No. 2 Eagles soar to first-round win
By JEREMY SELLEW
jsellew@yourmvi.com
Serra Catholic may be the No. 2 seed in Class 2A, but the Eagles remained one of only two unbeaten girls basketball teams in the entire WPIAL after its WPIAL basketball first-round playoff game Tuesday.
The Eagles used an intense full-court defense and had two players in double figures as they ran past visiting No. 18-seed South Side Area, 53-35.
Chloe Pordash finished with a game-high 16 points, Nicole Pawlowski had 15 and Grace Navarro just missed double figures with nine points for Serra Catholic (14-0).
“We got off to a really great start. That was key for us,” Eagles coach Bill Cleary said. “I’d say it was a really solid ‘B’ for us if I had to grade it.”
The staple this season for the Eagles has been their defense and they did what they know best against the Rams (5-14).
Their multiple full-court presses caused a lot of disruption for South Side, who turned it over nine times in the opening eight minutes. That allowed Serra Catholic to open up a 10-4 lead after one.
Pawlowski and Pordash hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the final minute.
“Their 1-2-2 zone really frustrated us early on. We couldn’t penetrate and get to the basket and we weren’t able to work inside and kick it out to our shooters,” Cleary said. “We picked it up defensively even more in the second and that allowed us to drive and kick a little better in transition.”
The Eagles outscored the Rams, 17-3, over the first 7:30 of the second. Pordash scored 10 of her 16 in the frame including eight of her team’s first 10.
Savannah Bailey’s 3-pointer and Emily Bailey’s two free throws were the only points in the frame for the Rams, who found themselves down 27-9 at the half.
“As pleased as I was with the start, I think we left a lot out there offensively,” Cleary said. “We couldn’t hit our layups and there were a few times we had two, three shots at the basket and we couldn’t finish.
“I really did like the intensity, though, and the way we were hustling, getting on the floor and trying to save the ball and keep plays going.”
In the third, the Rams found a little more offense as both teams exchanged baskets throughout.
Serra Catholic’s Cate Clarke and Pawlowski each finished with five points in the frame and Pawlowski nailed her third 3-pointer of the game with 35 seconds left in the third to give the Eagles a 45-23 lead heading into the fourth.
“When Grace and Chloe are on the same page in the backcourt, we’re tough,” Cleary said. “I thought they both did a good job. We started to find a crack in their defense and we were able to start cashing in in transition. We did a great job on the boards tonight, too. Rylee (Campbell) and Chloe (Honick) played big down low.”
In the fourth, the Rams had their best output of the game, thanks to an 8-0 run. But all it did was cut the lead as far as 14 at 47-33. That was as close as they could get.
Savannah (13) and Emily Bailey (11) each hit double figures to lead South Side.
The win means Serra Catholic will host No. 10 Carlynton (10-9) in Friday’s quarterfinal at 6 p.m. The Cougars advanced via forfeit by No. 7 Shenango.
“I don’t know too much about Carlynton, but I will,” Cleary said. “I do know one thing, we have to finish better at the basket. The games are only going to get tougher from here and when we have our chances, we have to put the ball in the basket.”
