Zellous, Wilson help drive Pitt to impressive week

Hosting the Pitt Thanksgiving Tournament, the women’s basketball team had consecutive victories… Hosting the Pitt Thanksgiving Tournament, the women’s basketball team had consecutive victories against the Elon Phoenix and Youngstown State Penguins to cap off a championship weekend. Pitt 84, Elon 49 Pitt opened with a strong effort Friday afternoon, punishing the Elon Phoenix with an 84-49 victory. Despite opening the game with two consecutive turnovers and early fouls on both ends of the court, Pitt controlled the scoreboard. An early 11-4 run set the tone for the Panthers, as they held the lead throughout the game. Freshman center Shawnice ‘Pepper’ Wilson used her powerful 6-feet-6-inch frame and handled the paint with two early baskets. Her presence in the paint helped Pitt’s open jump shot looks and perimeter shots. Standout senior point guard Shavonte Zellous didn’t fail to make her presence felt in the first half either. Two 3-pointers highlighted her first-half play. She entered the half with 12 points. Some of Pitt’s errors kept Elon in the game. But midway through the first half, the Panthers got their act together and went on a dominating 17-3 run. Coming off the bench, another freshman, Kate Popovec, followed in Wilson’s huge footsteps, scoring in both the paint and at the free-throw line. Popovec finished the first half with a memorable 11-point performance. ‘Kate just dominated,’ said Berenato. ‘She just swept. It was really exciting to see that.’ Production on the offensive side of the court helped, but for Pitt, a strong defense equally contributed. The Panthers forced 12 turnovers and controlled both offensive and defensive boards, outrebounding Elon 19-12. ‘We had great defensive presence,’ said Berenato. Things looked dim for Elon for much of the half, but play balanced out in the last five minutes. Pitt closed the half with a narrow 15-12 run and walked into halftime leading 44-28.’ Knowing Elon would not walk away without a fight, Pitt came out prepared for the second half, jumping out to a 29-12 run. A defensive adjustment ended any hope of a Phoenix comeback. ‘We went to a 2-3 [zone],’ said Berenato. ‘That was the key. Our zone was terrific, and it put them on lockdown. Zellous led all scorers with 22 points. Pitt 99, Youngstown State 41 Pitt put on a dominating, deja-vu effort against the Penguins from Youngstown State on Saturday afternoon in the championship game of the Thanksgiving Tournament, winning 99-41. Wilson played to her down-low strengths, setting up Pitt’s first five points of the game, including a slick move to the rim that resulted in a three-point play. Sophomore guard Taneisha Harrison catapulted the Panthers to a 23-12 run to open the game with a 3-pointer. Harrison finished the game with 16 points. But Youngstown State sliced Pitt’s lead to eight points with a 3-pointer. The shot instilled some life in a deflated Penguins attack. Hoping to build on whatever momentum they gained from the shot, the Penguins picked up the physicality. ‘We knew they were an aggressive team,’ said Berenato. ‘They really body you up.’ But Pitt didn’t shy away from the toughness. In fact, at one point, Youngstown State head coach Cindy Marin screamed out a tactic to stop Wilson at the center position. ‘If she keeps pushing you, push her back,’ she screamed at her players. Tempers flared on both benches, but the momentum nevertheless shifted toward Pitt. Zellous had a lot to do with that again, finishing with 20 points for the game. The Panthers carried a 44-22 lead into halftime. Assuming any life remained for the Penguins after their sleeper of a half, it was surely drained after Pitt opened the second half with a 19-0 run. ‘We were disappointed in our lack of intensity,’ said Berenato, referring to the team’s sluggish first-half start. ‘Our players really responded [in the second half].’ The rout-of-a-run was a product of a sound defensive game. ‘The whole second half we zoned,’ said Berenato. ‘But it was about us and our focus and intensity.’ In addition to two victories, the Panthers collected all-tournament accolades. Both Wilson and Xenia Stewart were named to the all-tournament team, while Zellous was crowned the tournament’s most valuable player. ‘I was glad both of our seniors [Zellous and Stewart] were on the all-tournament team,’ said Berenato. ‘It just goes to show where they’ve brought the team.’ The Panthers (4-1) play Duquesne University on the road on Dec. 3 at 7 p.m.