‘It’s a huge accomplishment’
Avonworth picks up first title since 2005
Avonworth girls basketball coach Nick Dizon knew he had a team capable of winning championships when he first took the job.
It definitely wasn’t an easy road Friday for the Antelopes at Pitt’s Petersen Events Center, but they stifled Laurel’s offense to win 48-40 and become WPIAL girls basketball champions for the first time since 2005.
“I’ve seen the grit,” Dizon said. “I’ve seen the competitiveness, the will to want to win. It was hard to tell at first because you’re still trying to figure your team out, but over the course of the year, things just started to show. It made me think that, you know, we really have a shot at this.”
The Antelopes knew coming in that the Spartans were a high-scoring team. Laurel averaged 51.4 points per game leading up to the championship game.
It was also a point of emphasis to limit leading scorer Regan Atkins.
The defensive intensity started on the very first possession with Avonworth forcing a turnover.
The Antelopes continued to cause chaos for the Spartans offense as Laurel finished with 10 turnovers by the end of the first half.
Laurel couldn’t gain any momentum offensively, connecting on 21.1% (4 of 19) of its shots in the first half.
They were outshot by Avonworth, 29-19, and Atkins was held to just three points on 1 of 7 shooting.
While the defense was efficient, Avonworth’s offense was anything but perfect in the first half.
It took Antelopes leading scorer Greta O’Brien almost 13 minutes to score. She finished the half with four points.
“I just kept pushing,” O’Brien said. “I wasn’t really thinking about that. I was just pushing and working on other things that will help contribute to the team and help us keep pushing.”
Her teammates were doing
fine without her though as the team shot 34.5% (10 of 29) to have a 22-15 advantage at the half.
The Spartans came into the third quarter hungry and immediately went on a 7-0 run to tie the game at 22. They held the Antelopes to 0for-4 shooting to start the second half and Avonworth was scoreless for the first five minutes.
Laurel got its first lead of the second half with just 1:02 remaining in the third quarter. Avonworth would take it back and hold a narrow 29-28 advantage heading into the final eight minutes.
“These girls have always, to their testament, come back in the second half,” Laurel coach Jim Marcantino
said. “The third quarter is usually our strongest quarter. They don’t quit. They’re always fighters, and they get after it.”
It felt like the energy had run out for the Spartans as the Antelopes went on a 10-0 run at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Laurel would have one last surge courtesy of back-to-back 3pointers to make it a fivepoint game.
It was too little too late as Avonworth continued to hold the lead and ultimately won the championship.
Atkins was held to just eight points after averaging 15 throughout the season. She connected on only 2 of 7 3-point attempts and finished with 23.1% (3 of 13) shooting.
“I just think my shots weren’t falling,” Atkins said. “A lot of the shots (I took), I usually make them. I think I got in my head a little bit. That stopped me from trying to make more offensive plays.”
Both teams will play in the PIAA playoffs next weekend. Laurel will play the No. 3 team from District 10, either Sharpsville or Greenville. Avonworth will play the No. 3 team from District 6, either Huntingdon or Forest Hills.
“I’m gonna let the girls enjoy this for today, enjoy it for tomorrow,” Dizon said. “It’s a huge accomplishment. When we get back into practice on Monday, we’ll shift the focus.”