Hopewell Junior High Basketball
Hopewell Junior High 7th Grade Girls Basketball Cruise to Win Over West Allegheny
Head coach Jeff Homziak and the Hopewell High School Girls basketball team have made back-to-back appearances in the WPIAL playoffs and are poised to have another successful season in 2024.
The Vikings High School roster is comprised of talent through various grade levels, including a strong incoming 9th grade class.
Looking ahead, it appears as though it won’t stop there as Hopewell’s 7th and 8th grade girls’ teams have a lot of exciting and talent players as Hopewell Sports Nation witnessed today.
This afternoon, the Lady Vikings 7th and 8th graders took on West Allegheny at the Hopewell Junior High School and came away with two impressive victories.
The thing that really stood out to me was the size of the players on both these 7th and 8th grade teams. Lots of tall, athletic players along with ability to score.
The future of girls’ basketball in Hopewell certainly looks very bright.
Here’s a recap of this afternoon’s action.
7TH GRADE GAME:
Unlike the 8th grade game, this game wasn’t much of a contest as Hopewell’s length and suffocating defense stifled West Allegheny and the Vikings cruised to a 35-19 win.
The Lady Vikings were led by Elianna McCoy who was a force inside and nearly impossible for WA to matchup with. McCoy scored a game-high 14 points, 4 blocked shots and was very impressive.
Taking a look at Hopewell’s box score: Amiyah Shell scored 9 points, Brooke Otto scored 5 points, Afton Budris 2 points and Arionna Shell pulled in 6 rebounds.
1ST HALF:
The key to today’s game was Hopewell’s play in both the 1st and 3rd quarters. Hopewell got off to a fast start today as they outscored West Allegheny, 12-0 in the opening quarter.
Off a nice drawn up in-bounds play, Brooke Otto scored Hopewell’s first basketball this afternoon. Hopewell went up 3-0.
As West Allegheny tried to inbound the ball, Hopewell pressed and came up with a steal, which resulted in another layup for Otto. Hopewell led 5-0.
The lead increased to 7-0 as Hopewell’s McCoy grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back up for two points.
Later in the quarter, McCoy struck again as she once again gobbled up an offensive rebound and put it in for 2 more. Hopewell now led 10-0.
The Lady Vikings closed out scoring in the first quarter as Amiyah Shell made a pretty pass down low to McCoy, who scored her 6th point of the opening 6 minutes.
END OF 1ST QUARTER: HOPEWELL 12-0.
Hopewell didn’t score as many points in the second quarter although they had a ton of good looks at the hoop.
The Vikings first basket in the 2nd quarter came from Amiyah Shell, who converted from the paint off an inbounds pass. Hopewell led 14-2.
With :20 seconds left before halftime; Amiyah Shell hit a deep 3-pointer from the top of the key. Shell is going to be a big-time player.
HALFTIME: HOPEWELL 17 WEST ALLEGHENY 9
3RD QUARTER:
Like they did in the opening quarter, Hopewell’s defense was able to keep West Allegheny scoreless in the 3rd quarter.
Shell scored the first two baskets of the 2nd half. The first one came as she drove the middle of the lane and converted on a lefthanded layup. Hopewell led 19-9
McCoy inside presence made benefits again for Hopewell as she grabbed a rebound off a missed free throw and put it back in for two. Hopewell’s lead grew to 22-9.
Later McCoy showed some passing skills, and she made a nice pump fake, drove the lane and dished off to Otto for the layup.
If it works keep doing it and that’s what Hopewell did as Amiyah Shell made another nice entry pass to McCoy for 2 more.
END OF 3RD QUARTER: HOPEWELL 26 WEST ALLEGHENY 9
4TH QUARTER:
West Allegheny went on a 10- run to start the quarter to cut the score to 26-19 but the Vikings scored the final 4 baskets of the game.
Guard Dallas Boyd made a nice entry pass to Anonna Shell, who converts to 2. Hopewell led 28-19.
Later in the quarter, Amiyah Shell came up with a steal and found McCoy for a layup. Hopewell led 30-19.
Hopewell converted off another nice in-bounds play as Boyd finds Amiyah Shell, who knocks it off the glass. Hopewell 32-19.
The final basket came off nice defense as Hopewell blocked a shot and Afton Budris took it in for a layup.
FINAL SCORE: HOPEWELL 35 WEST ALLEGHENY 19
