West Greene in attack mode, stays unbeaten
McDONALD – The West Greene girls basketball team looked up during each game last season as the final buzzer sounded, and not once did the illuminated lights signal a favorable end for the Pioneers, as they went winless in 22 games.
Don’t remind head coach Jordan Watson and his new-look West Greene team about that that season.
The Pioneers kept their unbeaten streak alive in their third outing with a convincing 69-43 trouncing of Section 3-A opponent Fort Cherry Thursday night.
After only managing 19.3 points per game last season, a mark that left West Greene as bottom feeders of the entire WPIAL, it has managed to use pressure and pace to elevate its offense this season.
“It starts with our defense,” said Watson. “Last year, we couldn’t really press because we only had seven girls on our entire team. This year, with 12 girls who we feel can play at the varsity level. We aren’t forcing our girls into doing something they aren’t comfortable with.”
In their first section game, the main thing the Pioneers needed was the dynamic backcourt of freshmen twins McKenna and Madison Lampe, who totaled 41 points.
“They (McKenna and Madison) are just unbelievable athletes,” said Watson.
Watson knows that both get out of position at times; however, admits that their relentlessness makes up for it.
That relentless attitude against Fort Cherry put the Lampes at the free-throw line 31 times.
Fort Cherry, which struggled out the gate by scoring only nine points in the first half, got the offense clicking in the third quarter when it put up 28 points.
“We knew we were a very young team,” said Fort Cherry head coach Gary Kacsur. “We knew that we would struggle early in the season. Getting the ball across half-court has been a problem for us when we face the press.”
Press the Pioneers did.
Forcing turnover after turnover that resulted in quick baskets put West Greene up 38-9 at halftime.
“We want our players to be in attack mode at all times,” said Watson. “Getting other teams in foul trouble and getting their best players out of the game is huge for us.”
The West Greene pressure defense, which was implemented from the opening tip to the end of the third quarter, assisted the three starting freshmen for the Pioneers, getting them easy baskets in transition.
The Pioneers’ starting freshmen – Kaitlyn Rizor, Madison Lampe and McKenna Lampe – each reached double figures in the dominating performance, a point total that could have easily escalated into the 90s if West Greene didn’t shoot 43 percent from the foul line.
Despite being nearly 50 points better than last year’s season average, Watson pushes for more.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “We will be shooting a lot of (foul shots) during Saturday’s practice.”