Greyhounds can’t overcome TOs in 46-41 loss to Union
PITTSBURGH — Two key factors in playoff basketball games are usually turnovers and free throw shooting.
Unfortunately for Monessen, both aspects hurt the Greyhounds in their WPIAL Class A first-round match-up against Union in a 46-41 loss Saturday afternoon at North Hills High School.
“We weren’t as strong as we needed to be in those areas,” said second-year Monessen coach Dan Bosnic. “I thought we were able to get the ball inside, but we turned it over.
“With the free throws, it can be the difference in playoff games, and it was today. It was costly for us and hurt us in the end.”
The Greyhounds (10-13) turned the ball over 22 times and only made 11-of-29 free throw attempts.
The teams seemed to be in a feeling out process early on, and it led to moments of sloppy play.
Down 7-2 halfway through the first quarter, Union (14-8) closed the first quarter on an 11-2 run to take a 13-9 advantage into the second. A major factor in the Union run was six Monessen turnovers in the opening eight minutes, and the Greyhounds turned the ball over seven more times in the second quarter.
Both teams turned up the defensive intensity in the second quarter as the teams combined for three made shots in the quarter. The Greyhounds outscored the Scotties in the second quarter, 5-4, but they missed a golden opportunity to take control of the game.
Monessen struggled from the line in the first half as it only made 4-of-11 attempts with two of the misses the front ends of a one-and-one.
After a few halftime adjustments, Monessen scored the first four points of the second half to take an 18-17 lead, but Union slowly took control of the quarter — and the game — and the Scotties took a 31-23 lead into the fourth quarter.
Marquell Smith (11) and Carleton Jones (10) hit double figures for Monessen, while Union’s Matt Stanley led all scorers with 13 points.