Depth, relentless defense carry Penn-Trafford girls past Greensburg Salem for 7-0 start

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, December 12, 2024 | 10:11 PM

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With a rotation that serves up more reinforcements than the Christmas help at the mall, Penn-Trafford and its long bench are becoming more of a challenge for teams every time they take the court.

And, so far, every game has been a win.

The third-ranked Lady Warriors broke away from visiting Greensburg Salem with a dominating run that started late in the second quarter and carried deep into the third and stayed undefeated with a 57-31 victory Thursday night in the Section 1-5A girls basketball opener.

Penn-Trafford is 7-0 for the first time since 2012-13.

The 1-0 start to section play, though, was more significant, at least for now.

“With the amount of girls we have in our rotation, we know we can turn off the other team’s defense,” said Penn-Trafford senior forward Kamryn Pieper, who had 12 points in the victory. “We can put in younger girls, and they know what to do. Sometimes, we lose some height, but our guards play well together.”

After Greensburg Salem (3-2, 0-1) scored on a field goal by senior Regan Kerr with about two minutes left in the first half, the Lady Warriors proceeded to outscore the Golden Lions, 22-1, over the next eight-plus minutes.

They won the third quarter 17-3 and made it a mercy-rule game when freshman Raya Johnson hit two free throws with 1 minute, 18 seconds to go in the quarter.

“Our depth really helped us,” Penn-Trafford coach John Giannikas said. “We’ve had so many girls get into games, so they’re used to it. When it’s time to play, they’re ready to go.”

Often subbing out three and four girls at a time — even five for five — Penn-Trafford keeps the lineup fresh so it can press on defense and create constant movement on offense.

They have scored at least 50 points in every game and have held four opponents to 40 or fewer.

“We played a more complete second half,” Giannikas said. “It’s nice to have everyone contribute.”

Greensburg Salem went hoop-for-hoop with the Lady Warriors in the first quarter, even taking the lead a few times, the last at 9-7 on a layup by senior Blessing Gantt.

But foul trouble piled up quickly for the Golden Lions, who were coming off a 71-point game against Southmoreland, and their rotation thinned out.

“It’s hard to play when your top three leading scorers all have three fouls in the first half,” Greensburg Salem coach Rick Klimchock said. “In the second half, (Penn-Trafford) really came out strong defensively, and they beat us in transition. Their trapping is relentless.”

Senior forward Lauren Marton scored off a steal inside before junior Torrie DeStefano made two free throws, and junior Hannah Weishaar connected for a 3 just before halftime as Penn-Trafford took a 32-19 lead.

The third quarter wasn’t exactly eventful, but it was decisive. The Lady Warriors scored 17 straight before Kerr finally got the Golden Lions on the board with an and-one to make it 49-22.

Pieper, a Point Park commit, scored six in the third, including on a putback and hard drive. She had a 3-pointer in the first quarter.

Marton, who will play college basketball at Shippensburg, led Penn-Trafford with 14 points. She fouled out in the third.

Junior Olivia Weishaar scored nine, and DeStefano finished with eight.

Gantt was the top scorer for Greensburg Salem with nine. Kerr had six, and freshman Vienna Jevicky added five, all in the fourth.

The Lady Warriors cooled of hot-shooting guard Mya Heasley, holding the Golden Lions junior to three points.

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

Tags: Greensburg Salem, Penn-Trafford