Feb 10, 2018 4 min read

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McDONALD – It’s never a goodbye but rather a we’ll see you later for the Trinity and South Fayette girls basketball teams.

Playing each other eight times in four years, including for the WPIAL Class 3A championship in 2016 and in the PIAA semifinals to advance to the state title game last March, familiarity in the rivalry isn’t lacking.

The two teams didn’t want to settle at see you later Saturday afternoon.

Trailing throughout most of the first two overtime segments, Trinity finally pounced on the Lions in the opening two-and-a-half minutes of the third overtime for a 7-2 run and defeated South Fayette 66-59 in a thrilling Class 5A non-section game.

“We told them to stay the course,” Trinity coach Bob Miles said to his players, who trailed by four points in the first overtime and five points in the second overtime before rallying each time to extend the game.

“There is pride involved in this game. We have taken our lumps from South Fayette. We have worked hard to get to the point of wanting to play on their level. I think we are at their level now with each and every game.”

Trinity’s Allie Scarfo made a three-pointer with 1:39 left in the first overtime to cut the deficit, then another one with 27 seconds remaining to tie the score at 46-46.

Scarfo, with Trinity trailing by two points, made both free throws with 1.6 seconds left in the second overtime to tie ot again at 55-55.

“(South Fayette) started focusing on our two main scorers (Alayna Cappelli and Riley DeRubbo) and were collapsing their defense,” Scarfo said. “They left me open to make the shots, and I made them.”

With new life in the third overtime, DeRubbo made a three-pointer and a layup, and Jayme Britton made two free throws to give Trinity a 62-57 lead with 1:37 remaining. Scarfo and Cappelli converted from the foul line four times make the Hillers’ lead insurmountable.

“The margin of error is very small,” said South Fayette coach Matt Bacco. “There is so much familiarity because both teams have success at going deep in tournaments. The kids get to know each other, Bob and I are familiar with what one another like to do. In the end, (Trinity) just made a few more plays than we did. They outlasted us.”

Trailing 23-17 at halftime, Trinity (19-3) came out playing like a different team in the second half. Forcing several South Fayette turnovers, the Hillers went on a 12-0 run to begin the third quarter. When Cappelli made back-to-back fast-break layups, Trinity had taken a 29-23 lead.

“We went into the locker room and asked our kids what we do best,” Miles said.

“What do we run best? What should we run? We put it up on the board and told them that it can be done. We played better defensively in that first three minutes of the third quarter and were able to get that run.”

South Fayette forward Jordyn Caputo then single-handedly kept the Lions deficit at only a single possession with eight points in the fourth quarter, including a layup with 38 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.

Caputo led South Fayette (12-7) with 22 points. Maura Castelluci had 15 and Sam Kosmacki finished with 14 points.

“That’s how you end up playing three overtimes,” a drained Bacco said of the back-and-forth game. “When we get into those games, it’s about knowing our assignments and playing situational basketball. We have to make sure we learn from this experience. The biggest worry for a coach is not to have a talented team but an unmotivated one. We certainly shouldn’t lack for (motivation) because we have lost quite a few close games.”

DeRubbo led Trinity with 28 points before a controversial fifth and final foul with 1:12 remaining in the third overtime. Cappelli scored 16 points, Scarfo chipped in 14, including 10 in the three overtime periods.

“Every time we play them, we know what they do, they know what we do,” Scarfo said.

“They gave us their best shot today, and we had to keep coming out stronger and stronger.”