Feb 7, 2024 4 min read

By Luke Campbell

For the Observer-Reporter

newsroom@observer-reporter.com

Kathy McConnell-Miller has seen a lot of basketball at all levels.

Never did the Trinity girls basketball coach witness the string of games like the Hillers had during the back half of January.

“Nope, never have ever seen anything like it,” McConnell-Miller strongly reiterated.

In her defense, you could probably put a lot of money on the longtime coach not being alone in what she witnessed, which was a lot of free basketball.

With only one loss through early January, Trinity found itself in overtime in an unthinkable five consecutive games. After a 64-57 overtime win over South Fayette on Jan. 11, the Hillers lost four straight in extra time in all forms and fashions. A 10-day stretch starting Jan. 15 featured losses to Linsly School in West Virginia, longtime rival Chartiers Valley and Class 5A Section 4 foes Lincoln Park and Montour.

“It was tough,” McConnell-Miller said. “I honestly feel like we faced every situation within a week-and-a-half stretch. Being up. Being down. We were right there. Four points away (in regulation) from having four more wins. It was something different in every game. Not one particular thing kept us from winning those games.”

As one inconceivable defeat was followed by another, Trinity quickly went from one loss – the only other by three points to Class 4A title contender Elizabeth Forward in the second game of the season – to five losses and a record that does not tell the whole story.

To likely remain a higher seed in what is an always competitive Class 5A, a senior-laden Trinity team needed to respond.

The Hillers have.

In its last five games, Trinity (7-2, 16-5) has rattled off five wins, allowing it to remain in contention for at least a share of the Section 4 title when it plays at Lincoln Park tonight. The two teams will share the section title if Trinity wins. Lincoln Park wins the section outright with a victory. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

“There was a point in that stretch of overtime losses that we talked about it going one of two ways. We could either come together or fracture,” McConnell-Miller said. “Even though we have a lot of seniors, they hadn’t had a lot of experience in those scenarios. We have gotten that experience, responded and came together. They just kept strong in their faith and belief as a team.”

A group of five seniors have kept the Hillers afloat, including the hot-shooting Ruby Morgan, who made nine three-pointers in Monday’s victory to complete a season sweep of defending WPIAL champion South Fayette. Morgan has 66 three-pointers in 19 games, averaging 14.9 points per contest. Maddy Roberts is scoring 8.4 points and grabbing 8.5 rebounds per game. Macie Justice and Riley Corrins average seven and four points, respectively. Agatha Niccolai, the team’s main point guard, averages eight points and has an impressive 1.48 assist-to-turnover ratio.

McConnell-Miller credits the defensive effort that keeps the Hillers in games. Trinity leads the section in surrendering the fewest points per game (41). That is good for fifth in the 27-team Class 5A.

“I think regardless of what we do offensively, we have held teams to less than their average. If we can hang our hat on anything, it’s our defense,” McConnell-Miller said.

That will almost assuredly lead to Trinity being a tough out come playoff time for any opponent, along with keeping those donning blue and white on the edge of their seat and monitoring heart palpitations – as if they hadn’t done that enough already.

“There is no doubt we’ve been battle-tested,” McConnell-Miller confidently said. “Every single night we have. We don’t shy away from talking about it. The kids know. They’ve seen it and felt it. There is no doubt in my mind it’s made us a better team.”