Trojan girls motivated by difficult end to last season

By DEAN DELLAMALVA JR.
MVI Sports

Sometimes a loss can bring positive influences into the following season.
The California girls basketball team ended its 2019-20 campaign with a second-round playoff loss to Clairton in overtime. It was sad, but it was also motivating.
“Last year had quite an ending, losing in the quarterfinals of the WPIAL playoffs in overtime was both heartbreaking and rewarding,” third-year Trojans head coach Chris Niemiec said. “We were that one win away from qualifying for states. That team was really playing its best possible basketball at the end of the season and really exceeded our expectations. We hated to see it end, but man was it fun.”
Cal (13-11, 7-5 in Section 2-A) had won eight of their final 11 games going into that game. The Trojans defeated the Bears during the regular season, but had trouble putting the ball through the net in the extra session.
This is a new season and California has moved up to Class 2A. With that comes completely different section opponents. The Trojans will be in Section 2 with Beth-Center, Carmichaels, Frazier, Serra Catholic and Seton LaSalle.
“As you move up in class, you need to have game-ready, complete players,” Niemiec said. “You see less teams with players that have glaring deficiencies. Everybody on the court needs to have sound fundamentals.”
While the Trojans will miss the contributions of Sydney Smichnick and Charlee Petrucci, who both graduated, there’s still plenty left in California’s cupboard.
Returning seniors include leading scorer Makayla Boda (10.2 ppg) and Ca’Mari Walden (6.7 ppg, 8.5 ppg). Junior transfer Kendelle Weston, who played at Monessen the last two seasons, is a big addition to the lineup. Weston averaged more than 12 points and six rebounds per game last year.
“It will be interesting to see how Boda and Walden react to this being their final year,” Niemiec said. “Weston gives us another complete player. She will provide a boost in all aspects of our game. We will definitely look for her to improve our scoring and shooting.”

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