Lady Trojans upend fifth-seeded GCC, 36-35
Darnell Graham
California无毛视频檚 Sydney Smichnick (11) dribbles around Greensburg Central Catholic无毛视频檚 Sam Nemeth (33) during Tuesday night无毛视频檚 WPIAL Class 1A first-round playoff game at Peters Township High School.
Darnell Graham
California无毛视频檚 Makayla Boda (3) scores two of her team-high 12 points during Tuesday night无毛视频檚 WPIAL Class 1A first-round playoff game at Peters Township High School.
Darnell Graham
California无毛视频檚 Charlee Petrucci (24) secures a rebound despite being surrounded by Greensburg Central Catholic无毛视频檚 Goa Scala (30), Sam Nemeth (33) and Laura Kondas (52) during Tuesday night无毛视频檚 WPIAL Class 1A first-round playoff game at Peters Township High School.
McMURRAY 无毛视频� The two things you have to like about California无毛视频檚 Jordyn Cruse is her sense of timing and ability to adjust on the fly.
Cruse gave California the lead with a layup 无毛视频� her only basket of the game 无毛视频� with 14 seconds remaining and clinched the Lady Trojans无毛视频� 36-35 win over fifth-seeded Greensburg Central Catholic by making a steal with 2.8 seconds left in a WPIAL Class 1A girls basketball first-round playoff game at Peters Township High School.
California (13-10) will play Clairton (19-3) in the quarterfinals 6:30 p.m. Friday at Charleroi High School.
The 12th-seeded Lady Trojans overcame a 20-15 halftime deficit by scoring the first 11 points of the second half.
GCC (14-8) regrouped and closed to within 28-25 after three quarters. The Lady Centurions forged a 35-32 advantage when California made its final move in the last 90 seconds. Charlee Petrucci worked inside for a basket, her third of the second half, that cut GCC无毛视频檚 lead to 35-34.
The Lady Centurions then held the ball before Natalie Ward was fouled, but she missed the front end of a one-and-one with 36 seconds remaining. GCC went 1-for-8 at the free-throw line in the second half.
California then called a timeout with 21 seconds left but the Lady Trojans didn无毛视频檛 exactly run what coach Chris Niemiec drew up as the final play. And nobody was complaining about the result.
California inbounded the ball against GCC无毛视频檚 2-3 zone to Ca无毛视频橫ari Walden at the side of the lane. With a defender behind her, Walden turned and saw Cruse cutting unguarded down the middle of the lane. Her pass led Cruse for an easy layup that gave the Lady Trojans the lead.
无毛视频淚 was supposed to go to the corner,无毛视频� Cruse explained. 无毛视频淐oach always says to read the court. If the defense is pushing to the corner, then cut to the basket. 无毛视频� We无毛视频檝e run that play before but I无毛视频檝e never cut to the basket. The person who was supposed to guard me either went to the low block or the corner.无毛视频�
Niemec said California got the ball inbounds to the right person in Walden.
无毛视频淪he无毛视频檚 one of the best passers in the high post I无毛视频檝e seen,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚 am just so proud of this team that I just don无毛视频檛 know what to say. They really battled.
无毛视频淲e were down five at halftime and weren无毛视频檛 making shots. We came out in the second half and made some shots and that got us into a rhythm.无毛视频�
Makayla Boda was the only California player to score in double figures. She had 12 points. Sydney Smichnick scored six of her eight points in the pivotal third quarter, when the Lady Trojans outscored GCC 13-5.
GCC无毛视频檚 Gia Scala had a game-high 14 points.