Feb 22, 2023 3 min read

There will be a new women’s basketball champion in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference.

Hannah Chenault scored 15 points and made three of Chatham’s 12 three-point field goals as the Cougars stunned top-seeded and defending champion Washington & Jefferson 57-40 Wednesday night in the PAC tournament semifinals at Salvitti Family Gymnasium.

Chatham (19-7) advances to the champion game Saturday. W&J, the PAC’s regular-season champion, drops to 24-3 and awaits its postseason fate.

The loss came in unthinkable fashion for the Presidents. W&J went an 0-for-23 from three-point range and 0-for-4 from the free-throw line. The Presidents also had 22 turnovers and shot 36 percent.

Chatham shot only 32 percent but made the 12 three-pointers. Ashlie Louden had 14 points and four three-pointers, and Emily Durkee scored 12 on four three-pointers.

Meghan Dryburgh had a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds to go with six assists. Sarah Berardelli scored 12 points and Adalynn Cherry 10. Only four Presidents were in the scoring column.

Chatham led 29-20 at halftime and pushed the gap to 42-28 at the end of three quarters.

California 79, Pitt-Johnstown 70: Rajah Fink scored a game-high 26 points and California used a big advantage at the free-throw line to beat host Pitt-Johnstown 79-70 in a PSAC West game.

The win moves Cal (13-8, 17-10) a game ahead of UPJ (12-9, 15-12) in the standings.

The game was close throughout as neither team led by more than five points until the final 90 seconds.

Cal had two fewer field goals than UPJ but the Vulcans made 22 of 25 free throws compared to the host team’s 7-for-13 performance at the stripe.

The Vulcans took the lead for good at 64-63 on a layup by Allycia Harris with 4:53 remaining. Harris was one of four Vulcans to score in double figures as she finished with 14 points and a game-high eight rebounds. Halle Herrington tossed in 18 points and Jordan Smith had 11.

The Vulcans shot 51 percent from the field.

Peyton Alazaus led UPJ with 20 points.

Men’s results

California 91, Pitt-Johnstown 84: California’s late-season surge continued with a 91-84 road win over Pitt-Johnstown in PSAC West Play.

The Vulcans improves to 12-9 in the PSAC and 15-12 overall. UPJ falls to 15-6, 19-8.

California put five players in double figures led by K.J. McClurg’s 24 points. Jermaine Hall followed with 19, Keith Palek had 18, Cam Polak 15 and point guard Donald Whitehead had 10 points and zero turnovers in 33 minutes.

The Vulcans led by as many as 16 points in the first half but UPJ closed to within three with 12 seconds remaining when Palek made two free throws to secure the win for Cal, which made 12 three-point field goals.

UPJ’s Joe Batt poured in a game-high 33 points and John Paul Kromka added 23.