Jan 11, 2018 3 min read

BELLE VERNON – Heading into its Section 3-AAAA home showdown with co-section leader Keystone Oaks, Belle Vernon coach Lisa Fairman knew that her team would have to play solid defense to have a chance to win.

It did just that, holding Keystone Oaks to 10 points below its season average, but unfortunately for Belle Vernon, it only hit eight of 38 shot attempts in a 48-35 loss.

“I am really proud of our defensive effort, but you can’t win if you don’t put the ball in the hoop,” said Fairman. “We accomplished what we wanted to do by slowing down their transition and shut down some of their key players after we made adjustments at halftime.

“It just didn’t go our way tonight.”

The game was played relatively close in the first quarter, but Keystone Oaks closed on a 7-2 run to take an 18-9 lead into the second quarter.

Gillian Piccolino scored nine points in the first quarter for Keystone Oaks and added a pair of free throws in the second quarter, but Belle Vernon shut her out in the second half.

The Golden Eagles (10-3, 6-0) opened up a 22-11 lead early in the second quarter, but Belle Vernon battled through foul trouble to cut its deficit to 28-23 at the half.

In the quarter, Caitlyn Trombley scored nine of her game-high 17 points to keep Belle Vernon in the game.

The Leopards (8-4, 5-1) were fueled by the energy of the large crowd to start the second half as they went on a 6-0 lead to take a 29-28 lead with 6:12 to play in the third quarter after Trombley hit a pair of free throws.

Moments earlier, Taylor Kovatch hit a layup that cut the Keystone Oaks lead to a single point, but the significance of the made shot was that it was the last shot Belle Vernon would hit until Lindsay Steeber hit a layup with eight seconds to play in the game.

“We were stopping them defensively in the third quarter with six or eight straight stops and we got into transition, but we couldn’t score (after taking the lead),” Fairman said. “We could have very easily had a five- or six-point lead and that could have very easily changed the dynamics of the game.”

The Leopards went more than 14 minutes with scoring a basket, and despite playing stellar defense, the cold shooting night cost them the game.

“They weren’t scoring and we couldn’t score out of transition,” said Fairman. “I don’t know why we were so shy to pull the trigger on the perimeter tonight.

“The girls have the green light and at no point did I tell them to not shoot. “We have five seniors on the court and at some point, someone has to put the team on her back and get a bucket.”

No other player scored more than six points for Belle Vernon, but Kelsey Green recorded seven blocks for the Leopards.

Isabela Bogden and Jaylen Hoffman led Keystone Oaks with 13 points apiece.

Fairman talked about how the team has to regroup and get ready for a tough road game at neighboring Elizabeth Forward on Monday.

“We turn around with another big one,” she said. “We were fearful to shoot tonight and I am not sure why, but we can’t be afraid Monday at E.F.”