GCC girls overcome Crawford’s big night, top Jeannette

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, January 16, 2018 | 3:51 PM

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Greensburg Central Catholic thought about employing a “Dymond-and-1” defense Monday night.

Jeannette junior guard Dymond Crawford has feeling it from the perimeter, getting to the rim and carrying her team.

But GCC decided to trust in its zone defense for most of the game. Crawford got hers, but the transition points eventually came and the result was a 57-46 home victory for GCC in Section 2-3A girls basketball.

Crawford erupted for 35 points but Jeannette (4-10, 2-5), despite stepping right to the edge, never got the lead against the defending section champion Centurions (6-6, 5-2).

Jeannette has not beaten GCC since the 2012-13 season.

Junior guard Anna Eisaman scored 24 points and senior guard Olivia Stawovy added 14 for GCC, which saw Jeannette creep to within 42-38 early in the fourth quarter but held on to win its fourth in a row and fifth in its past six games.

Eisaman, though, scored on a nifty scoop shot along the baseline, Stawovy nailed a 3 and Eisaman followed with another layup to stretch the advantage to 51-41 with two minutes, 39 seconds.

“We weren't getting a lot of transition points,” GCC coach Joe Eisaman said. “Once we got a comfortable lead, I knew they were going to start trapping and we were able to get some layups, get to the line and push the lead out from there.”

Jeannette overplayed some on defense, and GCC took advantage with some uncontested baskets.

“I thought we had our best chance in the first quarter,” Jeannette coach Janine Vertacnik said. “We missed three layups, on breakways. On a team like this, you have to capitalize early. Those are shots we have to make.”

Crawford, who said she was off the mark in warmups, scored off a steal, then banked in her third 3-pointer to cut it to 53-46. But Jeannette was out of time.

“They just started falling so I kept shooting,” said Crawford, whose career high is 36. “We would score, but they could come down and score again. We couldn't stop them, but we'll play them at home.”

Traditionally, Jeannette has struggled against GCC's pressure, but the Jays handled it better in this game.

“We beat the press but we have to finish,” Vertacnik said. “When you're playing from behind like that, you're pressing. Dymond needed a little more help from her perimeter players. We're hot and cold on the perimeter.”

Joe Eisaman knew Crawford had the hot hand but stayed the course.

“I told our girls, just keep contesting (shots),” Eisaman said. “We didn't do a good job of chasing down the misses in the first half. Long shots create long rebounds. We tightened that up and turned them into points the other way.”

GCC played more reserves than usual. Point guard Bella Skatell battled foul trouble but finished with seven points.

“Seeing those role players step and seeing girls' games start to develop,” Joe Eisaman said. “It's nice to see. Every game is going to be a battle for us. We don't anybody lightly. We expected a tough battle and that's what we got.”

GCC took a 16-7 lead after one quarter as Anna Eisaman scored eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers. GCC's pressure and transition kick-started the tempo in its favor.

Crawford kept Jeannette close while providing over 90 percent of the Jays' offense. She scored 18 of the team's points as they trailed 27-20 at the break.

She scored all 13 of Jeannette's points in the second quarter, hitting from the perimeter and converting a few short-range jumpers in the lane.

Jeannette outscored GCC in the third, 16-15, with Crawford netting 11. It was 34-31 with 2:47 to go in the quarter after two Crawford free throws.

But GCC ended the quarter with back-to-back 3's from Stawovy and Eisaman to make it 40-31.

GCC finally went to a box-and-1 on Crawford late, when it had control of the outcome.

“No one else was looking to score, so it was an easy box-and-1,” Joe Eisaman said. “We could have gone triangle-and-2 and I don't think it would have mattered. She is a pretty good scorer; very athletic.”

Sophomore Jada Bass was the second-leading scorer for Jeannette, with six points. Senior guard Chloe Stein recently returned from a torn ACL and is contributing key minutes. Vertacnik said Stein, a good outside shooter, is another offensive threat.

“We have used eight or nine lineups … GCC has been playing their same group of girls forever,” Vertacnik said. “That's tough.”

Bill Beckner Jr. is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Greensburg C.C., Jeannette