Mastery Charter North proves too much for Pope John Paul II

PHILADELPHIA >> Gabby Troisi’s numbers were impressive, but Mastery Charter North’s strength in numbers tipped the scale against Pope John Paul II in a first-round PIAA Class 3A state tournament game Saturday at South Philadelphia High School.

Troisi, a multi-talented senior guard/forward who will play at West Chester, finished her terrific high school career in style with a game-high 28 points. Mastery Charter North, though, had too much depth and overall athleticism, pulling away in the second half for a 53-46 victory.

PJP (15-12) led much of the first half, its largest margin being six, 18-12. The Pumas (22-7) put together a closing surge to halftime, and continued the momentum into the third quarter. The Golden Panthers, who trailed at halftime, 26-22, got within three on two occasions in the third, but the Pumas, spreading the court early in that frame and making the Panthers come out to guard them, found driving lanes and often got to the basket, pushing their leads to a steady series of seven to 12 points the rest of the way.

The Pumas’ press, PJP’s main concern coming in, didn’t bother the Golden Panthers. But too many turnovers in the halfcourt offense affected PJP and helped get the Pumas’ withering fast break going. Mastery Charter’s size advantage, too, was a big factor in the second half.

“I thought we did our best,” Troisi said. “They’re really athletic. We tried to work as a team, we really pushed the ball, and we tried to help on defense.”

Troisi led the way in pushing the ball at every offensive opportunity. Driving and creating are the best parts of her game, and those were on full display throughout, including right down to the end as she scored 11 of the Golden Panthers’ 15 fourth-quarter points. She drew a bunch of fouls all afternoon and hit 10-of-14 from the line.

Ayanna Mazyck, a gifted power forward who can handle the ball on the perimeter and really drive it, led the Pumas with 19 points. Forward C’ilah Womack hit some medium-range shots en route to 10.

Troisi scored seven in the first quarter, which PJP led, 11-10. The Golden Panthers contested most shots as the Pumas made only 3-of-13 from the floor in that period. The unfortunate part for PJP was that they committed eight turnovers in the first quarter, all in halfcourt situations, or else they may have led by more.

A nice break of the Puma press and resulting layup by PJP senior Annie Kohutka and a steal-layup by junior point guard Rachel Yerger gave the Panthers a boost in the first period, but five straight empty possessions at the end of it hurt.

Kohutka’s three-pointer opening the second quarter and four Troisi free throws gave PJP an 18-12 lead. But at that point the game slowly started to turn, as the Pumas’ ability to play fast and with nine players started taking a toll.

Mastery Charter guard Tahmiyyah Jackson sparked a 14-4 run to the locker room. Her three gave the Pumas the lead for good, 23-20, with 1:13 left in the half. PJP sophomore Monica Rapchinski came off the bench to make a nice finish off a Troisi driving pass, making it 23-22, but a banked three-pointer from Nahiemah Johnson made it a four-point game at the break.

Then the Pumas went inside on their first two possessions of the second half, getting buckets both times from 6-foot center Devia Terry to go up by six, 30-24. Baskets by PJP senior Stephanie Petery, Yerger (a three) and Troisi (off a nice pass from Shannon Mullen) kept it a three-point game. Then the Pumas took off again and for good.

Mazyck scored on a putback and on two long drives to help increase the advantage to 10, 41-31, heading for the fourth quarter. The lead reached 14, but PJP, true to its nature all season, put out a 100 percent effort to the end.

“I never doubted,” Troisi said. “I think we left it all on the court.”

Eight straight points by Troisi and a steal-basket by Petery closed the deficit to seven, 52-45, but there wasn’t enough time left.

“We tried our hardest this season,” Petery said. “This team got close as a group and the coaches have been great.”

“It was more like a family this year, and there was a lot of trust,” Kohutka added.