Fox Chapel girls find success by creating chaos

By: Josh Rizzo
Sunday, February 22, 2026 | 11:01 AM

Previous Next

The Fox Chapel girls basketball team is at its most comfortable when it is generating chaos for its opponents. While they have to avoid getting enveloped by the madness themselves, the Foxes have found a way to make their high-pressure defense work.

The Foxes won their first WPIAL Class 5A playoff game since 2021 when they knocked off Latrobe, 60-58, in the first round at home. While seventh-seeded Fox Chapel lost 72-44 in the quarterfinals to Thomas Jefferson, the Foxes’ season will continue as they qualified for the PIAA playoffs.

Senior point guard Lyla Jablon has scored 20 or more points in both of Fox Chapel’s playoff games. She said the style the Foxes play is a challenge for most teams.

“It’s very hard at first,” Jablon said after the win over Latrobe. “Once you get it, we practice it and practice it and play that way in most games and it messes with the other team a lot. When you get points in transition, it’s definitely rewarding.”

Fox Chapel (15-9) saw its seven-game winning streak come to an end with the loss to the Jaguars. Thomas Jefferson, which is 21-2 on the season, leapt out to a 23-point halftime lead and never let the Foxes back into the game.

Fox Chapel coach Marty Matvey wasn’t sure how his team would grow throughout the season.

During fall and summer league, Fox Chapel struggled to score. During the Foxes’ winning streak, they scored more than 50 points in six of their seven wins.

“This year, it’s like they are so young, they don’t know any better than to do what I ask of them for the most part,” Matvey said. “They play with tenacity. I’m just thankful there haven’t been a lot of egos and there hasn’t been any off-the-court interference.”

Against Latrobe, the Foxes received big shooting from their underclassmen. Sophomore Nina Kulikowski made two 3-pointers in the second half and finished with 10 points.

Freshman Bella Geller made two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead shot in the final two minutes to put the Foxes in front, 56-53.

“Bella is great because she plays with no fear,” Matvey said. “She plays like a freshman, but she plays like a freshman with no fear. … Nina had some foul trouble early on, but then she came in and did her thing.”

The Foxes’ win over Latrobe was far from perfect. Fox Chapel opened the game with a lengthy scoring drought.

Latrobe led 10-5 after the first quarter due to the Foxes’ slow start.

Geller knew things would heat up. Fox Chapel’s defense kept its foot on the pedal. The Foxes created enough extra possessions to sneak away with a win over the Wildcats.

“We believed in each other,” Geller said. “We knew we could score the ball.”

Tags: Fox Chapel