Hershey or bust: Monessen鈥檚 2004 girls basketball team was on a mission
They had been down this road before but the end came before they reached their stated and coveted destination.
This time, however, in the 2003-04 season, was the last time a talented senior foursome and eager group of underclassmen of Monessen High School girls basketball players had a chance to realize their goal and dream of winning WPIAL and PIAA Class A championships.
Hershey or bust was the team鈥檚 mantra. Having those gold medals placed around their necks at the Giant Center in Hershey would complete a mission that started forming when they were young girls at the Civic Center in downtown Monessen.
鈥淏efore that season, we just didn鈥檛 know how to win (the big championships),鈥� said Charel Allen 鈥� the leader and standout on that Monessen team. 鈥淲e tried to win those two championships for the three years before that and didn鈥檛 get it done.
鈥淥ur seniors chased those dreams. We challenged for the WPIAL title every year. We knew this was our best and last chance. We had a different mindset. We were determined to win WPIAL and state championships. We wanted to be the first public school to win a state championship in Class A. We did it with girls who grew up together from the same neighborhoods and community. That is special. We wanted that legacy. We wanted to be one of the great teams from Monessen.鈥�
The Greyhounds, led by their legendary coach, the late Major 鈥淭uffy鈥� Corley, finished that season 29-2.
Monessen soundly defeated Pottsville Nativity BVM, 70-48, in the PIAA championship, and Serra Catholic, 63-47, in the WPIAL finals.
The Greyhounds, fueled by seniors Nychole Whitlock, Cassandra Tyree Brentley, Sarah Bock Braddock and Allen, won their last 17 games.
Their only losses came against larger schools 鈥� Bethel Park and North Catholic. Monessen won 12 games by 30 or more points.
In their eight postseason victories, the Greyhounds won by double-digits seven times. They won three games by more than 30, one by 22 and three by 12 or more 鈥� which included wins of 16 and 18.
Dominant and great?
That is without question. They were as beloved and respected for their play and how they handled themselves 鈥� on and off the court.
The Greyhounds鈥� average victory margin in the PIAA playoffs was 18.2, in the WPIAL playoffs it was 28 and in the postseason overall the win margin was 21.9. They scored at least 70 points three times, at least 59 points or more seven times and their lowest total was 49 against Kennedy Catholic 鈥� their closet game of the postseason, a seven-point win in the round of 16 in the state tournament.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 do great things without putting in the time,鈥� said Alicia Stein Galis, the lone underclassmen to start for Monessen. 鈥淲e knew we had to sacrifice and to constantly work hard. Tuffy taught us all that and we bought in.
鈥淗e had a sly way of getting the best out of us. He expected a lot. He knew what we were capable of individually and as a team and he pushed us to get there. We did our best to please and to finally reach our potential. It鈥檚 hard to believe we were a part of something that great.鈥�
Journey to greatness
An old adage suggests: 鈥淚t鈥檚 better to journey in hope than to arrive.鈥�
The journey was superior with plenty of hope, some disappointment and endless commitment. The arrival was incomparable. Monessen wanted it all.
鈥淥ur senior group was together a long time,鈥� Tyree said. 鈥淭hat time gave us the opportunity to gain chemistry, trust and love.
鈥淐harel was not only a great player but a great leader. She was instrumental. For a standout like her, she possesses a level of humility and sense of team that is rarely seen. She made sure the rest of us learned to score and allow us to shine. We were unselfish and shared in one another鈥檚 joy.
鈥淲e knew, especially that season, it took time, practice and undying commitment. That just would give us the opportunity to reach our goals.鈥�
Whitlock, a defensive whiz with uncommon speed, became more of a force offensively that season.
鈥淎fter all the summer leagues, tournaments, middle school and three years of varsity, it was our last chance,鈥� she said. 鈥淐harel made me a better scorer that season. I was a defensive guard, not a shooting guard. We were blessed to have Tuffy. I hated to run; he made us run every day. We all just bonded. It鈥檚 why what we accomplished is so special and enduring.鈥�
Bock appreciated her role because she had to earn every second of playing time.
