Seton LaSalle girls hoops charge into playoffs

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, February 10, 2018 | 12:27 AM

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A pair of late-season section victories vaulted the Seton LaSalle girls basketball team into the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs.

After defeating Carlynton, 62-48, the Rebels clinched a playoff spot with their a 44-42 section win at home over Shady Side Academy.

Bishop Canevin, Avonworth, Apollo-Ridge and Seton LaSalle also wrapped up playoff berths in Section 3.

“The early goals will always be the same: section, WPIAL, PIAA,” said Ian Barrett, a 1991 Seton La Salle graduate in his first year at the helm of the girls team. “Realistically, we knew Bishop Canevin was the favorite. But our goals are our goals. Otherwise, why are we competing?

“My staff and I kept saying to the girls as the second half of the section began, ‘Just get us into the dance. After we get into the dance, we're gonna dance.' Anything can happen once you're in, and we are blessed to have that chance.”

Seton LaSalle edged SSA thanks to some last-second heroics. In the game's final moments, senior guard Ziegler sank a field goal off a drive and was fouled. She converted the free throw to finish with 24 points and provide the Rebels a crucial two-point victory.

“The team has really come together as a family. And that is what our coaching staff is most proud of this year,” Barrett said. “We started out really low, losing senior guard Tori Hudson with an ACL (injury) at the McKeesport Summer League. It is hard to replace senior leadership. But Layni Ziegler and Bridget Hart have been our glue. We have some really young girls, and those two have made everyone feel that they fit right in.”

Two keys for the Rebels this season have been their resiliency and their staunch defense.

“I think our biggest strength has been our ability to go after the other team's best players and shut them down,” Barrett said. “With the exception of Bri Allen (27 points) of Bishop Canevin and Ari Goitz (26 points) of Shady Side Academy in our second games against them, we have held the stars to low double or single digits.”

Seton LaSalle started out with a 3-1 record before experiencing a six-game losing streak. But the Rebels bounced back with four wins in their next five games to set up the possibility of securing a potential playoff berth.

“We've gone through some low times with our nonsection schedule and some early losses, and (due) to injuries and sickness at key points in the season,” said Barrett, who is assisted by Mark Bernotas and Alexa Xenakis. “Our girls, led by Layni Ziegler and Bridget Hart, have pushed through and made it to the playoffs.”

Ziegler, a 5-foot-6 point guard, and Hart, a 6-foot center, have been catalysts for the Rebels. Ziegler leads the team in scoring at 14 ppg, to go along with 3.5 steals and 2.5 assists per contest. Hart averages close to five rebounds.

The senior duo is joined in the lineup by two freshmen, 5-9 guard Abby Marzina and 5-11 forward Meghan Dryburgh,and 5-8 sophomore forward Alyssa Pollice.

Dryburgh, who leads the squad in rebounding with an 8.2 per game, scored 11 points and grabbed 11 rebounds last week against SSA. Pollice averages 8.2 points.

The Rebels' top reserves consist of freshman C/F Dynasty Shegog, one of the team's leading rebounders, junior G/F Savanna Carr, sophomore guards Chloe Lestitian and De Bennett, sophomore G/F Sarah Merlina and freshman guards Izzy Psillidis, Emma Walsh and Sydney Carr.

Barrett's basketball background includes coaching grade school teams at St. John Bosco in Brookline (formerly St. Pius), and he was involved in running programs at Brookline Point Guard Academy for several years.

Barrett served as an assistant at Seton LaSalle (2012-13), Oakland Catholic (2013-14) and Keystone Oaks (2014-2016).

“Our biggest surprises have been our freshmen,” he said. “We start two, and our first girl off the bench is Shegog. These girls have been thrown directly into the fire and have really responded — again, with the help of Layni and Bridget, who have really picked them up when they made freshman mistakes. Even Alyssa Pollice was one of those freshman last year that had the same experiences as a starter.”

Seton LaSalle (9-12 overall) was scheduled to end its section schedule Feb. 8 at Avonworth. The WPIAL playoffs tip off next week.

“It's hard to put into words how much I've enjoyed this season,” Barrett said. “Being able to come back to my alma mater in and of itself has been amazing.

“But to be able to coach this particular group has been special. I've known a lot of these girls since they were in second and third grade. Whether I coached them or coached against them, it has been great to be a part of this.”

Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.

Tags: Seton-LaSalle