In an early season WPIAL girls basketball showdown between undefeated teams in Section 4-5A, both Peters Township and Thomas Jefferson started out slow, scoring only two points midway through the first quarter.
The difference in the game was the Indians found some offensive rhythm in the second quarter while the Jaguars struggled mightily until the game had slipped away.
Peters Township (1-0, 5-0) remained undefeated and moved into first place with a big road win at Thomas Jefferson (1-1, 6-1) on Thursday, 52-39.
“In the first quarter, when you have the best player in Pittsburgh like we do, I didn’t think we got the ball inside to her enough,” Peters Township coach Steve Limberiou said, referring to Natalie Wetzel. “Credit TJ, they were pressuring us. I thought we had some good looks and they didn’t drop for us. In the second quarter, we started to get a rhythm with Natalie getting more touches, and typically, that causes problems for the other team.”
After scoring only two points in the opening quarter that ended 8-8, Wetzel started being more aggressive and doing damage from the free-throw line as she scored 10 points in the second quarter and the Indians built on their lead, which at halftime was 26-15.
The 6-foot-3 senior and Miami Hurricanes commit finished with a game-high 22 points.
“I think her post game has grown immensely the past three years,” Limberiou said. “She does a great job, not just scoring but finding the open people when the doubles come. She’s tough to stop.”
Another player who sparked the Indians off their bench was junior guard Alina Sopko, who contributed 12 points, many off the left-hand dribble down the lane.
“She was great,” Limberiou said. “We think she is starter-capable and in most programs in the WPIAL, she is a starter. Her minutes end up being starter-like. I thought her defensive energy was good, and she is very good at getting downhill with her left hand.”
Things did not change for Thomas Jefferson in the third quarter, as the Jaguars scored only three points and trailed by 19 points heading into the fourth quarter.
They came into the game averaging nearly 70 points per game in their six victories.
Not only was TJ held to 31 points below its average, the team’s two new additions were shut down as well.
Junior Maggie Spell was averaging 21 points per game coming into Thursday and sophomore Kaylee D’Angleo averaged 15 points in the first six games.
However, Spell was held to a team-high 10 points and D’Angelo was held scoreless.
“I think it was a collective effort, but specifically, I though (Bri Morreale’s) attention to detail on defense against Kaylee D’Angelo was outstanding,” Limberiou said. “Natalie on Maggie Spell was the same thing. Both of them are great players, and I thought we limited them and did a great job.”
The first loss of the season may have long-lasting ramifications for Thomas Jefferson.
Midway through the fourth quarter, D’Angelo was fouled and fell hard to the floor, injuring her left ankle. She was helped off the floor without putting weight on it. She was taken to the hospital after the game for X-rays.
The victory was just another impressive performance by the 2024 WPIAL Class 6A runner-up Indians.
They earlier this month defeated Class 6A top-ranked Upper St. Clair and 3A No. 1 Greensburg Central Catholic and now have defeated another ranked team in their Section 4-5A opener.
“We tried to augment the section schedule with a really tough nonconference as well to get us ready for moments like this,” Limberiou said. “I think our nonconference (schedule) on a night like this really paid off.”