Cougars beat Bulldogs behind Gazi, Skobel
By DEAN DELLAMALVA JR.
MVI Sports
The Charleroi girls basketball team is turning into a defensive juggernaut. And on nights when the offense is pumping, the Cougars are hard to beat.
In a battle between two teams battling for a playoff spot, Charleroi’s defense held its seventh opponent under 40 points and used timely scoring for a 49-35 victory over visiting Beth-Center Monday.
The Cougars (8-5, 4-2) were led offensively by Cierra Gazi and her game-high 17 points. Bella Skobel added 14 and Kaitlin Wagner contributed 10 timely points for the victors.
“Tonight the girls played a great defensive game,” Charleroi coach Bill Wagner said. “(Beth-Center) has some really good players. For the girls to come out and play defense the way they did, it’s beyond what I believed could happen.
“The driving force behind our success is getting three players in double figures. When that happens, we’ve been able to win games.”
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