Slow-starting Trinity girls get a Plum victory
Riley DeRubbo attempting a three-pointer. The sophomore guard tied teammate Alayna Cappelli for the game-high in points with 16.
Jayme Britton attempts a layup against Plum's Kelsi Zik.
Freshman guard Kaylin Venick driving to the hoop on a fast break.
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IMPERIAL – Heading into the WPIAL playoffs as the No. 1 seed, it was expected for the Trinity girls basketball team to make it far in the Class 5A tournament and advance to the PIAA playoffs for a second straight season.
Halfway through the second quarter of their first-round game against Plum, though, the Hillers’ high hopes looked to be in jeopardy. The Hillers found themselves losing 19-13 to the 16th-seeded Mustangs.
The Hillers then flipped the switch and went on a 19-0 run to defeat the Mustangs 54-31 and advance to the quarterfinals. Trinity will take on No. 8-seeded Oakland Catholic, which beat South Fayette in the opening round.
Jacob Calvin Meyer
Staff writer
jmeyer@observer-reporter.com
Bob Miles discusses his team’s slow start, how they bounced back in the second half and his two best players, Alayna Cappelli and Riley DeRubbo.
“What led to the slow start was that we were careless with the basketball,” said Trinity head coach Bob Miles. “We probably had seven turnovers in that first five or six minutes … and they were making everything they were (shooting). We weren’t aggressive attacking the rim, and we didn’t defend the perimeter well.”
While Trinity (20-3) defeated Plum 60-21 in last season’s first-round playoff game, senior Alayna Cappelli, who scored a game-high 16 points, said the slow start wasn’t because her team was overlooking the Mustangs.
“We never overlook any opponent. I think it was just nerves in the beginning,” Cappelli said. “We did have a cancellation today from school, and us just laying around all day I feel like was a big factor on our game. We’ll be ready to go next Saturday.”
Jacob Calvin Meyer/Observer-Reporter
Alayna Cappelli bringing the ball across half court. The senior guard tied teammate Riley DeRubbo with a game-high 16 points.
Plum (6-17) scored the game’s first seven points before taking a 13-8 lead into the second quarter and extending that to 19-13 late in the first half. Plum head coach Steve Elsier said it was crucial for his team to get the lead early if it had any chance of upsetting the reigning PIAA runner-up, but it was ultimately a lack of experience that plagued the Mustangs.
“I thought (we) were ready to go. There weren’t nerves. We came out pretty strong and played a good first half,” Elsier said. “Sometimes I think talent and experience can take over a little bit. … I was pleased overall. We told them about not leaving the shooters open, (Cappelli) particularly, but they got some looks and they knocked them down. They’re an experienced team, and they’ve been through the playoffs.”
Keeping the Hillers in the game in the first half was Cappelli as the 5-5 guard made a trio of three-pointers in the first half, attributing for nine of Trinity’s first 13 points.
“I’ve been focusing on my three-point shot,” Cappelli said. “I knew I had to step up and make those shots, especially since we were down, to just get a run started for our team.”
With about 2:30 left in the first half, sophomore guard Riley DeRubbo made a three-pointer for her first points of the night and to give Trinity its first lead of the game at 21-19.
Despite the slow start for DeRubbo, Trinity’s leading scorer played like it in the second half, scoring 11 points over the last 16 minutes – only one less than Plum scored in the half. DeRubbo finished the game tied with Cappelli with a game-high 16 points.
“It was a tale of two halves,” Miles said. “The first half was Alayna’s threes, but in the second half it was Riley’s penetration and attacking the basket and getting to the foul line.”
After outscoring the Mustangs 15-4 in the third quarter, the Hillers continued their dominance in the fourth quarter to end the game on a 41-12 run. Miles said the defense improved in the second half as it focused more on eliminating jump shots, which the Mustangs utilized to spring ahead in the first half.
Jacob Calvin Meyer/Observer-Reporter
Julie Chakos attempting a jumper. The junior forward scored eight points in the win.
“We thought they wouldn’t keep shooting it at the percentage that they were,” Miles said. “We figured if we could get some good help defense, and if they did try to get into the lane, then we’d double on it. We had to make sure that we contested the shot on the perimeter.”
Miles said that if his team starts the game against Oakland Catholic, or future playoff games, as poorly as it did against Plum, the game is “going to be over.”
“To prevent that from happening, as the week goes on, we’ll progressively pick up the intensity level,” Miles said. “We have to be ready. Oakland Catholic is a good team.”