North Allegheny girls proving to be quick learners

By: Josh Rizzo
Thursday, January 30, 2020 | 9:45 PM

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The North Allegheny girls basketball team showed it can play fast and slow in a 60-42 victory against section rival Norwin on Tuesday night.

The Tigers (15-3, 10-1) have won four straight and are tied atop Section 1-6A partly because of their flexibility, something that coach Spencer Stefko said comes naturally to his players.

“We’re lucky because we have some really talented and basketball-savvy kids,” Stefko said. “They are good enough to play multiple ways, and you have to against Norwin. I didn’t do anything to change it. The kids solved the problem in-game.”

Developing the skills to make changes on the fly is something stressed from the start of preseason. Stefko presents situations, and the players try to work toward solutions.

Junior Lizzy Groetsch believes the Tigers don’t relax during practices.

“I think we compete a ton in practice and challenge each other,” said Groetsch, who led the team with 21 points against Norwin. “Coach Stefko puts us in different situations during practice. Honestly, we compete against each other, and everyone helps each other out a lot.”

The results have been there for North Allegheny, which has reached the WPIAL finals in each of the past four seasons. The Tigers started this season by winning six straight before losing to Norwin, 63-55, on Jan. 2.

That is North Allegheny’s only loss against in-state competition. The Tigers’ other two losses came to St. Joseph (W.Va.) and Elizabeth Seton (Md.).

North Allegheny is tied for the third-best scoring defense in the WPIAL’s largest classification, limiting opponents to 40.6 points per game. Only Bethel Park (36.4 points per game) and Upper St. Clair (38.6) have stingier defenses.

“We played some good teams that challenged us,” Groetsch said. “They were tough games, and it was a good experience for us.’

As the season rolls on, North Allegheny will continue to look for wrinkles that can help it out of other tight scenarios.

The Tigers have proven to be quick learners.

“A game like this (vs. Norwin), you are foolish if you think you won and it means something,” Stefko said. “I think the bigger deal is for us to watch the film and see a list of things we did wrong that the coaches of the 12 other playoff teams are going to see. Those are the things they are going to attack.”

Tags: North Allegheny