High school notebook: McGuffey winning with defense
Observer-Reporter
McGuffey boys basketball coach Mike Fatigante has the Highlanders out to an 11-2 start.
McGuffey’s Mike Fatigante, center, talks with his team during a timeout.
Mike Fatigante is a straight shooter.
The McGuffey boys basketball coach knows what his team can do and can’t.
Out to an identical record (11-2) to their 2017 team that finished 19-7 and advanced to the second round of the state tournament, the Highlanders have shown they can play defense through the first 13 games.
McGuffey has allowed the fewest amount of points per game (42.0) to lead the WPIAL in boys basketball, all classifications.
“We know that we can’t win a track meet,” Fatigante said. “We don’t have the athletes to consistently score 70 or 80 points in games. They’ve bought into a team defensive concept because we know we have to play great defense to have a chance to win.”
Winners of six of their last seven games, the Highlanders have allowed just two opponents to score more than 50 points in a game this season. That has led to being tied for first place in Section 4 of Class 3A.
McGuffey’s defense will be challenged over the course of the next week, facing the other top two teams vying for a section title. The Highlanders host Charleroi Friday night and take a short drive to play Washington next Tuesday.
“Friday is going to be a great test for us,” Fatigante said about Charleroi. “Win or lose, we will come back Saturday morning and get ready for the next game. We’ve done a really good job just focusing on the next game. We aren’t good enough talent-wise to look down the road. When we do that, we get a slap in the face. Our guys have focused directly on who we play next.”
Joining McGuffey amongst the top teams in scoring categories is Trinity, which is the third-highest scoring team in boys basketball. The Hillers average 77 points per game, narrowly behind Our Lady of Sacred Heart (77.7) and North Catholic (77.2).
Tough tests
One of only five unbeaten teams in WPIAL girls basketball, West Greene will be tested over the next week.
After a game against Geibel Catholic tonight, the Pioneers will play at Ellis School (8-2) in a non-section game Friday, travel to Avella (7-2) Monday for first place in the section and have games on back-to-back nights next week against other seven-win teams Monessen and Bishop Canevin.
West Greene has yet to skip a beat after the loss of three, 1,000-point scorers in McKenna Lampe, Madison Lampe and Kaitlyn Rizor to graduation. The Pioneers are the highest-scoring team in Class A with 62.7 points per game and have only played in one game decided by single digits, a 61-57 win over Wheeling Central Catholic.
If it ended today
The WPIAL basketball playoff pairings meeting will be held one month and two days from today.
So what local teams would qualify for the district playoffs if the season ended today?
In boys basketball, 10 teams would qualify, led by section leaders McGuffey and Washington. Peters Township is clinging to fourth place in a difficult Section 2 of Class 6A. Trinity, Ringgold, Belle Vernon, Charleroi, Beth-Center, Chartiers-Houston, West Greene and Monessen also would be in the playoffs if the season ended today.
In girls basketball, 11 teams would make it. West Greene is the only local team leading its section. Other teams that would have playoff berths include Trinity, Belle Vernon, Charleroi, Beth-Center, Burgettstown, Chartiers-Houston, Fort Cherry, Avella, Monessen and California.
Headed west
South Fayette senior third baseman Eli Snider was selected to play in the Under Armour All-America Preseason Baseball Tournament the weekend of Jan. 18 in Arizona.
Snider, a Seton Hill commit, batted .367 with three doubles, 12 RBI and scored 13 runs with an on-base percentage of .485 in 66 plate appearances as a junior. He was named first-team all-section for the Lions.
A three-year starter in baseball, Snider also led South Fayette’s football team this past season with a team-high 64 tackles from his middle linebacker spot. He had a pair of sacks, forced three fumbles and had three interceptions this past fall.