Angelina Pelayo is a physical presence inside for Sacred Heart who continues to get better and better. (Les Nicholson Photo)
She plays on a team with sophomore superstar ZaKiyah Johnson, senior dynamo Triniti Ralston and junior standout Reagan Bender. However, 6-3 junior Angelina Pelayo plays a “big” role in a lot of ways.
She had 13 points, nine rebounds, four blocks and four assists Friday in another routine state tournament victory. This time it was 67-45 to put Sacred Heart, the two-time defending champion, back into Saturday’s semifinals against George Rogers Clark
Pelayo has a handful of college offers but seems to have everything a lot of colleges would want in a post player to make it likely more offers will be coming.
“AP has always had it,” Sacred Heart coach Donna Moir said. “She has played a big role the past three years. She keeps getting better and better.
“There are not many girls with her length. Defense, she can play straight up. She has great hands, great shot. She can finish well around the basket. The sky’s the limit for her and she is still growing, too.”
Pelayo runs the court well and got several fast break baskets against Owensboro Catholic off nice passes from teammates. But she also passes the ball out of the post well.
The junior center said she worked on post moves in the paint and playing better with her back to the basket.
“I would say last year I was a little nervous and too scared of messing up in games,” Pelayo said. “I trust my teammates a lot. I know if am open I can score a lot.”
Moir feels that way about her whole team. Johnson had 23 points on 8-for-12 shooting along with six assists and five rebounds, Bender 12 points on 6-for-11 shooting and Ralston 11 on 4-for-9 along with seven rebounds, four assists, four steals and one block.
Sacred Heart led 20-14 late in the first half before dominating the rest of the game. It was the same way in Sacred Heart’s first game when it was tied 18-18 with Lawrence County before the Jaguars turned the game into a rout.
“These girls continue to amaze me. They love to play and work on their game all the time,” Moir said. “We pride ourselves on defense. We were stopping them on defense and I felt like our offense would come.
“We made a couple of adjustments at halftime. Z moves so well without the ball and got some good looks. I know we can score. You know it is going to come. I just have a lot of confidence in them.”
