Resilient Obama Academy, powerful Allderdice to meet in 4th straight City League girls final

By: Josh Rizzo
Friday, February 14, 2025 | 12:01 AM

The Obama Academy girls basketball team was forced to use many different lineups throughout the regular season. The Eagles were limited by injuries and had to send many underclassmen onto the floor.

Obama Academy (10-10) opened the season with six straight losses but found its footing in league play. The Eagles battled their way back to the City League championship game to meet Allderdice for the fourth straight season at noon Sunday at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.

“They are so excited,” Eagles coach Monique McCoy said. “We have been through so much this season with kids having illnesses and being injured. They are so resilient.”

Obama’s ever-changing lineup saw two sophomores — 5-foot-7 guard Nia Benjamin and 5-6 guard Arianna Treadwell — and 5-6 freshman guard Alexa Davenport forced into the starting lineup.

McCoy said she isn’t too worried about her young lineup struggling with being in a college venue. The Eagles also have senior Taylor Phillips to lean on. Phillips led the City League by averaging 22.9 points per game.

“Some of my girls who are freshmen or sophomores, they play AAU,” McCoy said. “They have been in venues where there is no backing. That’s a good thing. I just tell them it’s a basketball hoop, a court and there are 10 people on the floor.”

Allderdice (18-5) is the defending City League champion and has rolled through league play. The Dragons won both of their regular season meetings with Obama, 72-34 and 78-42. Allderdice blasted Carrick, 70-14, in the semifinals.

“It doesn’t mean much,” Dragons coach Ellen Guillard said. “Everything is on the line Sunday. Mentally, it can be hard beating a team three times.”

The Dragons have plenty of firepower to push the pace on their opponents. Bailey White leads the team by averaging 20.8 points per game. Rhyan Sledge transferred from Oakland Catholic to Allderdice before the season and averages 13.6 points per game.

Peyton Lynch leads the team in rebounding by pulling down 9.6 per contest and averages 14.1 points per game. Guillard said her team is conditioned to run.

Allderdice has excelled in transition this season.

“We run and go,” Guillard said. “That’s our thing. We play fast and a lot of the girls make fast decisions. We want to rebound, outlet and go.”

Tags: Allderdice, Obama Academy