Norwin girls cruise past Pine-Richland in Class 6A 1st round
By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, February 20, 2018 | 10:40 PM
Kristina Serafini | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Kayla Graf tries to make a layup as Norwin's Emily Brozeski defends during the first round of the WPIAL girls 6A basketball playoffs Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at Plum.
Kristina Serafini | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Magen Polczynski reacts after beating Pine-Richland in the first round of the WPIAL girls 6A basketball playoffs Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at Plum.
Kristina Serafini | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Jayla Wehner tries to get around Pine-Richland players during the first round of the WPIAL girls 6A basketball playoffs Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at Plum.
Kristina Serafini | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Kayla Graf reacts during the first round of the WPIAL girls 6A basketball playoffs against Norwin on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at Plum.
Kristina Serafini | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Olivia Gribble sticks her hand in the face of Pine-Richland's Kayla Graf during the first round of the WPIAL girls 6A basketball playoffs Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at Plum.
Kristina Serafini | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Meghan Luellen makes a pass during the first round of the WPIAL girls 6A basketball playoffs against Norwin on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at Plum.
Kristina Serafini | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Taylor Brenner blocks a shot by Norwin's Jayla Wehner during the first round of the WPIAL girls 6A basketball playoffs Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at Plum.
Pine-Richland's Kayla Graf tries to make a layup as Norwin's Emily Brozeski defends during the first round of the WPIAL girls 6A basketball playoffs Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at Plum.
Kristina Serafini | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Magen Polczynski reacts after beating Pine-Richland in the first round of the WPIAL girls 6A basketball playoffs Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at Plum.
Kristina Serafini | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Jayla Wehner tries to get around Pine-Richland players during the first round of the WPIAL girls 6A basketball playoffs Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at Plum.
Kristina Serafini | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Kayla Graf reacts during the first round of the WPIAL girls 6A basketball playoffs against Norwin on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at Plum.
Kristina Serafini | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Olivia Gribble sticks her hand in the face of Pine-Richland's Kayla Graf during the first round of the WPIAL girls 6A basketball playoffs Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at Plum.
Kristina Serafini | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Meghan Luellen makes a pass during the first round of the WPIAL girls 6A basketball playoffs against Norwin on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at Plum.
Kristina Serafini | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Taylor Brenner blocks a shot by Norwin's Jayla Wehner during the first round of the WPIAL girls 6A basketball playoffs Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at Plum.
Norwin leaned on the same traits is has all season to advance in the WPIAL Class 6A girls basketball playoffs: defense and depth.
The fourth-seeded Knights made it a challenge for Pine-Richland to drive the lane and contained the Rams, all while playing a nine-deep bench to defeat Pine-Richland, 48-29, in a first-round game Tuesday night at Plum.
“We wanted to play a sound defensive game and minimize what they wanted to do,” Norwin coach Brian Brozeski said. “We wanted to take their penetration away.”
Norwin (12-9) advances to play No. 5 Mt. Lebanon (12-11) in the quarterfinals Friday at a time and site to be determined.
Emily Brozeski scored a game-high 16 points and Megan Polczynski added 15, including three 3-pointers, the last of which gave the Knights a 44-26 lead with 5:34 to play.
Norwin led 35-26 heading to the fourth quarter but held the Rams to three points in the final frame.
Brozeski coached Norwin to WPIAL titles in 2015 and ‘16 and knows how important the first postseason win can be.
“We had a lot of girls who were seeing their first (playoff) experience,” Brozeski said. “No matter how much you play (during the season), the play gets amped up in the WPIAL playoffs.”
Taylor Brenner led Pine-Richland (7-14) with 14 points.
