high 11 points for the Lady Rockets (1-7).
Waynesburg defeated Geibel Catholic in the other first-round game, 48-16.
Bituminous Coal Queen Holly Lesko of Albert Gallatin attended and helped present awards and trophies. Lee Watson was the master of ceremonies of the event.