When Norwin played Canon-McMillan in early January, the Knights scored 22 points in the fourth quarter and won 56-52.
When the teams met for a second time earlier this month, Norwin sputtered and managed only two points in the third quarter in a 44-37 loss.
The Knights put up 17 in the fourth but couldn’t complete a comeback.
Their third matchup comes at 5 p.m. Saturday in the WPIAL Class 6A girls basketball championship at Petersen Events Center, and Norwin (19-4) knows it will need four steady quarters — 32 minutes of strong playoff basketball — to beat the Big Macs (20-4) again and win its fourth title.
“We have to come out and play harder than we did in the last game,” Norwin junior forward Liz Yarosik said. “We only had one layup in that (third) quarter, so we have to be able to score more.”
Yarosik was the leading scorer in the second game with 10 points.
Norwin coach Brian Brozeski has won three titles, so he knows what it takes.
“Their best effort,” Brozeski said. “It’s a unique environment. Everyone knows what’s at stake. Whoever plays harder. We have to up the effort and have the right preparation these next few days.”
Canon-McMillan has never been to the final before, but Brozeski is not surprised to see the Big Macs in the title game.
“(Canon-McMillan) has a special (senior) group,” Brozeski said. “It reminds me of the (championship-winning) group we had two years ago. They play within themselves.”
In the teams’ first meeting, Norwin sophomore Nia O’Barto scored a game-high 18 points, making four 3-pointers, while freshman Giuliana Giannikas scored 12 and Yarosik had 10.
Senior 5-10 swing forward Madison Clair had 16 points and junior 5-10 forward Faye Saunders 15 for the Big Macs, who have a nine-game winning streak.
When they met again in early January, Canon-McMillan outscored the Knights, 17-2, in the third quarter before holding off a late comeback to win and secure the section championship.
Clair had 17 and Saunders 14 in the win.
Big Macs coach John Fontana went to the finals twice when he was an assistant with Upper St. Clair, so he knows the gameday routine. Getting his players on the same page is high on the priority list.
“As far as the players are concerned, both teams will have some pregame jitters,” Fontana said. “The only player with playing time experience at the Pete is Ava Christopher, so I don’t see an advantage for either team.”
Norwin didn’t have Christopher, a senior, in either game against Canon-McMillan. She missed 10 games with a knee injury, but she is back for the title game, her third with the team.
Fontana is concerned about Christopher but knows Norwin’s deep, guard-heavy rotation can be a chore to match even without her.
“Norwin is a very good basketball team that is well-coached,” Fontana said. “Any time you have that combination, it is a tough out.
“To beat Norwin, we will have to play a fundamentally sound game on both sides of the ball.”
Yarosik also saw time in last year’s finals loss to Upper St. Clair.
“We’re so excited to get back,” she said. “We felt good after our win against Hempfield, and our intensity was there right from the tip (against Upper St. Clair in the semifinals).”
Christopher thinks the title will be won on the defensive end in what could be another low-scoring test.
“We have to keep doing what we’ve been doing defensively,” Christopher said. “We have to grind it out.”
Christopher will start her third straight title game. She led the Knights in scoring in the previous two.
She doesn’t want the magnitude of the moment to affect her less experienced teammates.
“Hey, it’s still a 32-minute game, 10-foot rims … ,” she said. “We have to treat it like any game.
“I know the game is at 5 (p.m.), but I’ll probably be up at 5 a.m.”