By JOHN D’ABRUZZO
jd’abruzzo@ncnewsonline.com

Inexperience hampered the postseason run for the Mohawk High girls basketball team.

A veteran Bishop Canevin team proved to be too much for the Lady Warriors as they were ousted from the WPIAL Class AA playoffs in a 64-27 preliminary-round loss at the New Castle High Field House on Saturday.

“That’s a very good team,” Mohawk coach Mike O’Lare said. “I think they are one of the top four teams in Class AA, I really do.”

The Lady Crusaders (19-6), who came in with a five-game winning streak as the Section 3-AA champs, jumped out to a 16-7 lead after the first quarter en route to a 32-18 advantage into the half.

“We try to set the tempo for the game,” Bishop Canevin coach Tim Joyce said. “That’s what we’re able to do.”

Turnovers were the biggest factor in the game.

Mohawk (10-14) committed 13 miscues in the first quarter alone and surrendered a total of 28 during the contest.

“We spend a lot of time working on that,” Joyce said. “We call them quality turnovers where we get points off turnovers. We want to take advantage of traveling and steals to get to the basket. We were able to do that.”

Mohawk consistently struggled to get the ball upcourt and was limited to only a handful of scoring opportunities. The Lady Warriors scored a mere four points in the third quarter and a total of nine in the second half.
“Our guard play is suspect,” O’Lare said. “They’re underclassmen and in a year or two, we hope to be that team (like Bishop Canevin).

“We have young guards and we try not to use that as an excuse, but the decision making and handling the ball is where we have to get better. We will.”

Junior guard Destiny Ambrose pace the Lady Crusaders with a game-high 18 points. Senior guard Megan Reffert came off the bench and followed with 16.

Senior guard Kate McCaffrey and senior forward Heather Kaczorowski each chipped in with 12 points for Bishop Canevin.

“It’s just skill,” O’Lare said. “We just have to get better. Their guards are seniors and ours are underclassmen. We don’t allow them to understand it and use it as an excuse, but it is the reality.”

Still, Teresa Westover turned in a fine performance. The senior guard knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and paced the Lady Warriors with 10 points.

“Teresa has been there all year for us,” O’Lare said. “As a senior, she really started playing in the second half of the season. She’s the main reason we got here today because of her leadership and her ability to play.”

The Lady Crusaders advance to the first round and will face Sto-Rox (15-7) later in the week. The Lady Vikings cruised to an easy 50-18 preliminary-round victory over Northgate (9-11) on Saturday.

Bishop Canevin defeated Sto-Rox in a 38-35 first-round game last season.
“It’s a neighborhood rivalry,” Joyce said. “We know them and they know us. We know it’s going to be a tough, hard-fought game.”