Feb 21, 2020 3 min read

CHARLEROI – California saw its season come to an end in painful fashion with a 43-41 overtime loss to Clairton Friday night in a WPIAL Class A quarterfinal game at Charleroi High School.

The Trojans had their chances to win the game as they missed six shots, after securing five offensive rebounds, in the closing 30 seconds of overtime. That included a Sydney Smichnick shot that bounced off of the rim three times with six seconds to go.

Both teams hit a pair of free throws in the closing seconds and the game went into overtime.

In the four-minute overtime, the Trojans scored first but the Bears outscored the Trojans 4-0 the rest of the way to avenge a Jan. 16 loss at California.

“This is a heart-breaker,” said California coach Chris Niemiec. “The girls battled back after we were down, and we had the lead in overtime.

“We scrapped but it just wasn’t enough.”

The 12th-seeded Trojans (13-11) battled all night and played from behind most of the game.

Down 10-5 after one quarter, the Trojans stayed in the game with their full-court press. They forced fourth-seeded Clairton (20-3) into 12 turnovers in the first quarter, but California gave the ball away 10 times.

The turnovers were a reoccurring theme as Clairton turned the ball over 36 times while California returned the favor 28 times.

“Our press has a dual effect,” said Niemiec. “It causes turnovers, but it also took them out of their comfort zone. They couldn’t rebound because they were scrambling.”

Despite a size disadvantage, California outrebounded Clairton, 37-34.

Clairton opened the biggest lead of the game, seven points at 12-5, to start the second quarter, but California fought back and only trailed 19-15 going into halftime.

Clairton’s advantage could have been bigger at the break, but it only made one of nine free throws in the first half.

California’s Makayla Boda started to take over late in the third quarter as she scored California’s final five points to help the Trojans tie the game at 24-24 going into the fourth.

Boda followed up by scoring the Trojans’ first six points of the fourth, and they took their first lead of the game with 6:45 to play in regulation when she hit a layup.

“Makayla had an amazing game,” Niemiec said. “She lost a contact late and played the rest of the way (seeing well out of) one eye, but she turned it up in the playoffs.”

Twice in the last five minutes, the Bears took a three-point lead only for the Trojans to tie the game. With 1:24 to play, California’s Camari Walden fouled out and her absence hurt the team the rest of the way.

“When she fouled out, it hurt us,” Niemiec said. “We aren’t deep and she has been key to our success.”

With California down 37-34, Smichnick hit a three-pointer with 29 seconds left in regulation to tie the game.

Boda finished with 18 points and eight rebounds while Clairton’s Taylor Jackson matched her with 18 points.

Clairton’s Iyanna Chapman finished with a game-high 14 rebounds.

After the game, Niemiec spoke about his seniors and had to pause as his emotions several seconds to regain his composure.

“They weren’t our best players, but they had our biggest hearts,” he said in a trembling tone. “But I am proud of this team.

“Had you told me during the preseason that we would be in this position, I would have taken it. This hurts now, but the girls will look back and be proud of what they did.”