Southmoreland girls basketball makes success an inside job

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 | 7:18 PM

Winning seasons are nice, but those are no longer a goal for the Southmoreland girls basketball team.

After a decade of struggles, which included eight wins from 2009-13, the Scotties hit that milestone in each of the past two seasons.

Southmoreland insists it is taking a one-game-at-a-time approach, but there’s a reason for the focus: The Scotties are determined to qualify for the WPIAL playoffs out of Section 3-4A. For that to happen, Southmoreland (5-1, 1-1) will need to make it an inside job.

“This is definitely the longest team I’ve coached,” said Scotties coach Brian Pritts, whose two stints leading the team covers 18 years. “Defensively, we’re able to use our length a number of ways, and a lot of that is because our kids are athletic. We’re big, but we’re athletic.

“The thing we can do that can be a problem for the other team is putting our big players on guards. They’re able to handle that.”

Southmoreland’s length was a problem for McKeesport on Monday night during a 44-23 Scotties victory.

Led by 6-foot-2 senior Maggie Moore, who accepted an appointment to the Naval Academy, the Scotties swatted shots, altered others and rarely allowed second-chance opportunities. The starting lineup also included 6-0 junior Sarah Pisula, whose quick hands created multiple turnovers and has helped Southmoreland limit opponents to a section-best 35.8 points per game.

The Scotties’ height doesn’t end there. Freshman Bailey Kuhns is a 5-11 forward, and classmate Gracie Spadaro is a 5-10 guard/forward. They were the first two players off the bench against McKeesport. Delaynie Morvosh, another 5-10 freshman, is out with an injury, but Pritts expects her back to contribute.

“This group is very competitive,” Pritts said. “They’re out to win, and they’re working for more.”

Moore, who didn’t start playing basketball until ninth grade, leads the way.

Southmoreland’s offense and defense revolves around her, but Moore does not force things, as her game-high 13 points against McKeesport attests. Moore is just as willing to find an open teammate for a short baseline jumper as she is posting up a defender or driving the lane.

She plays with patience, and her defensive positioning normally keeps her out of foul trouble, which could come in handy as the Scotties prepare for the rigors of section play — their next game is Thursday against Yough — and the upcoming Riverside Tournament, where they play Class 6A Seneca Valley.

“I feel like our inside game is the strength of our team,” Moore said. “We’re trying to work on our outside game.”

Because the Scotties have yet to establish a consistent perimeter game, Moore and Pisula occasionally face double teams, or in Moore’s case, an occasional triple team. But guards Charity Henderson, Erika Sherbondy and Carlie Collins — all juniors — are improving and contributing to a balanced approach.

“The girls really care about each other,” Pritts said. “You can see that by the way they share the ball and play for each other.”

Stout defense, a balanced approach with a strong post presence is a formula Southmoreland believes can lead to a postseason berth.

A program once fronted by former pro player and Duquesne guard Vanessa Abel has not qualified for the WPIAL playoffs since 2007-08, when Southmoreland finished 18-7. That year, the Scotties beat McGuffey in the preliminary round of the Class AAA playoffs before losing to West Mifflin in the first round.

“Making the playoffs would be a huge step for us,” Pisula said. “It’s been years since we’ve been there. (Coach Pritts) says he doesn’t want us talking about it, but we’ve set it as a goal.”

Mike Kovak is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Mike at mkovak@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MKovak_Trib.

Tags: Southmoreland