South Fayette makes sure no miracle finish for McKeesport
South Fayette's Maddie Webber (34) looks for an option to pass during WPIAL Class 5A girls' semifinal playoff action. Webber exploded for 25 points as the Lions dispatched McKeesport, 51-38, to advance to the finals.
Eleanor Bailey/the almanac
Mia and Maddie Webber rush to celebrate with Erica Hall (32) while McKeesport players in the background despair after South Fayette’s victory, 51-48, in the WPIAL Class 5A girls’ semifinal basketball game.
Maddie Webber (34) is fouled as she drives the lane and attempts a shot during South Fayette's win against McKeesport in the WPIAL Class 5A girls' semifinals. Webber scored 25 points in the Lions' win over the Tigers, 51-38.
South Fayette's Maddie Webber rises up above the defense of Madeline Cherepko (23) and Rachel Manfredo (20) of McKeesport during WPIAL Class 5A semifinal playoff action. Webber fired in 25 points in a 51-48 win for the Lady Lions.
Eleanor Bailey/the almanac
Maddie Webber (34) rises above the defense by Avionna Menifee (2) while her teammate Erica Hall (32) watches the path of the shot during WPIAL Class 5A girls’ semifinal playoff action. In South Fayette’s 51-48 victory, Webber tossed in 25 points.
WEXFORD – Coming off an upset of third-seeded Trinity that included a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer, the McKeesport girls basketball team found itself trailing South Fayette by three points with less than 10 seconds to play Tuesday night in the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals.
Could lightning strike again and the Tigers pull off an unlikely come-from-behind upset of another higher-seeded opponent?
“I was not thinking good thoughts,” South Fayette head coach Bryan Bennett admitted after his team had squandered most of a double-digit fourth-quarter lead.
McKeesport’s Madison Miller had an open three-point shot from the right side that could have tied the score. Instead, the ball banked off the glass, rolled across the rim and fell off before being batted out of bounds with just three-tenths of a second to play.
The Tigers had one more chance but South Fayette’s Rachel Black deflected McKeesport’s inbounds pass as time expired, securing a 51-48 victory for the Lions.
Second-seeded South Fayette (21-4) will try for its first WPIAL championship since 2016 when it plays section rival and top-seeded Chartiers Valley Saturday (5 p.m.) in the title game at the Petersen Events Center. The Colts beat the Lions in both section games.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Bennett said. “I’ve been fortunate to be involved in championship games at different programs. Most high school kids don’t get to experience this. I told them to enjoy this.”
South Fayette couldn’t relax and enjoy anything until the final tick drained off the clock at North Allegheny High School. Though the Lions had a 16-point win over McKeesport in a non-section game in January, this one was close throughout.
The Lions needed every bit of a 25-point performance by junior guard Maddie Webber and some dominant rebounding by 6-2 center Ava Leroux, who had a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds despite battling foul trouble for much of the game.
McKeesport (20-5) changed its defense from the first meeting with South Fayette and went with a zone that gave the Lions problems.
“We played more zone because we wanted to slow them down,” McKeesport coach Amy Gumbert explained. “We didn’t play a good game the first time, so we played zone to slow them down and I think we did a good job of it.”
South Fayette led 21-18 at halftime as Leroux scored all of her 11 points in the opening two quarters.
The Lions closed the third quarter with a 34-26 lead after a three-pointer by point guard Lainey Yater and a driving basket by Mia Webber.
The lead grew to 40-30 when Black made a three-pointer from the right wing early in the fourth quarter, giving the Lions all the momentum.
“Everyone talks about Maddie and Ava, but we’re fortunate we have other options,” Bennett said. “Yater has had big scoring games, and Rachel and Mia are always dangerous. Those girls work extremely hard.”
McKeesport, however, had more fight in it than you would expect from a team that starts five underclassmen. Behind forward Rachel Manfredo, who scored 23 points, the Tigers closed to within 46-44 after a three-pointer by Manfredo, who had nine points in the final period.
Yater made two free throws with 1:50 left to make it 48-44 but Miller answered with a baseline jumper. Maddie Webber made one of two free throws with 40 seconds left, but when McKeesport rebounded the missed second shot Yater came up with a big play and stole the ball. It led to another free throw by Maddie Webber and a 50-46 lead with 25 seconds left.
McKeesport’s Brooke Evans converted twice from the free-throw line to make it a two-point game and Mia Webber again made one of two at the line, setting up McKeesport’s final possession.
South Fayette made only five of 11 free throws in the fourth quarter but McKeesport wasn’t any better.
“We made nine of 20 free throws,” Gumbert lamented. “And we didn’t play lockdown defense at the end. We were down 10 but still fought back.”