Jan 5, 2015 4 min read

COAL CENTER – California freshman guard Bailey Vig felt the anxiety as she ran onto the court with the gymnasium filled with cheering fans. The nervousness was inevitable as she prepared for the biggest game of her young varsity career.

But Vig was not the only one feeling the impact of a capacity crowd and facing an unbeaten section rival. The Trojans pressed on both ends of the court in the opening minutes, committing unforced turnovers, but the defending Section 3-A champions found their stride in the second half and Vig was the catalyst.

Vig scored a game-high 14 points, all in the second half, to lift California over Jefferson-Morgan, 39-32, in a Section 3-A game Monday night.

“At first, I was feeling bad because I wasn’t helping the team,” Vig said bluntly. “We all just tried pushing too hard. I’m so happy though. After I calmed down and made my first shot, I got some confidence.”

The loss was the first of the season for the Rockets (4-1, 10-1), while the Trojans (5-0, 11-1) won their 11th consecutive game.

It did not come easy. California committed 12 first-half turnovers and buckled under Jefferson-Morgan’s man-to-man defense. The Trojans could not find open shots and responded by forcing low-percentage chances.

The Rockets jumped out to a 7-2 lead behind junior Nicole Venick, who scored a team-high 12 points, but the Trojans responded with six straight points by senior Kat Pankratz to take the lead. The two teams traded baskets in the second quarter and went into halftime tied 15-15.

“I think it was a bit of everything,” California head coach Chris Minerd said of the slow start. “I have to give Jeff-Morgan credit because they played man-to-man, which we haven’t seen this season, plus we have some freshmen and new people out there. They got nervous, but we settled down.”

In a game filled with veteran players, it was Vig who dug the Trojans out of their funk. She scored eight points in the third quarter, including two three-pointers, as California seized a 27-22 lead at the end of the third.

The Trojans had sophomore Kylie Huffman or senior Lyndsey Huhn penetrate and then pass to Vig, who hit three uncontested shots.

Jefferson-Morgan entered the game as the only undefeated team in WPIAL Class A and only one of three in the WPIAL. The Rockets had success with strong outside shooting and a rugged defensive style.

They got flashes of that Monday night with Venick, juniors Kayla Yorko and Morgan Simkovic and sophomore Erin Confortini hit big shots and the pressure of their guards forced California into mistakes.

Minerd’s strategy was simple – stop Yorko. Having Huffman, a 6-1 forward, guard her on the perimeter was the answer.

Yorko was held to nine points, including just two three-pointers.

“The key was to try to take Yorko out of the game,” Minerd said. “I noticed that most of their wins came when she scored 15 or more so we put Kylie on her and made Yorko shoot over her.”

Cal scored the first five points of the fourth quarter, including a deep jumper by Vig, and finally established itself under the basket by having Huffman drive to draw fouls.

Vig also made two free throws with 1:04 remaining and increased California’s lead to nine points on a put back 31 seconds later.

“I can’t say enough about Bailey Vig,” Minerd said. “She has been a huge part of our success. To knock down those shots at the end and that get that rebound for the put back was huge. She plays with no fear.”

Huffman, who returned two weeks ago after off-season knee surgery, received her first significant stretch of playing time Monday night, finishing with nine points and seven rebounds. Huhn added six points and nine rebounds.

“It was the rebounding in the second half that hurt us,” Jefferson-Morgan head coach Chris Niemiec said. “Right from the beginning, everyone knew California was the cream of the crop in the section, but this game showed us that if we play perfect, we can beat them.”

With first place in Section 3-A in hand, the Trojans are focused on one goal – establishing themselves as at team to reckon with in Class A. Handing the Rockets their first loss of the season was what it hopes is the first step.

“Dealing with the nerves is part of the process,” Minerd said. “December was about playing for positioning and now the big games are here. A win in the section is a win. It doesn’t matter how ugly it is. Now, it puts pressure on (Jefferson-Morgan) and we control our own destiny.”