MORGANTOWN — Four games into the season and the University High School girls’ basketball team is still searching for its identity.
Are the Hawks (2-2) the team that knocked off Albert-Gallatin (Pa.) and Kennedy Catholic (Pa.) over the weekend?
Or are they the team that lost by 19 to rival Morgantown to open the season and then by a 73-40 score to Parkersburg South on Tuesday?
Head coach Nick Lusk is still looking for the answers as he watched his Hawks beaten soundly by the visiting Patriots (4-0).
“We just didn’t play,” Lusk said. “We didn’t come out and didn’t play like we played over the weekend.”
Lusk admitted he held a lighter practice session on Monday as UHS was playing its third game in five days and he was trying to save his team’s legs as they dress just eight players on the varsity squad this year.
“We just had no intensity – it didn’t even look like we wanted to be here,” Lusk said. “That’s on me. We gotta practice hard like we have been practicing. We just have no effort out there tonight and that’s disappointing.”
The Hawks held an early 9-4 lead in the first quarter and an 11-10 lead on a jumper by Hannah Stemple midway through the first quarter but then the Patriots went on a 23-4 run that lasted until the 4:23 mark of the second quarter when Lusk called a timeout and was visibly upset with his team.
University normally likes to play pressure defense and find open shots on offense but on Tuesday it was the Patriots’ height and long outlet passes that led to easy baskets.
“That’s a credit to our kids,” South coach Ed Davis said. “Rebounding, they will be the first to tell you, has been an issue for us. It has hurt us, and they have made a commitment to it – we do drills almost every day. We thought if we could rebound that we might have some chances to get out in transition.
That transition offense led to easy baskets for the Patriots as they shot 32-of-57 (56.1%) from the field.
Meanwhile, the Hawk struggled on offense by hitting 18-of-64 (28.1%) including just 2-of-27 (7.5%) from behind the three-point line.
“We figured tonight was going to be a dogfight,” Davis said. “I still believe it was just one of those nights where our kids just played well. (UHS) is a top four or five team and nothing changes that in my mind. In a couple of weeks, they play at our place, and we will expect a dogfight and they are going to win a lot of basketball games – they are a very good team.”
Senior Ella Simpson led UHS with 17 points. Gracie Shamblin led Parkersburg South with 20 points, Emilee Owens added 16 while Payten Mackey scored 12.
The Hawks return to action on Thursday when they travel to perennial power Wheeling Park for a 7:30 p.m. contest.
By ERIC HERTER
Parkersburg South 73, University 40
PSH 20 26 21 6 73
UHS 13 10 9 8 40
PSH – Shockey 2 0-0 4, Shamblin 9 0-1 20, Yost 2 0-0 4, Owens 8 0-2 16, Cline 4 0-0 6, Schaffer 1 4-6 6, Mackey 5 2-2 12. Totals: 32 6-11 73.
UHS – Weaver 2 0-2 4, Maisel 1 2-3 7, Cox 0 0-2 0, Fox 1 0-0 2, Braham 2 0-0 4, E. Simpson 8 0-1 17, Stemple 3 0-0 7. Totals 17 2-7 40.
3-Pointers – PSH: Shamblin 2. UHS: E. Simpson, Stemple.
