Girls Hoops Preview: Westminster at Principia, Both #2 in State

It will be a Metro League, Town and Country, girls basketball showdown Friday night when (15-2) visits (14-3) at 6 p.m.

The Principia Panthers are ranked number 2 in the state for Class 3 and the Wildcats are number 2 in Class 4. Both are undefeated in the league, and both have recently beaten Class 4 MICDS. Westminster overcame a slow start to win 50-42 on Thursday. Principia walked all over the Rams at home on Monday 53-19.

The Wildcats bench will need to step up, with senior captain, small forward Courtney Powell out with a recent knee injury. Powell had averaged 15 points a game. Next behind Powell is junior Sadie Stipanovich with 12.8 per game.

Seniors Liz Gilman and Kara Johnson, lead the Panthers with 14.8 and 15.5 averages, respectively, though Principia head coach Shad Nichols said his team's primary strength is its depth.

"We've got nine players who could start for almost anyone in our league," he said. "For example, the player who plays the ninth most minutes on our team, (junior) Claire Horton, got a start against Cor Jesu, and she hit two threes and another basket inside the 3-point line for seven points in the first half, and helped us win."

As a whole the teams match up almost to the point. Westminster stands at 916 points for and 582 points against (before the recent MICDS game). Principia is 918 for and 579 against.

Westminster head coach Steve Stipanovich said he knows Principia is known for trapping and pressuring. “We have to handle their pressure, that’s going to be one of the keys of the game,” he said.

“It’s going to be a good test for us,” he said. “It’s going to be our third game in four nights, and we have our best player not playing.”

“It should be a very good girls high school basketball game,” Nichols said. “I guarantee there’s nothing bigger happening in Town and Country on Friday night.”