Hillers press on and defeat Plum
BALDWIN – Having had a week off since they last played, the Trinity Hillers girls basketball team wanted to get off to a fast start in the opening round of the WPIAL Class 5-A playoffs Friday night against Plum.
The Hillers assured that would happen by employing a full-court press that left Plum in the dust and helped the second-seeded Hillers advance with relative ease.
Forcing seven first-quarter turnovers, many turning into easy points, the Hillers built a lead that was never in doubt as they defeated Plum, 61-20, Friday night at Baldwin High School.
The win advances the Hillers to the quarterfinals where they will face Gateway Feb. 25 at a site and time yet to be determined. Gateway defeated West Allegheny, 54-45.
“We haven’t pressed a lot this year,” Trinity head coach Bob Miles said. “When we did press it was only OK; not quite as intense as it was tonight. I thought that the pressure was great on the ball. It was the way it’s supposed to be. That pressure got us moving.”
After an Alayna Cappelli steal, which she took for the first two points of the game on an easy layup, Trinity had two more steals on subsequent Plum possessions to go ahead 6-0.
After Plum’s Maria Lawthorne connected on four free throws in back-to-back possessions to cut the Hillers lead to 10-6, Sierra Kotchman hit a three-pointer from the corner and followed it up with a runner to put Trinity ahead, 15-6, with 2:09 left in the first quarter.
“We anticipated that we would be ready to play,” said Miles. “We came out and played with some hop. Between Alayna and Sierra getting some quick steals, and Riley DeRubbo making some really nice moves to the basket, it was a nice start.”
As Trinity (12-0, 21-2) increased its lead, its defense tightened in both the full-court effort and once the Mustangs crossed the timeline.
Plum went 11 minutes without scoring a field goal between the second and third quarters.
“When it comes to playoff time it’s a whole different ball game,” said Plum head coach Lindsy Muchnock. “We prepared for the press but only have two girls that have actually played in a playoff game. We tried to prepare them for that throughout the week because it’s not like the regular season.”
Continuing to share the basketball throughout the second half, Trinity was in a familiar position of playing with a lead against 5-A competition. The Hillers did not lose a game to a Class 5-A opponent this season.
According to Miles, the Hillers have played in plenty close contests during the year but might have learned most from the heartbreaking 59-52 loss to South Fayette last year’s WPIAL Class AAA title game.
“The experience that they got last year, even for the ones who weren’t playing that much, is going to help us tremendously,” Miles said. “This group of kids is really driven. They had a taste of success and were disappointed when it came to an end but being in that environment and playing in close games, ultimately makes you a better team.”
Kotchman who scored a game-high 21 points for the Hillers, who forced 22 turnovers. Cappelli also scored 18 points, while DeRubbo, a freshman, finished with 10, all coming in the first half.
“She has grown up with a basketball in her hands,” Miles said of DeRubbo. “She understands the game and wants to improve. What is most impressive is that she does a lot of little things like rebounding and helping on defense. When her shot might not be clicking, she always finds a way to be a contributor. A lot of freshmen don’t understand that aspect of the game.”
Plum (6-6, 10-13) was led by seven points from Rayna Donatelli.
“I had a feeling it was going to be a deer-in-the-headlights kind of look in the beginning,” said Muchnock. “Unfortunately, we dug ourselves a hole and could never get out. Trinity is a great team. That is exactly why they are predicted to win the whole thing.”