PITTSBURGH — Dream big, then go for it.

Such strategy paid off for Adams Township resident Audra Phibbs and two other Butler County girls.

All three will be members of the Oakland Catholic High School girls basketball team this season.

“I’ve been playing basketball since fourth grade and always wanted to go to that school,” Phibbs said. “I love basketball and Oakland Catholic always has such a great team.

“I’m not sure if anyone else really believed I could do it, but I did.”

Phibbs attended St. Alexis Catholic School in Wexford until eighth grade. Jessica Mrdjenovich, like Phibbs a junior at Oakland Catholic, attended St. Alphonsus in Wexford.

Mrdjenovich will be the Eagles’ starting point guard this year. She started on the point for an OC junior varsity team that lost one game in the past two years.

Mrdjenovich lives at a Gibsonia address, but resides in the Mars Area School District.

“I wanted to go to a Catholic school and the others in the area were too small,” Mrdjenovich said. “I wanted a bigger school.”

Phibbs expects to come off the bench as a role player. Versatility is her forte as she is a good defensive player who rebounds well. She played JV ball last year.

“If we’re looking for a lot of scoring, I probably won’t be in there,” she said, chuckling.

Oakland Catholic had 30 girls try out for the team. Only 23 are kept with 12 of those making varsity.

“The tryouts are intense because all of those girls want a uniform,” Oakland Catholic coach Shannon Boyle said.

Paige Bianchin, a sophomore from Cranberry Township, made Oakland Catholic’s junior varsity as a post player.

“She’s a good rebounder with some solid post moves,” Boyle said. “We don’t use too many sophomores on the varsity team.”

What the team does plenty of is win.

In the past seven years, Oakland Catholic is 156-45 overall, including 79-9 in section play. The program last reached the WPIAL title game in 2007, won the crown in 2006 and was WPIAL and state champion in 2005.

“We want to get back to those days,” said Boyle, who graduated from OC in 2000 and played on championship teams coached by current Duquesne University women’s basketball coach and Olympic gold medalist Suzie McConnell Serio.

Her players feel the same way.

Boyle is in her first full season as Oakland Catholic coach and admitted to looking at McConnell Serio as a role model during her prep playing days.

Phibbs and Mrdjenovich now view Boyle the same way.

“When we’re practicing in the gym and see those championship banners on the wall, we know Coach Boyle played a big part in that,” Phibbs said. “We want to help her win some more.”

Mrdjenovich agreed.

“Because she went to Oakland and played here, there’s a connection with us,” she said. “She knows how to get our attention, how to keep us focused in practice.

“We all feel very close to her.”

Oakland Catholic will be playing in Section 3-AAAA this year with Butler and Seneca Valley.

Phibbs and Mrdjenovich are two of seven juniors joining the varsity squad.

“We feel like we have a talented group that’s coming together,” Phibbs said.

Boyle anticipates Phibbs seeing playing time at guard and forward. While Phibbs criticizes her own scoring ability, the coach says she has a nice outside shot.

“Audra can hit some 3-pointers and so can Jessica,” Boyle said. “And Jessica is a very coachable player who moves very fast while handling the ball.

“Our goal is to put another banner on that wall for the 2010-11 season. Those girls will have to play a key part in our success.”