California controls 4th quarter, knocks off Wash High
California’s Ina Helmick looks for room around Washington’s Randi Thomas during Friday's WPIAL Class AA playoff game at Peters Township High School.
California’s Bailey Vig looks for room to pass around Washington’s Torri Finley during Friday WPIAL Class AA playoff game.
Wash High’s Torri Finley goes for two against California’s Bailey Vig
Wash High’s Randi Thomas puts up a shot against California’s Dajah Gudel during the first quarter of Friday's WPIAL Class AA playoff game at Peters Township High School.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Wash High’s Carley Allen puts up a shot against California’s Ina Helmick during Friday’s WPIAL Class AA girls playoff game at Peters Township High School.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
California’s Love Porter drives in for a layup against Washington during Friday’s WPIAL Classs AA playoff game at Peters Township High School.
McMURRAY — The mistakes were all fixable for the California High School girls basketball team.
Coach Chris Minerd made sure they were corrected in the second half.
California, the No. 9 seed, limited its turnovers – the Trojans had 18 in the first 16 minutes – and found secondary scoring from Grace Roberts and Love Porter to control the fourth quarter and defeat 8th-seeded Washington, 50-40, in a WPIAL Class 2A first-round playoff game Friday night at Peters Township High School.
California advances to the quarterfinals to play top-seeded Vincentian Academy Thursday at a site and time to be determined.
After Washington’s Jahlea Oakley made a three-pointer to cut the deficit to one possession, 33-30, with 7:21 remaining in the fourth quarter, California answered with a 12-point run to give the Trojans a comfortable 45-30 lead.
“The girls hit some timely shots and our shot selection got a lot better,” Minerd said. “We were turning the ball over (in the first half) because we were rushing too much. I told them at halftime to slow down and get a better shot selection.”
California (15-7) did exactly that.
The Trojans committed only six turnovers and had five different players score in the second half.
“(California) tries to slow the ball down a bit. Our defense let us down,” said assistant coach Mike Macik, who took over for Mike Maltony, who was battling the flu.
“We weren’t making shots. A good team makes shots and California did that. We tried to go with a different defense in the second half, but they had a little spurt and were able to get that lead.”
Washington (15-7) struggled from the field and at the foul line. The Prexies made only 9 of 19 free throws.
Carley Allen was the only player for the Prexies to score in double figures with 11 points. Randi Thomas had nine points for Washington, which is eliminated from the playoffs.
Bailey Vig led the Trojans with 23 points, including a deep step-back three-pointer with 10 seconds left before halftime to tie the score, 18-18.
Roberts scored eight of her 11 points in the second half, and Love had seven of her nine points after halftime.
“We had to have balance,” Minerd said. “It was a total team win but it doesn’t get easier with Vincentian. We’ll enjoy this one and get ready.”
Brentwood, 54-18
With full-sale substitutions throughout the game, Fort Cherry girls basketball coach Gary Kacsur was looking to push tempo and generate offense.
None of the Rangers could crack the code of the No. 7-seeded Brentwood defense as Fort Cherry turned the ball over 27 times and only made seven field goals to fall 54-18 in an opening-round Class AA game.
“We had to play smart, together and hard,” Kacsur said. “I thought we played together and hard, but sometimes I didn’t think we played smart. We had bad passes that led to turnovers.”
Those turnovers – the Rangers had 20 in the first half – put them behind early.
Brentwood (16-6) went on a 14-0 run, lasting nearly eight minutes of the first half to take command, 25-6.
Morgan Dryburg and Natalie Murrio led the offensive attack for the Spartans with 15 and 13 points, respectively.
“We had to play smart, together and hard. I thought we played together and hard. But at sometimes i didn’t think played smart. We had some bad passes that led to turnovers.”
Brentwood had a 31-9 lead at halftime.
“We knew (Brentwood) was going to be physical,” Kacsur said. “We thought that if we could go up and down that court, then we could stay in it. That’s why we kept subbing. It was the game plan going in but we got pretty far behind early.”
Bri Shaffer scored a team-high eight points for Fort Cherry (12-11), which was on a four-game losing streak entering the playoffs. Shaffer was limited after picking up her third foul with 4:18 remaining in the second quarter.
The Rangers had eight-, 10-, seven- and four-minute stretches between field goals. They only had four field goals over the last three quarters.
Brentwood advances to play second-seeded Our Lady of Sacred Heart.