Thomas Jefferson, Gateway girls epitomize even matchup

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, March 2, 2018 | 11:00 PM

Are there any two more evenly matched girls basketball teams in the WPIAL?

Section foes Thomas Jefferson and Gateway met three times this season, including the Gators' tense 57-54 quarterfinal win last week in the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs.

The teams split home decisions in section play. Thomas Jefferson won 37-33, and Gateway eked out a 48-47 decision. Together, the final scores of the games add up to a 138-138 total. They took matching 20-3 overall records into their playoff matchup at Baldwin.

Seventh-seeded Gateway was riding a 12-game winning streak, and No. 2 TJ had won 10 of 11. The Jaguars' only loss during that time was the one-point setback at Gateway.

“The playoff crowd and atmosphere is much different than seasonal play, where you might get 100-125 people in the stands,” TJ coach George Vlassich said. “When the stakes increase, the intensity and the pressure increases. Kids see that, and now the stakes are somewhat higher for both teams.”

Two differences between the two teams are:

• TJ employs a high-scoring offense. In fact, the Jaguars have the highest offensive average in their classification, outscoring the opposition by an average of 64.8-47.4.

• Gateway prefers a deliberate attack. The Gators average 47.5 points and allow just 35.5 — the best defensive average in Class 5A.

TJ and Gateway also are among the leading offensive and defensive teams, respectively, in the WPIAL.

Another striking difference between the two is the presence of sophomore Lexi Jackson in the Gators lineup. Jackson stands 6-foot-3. TJ's tallest starters are senior Becca Mascaro and sophomore Alyssa DeAngelo, both 5-9 frontcourt players.

Jackson finished with 19 points and 19 rebounds in the playoff game. She was complemented by 5-8 senior guard Jordan Edwards and 5-10 junior guard/forward Mary Kromka.

“(Jackson) is only a sophomore,” Vlassich said, “and she will be a D-I kid before she finishes high school.”

Thomas Jefferson's 5-7 senior guard, Marina Petruzzi, scored a game-high 20 points against the Gators, and Mascaro added 12.

TJ advanced to the WPIAL quarterfinals thanks to an 84-45 win against Montour in the first round.

DeAngelo led the Jaguars with 20 points. Petruzzi and junior point guard Jenna Clark added 16 apiece.

Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.