鈥淚 had to fight every year, every practice, every game for my spot,鈥� she explained. 鈥淭here aren鈥檛 a lot of 5-foot, 5-inch centers around.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what made that season and those championships so rewarding. We started in elementary school playing together. We were four totally different players and athletes. We came together through the years and not only did we become a great team, but we are also great friends to this day.鈥�
Allen said the emergence of three underclassmen made a huge difference in the team.
Stein Galis鈥� growth and ability to score was most important. The efforts and rise of Perrial Pearson and Charisse Bassett gave the Lady Greyhounds more size inside and tighter defense.
Pearson was an inside presence and Bassett joined Whitlock to provide lock down defense on the perimeter.
Other players for Monessen included: Cassie DeStefano, Jessa Brandemarte, Katie Gaspich, Jessica Popovich, Jerrica Brooks, Mariah Tansmore, Carly Cocciolone and Brianna Salvino.
In the WPIAL championship game, playing without Stein 鈥� who was not available because of dehydration 鈥� Corley asked Bassett to defend one of the two outstanding Serra players.
Bassett did her job, following her assignment to the letter.
鈥淭uffy told me to go wherever she went,鈥� Bassett said. 鈥淚 even followed her to their bench during a time out. Their coach asked me why I was there. I just did what Tuffy told me to do.鈥�
Said Allen: 鈥淲e would not have won state without those underclassmen. They made a difference.鈥�
The ultimate
After overcoming an old nemesis, Bishop McCort, in the western region finals/state semifinals, 59-41, at what was then Duquesne University鈥檚 Palumbo Center, the Greyhounds鈥� confidence was at a zenith.
Bishop McCort had defeated Monessen before in state playoff games, including a double-overtime victory in the state semifinals a year earlier at the old Indiana University of Pa. gymnasium 鈥� a veritable graveyard for previous Monessen and WPIAL teams.
鈥淚 never thought I鈥檇 be part of anything big like that in my life,鈥� Pearson said. 鈥淭hat season, the playoffs and the last two games was the best time of my life.鈥�
Unwittingly, the coach from Pottsville Nativity BVM labeled Monessen as a 鈥渙ne dimensional鈥� team in published newspaper stories leading up to the championship game.
That theory had water thrown all over it by Stein, who rained three-point field goals in the second quarter. She stuck four of her six three pointers in the game during a dizzying second quarter that saw 27 Greyhounds points and an overpowering 38-6 run in an 11-minute span from the first quarter into the second quarter.
Stein finished with a game-high 26 points, 10-for-18 overall. Allen was heard from as well with a double-double 鈥� 22 points and 10 rebounds. Monessen led 46-19 at halftime.
Whitlock added 13 points, Tyree grabbed five rebounds, Bassett chipped in six points, Pearson added three points and Bock defended the post flawlessly. Monessen forced 28 turnovers.
鈥淲e figured they鈥檇 leave me open,鈥� Stein Galis said. 鈥淭uffy told me the team needed me. I remember looking at him and saying: 鈥業 got you Tuff.'鈥�
She helped deliver Corley the gold medal and a wonderful 57th birthday present.
Gina Naccarato, Corley鈥檚 top assistant and former Greyhounds鈥� standout, said that team symbolized what you hope can happen.
鈥淭hey came through a system, worked to get better and brought it all together,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey came out of the locker room at Hershey and played like crazy women.鈥�
Said Tyree: 鈥淚t was so much bigger than us or basketball. It was the whole community, it鈥檚 great support and passion.鈥�
Allen, who recently was part of Notre Dame women鈥檚 Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championship as an Irish assistant coach, won championships overseas and was a great player in her own right at ND, looks back 20 years and swells with pride.
鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to win a big championship at any level,鈥� Allen said. 鈥淎 lot must go right and you must overcome.
鈥淲e wanted to go down in history, do something no public school ever did. No team had more fans or community support than we did. When I talk championships, that one in 2004 will always be at the top of my list. It was my first big championship and I was part of it with my friends.鈥