Apollo-Ridge girls hold serve with win over Mt. Pleasant
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Monday, January 16, 2023 | 10:10 PM
Apollo-Ridge’s Sophia Yard drives to the basket past Mt. Pleasant’s Riley Gesinski during their game on Monday, Jan. 13, 2023, at Apollo-Ridge High School.
Apollo-Ridge’s Brinley Toland battles Mt. Pleasant’s Riley Gesinski for a loose ball during their game on Monday, Jan. 13, 2023, at Apollo-Ridge High School.
Apollo-Ridge’s Sydney McCray drives to the basket against Mt. Pleasant on Monday, Jan. 13, 2023, at Apollo-Ridge High School.
Apollo-Ridge’s Sydney McCray celebrates with Kylar Toland after scoring against Mt. Pleasant during their game on Monday, Jan. 13, 2023, at Apollo-Ridge High School.
Apollo-Ridge’s Brinley Toland drives past Mt. Pleasant’s Marissa Garn during their game on Monday, Jan. 13, 2023, at Apollo-Ridge High School.
Apollo-Ridge’s Jaden Mull (12) and Sydney McCray battle Mt. Pleasant’s Morgan Gesinski for possession during their game on Monday, Jan. 13, 2023, at Apollo-Ridge High School.
Apollo-Ridge’s Delaney Fitzroy works against Mt. Pleasant’s Morgan Gesinski during their game on Monday, Jan. 13, 2023, at Apollo-Ridge High School.
Mt. Pleasant’s Morgan Gesinski drives past Apollo-Ridge’s Jaden Mull during their game on Monday, Jan. 13, 2023, at Apollo-Ridge High School.
Apollo-Ridge’s Brinley Toland drives against Mt. Pleasant’s Riley Gesinski during their game on Monday, Jan. 13, 2023, at Apollo-Ridge High School.
Apollo-Ridge’s Brinley Toland talks with Kylar Toland during their game against Mt. Pleasant on Monday, Jan. 13, 2023, at Apollo-Ridge High School.
Mt. Pleasant’s Morgan Gesinski shoots a three-pointer against Apollo-Ridge on Monday, Jan. 13, 2023, at Apollo-Ridge High School.
Apollo-Ridge’s Jaden Mull (left) and Sydney McCray battle Mt. Pleasant’s Tiffany Zelmore for possession during their game on Monday, Jan. 13, 2023, at Apollo-Ridge High School.
The Apollo-Ridge girls basketball team protected sole possession of second place in Section 3-3A and also defended its home court Monday evening with a 60-40 victory over Mt. Pleasant.
“This was a huge win for us as we look forward to the second half of section,” said junior Sophie Yard, who led all scorers with a career-high 25 points.
“It really solidified our spot. We know the second game with Shady Side here is coming up, but we have to make sure we concentrate on the games right in front of us.”
Apollo-Ridge, which improved to 12-2 overall and 3-1 in the section, won for the fourth straight time since a 66-34 loss at Shady Side Academy on Jan. 2.
“I wasn’t expecting (a 20-point win),” Apollo-Ridge coach Ray Bartha said. “I watched them on tape, and they are really aggressive. We knew (Tiffany Zelmore) was going to get her points. We were just trying to keep her in check, and I think we did a pretty good job with that at some important times.
“We made plays and made shots when we needed to. The only thing that disappointed me was our press didn’t bother them too much. Their guards were quick enough to dribble through it, and that’s the first time it happened to us all year. But after a while we didn’t need it, so we got out of it.”
Zelmore came into the game averaging nearly 30 points as the WPIAL’s second-leading scorer. She was held nearly 10 points under her average, finishing with team-best 21.
“(Zelmore) is a really good scorer, but we did a good job of limiting her as much as possible,” senior Sydney McCray said. “I guarded her the entire time. That was my assignment. I think I did pretty well. I think our defense played really well overall.”
McCray scored 16 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for Apollo-Ridge. She scored 11 of her 16 in the fourth quarter.
McCray said she received a boost as the entire Penn State-New Kensington men’s basketball team was on hand to root her on. Her father, Arthur McCray, is an assistant coach with the Lions.
“It was pretty cool to have the team there,” McCray said. “I wasn’t expecting it. I went to their game (Sunday), and they won. It was a great game.”
Apollo-Ridge’s largest lead was 22 points early in the fourth quarter on a McCray layup.
Morgan Gesinski added eight points for Mt. Pleasant (10-5, 2-3).
“We let things get out of hand by blowing a bunch of wide-open opportunities on layups,” Mt. Pleasant coach Scott Giacobbi said. “We didn’t shoot well in the second quarter and kept putting ourselves in a hole. They had a great shooting night from the perimeter, probably pretty consistent with what they do. Some of their shooters were pretty hot out there. (Apollo-Ridge) also did a pretty nice job on the glass.
“If you can’t put that all together in a positive way, you’re going to struggle.”
Senior Brinley Toland added seven points, eight rebounds and nine assists for Apollo-Ridge.
Mt. Pleasant started 0 for 6 from the field before Morgan Gesinski hit a 3-pointer with 3:50 left in the opening quarter. Apollo-Ridge led 4-3 early on a Toland layup and two free throws from Yard.
Apollo-Ridge used an 8-1 run to close out the first quarter. Toland drained a 3-pointer with six seconds left to give the hosts a 14-7 advantage.
Yard lit up the scoreboard in the second.
She scored 15 of Apollo-Ridge’s 20 points in the quarter. She tallied four field goals and was 7 of 8 from the line to help her team secure a 34-16 halftime lead.
Yard was 11 of 12 from the line for the game. As a team, Apollo-Ridge sank 15 of its 18 free throws.
“I couldn’t have done any of that without my girls,” Yard said. “With their passing, it lines everything up.”
Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.
Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Mt. Pleasant
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