Holy Redeemer players with their runner-up PIAA Class 3A trophy and medals.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Holy Redeemer head coach John Jezorwski hugs Bella Boylan as he presents her with her silver medal.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Holy Redeemer forward Bella Boylan drives between Greensburg defenders Erica Gribble and Nolan Althof (34) in the fourth quarter.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Holy Redeemer guard McKenzie Chimock drives between Greensburg defenders Erica Gribble and Nolan Althof in the fourth quarter.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Holy Redeemer’s Kearney Quinn (1) and Tessa Cegelka hug after they received their silver medals.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
HERSHEY — Two issues that cropped up sporadically in the first half Thursday night eventually were too much for Holy Redeemer to overcome in the second half.
The combined sum led to Greensburg Central Catholic defeating Redeemer 52-41 in the PIAA Class 3A girls basketball championship game at the Giant Center.
“We really wanted to win,” said Redeemer senior McKenzie Chimock, who scored a game-high 20 points, “but we were just like, being here (in the finals), there are so many teams jealous of us right now. It’s an honor just to be here.”
District 2 runner-up Redeemer finished the season at 22-9. The Royals were the first Wyoming Valley Conference girls team to play for a state title since Bishop Hoban in 2000. Hoban was part of the Catholic school merger in 2007 that created Redeemer, which uses the same school building.
“Our girls fought through,” Redeemer coach John Jezorwski said. “Nothing came easy for us. I’m so proud of them. They didn’t stop competing. A couple things that rolled in for them didn’t roll in for us.”
That led to the first problem — rebounding. District 7 second seed Greensburg Central Catholic (24-7) finished off the third quarter with a 3-pointer and rebound basket by Richmond recruit Erica Gibble. Both baskets came on third shots in the offensive sequence and gave the Centurions a 36-30 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
In all, the Centurions’ height led to a 34-22 rebounding disparity as they had four girls at 5-foot-10 in the starting lineup and another 5-11. Greensburg Central Catholic had three players with eight rebounds each. Redeemer’s Gillian Parsons led her team with seven, several of which she had to battle to secure. Parsons was Redeemer’s tallest starter at 5-9.
“When we went out to take away the three, that made us vulnerable rebounding,” Jezorwski said. “Then they got a couple kickouts for a three when we were trying to crash from being so far out. But that’s on me, not on them.”
The other problem for Redeemer was turnovers in the fourth quarter. After Chimock hit a 3-pointer to move Redeemer within 38-35 at 4:30, the Royals had three consecutive possessions end in turnovers. Greensburg Central Catholic turned them into five points.
Redeemer’s next basket after Chimock’s 3-pointer came nearly three minutes later on a drive by Parsons. The Royals got within 49-41 on a rare 3-pointer from Parsons, but Greensburg Central Catholic’s foul shooting down the stretch sealed the win.
After shooting four free throws in the first quarter and none in the next two quarters, Greensburg Central Catholic went 12-of-18 from the foul line in the fourth.
Redeemer took its last lead, 26-25, when Tessa Cegelka hit a short jumper a minute into the third quarter. The Royals tied the score 28-28 on an inside basket by Parsons at 4:13, but Morgan Skoloda followed with a 3-pointer to put Greensburg Central Catholic ahead for good.
“We were trying to work together,” Chimock said. “But honestly, the main thing was they were taller. We were trying to get to the basket. They were denying our shots.”
Greensburg Central Catholic started the game firing away from 3-point land, nailing four in the first quarter for a 16-15 lead. When Redeemer extended its zone, the Centurions went inside to Avery Jones for three buckets in the second and a 25-22 halftime lead.
PIAA Class 3A Championship
Greensburg Central Catholic 52, Holy Redeemer 41
HOLY REDEEMER (41) — Kearney Quinn 0 0-0 0, Tessa Cegelka 3 0-1 6, Bella Boylan 3 0-0 6, McKenzie Chimock 5 6-9 20, Gillian Parsons 3 0-0 7, Kira Millard 1 0-0 2, Elizabeth Bilbow 0 0-0 0, Kourtney Jezorwski 0 0-0 0, Cali Glaser 0 0-0 0, Izzy Wasley 0 0-0 0, Irelyn Curley 0 0-0 0, Olivia Dutko 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 6-10 41.
GREENSBURG CC (52) — Jayla Peterson 5 4-6 17, Erica Gribble 5 5-6 18, Abigail Dlugas 0 1-4 1, Avery Jones 3 1-2 7, Nolan Althof 1 3-4 6, Morgan Skoloda 1 0-0 3. Totals 15 14-22 52.
Holy Redeemer`15`7`8`11 — 41
Greensburg CC`16`9`11`16 — 52
Three-point goals: GCC 8-23 (Peterson 3, Gribble 3, Althof, Skoloda). HR 5-18 (Chimock 4, Parsons).
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