Geibel girls secure WPIAL playoff berth
CONNELLSVILLE – It’s back to the WPIAL playoffs for George Bortz and the Geibel Catholic girls basketball team. After missing the playoffs the last two seasons, the Lady Gators wrapped up a berth with Thursday’s 59-37 win over West Greene. Geibel Catholic (11-7) can finish no worse than tied for third in Section 2-A and own an 8-2 section record. The Lady Pioneers dropped to 4-12 overall and 3-6 in section games, but they still have a shot at the playoffs, too.
“We’ve been playing very well the last four games,” Bortz said. “Hopefully, we can carry it over and play well Monday night at Carmichaels.
“When we set goals, making the playoffs was one of them. We’ve accomplished that, so now we can focus on getting better and maybe advancing further in the playoffs. We have a ways to go to be competitive with Monessen, Clairton and Serra Catholic, but I think we’re as good as any of the other teams who will make the playoffs.”
Last night, the Lady Gators pulled away midway through the first quarter, when a 13-2 run turned a 10-6 edge into a 23-8 lead at the end of eight minutes.
Emily Pennington and Meghan Barry took turns hitting three-pointers and Pennington hit her fourth early in the second quarter to make it 28-10.
Pennington led Geibel Catholic with 18 points and Barry followed with 16. Each hit four three-pointers. Jessica Vilella added 12 for the Lady Gators. Bortz substituted liberally and his starters played slightly more than half a game. Freshman Rachel Phillips led West Greene with 13 points and senior Kristen Martin added 11.
“I think we’re playing our best basketball right now,” Bortz said. “We’ve been more patient on offense and we’re getting the ball inside a lot more than we were earlier. Even our three-pointers are coming from the inside out. Our post play has improved dramatically the last four games and Julie Wisilosky and Kristin Hozak deserve a lot of credit for that.
“I said before the season started that it might take us half the season to play well and it took us 14 or 15 games, but we’re peaking at the right time.”
The game got away from the Lady Pioneers early, but coach Ellen Hildebrand was far from discouraged.
“We’re a young team and I’m their fourth coach in four years,” Hildebrand said. “We have 10 healthy players and six of them are freshmen. We’re doing our best to be competitive.”
So making the playoffs for West Greene would be a big lift for such a young and improving program, right?
“Well, yes, that and for our seniors,” Hildebrand said. “They have worked awfully hard for a lot of different coaches.
They had to learn another offense and another defense and they’ve been very helpful through the transition.”