Trib HSSN girls basketball player of the week for March 26, 2023

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, March 26, 2023 | 10:43 PM

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In Game 5 of the NBA Finals 26 years ago, Michael Jordan helped Chicago beat Utah despite playing with the flu that had him dehydrated and exhausted. Jordan ended up with 38 points.

It might not be at the same level or hype, but Union junior Kelly Cleaver put on a similar performance Tuesday in the PIAA Class A girls basketball semifinals.

Cleaver, playing with a bad cold that hampered her breathing at times, played 30 of the 32 minutes and ended up with a double-double.

“It was getting close to the end of the game and every time I looked over to the bench and tugged my shirt, he’d (Union coach Rob Nogay) look away,” Kelly Cleaver said with a laugh. “My Dad didn’t help my case; he’d say, ‘you’re fine, just stay out there.’”

The first half was a defensive struggled against District 5 champion Berlin-Brothersvalley as the Mountaineers led 13-9.

However a 19-9 advantage in the third quarter put the Scotties ahead to stay in what would be a 45-31 victory thanks to Cleaver’s 15 points.

“That seemed to be a story all playoff season long,” Cleaver said. “I don’t know what it is, we get off to a slow start. But I think it’s the halftime speech when Coach Nogay comes in there and says, ‘hey, do you want this to be your last game of the season.’ We just needed a fire and to shake some of those nerves off.”

On Friday, Union headed to Hershey to face Our Lady of the Lourdes Regional from District 4.

This time, the Scotties jumped out early, leading by six points after the first quarter and by seven at halftime.

After a back-and-fourth third quarter, Union put the appropriate exclamation point on its first PIAA championship by outscoring Lourdes Regional, 11-0, to claim a 46-29 win.

“Defensively, she played outstanding in both of those games,” Nogay said. “Our defense made us go, and she did a great job helping to shut down No. 13 (Jen Countrymen) from Berlin and No. 30 (Leah Kosmer) from Lourdes.”

Sophomore Kylie Fruehstorfer led the Scotties with 19 points while Cleaver had 12 points and nine rebounds.

For the season, Cleaver averaged 15 points per game, but it was her work on the defensive side of the ball and on the glass that really lifted her and her Union teammates to golden heights.

“Her rebounding was a huge part of our defensive success,” Nogay said. “We talked all year about limiting second shots for teams, and her rebounding was crucial. Not many teams can win on one-shot possessions.

“Kelly’s became a complete player this year. She was dominant at times on defense and when she gets at it defensively, it drives her offense.”

Cleaver averaged 9 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 assists and 3 steals per game.

Union finished the season 23-6 with 17 straight wins, including district and state championships. The Scotties’ defense allowed only 33.1 points per game.

The future is bright for the Scotties, who relied on a lot of underclassmen, including the 6-foot Cleaver.

“I look for her to get better her senior year,” Nogay said. “She has the work ethic and determination. She became a leader on and off the court this year, and I believe she was the best Class A player in the WPIAL and one of the best in the state.”

2022-23 Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Players of the Week

Week 11 – Alexa Washington, Oakland Catholic

Week 10 – Nina Shaw, Knoch

Week 9 – Ava Walker, North Catholic

Week 8 – Maddie Webber, South Fayette

Week 7 – Kaley Rohanna, Waynesburg Central

Week 6 – Madison Zavasky, Pine-Richland

Week 5 – Mairin Haggerty, Neshannock

Week 4 – Iyanna Wade, Clairton

Week 3 – Shaye Bailey, Freedom

Week 2 – Rylee Kalocay, Upper St. Clair

Week 1 – McKenna DeUnger, Charleroi

Tags: Union