Greyhounds hold off Trojans’ charge
By JEREMY SELLEW
jsellew@yourmvi.com
The Monessen girls basketball team is on a revenge tour this season. The Greyhounds are out to beat all the teams they lost to last season.
One of those losses came in the final seconds to California, helping keep the Greyhounds out of the playoffs.
Monessen crossed the Trojans off the list Monday, barely.
The Greyhounds committed 13 turnovers in the fourth quarter alone, nearly blowing an 18-point lead before holding on for a 43-37 win.
Monessen committed 21 turnovers in the second half, 28 in the game.
“It wasn’t even their pressure affecting us, it was our own doing. We tend to rush everything,” Monessen coach Janine Vertacnik said. “That’s what happens when you have sophomore guards. We haven’t been in a whole lot of games like this that came down to the wire. I’m really disappointed in how we handled the pressure.”
The Greyhounds (7-3, 2-2) led 33-15 heading into the fourth.
“I’m really proud of the way we were able to come back,” California coach Chris Niemiec said. “Missed free throws and going scoreless in the second quarter. That was the difference.”
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