Thomas Jefferson girls basketball ticking goals off list

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, February 9, 2018 | 11:00 PM

They set out to add this season's team to the banner listing section champions hanging in the Thomas Jefferson gym.

Mission accomplished.

“Every year, we set high expectations and challenge our team to meet those goals,” TJ girls basketball coach George Vlassich said. “The goals are, No. 1, make the playoffs; No. 2, win the section championship; No. 3, win the WPIAL championship; and No. 4, win the state championship. We've accomplished goals one and two, and the kids now believe that they can get to the final four and show they are a legitimate contender.”

The Jaguars won Section 2-5A with a 9-1 record and were 18-3 overall with one game remaining.

Two victories in January — an 83-71 nonsection decision against Chartiers Valley and a 45-42 section win against Oakland Catholic — proved to be catapults for the Jaguars on their way to their first section title since 2009-10.

Jenna Clark, a 5-foot-7 junior point guard, and Marina Petruzzi, a 5-7 senior guard, are the Jaguars' main catalysts, averaging 17.5 and 15.5 points, respectively.

Clark, who has talked with college recruiters from the Patriot League, Ivy League and Atlantic 10, leads the team in scoring, assists (130) and steals (65) and shoots 72 percent from the free-throw line.

“We're extremely excited to bring back the section title,” Clark said. “t was one of our goals coming into the season, so we're happy to check that one off the list.”

Petruzzi, a Wesleyan recruit, ranks second on the team in scoring, assists, steals and rebounds.

Alyssa DeAngelo, a 5-9 sophomore guard/forward, averages 10.8 points, and 5-9 senior guard/forward Becca Mascaro and 5-6 junior guard Shaylor Williams round out the starting lineup. Mascaro is the team's leading rebounder; Williams helps out in the assists and steals categories.

The Jaguars, who won 10 games in a row after a season-opening loss, have been ranked in the top five in Class 5A for most of the season.

The Jaguars are the highest-scoring team in 5A with a 64.1 points-per-game average. TJ has connected from 3-point range 142 times, led by Clark and DeAngelo with 36 apiece. Petruzzi and Williams have 26 and 21 treys, respectively.

“We expect to start strong (in the playoffs), get to the finals and hopefully win the first WPIAL girls basketball championship in the school's history,” Vlassich said.

The WPIAL pairings meeting was Feb. 13. Results were unavailable for this edition.

Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.

Tags: Thomas Jefferson