Lady Pioneers race past Lady Trojans, 67-39
Jonathan Guth | Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ
West Greene’s Jersey Wise drives to the basket as teammate Anna Durbin sets a screen on Califronia’s Jordyn Cruse during Monday’s Section 2-A game at California Area High School. Wise scored a game-high 22 points and Durbin added 15 in the Lady Pioneers’ 67-39 victory.
Jonathan Guth | Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ
California’s Makayla Boda races up the court in front of West Greene’s Anna Durbin and being chased by the Lady Pioneers’ Katie Lampe during Monday’s Section 2-A game at California Area High School.
Jonathan Guth | Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ
West Greene’s Anna Durbin passes to Elizabeth Brudnock as California’s Charlee Petrucci (left) and Jordyn Cruse defend during Monday’s Section 2-A game at California Area High School.
California's Ca'Mari Walden puts up a shot inside while under intense pressure from West Greene's Anna Durbin during Monday's Section 2-A game at California Area High School.
Jonathan Guth | Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ
West Greene’s Jersey Wise takes a jump shot while being defended by California’s Jordyn Cruse during Monday’s Section 2-A game at California Area High School.
California's Sydney Smichnick takes a jump shot in front of the outstretched hand of West Greene's BreAnn Jackson during Monday's Section 2-A game at California Area High School.
California's Ca'Mari Walden wins the tip-off against West Greene's Anna Durbin during a Section 2-A game at California Area High School last year. Walden returns to the Lady Trojans for her senior season.
COAL CENTER — West Greene may have lost three of its big guns from last year, but the trio of Jersey Wise, Elizabeth Brudnock and Anna Durbin showed that they are up for the task on Monday night in a 67-39 Section 2-A road victory over California.
Wise scored a game-high 22 points on seven field goals, including three 3-pointers, and was 5 of 7 at the foul line. Brudnock added 15 on six field goals (two 3-pointers) and was 1 of 2 at the line. Durbin connected on three 3-pointers and three two-point baskets. The Lady Pioneers (2-0, 6-0) made nine three pointers in extending their section winning streak to 35 games.
“We had pretty good balance with our scoring today,” West Greene coach Jordan Watson said. “We always want our top three of Elizabeth, Anna and Jersey to combine for at least 40 or more, and they had 52 tonight. Overall, we are happy to get our 35th section win in a row. We still have a goal to win and go undefeated in the section, get a good seed in the playoffs and go from there. We lost some very good players from last year, but we still have a lot of depth.”
“Until someone beats them otherwise, they are still the team to beat, and after two games, it looks like they are that team,” said California coach Chris Niemiec in regards to West Greene being the team to beat in Section 2-A.
West Greene jumped out to a 9-1 lead 2:13 into the first quarter, as Watson’s team used its traditional press and three-point shooting.
“They shot better than I expected them to, and when we did beat the press, we either didn’t make free throws or make the layup,” Niemiec said. “We handled it halfway, and then we would turn the ball over near the hoop. We couldn’t make them pay when we got our opportunities.”
The Lady Pioneers held a 23-6 lead heading into the second. West Greene outscored the Lady Trojans, 23-7, in the second for a 46-13 halftime advantage.
California (1-1, 3-2) had an opportunity to close the gap coming out of the halftime break with several point-blank opportunities, but wasn’t able to convert.
“I think we missed four foul shots and either two or three layups coming out of the halftime break,” Niemiec said. “When you are trying to get back in and go on a run, you can’t miss those easy shots.”
The Lady Pioneers held a 15-11 edge in the third quarter, and took a 61-24 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Lady Trojans outscored West Greene, 15-6, as both teams went deep into their benches.
“It is very important to be able to get those subs in and gain that experience,” Niemiec said. “And it is very important that they learn from what they see.”
“We like being able to sub there at the end because that helps with our depth and our bench gets stronger,” Watson said.
Makayla Boda led California in scoring with 11 points on five field goals and one free throw.
Despite the victory, Watson wasn’t particularly pleased with his team’s press.
“Defensively, our press, the intensity wasn’t there for the most part,” Watson said. “We didn’t get up and face guard well. We kind of stood behind and let them walk it up a little bit, which we had off Friday, so maybe that played a little role, but I don’t know.”
The Lady Pioneers return to the court on Thursday when they host Jefferson-Morgan (0-3) in section play at 6 p.m. before a non-section test at Wheeling Central Catholic High School on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
The Lady Trojans are a Geibel Catholic (0-1, 0-3) on Thursday in section action before traveling to Burgettstown (0-1, 3-1) in a non-section game. Both games are scheduled to tip-off at 7:30 p.m.