Knoch girls punch ticket to state playoffs
JEFFERSON TWP — Rather than watch and wait, Knoch got to get back on the floor and prove they belonged in the PIAA Class 4A girls hoops playoffs. They did so with an urgency that could help them once they get there.
The Knights looked up at visiting Belle Vernon for only 1:04 early in the first frame of Monday night’s home matchup, then shot nearly 50% from behind the arc the rest of the way in a 66-44 win.
Knoch (16-9) went on a 13-0 run following a trey by the Leopards’ Tessa Rodriguez, which opened the contest’s scoring. Following that surge — spearheaded by seniors Nina Shaw, Hattie McGraw, and Megan Vasas — the hosts led by double digits for most of the rest of the night.
No reminder speech was needed prior to tip-off, Knights coach Chris Andreassi said — his crew was aware that a loss would have ended its season.
“(With) the experience on this team, you don’t have to talk about those things,” Andreassi said. “They know.”
Knoch got on the scoreboard on all but four possessions in the second quarter, including a pair of three-pointers by junior Cece Kosecki. She wound up making four in total and the team made 13 on the night.
“They have really good shooters,” Belle Vernon coach Kaitlyn Slagus said. “They shot really well from the arc tonight. I thought we needed to defend a little bit better.”
“We were really focused,” Andreassi said. “We played well the entire game ... It was a matter of keep playing and eventually we’re going to make shots.”
Out of halftime, a handful of the treys were in response to baskets at the other end and — despite sinking six in that eight minutes alone — the Leopards (15-10) weren’t yet put away. The visitors bucketed 20 points in the third, but only five over the initial seven minutes of the fourth.
“If you leave them open, they can shoot their way back into this game,” Andreassi said. “They had some experience, too.”
Six different players scored for the Knights in the fourth quarter, including Adah Fuller and Paige Rodgers.
The Knights will play Beaver Area for seeding on Thursday. The time and location for that game are to be announced.
BELLE VERNON 44
Jenna Dawson 4 2-2 12, Farrah Reader 5 1-2 11,Tessa Rodriguez 2 0-2 6, Presleigh Colditz 2 0-0 6, Lilly Kerns 2 0-0 4, Caroline Lee 1 0-0 2, Nina Francia 0 2-2 2. Totals: 16 4-8 44.
KNOCH 66
Hattie McGraw 6 0-1 15, Naturelle Ewing 5 1-5 12, CeCe Kosecki 4 0-0 12, Nina Shaw 4 0-2 11, Megan Vasas 3 0-3 6, Paige Rodgers 2 0-0 5, Adah Fuller 2 0-0 5. Totals: 26 1-11 66.
Belle Vernon 8 9 20 7 — 44
Knoch 17 13 20 16 — 66
3-point goals: Knoch 13 (Kosecki 4, McGraw 3, Shaw 3, Ewing, Fuller, Rodgers); Belle Vernon 7 (Dawson 3, Rodriguez 2, Colditz 2)
