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West Greene survives frantic finish to defeat Sewickley Academy

4 min read
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By Eleanor Bailey

Brooke Barner (40) and Kaytlynn Walls (24) celebrate while Sewickley Academy players in the background anguish over West Greene’s 46-45 triumph during the WPIAL Class 1A semfinal game.

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By Eleanor Bailey/the Observer-Reporter

Brooke Barner (40) jumps for joy and Kaytlynn Walls (24) celebrates after West Greene defeated Sewickley Academy, 46-45, in the WPIAL Class A semfinal game.

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By Eleanor Bailey

West Greene players Kaytlynn Walls (24), Brooke Barner (40) and Elizabeth Brudnock (4) celebrate while Sewickley Academy players agonize over a 46-45 loss during the WPIAL Class 1A semifinal game.

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By Eleanor Bailey

Brooke Barner (40) looks to shoot against Bre Warner (25). Barner helped lead West Greene to victory, 46-45, against Sewickley Academny

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By Eleanor Bailey

Jersey Wise goes up for a basket but is called for a charging foul during West Greene’s semifinal basketball playoff game against Sewickley Academy.

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By Eleanor Bailey

Anna Durbin remains focused on the basket despite the defensive efforts of Desirae Nance.

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Eleanor Bailey/the Observer-Reporter

Jersey Wise splits two defenders and drives to the basket during West Greene’s 46-45 victory against Sewickley Academy.

CANONSBURG – It wasn’t pretty.

But West Greene girls basketball coach Jordan Watson knows once you get to this point it doesn’t have to be.

Watching the final six seconds with bated breath from the sideline – similar to the many fans who rose to their feet – Watson could only watch, hope and plead for none of Sewickley Academy’s shots to fall into the net.

They never did.

Watching No. 6 Sewickley Academy miss three potential game-winning shots within two feet of the basket, second-seeded West Greene created a tie-up as the clock ticked to 0:00 and escaped with a 46-45 win in a WPIAL Class A semifinal game Tuesday night at Canon-McMillan High School.

“It felt like 100 (shots),” Watson said. “That last six seconds seemed to take at least one minute. It felt like the ball was in the air forever. It was nerve-racking. But we made just enough stops.”

The Pioneers made enough stops to make sure their district playoff run didn’t come to a complete halt.

West Greene (24-0) advances to the Class A title game for the third consecutive year. It will play top-seeded Rochester (23-1) in a rematch of last year’s championship at 3 p.m. Friday at the Petersen Events Center. Rochester was a 57-37 winner over Clairton in the other semifinal.

“I think going into the year, nobody outside of those girls in that locker room thought we’d make it back,” Watson proudly said. “We set goals, and that was a goal they all had.”

A return trip to Pittsburgh might not have been possible without Brooke Barner. Tied 35-35 early in the fourth quarter, Barner made a baseline three-pointer to spark a 9-2 run. The run ended with her collecting a Jersey Wise pass and converting a three-point play the old-fashioned way by making a layup with a defender draped across her back and an enusing free throw.

“Unbelievable,” Watson said of Barner. “Every 50-50 game we’ve had this year, Brooke has played huge. Whether it was Ellis School, Wheeling Central Catholic or whatever, she has came to play.”

Sewickley (14-11), facing its biggest deficit of the game, didn’t go away.

Taking advantage of Pioneers’ turnovers, Des Nance made three layups in less than one minute, including one off a West Greene miscue with 54 seconds left to tie the game at 45-45.

Fouled on the next possession, Wise made one of two free throws on a bad night for both teams at the line. That free throw proved to be the difference.

The Pioneers, who made 23 of 26 foul shots in a regular-season win against Sewickley, shot just 40% (6-for-15) from the foul line. The Panthers were even worse, going only 2-for-17 from the foul line.

“It’s been our new trend in the last two games,” Sewickley coach Mark Gaither said of missing free throws. “We had our chances. That last play of the game, we drew it up and did exactly what we wanted. We missed a layup, fought and got a rebound, miss another layup, got the rebound and missed again. We were that close. It stinks to be that close and not get it done.”

Barner, a 5-5 sophomore who made the transition to a post player at the beginning of this season, scored a game- and career-high 17 points. She also grabbed 13 rebounds.

“I never thought I’d be here,” said Barner, who didn’t start as a freshman. “It shows hard work pays off. I’ve been grinding and put in the time. It’s crazy. It’s unbelievable. It’s honestly a blessing.”

Wise was the only other Pioneer in double figures with 15 points. She made back-to-back three-pointers – from opposite sides of the baseline – in the middle of the third quarter to put West Greene ahead 32-29. It was the first lead the Pioneers had since early in the second quarter.

Sewickley’s Bre Warner tried to go toe-to-toe with Barner inside. Warner scored 10 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Kamryn Lightcap led Sewickley with 12 points.

“(Brooke) comes in every day with the right mindset,” Watson said, “an infectious personality and just plays really hard. She isn’t big, but she wants the ball more than other people. She is always in the right spot. She is one of those girls that say, ‘Yes, Coach’ to everything. She doesn’t complain. She embraces it.”

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