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Title on the line for Clairton, Monessen
With her team undefeated in Class A-Section 3, Collins is still fuming over reports that her team mercilessly heaped it on during a 123-24 whipping Thursday of Class A Section 3 opponent Winchester Thurston.
Collins read comments from Winchester coach Don Smith, who questioned leaving star guard Kamela Gissendanner in the game.
"Don and I are friends; he is a coach and I cannot be angered by anyone's respectable adult professional opinion," Collins said. "My problem is nobody bothered to ask me or talk to anyone on my side."
Her issue, though, was with reports that Clairton continued its full-court press after leading 88-14 at the end of the third quarter.
"That was a bold-faced lie and you can print that; why would I have my girls press," Collins stressed. "Print Kamela played for four quarters because that's the truth, but we did not press the entire game. If my girls did everything I teach them to do, the score would have been astronomical and the cavalry would have been at my front door."
Collins left Gissendanner in because she wants her to recapture the WPIAL girls scoring title after falling to No. 3.
"This is what happened with Kam: I've been sitting her out and I took something away form her," Collins said. "She's a kid and I'm thinking out everyone else, what the other coaches and parents thought."
Otherwise, Collins said she called the dogs off Thursday. The playoffs are looming and the coach lamented that holding back on an inferior opponent clashes with the very intensity that has made Clairton so successful.
"I told the girls (Thursday) to lighten up and don't play hard defense, but I'm trying to prepare the kids and drill tight defense in their heads, so it's contradictory," Collins said. "I rotated my entire bench, but nobody said that either. Kam was the only starter in the fourth quarter. After the game, I pulled two of their players aside and said I respected them and not to quit because they're going to be great. Did anyone ask me about that?"
With Collins seething while her girls performed spirited jumping jacks in the background, it sounded like the first-year head coach has her Lady Bears geared up for their showdown with Monessen tonight.
Win, and they capture first place in Sec. 3 and a cushy seed in the WPIAL playoffs. Lose, and they split the title with Monessen, leaving their post-season fate flapping in the wind.
"Last time, we beat them by one measly point; it's not a great margin and if it wasn't for the issue with the clock we might have lost," Collins said. "I'm going into the game the same way; let the best team win, period."
The Lady Bears have won eight in a row, dating back to December 28 - a 61-54 loss at Monessen. However, that was a tournament game and did not count in the standings.
Clairton last month beat host Monessen 69-68 in a controversial finish with discrepancy over the game clock.
This time, the Lady Hounds feature a new weapon. Sophomore guard Alicia Stein has averaged 22.7 points in her past three games. Her sudden outside threat has added a new wrinkle to coach Major Corley's attack that includes Charel Allen, Nychole Whitlock and freshman center Perriel Pearson.
"Of course the coach is going to think of a new play or coach them harder, he's the coach and that's his job," Collins said. "It's playoff time; I have to do my job as well. It's not gravy; you have to keep yourself thinking there's always room for improvement, every game, every practice."
Even if others see it as having no mercy.
