Westmoreland County girls basketball teams face challenge of step up in class

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, January 8, 2025 | 11:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

Yough girls basketball moved up to Class 4A this season and did so with some trepidation and uncertainty. It’s a natural reaction to facing larger schools, and the Cougars were not the first, and won’t be the last, to feel that way.

But one thing the Cougars did not take with them was fear.

If anything, the new environment has motivated a team that hasn’t had a winning season or won a playoff game since 2009.

“I think our girls have handled the move well,” coach Brian Znavor said. “We had a tremendous buy-in during the offseason with great attendance, and the work is starting to show. They have a goal of having the first winning season in Yough girls basketball in over 20 years and doing that while being one of the smallest schools in 4A.

“They are motivated, and to their credit, it is making them come to work each day at practice and they are starting to see how that work makes a difference.”

The Cougars were 8-3 overall and 3-1 in Section 3 at the start of the week.

Yough wasn’t the only local team to hear the bell ring to change classes.

Greensburg Salem made a hefty jump from 4A to 5A, Burrell and Mt. Pleasant followed suit with Yough and went from 3A to 4A and Jeannette moved from A to 2A — all as part of the PIAA’s latest two-year enrollment cycle.

While most teams move to a new classification at no fault of their own, Greensburg Central Catholic was bumped up because of past success.

Because the Centurions (7-2, 3-0) made the PIAA 2A semifinals in back-to-back years, they were subject to the state’s competitive balance formula and were forced to play up in 3A.

So far, the defending WPIAL 2A champions haven’t flinched. Led by Richmond commit Erica Gribble, they are ranked No. 2, have not lost to a 3A team and have the look of a winner going into Thursday’s Section 2-3A showdown with No. 1 Shady Side Academy.

Coach Chris Skatell said it is too early to get a true feel for 3A, especially because the Centurions have played a number of upper-class teams.

Greensburg Salem (7-5, 1-3 Section 2-5A) is looking to rebound from some early section losses to chase a playoff spot. The Golden Lions’ approach is key, according to their veteran coach.

“It’s definitely an adjustment,” coach Rick Klimchock said of the move to 5A. “The biggest thing we learned as a staff is not to take a ‘woe is me’ attitude. Five-A is tough in that you can’t walk into a game thinking, ‘Hey, we are probably gonna win.’ Every game is hard.”

Greensburg Salem played undefeated Penn-Trafford (11-0) close in the first half of their first section game but, as Klimchock said, “Depth and physicality took over in second half.”

The Golden Lions, competitive the last two seasons in 4A after pingpong-ing between 5A and 4A the last several years, lost 50-42 to Indiana, another playoff contender in Section 2.

“We played hard and matched their toughness and talent,” Klimchock said. “It is definitely different, and we need to keep improving.”

So does Yough if it wants to be a playoff team.

Znavor said the most glaring difference in 4A is depth. The development of young players last season, his first in charge of the team, is paying off now.

“Overall, you also see more of a stronger second and third scoring option,” Znavor said. “You also see a little more size and speed matchups that you need to be aware of and account for.

“We have seniors that had to play a lot of minutes last year as juniors due to depth, but have been great leaders and teammates, sacrificing minutes for the better of the team and mentoring young players to be successful in the up-tempo style we have been playing.”

Three-year starter Hailey Bock is having a career season for the Cougars, who have turned up the pace of play.

Znavor called her a catalyst.

“Her leadership is making a big difference for us, and her scoring and effect on the game has increased significantly because of it,” the coach said.

Burrell coach Shaun Reddick also pointed to depth as a key factor in the step up in class and said teams are more physical and, in many cases, taller.

“I think we have adjusted well, but we always had Shady Side and a few other tough games that prepared us to face bigger challenges (in 3A),” Reddick said. “No real surprises, especially when you get Oakland (Catholic) and North (Catholic) as section opponents. You know you are playing two all-star teams, so you need to step up your game to a whole new level.”

Sophomore point guard McKenna Miller, senior forward Jules Fisher and junior guard Casey Brancato are double-digit scorers for the Bucs (7-4, 2-2 Section 1).

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Burrell, Greensburg C.C., Greensburg Salem, Jeannette, Yough