Getting past ‘the mystique’
Knoch girls basketball coach Chris Andreassi readily admits that Blackhawk has “been there” in terms of competing for WPIAL championships.
His Knights are just arriving.
But they’re arriving with a purpose.
Knoch (21-2) puts its 18-game winning streak on the line at 3 p.m. Saturday when it challenges Blackhawk (23-0) for the WPIAL Class 4A championship at the Petersen Events Center. This will be the Knights’ first-ever appearance in the WPIAL finals.
The Cougars have won three WPIAL championships (2011, 2014-15) and two state titles (2014-15) under longtime coach Steve Lodovico. They last reached the WPIAL title game in 2017, losing a 65-36 decision to North Catholic. Taking over as Blackhawk head coach in 2005, Lodovico was 244-104 overall, 45-16 in playoff games over his first 13 seasons.
Knoch defeated Blackhawk, 51-45, in the district quarterfinal round last year.
“I was worried about their program last year because they are what we are aspiring to be,” Andreassi said. “Blackhawk has played that same style (full-court pressure) for 20 years. We were able to take them out of that pressure last year with Maddy (Boyer) and Nina (Shaw) handling the ball.
“This year, Blackhawk is much deeper. They use as many as 11 players. They come at you with that pressure in waves. But I believe we’ve gotten past that mystique. We’ve been in some big games ourselves over the past three years.”
Blackhawk has won 19 games by margins of 20 points or more this season, 12 by 30 points or more, seven by 40 points or more.
“They just wear teams down,” Andreassi said. “Last year, they paid a lot of attention to Naveah Ewing and we were able to penetrate and kick out a lot more with Nina and Maddy. This year, they basically return four starters and they can all hit the 3-point shot.”
The Cougars lead WPIAL 4A in scoring this season with 66.9 points per game. Knoch is third at 55.2 points per contest. The teams rank 1-2 in defense in 4A as the Knights allow 31.1 points per game, Blackhawk 32.9.
Four of the Cougars’ starters — sophomore Alena Fusetti (16), junior Quinn Borroni (10.4), junior Kassie Potts and senior Casey Nixon (10 each) — average in double figures. Their fifth starter, senior Jillian Mannarino, averages seven points per game.
Senior Deryn Moye, junior Chloe Leaf, sophomores Haley and Piper Romigh, are top players off the bench.
“We’re tough to defend because we get scoring from all over the place,” Lodovico said. “I also teach at Blackhawk and I had these girls in fourth grade, when we last won a championship. It’s been fun watching them mature and grow into this great team they’ve become.
“Our key will be finding a way to control Madilyn Boyer and Nina Shaw. They handle the ball so well and facilitate their offense. But, like us, they draw points from a lot of different sources.”
Hattie McGraw and Naturelle Ewing are effective 3-point shooters for the Knights. Freshman forward Karlee Buterbaugh can score inside and is Knoch’s leading rebounder. CeCe Kosecki provides more ball handling skills off the bench.
Fusetti scored 28 points in Blackhawk’s 79-53 semifinal win over Elizabeth Forward, tying a school record by sinking eight treys in nine attempts. Potts scored 14 points and Borroni had 12 points and 13 rebounds.
“We still have a young team,” Lodovico said. “But a number of these girls started as freshmen and sophomores. We’re experienced at the same time.”
Boyer scored 21 points for Knoch in its quarterfinal win over Montour, then struck for 27 in the Knights’ semifinal win over Southmoreland.
“Absolutely, she’s elevated her game,” Andreassi said. “She’s the senior (starter) on this team and sees these playoffs as an opportunity. Over the years, Maddy has put a lot of hard work into the game of basketball.”
Shaw scored 22 and 15 points in Knoch’s two playoff wins.
“She is a very quick player who can score in multiple ways,” Lodovico said of Shaw. “And they have good 3-point shooters like we do. We’re going to have our hands full with this team, that’s for sure.”
