Hopewell conquers Moon for fourth time
Hopewell girls basketball coach Chris Raso doesn't believe beating a team four times is as difficult as it appears.
Why should he?
Raso's Hopewell team defeated Moon, 47-40, for the fourth time this season Wednesday night in a girls PIAA Class AAA semifinal at Palumbo Center. Hopewell (29-3) advances to the state championship game Saturday at the Giant Center in Hershey, where it will play Allentown Central Catholic.
"It's not as hard as everybody thinks -- honest," Raso said. "They know our personnel. We know their personnel. From the aspect of preparing for somebody, now I'm going to watch the tape of whoever won that eastern final, but watching the tape and seeing them in person are two different things. So, I knew what (Moon) could do."
In Hopewell's three previous games against Moon (23-9), the Lady Vikings won by an average margin of 14.6 points, including a 43-26 victory in the WPIAL final March 4. Maybe that's why Moon's girls stepped on the floor with such energy, controlled the first quarter and led, 13-6, after one period.
Hopewell's Becky Novacek eclipsed the 1,000-point mark in the first quarter, but it wasn't Novacek or her 6-foot-2 sister, Joyce Novacek, who keyed the Lady Vikings' comeback. It was Hopewell's guard play, especially the performance of junior Jordan Zuppe, who was 10 for 10 from the foul line, 8 for 8 in the fourth quarter, on her way to 13 points.
Six of Zuppe's free throws came with less than 30 seconds remaining in the game. Moon's Rachel Richardson hit a 3-pointer with 11.8 seconds left to pull the Lady Tigers within striking distance, but Zuppe's clutch free throws sealed the win.
"I wanted to get the ball and make the foul shots," Zuppe said. "I knew I had the confidence to make them, and, luckily, I made them."
Zuppe's only field goal came in the second quarter, when she hit a 3, tying the game at 15. Hopewell outscored Moon, 14-4, in the second quarter, and Raso credited his guards.
"We like for them to keep talking about the big kids," he said. "Because if you step back, we're probably going to hurt you. We can shoot the ball if we have to. They have the green light. A lot of guys would say I'm crazy. I have two 6-foot-2 kids -- throw it in there all the time. But sooner or later, when they start collapsing, someone else has to do the job. Tonight, the guards did a nice job."
Moon coach Kelly Mathews credited Hopewell's role players.
"Obviously, everyone talks about Becky, Joyce and Jordan," she said, "and don't get me wrong, they're phenomenal players. They're great players, but everyone keys on them, and I thought (Hopewell's) Kayla McLaughlin hit a huge 3. Sarah Haluska comes off the bench and hits a bunch of shots. When they're doing that, there's not much else we can do."
Becky Novacek totaled 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Joyce Novacek finished with 10 points for Hopewell. Moon was led by Grace Palucis' 15 points and Richardson added 13.
