Westmoreland County girls basketball notebook: Defense paying dividends for Hempfield

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, December 11, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Hempfield’s girls know how tough Section 2-6A play is going to be, so they are ramping up by playing the best possible defense they can.

“Our help defense is better, and we’re sharing the ball better than in previous years,” guard Mads Pevarnik said. “We work on our shell drill every day.”

Hempfield has started 4-0 by using high-pressure help defense to take down McKeesport, Mt. Pleasant, Greensburg Salem and Fox Chapel in convincing fashion.

The Spartans were allowing just 31 points with four nonsection games remaining before the section tipoff Dec. 19 at Mt. Lebanon.

“The girls are seeing what defense can do,” Hempfield coach Bob Madison said. “Our back-end help has been really good, and we’ve made it challenging for teams around the basket.”

Off and running

Twenty WPIAL girls teams began the week with a record of 3-0 or better. They included Hempfield (4-0), Kiski Area (4-0), Penn-Trafford (5-0) and Burrell (3-0).

Heasley from downtown

Greensburg Salem guard Mya Heasley, who recently returned from a concussion, has found her shooting rhythm early in the season.

Heasley made five 3-pointers and had 21 points in a 61-24 win over Yough on Monday, then hit six more 3s and had 22 points the next night as the Golden Lions beat Southmoreland, 70-29.

“She was on fire,” Greensburg Salem coach Rick Klimchock said.

She had to cool off at halftime in both games.

Heasley had 18 points in the first half against Yough and 19 in the opening 16 minutes against the Scotties.

Big test

The area’s two defending WPIAL champions faced stern tests Monday.

Norwin, the 6A champ and No. 2-ranked team in the WPIAL, took on two-time defending PIAA 2A champ Kennedy Catholic, and Class A winner Greensburg Central Catholic hosted 5A No. 1-ranked Peters Township.

Norwin defended well down the stretch and downed Kennedy Catholic, 56-46, as Kendall Berger scored 19 points, and Bella Furno added 13.

GCC, ranked No. 2 in 3A, gave Peters Township all it could handle in a 61-55 loss in overtime. Erica Gribble and Jayla Peterson scored 19 each. The Centurions overcame a 36-point night from Indians post standout Natalie Wetzel, a Miami commit.

Scotties make final

Southmoreland has been working through some thin years after a spike in the program a few years ago, but the Scotties could be getting back on track.

Southmoreland, which went 2-20 last season, reached that win total three games into this season.

In fact, the Scotties played for a championship. They beat Propel Braddock Hills, 48-31, to reach the final of the Carlynton tipoff tournament.

They lost to the host team, 59-48.

Sophomore Ashley Seder and junior Olivia Aumer scored 12 points each in the loss.

In the Propel win, sophomore junior Leah Moore scored 14, and Lanie Moore added 10.

Section openers

Section play opens Thursday for several local teams, including in Section 2-5A where Greensburg Salem visits Penn-Trafford, and Latrobe plays at West Mifflin.

Franklin Regional visits Plum in Section 1-5A. Franklin Regional coach Bernie Pucka is a teacher at Plum.

In Section 3-4A, matchups include Belle Vernon at Ringgold, Mt. Pleasant at Yough and Southmoreland at Elizabeth Forward.

Also, it will be Avonworth at Ligonier Valley and Steel Valley at GCC in Section 2-3A.

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

Tags: Greensburg C.C., Hempfield, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland