Scholastic Notebook – 03/06/2017

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, March 6, 2017 | 12:47 AM

It doesn’t take an analytics whiz to figure out that 3-point shooting has become a big part of high school basketball. But if one can deduce anything from the WPIAL championships over the past three days, it is this: While accuracy from 3-point range might be nice, the biggest factor in winning a championship is to hit the boards.

Look at the statistics from the 12 boys and girls championships (six in each classification) Thursday through Saturday and rebounding was by far the biggest key and not shooting. Here is what the statistics showed:

* There were two games where teams tied in total rebounds. In the other 10 games, the team with more rebounds won every time. The two games where teams tied in rebounds were Class 6-A girls (North Allegheny vs. Bethel Park) and Class 1-A boys (Imani Christian and Monessen).

* There were five games (two boys and two girls) where the winning team outrebounded their opponent by 10 or more. The winning margin in each of those four games was at least 11 points.

* The team with more 3-pointers had a 4-2 record in boys games and a 2-4 mark in girls games. Butler and Hampton both lost boys games despite having more 3-pointers. However, Butler was outrebounded, 37-24, and Hampton outrebounded, 44-31.

* The team that had a better shooting percentage overall was only 3-3 in boys games and 5-0 in girls games. In one game, both teams had the same shooting percentage.

Although the statistics are from only one season of championship games, they do show that rebounding is vital.

Two for Six

After the WPIAL championships, two coaches now have a six pack of championships.

Monessen’s Joe Salvino became only the sixth boys coach to win six WPIAL titles when his team defeated Imani Christian in the Class 1A final. It’s quite an accomplishment for someone who has beat cancer and overcome a stroke in the past decade.

On the girls side, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic’s Molly Rottmann became only the fifth coach to win six championships. North Catholic has 17 titles overall, by far the most in WPIAL girls history. The man with the other 11 is Don Barth. Coincidentally, Rottmann played for Barth.

One for Five

Jeff Ackermann won his second consecutive WPIAL title at Pine-Richland. But a lot of people might not realize it his fifth title overall. Ackermann won three championships in a row at Moon. And Moon opened his position a few years ago. That’s when he got the Pine-Richland job.

11 for New Castle

New Castle won its fourth WPIAL title under coach Ralph Blundo, but it was the 11^th overall for the Red Hurricanes. The 11 championships are second among teams still active in the WPIAL. Aliquippa has 12.

Farrell is the all-time leader for WPIAL championships with 13, but Farrell is now in District 10. Duquesne is second with 12, but Duquesne is now closed.

Char-Houston Firsts

There has never been a winter like this for Chartiers-Houston basketball – boys and girls.

It was a season of firsts for the Buccaneers. The boys won their first section title, made it to the quarterfinals for the first time and now are in the PIAA playoffs for the first time.

But the Chartiers-Houston girls took the success even further. Under coach Laura Montecalvo, the Bucs won their first WPIAL championship.

Firsts For Girls

Winning  WPIAL titles was nothing new for the boys champions this year. All of them won at least one title before.

But the girls side was filled with first-time winners. Chartiers Valley (5-A), Chartiers-Houston (2-A) and Winchester Thurston (1-A) all won titles for the first time. Also, in a way, it was sort of the first WPIAL title for North Allegheny. The Tigers’ only other championship came in 1972. But back then, the WPIAL didn’t fully sponsor girls sports and the basketball league was called the Western Pennsylvania Girls Athletic League.

Young Guns

It is remarkable how many young players, freshmen or sophomores, had big impacts on the girls championships. It might be an indication that there is some pretty good talent coming up in WPIAL girls basketball.

* Chartiers Valley freshman Megan McConnell scored 16 points as the Colts won the 5A title. McConnell is the younger sister of former Chartiers Valley boys stars T.J. and Matty McConnell. On the day that Megan won a championship, T.J. and Matty weren’t as fortunate. T.J. plays for the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and the Sixers were blown out by the Detroit Pistons. Matty McConnell plays for Robert Morris and the Colonials lost in the semifinals of the Northeast Conference tournament.

* Chartiers Valley sophomore Mackenzie Wagner scored 19 points.

* North Allegheny sophomore Rachel Martindale scored a game-high 23 points, with six 3-pointers in a victory against Bethel Park. She already has committed to Pitt for softball.

* Bishop Canevin sophomore Shamyjha Price scored 21 points as the Crusaders won the 3A title.

Mars vs. Hampton Already

The Mars and Hampton boys teams staged a great WPIAL semifinal game this past Tuesday. The two will meet again 10 days later.

The PIAA for some reason set up the 5A brackets so that the No. 2 team from the WPIAL played the No. 4 team in the first round of the playoffs. That means a rematch of the semifinals. It will be the fourth meeting between Hampton and Mars this season. This one takes place Friday night at North Allegheny at 6.

Tags: Bishop Canevin, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic, Chartiers Valley, Chartiers-Houston, Hampton, North Catholic, Winchester Thurston