Westmoreland girls basketball notebook: Hempfield shows resolve in close loss

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, January 1, 2025 | 5:26 PM

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To a coach, a loss can reveal more about his or her team than a win.

Case and point: Hempfield.

The Lady Spartans (6-2) jumped out to a 6-0 record — their best start since the 2012-13 season — to ramp up for Section 2-6A play, the opener on the road at then-No. 3 Mt. Lebanon.

What a great litmus test for a team looking for validation.

The result was almost a stunner: Hempfield lost 42-40, rallying late before the final buzzer.

“Last year, if we’d have gotten down against a team like that, we’d have lost by 20,” Hempfield coach Bob Madison said. “You want to do well against a team with a good history like that. We have lost two games by a combined six points. We’re plugging along.”

Hempfield’s fast start and first section showing led to a No. 4 ranking in 6A by TribLive HSSN.

Madison said Mt. Lebanon was ready for his team’s half-court trap and took a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. Hempfield rallied to tie it 40-40 with just more than a minute left. Ava Shipman’s three-point play tied it.

“We responded to their run, and that was good to see,” Madison said. “We attacked them with some drive-and-kicks and sped them up.”

The problem for Hempfield is the defeat started a three-game skid that included losses to Indiana (35-31) and Latrobe (52-41).

Hempfield begins the new year Thursday at Connellsville in another section matchup.

Madison agrees that a signature win would go a long way in validating Hempfield’s improved look.

“We need that,” Madison said. “Who knows? Maybe it’s coming soon.”

Following big sis

Greensburg Central Catholic standout junior Erica Gribble always looked up to her older sisters, Alayna and Olivia, both terrific guards themselves.

But it was Alayna’s part in the college recruiting game that piqued Erica’s interest in a higher level of basketball.

Sure, Erica had the talent to play Division I, but the nuances of communicating with colleges, taking visits and finding the right program all were learned through Alayna’s exploits.

The oldest Gribble sister played at Pitt before finishing her college career at St. Joseph’s.

But always tagging along for visits was Erica, a mental notepad charting the finer details and a keen eye absorbing the atmosphere.

Erica Gribble earlier this week committed to Division I Richmond, the defending Atlantic 10 champion.

“Since the time Alayna was being recruited, I always wanted to follow in her footsteps,” she said. “I can still remember some of the visits I’ve been on with her.”

Back to business

WPIAL section play resumes Thursday with a number of strong matchups.

Section 2-6A has Connellsville (3-8, 0-1) at Hempfield (6-3, 0-1), whereas Section 1-5A features Fox Chapel (7-3, 2-0) at Franklin Regional (5-5, 3-0).

In Section 2-5A, top games include Indiana (8-2, 2-0) at Greensburg Salem (7-3, 1-2) and Kiski Area (6-3, 1-1) at Latrobe.

Other local matchups: Section 1-4A — Derry (3-5, 1-2) at Highlands (1-8, 0-3) and North Catholic (7-2, 3-0) at Burrell (7-3, 2-1); Section 3-4A — Elizabeth Forward (6-3, 3-0) at Belle Vernon (4-5, 2-1), Laurel Highlands (6-4, 1-2) at Mt. Pleasant (0-9, 0-3) and Southmoreland (3-7, 1-2) at Yough (7-3, 2-1); Section 2-3A — Deer Lakes (7-2, 2-1) at Ligonier Valley (2-5, 1-2); Section 4-2A — Ellis School (4-3, 1-0) at Jeannette (3-5, 0-1); and Section 2-A — West Greene (5-2, 1-2) at Monessen (3-4, 1-2).

Upper St. Clair (6-2, 1-0) at Norwin (4-4, 1-0) in Section 2-6A was moved to Friday night as the opening game of a girls-boys doubleheader.

Layups

Jeannette’s Navarah Smith scored a career-high 26 points in a 45-36 win over the host team at the South Allegheny tournament. … Belle Vernon’s Saylor Lee pulled down 19 rebounds in a 43-38 loss to Allderdice at the Cal (Pa.) Hoopfest. … There are only four undefeated girls teams left in the WPIAL: Penn-Trafford (10-0), Shady Side Academy (10-0), Union (9-0) and OLSH (8-0).

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., Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Jeannette, Latrobe, Monessen, Norwin, Penn-Trafford