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Free throws add up to big win for McGuffey

4 min read
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McGuffey’s Katie Demi tries to shoot around South Fayette’s Emily Anderson.

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McGuffey’s Sarah Sushel looks to pass as South Fayette’s Autumn Mozick defends during the second quarter Thursday.

CLAYSVILLE – Sammie Weiss plays with a style of reckless abandon. The McGuffey senior girls basketball player became the school’s all-time leading scorer with a determination to drive to the basket, often making a shot and drawing a foul.

Making shots from the free-throw line is a critical part to Weiss’ game. She showed South Fayette as much Thursday night.

Weiss scored a game-high 26 points, making 18 of 19 free throws, to lead the Highlanders over the Lions, 71-55, in a Section 5-AAA game at McGuffey High School.

While many teams across the area struggle from the free-throw line, McGuffey head coach Amanda Burchett ensures it is a strength for the Highlanders. Every day in practice, free-throw shooting is common practice.

Between drills, players take 10 free throws. If a player misses any, they run.

It’s a philosophy that has helped build Weiss into the prolific scorer she is today.

“She earns every single one of those free throws,” Burchett said. “It’s a huge part of her game, driving to the hoop and getting those fouls. We say she’s the garbage man on the team because she’s there to put back anything that’s missed and she earns those foul shots.”

It wasn’t just Weiss.

McGuffey(3-2, 9-3) made 24 of 30 free throws to uphold its reputation as one of the better shooting teams in the area.

Facing one of the top post players in the WPIAL in South Fayette junior Emily Anderson, the strategy was to use Weiss’ scoring prowess inside to obstruct the 6-4 forward’s rhthym. It worked.

Anderson fouled out with 6:45 remaining and McGuffey leading 55-44. She finished with seven points, 14 rebounds and two blocked shots.

Leading 36-26 at halftime, McGuffey continued its zone defense to force turnovers and alter the Lions’ shots. Though Weiss scored eight points in the quarter and senior guard Rachel Czulewicz, who finished with 14 points, had six, South Fayette drew to within nine points behind junior guard Autumn Mozick.

Mozick scored 13 of her team-high 21 points in the second half. After failing to protect a halftime lead in a loss Monday to Chartiers Valley, McGuffey finished strong against South Fayette (2-3, 7-4) behind a well-rounded attack and Weiss’ work at the free-throw line.

Sporting a large bruise on her right cheek, which was suffered while driving to the basket against the Colts, Weiss made 12 free throws in the second half.

“We shoot them all the time. If I’m going to drive and I’m going to get fouled, I should make my foul shots,” Weiss said. “That’s a big part of my game.”

With Anderson out of the game, South Fayette’s guards had success, drawing the Lions to within eight points with just under three minutes remaining, before McGuffey junior forward Carae Wagner’s five points sealed the victory for the Highlanders.

Wagner, suffering from flu-like symptoms, scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds.

“The girls did everything they should to win that Char Valley game,” Burchett said. “This is a bit of redemption. I think they had a chip on their shoulder and wanted to come out to prove we are a good basketball team.”

No one doubted the Highlanders’ strength after the first eight minutes. Using a strong guard rotation and forwards with the ability to shoot from the outside, McGuffey exploited South Fayette’s man-to-man defense, driving to the basket and dishing to the open teammate. The Highlanders made four three-pointers in the 26-point quarter.

The loss is a concern for South Fayette head coach Matt Bacco. After winning four of five games, Bacco thought his team was turning the corner. That changed in the first minute against McGuffey when the Lions grabbed defensive rebounds on back-to-back possessions only to have Weiss steal both before drawing fouls.

“That’s the rollercoaster the basketball season is,” Bacco said. “Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, the rollercoaster takes you for a different twist or turn and you have to readjust.”

After losing consecutive regular-season games to WPIAL opponents for the first time since 2012, McGuffey’s players feel like their season is back on track.

“South Fayette is always good. We needed to win a section game after Char Valley,” Weiss said. “That set us off and this was a must-win.”

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