Westinghouse girls basketball coach Phyllis Jones had emphasized the importance of playing good defense and being mentally tough to her team all season.
She told her players that they wouldn't win many games, let alone a championship, unless they incorporated those qualities into their play.
Jones' words resonated throughout Pitt's Fitzgerald Field House last Tuesday, as the Bulldogs (17-9) used a strong defensive effort and plenty of mental toughness to beat defending champion Schenley in overtime, 34-32, and capture their second City League championship in three seasons.
"All season long, our team had been boxed out, pushed around and out rebounded," Jones said. "Finally, it was our turn. We turned the tide (against Schenley)."
Westinghouse, which was beaten soundly by Schenley (22-5) in two previous meeting this season, limited the Spartans to just 13 of 45 shooting from the floor and held a 42-32 advantage in rebounding.
"I had a good feeling on Tuesday that we were going to have a good game," Jones said. "All day long, the players said 'Coach Jones we are ready.' They were hungry. They really wanted to prove themselves and that's exactly what they did."
After taking a 17-4 lead at halftime, the Bulldogs had to overcome a cold-shooting spell and a strong charge from Schenley in the second half to preserve the victory.
"Schenley is a tough team," Jones said. "I told my players at halftime that (Schenley) knows how to come back just as well as you do. I guess they had to see it to believe it."
The Spartans used a 22-6 run in the second half to knot the game at 26-26 at the end of regulation. Schenley's leading scorer, Britney Jackson, scored 10 of her game-high 14 points during that span.
Westinghouse, meanwhile, went 13:12 seconds without a field goal in the second half. Junior guard Angie Woods ended that streak with a layup in the opening minutes of overtime and finished the game with 12 points to lead the Bulldogs.
"Angie really picked us up and carried us in the second half," Jones said. "She is such a gifted person, both academically and athletically. The other girls on the team really look up to her as a leader. She plays hard every game, and I really love her attitude."
Woods will have to continue to play well if Westinghouse is to advance beyond the opening round of the upcoming PIAA playoffs. Leading scorer Britney Gibson, who was held to just five points against Schenley, will also have to play better for the Bulldogs to stand any chance in the state tournament.
"We feel pretty good right now," said Gibson, a junior forward who averages 10 points per game. "Winning the City championship was one of our main goals at the start of the season. Now, we want to do well in states."
Jones is confident that her team will play well in PIAA competition despite more than a two-week layoff after its victory in the City League championship game.
"The City League really hurts itself by making the City championship so big," Jones said. "You sometimes have to remind the players that there still is a season to play after that game. The long layoff is difficult to overcome. You really have to make an effort to refocus your players on the task ahead. That's where mental toughness comes in. We'll be fine."
