It certainly wasn’t a certainty that Simone Pelish would reach the milestone then. Of course, it would be ideal if the moment came during a home game, before a throng of her relatives and friends, and with Our Lady of Lourdes High School having a platform to thoroughly celebrate the achievement.
But, it’s not as if 40 points is ordinary.
“We knew she was capable of getting it, so everyone was there and prepared for it,” Lourdes girls basketball coach Al Viani said. “But there was no way to be sure it was going to happen.”
Then again, it’s Pelish, who often has met and even exceeded the lofty expectations of herself, and who regularly treats local audiences to memorable performances.
There was another. The senior scored 40 points, including the 2,000th of her career, while leading the Warriors in a 74-39 win over Franklin D. Roosevelt on Friday evening before a delighted home crowd.
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“She’s a humble and lowkey person, but you can tell she was excited,” Viani said of Pelish. “She wasn’t jumping up and down, but she was happy and definitely proud.”
Pelish scored her last points on free throws with 5:30 left in the fourth quarter, becoming only the sixth Dutchess County girl to reach that benchmark. She joined Jenna Viani as the second Lourdes player on the list.
Jenna Viani accomplished it while helping the Warriors win the Class B state final in 2002, which made the moment even more special. But, Al Viani said, “they couldn’t stop the game to celebrate it. They just announced it during a timeout.”
Jenna was in attendance Friday night and, fittingly, she was part of the celebration. Al Viani snapped a photo of his daughter posed with Pelish afterwards. Jenna holds the program scoring record, but Pelish is within 42 points of it and has two regular season games remaining.
The University of Miami commit is averaging 31.5 points per game and scored a career-high 47 in December, so this performance wasn’t shocking. She went 15 for 22 from the field, including five 3-pointers, despite facing a box-and-one defense.
“We had a big lead and didn’t want to run up the score,” Al Viani said, “but we said if she had a big first half and had a chance to do it, we’d let her go for it to get it at home.”
Pelish scored 22 in the first half and nine in the third quarter, including a long three at the buzzer.
“She was probably the top freshman I’ve had as far as skill level,” Viani said of the 6-foot guard. “To watch her progress from that has been something else. She’s gotten so much stronger and her overall game has improved. She’s one of the best at finishing through contact, she’s got long-distance range, and her confidence and understanding of the game is up there.”
Lourdes (15-1) is a championship contender in Section 9 Class AAA. They returned most of their core after reaching the section final last winter, and some players have made considerable strides. The Warriors visit Wallkill on Tuesday to determine their division title.
Kayla Johannesen, a defensive standout, has become a playmaker and led them in assists the last several games. Lila Lovgren emerged as a scoring option, and sophomore center Bianka Velovic has become a reliable inside presence. Jackie Kozakiewicz returned last month from a foot injury has “added punch” offensively. Her abilities as a ball-handler and facilitator, Viani said, allow Pelish to operate off the ball more often.
“We’ve really gelled as the season went along,” Viani said. “We’ve pushed them to reach their top level and the girls have done a great job.”
Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Girls basketball: Pelish notches 2,000th point as Lourdes wins big
