SOL Girls’ Basketball PIAA Preview (3-10-20)

Five SOL girls’ basketball teams will be in action in Tuesday’s second round of the PIAA 6A Tournament. Check back for recaps of all the games.

#1-1 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST vs #11-2 FREEDOM (at Pottsgrove, Tuesday, March 10, 7 p.m.)

Central Bucks West

25-4 overall
12-0 SOL Continental Conference regular season champions
Defeated #8 Upper Dublin 38-33 to capture the SOL Tournament title, the program’s third in six years.
Led by Penn State signee Maddie Burke (14 ppg, 4.4 rpg), a long-range sharpshooter who connects on 44 percent from beyond the arc.
Also making important contributions are sophomore Emily Spratt (10 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.4 apg), senior point guard Olivia Irons (10 ppg), junior Paige Gilbert (7 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and senior Jess Broskey (7 ppg, 3.7 rpg).
Second seed in District One 6A Tournament

How they got here: In an opening round game, Central Bucks West notched a 49-32 win over #3-7 Hempfield. Sophomore Emily Spratt led the Bucks with 17 points. Junior Paige Gilbert had 10 points and seven rebounds, and senior Olivia Irons added nine.

Freedom

23-5 overall
8-2 EPC Steel Division second to Bethlehem Catholic
Lost to Bethlehem Catholic 59-38 in EPC Tournament semifinals
Led by senior Holy Family signee Jennifer Kokolus (17.4 ppg), who surpassed the 1,000-point plateau in January.
Sophomore Kailey Turpening (13.3ppg) and junior Brenna Ortwein (8.4 ppg) also are consistent contributors.

How they got here: In an opening round contest, Freedom jumped out to a 15-2 lead after one quarter on it way to a 60-49 win over #1-6 North Penn. Jennifer Kokolus scored 24 to lead the Patriots. Kailey Turpening (17 points) and Corinn Gill (13 points) also finished in double figures.

PENNSBURY vs. #1-9 OWEN J ROBERTS (at Bensalem High School, Tuesday, March 10, 7:30 p.m.)

Pennsbury

23-5 overall
11-1 SOL National Conference co-champions with Neshaminy
Fell to #2 Central Bucks West 30-23 in SOL Tournament semifinals, snapping a nine-game winning streak.
Led by sophomore point guard Ava Sciolla, who averages 14.0 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game and is the glue that keeps the Falcons together
Senior Mary Miller (9.5 ppg), sophomore Nicole Pompili (9.5 ppg) as well are junior Bella Arcuri (6.7 ppg, 3 apg, 2 spg) are also important contributors
Fourth seed in the District One 6A Tournament

How they got here: In an opening round game, Pennsbury rolled to a 45-24 win over #3-5 Red Lion. Sophomore Ava Sciolla led a balanced attack with 12 points. Bella Arcuri (8 points), Nicole Pompili (7 points) and Mary Miller (6 points) also contributed.

Owen J Roberts

21-9 overall
6-4 PAC Liberty Division
Playing in the first state tournament in the program’s history
Led by senior Olivia LeClaire (13 ppg), the program’s all-time leading scorer who surpassed the 1,000-point mark in January. She was PAC Liberty first team selection as both a sophomore and junior.
Sophomore point guard Avery White averages 13.1 points, senior Hannah Clay contributes 7.6 points a game, and senior Brooke Greenawald chips in with 5.3 points and is the team’s top rebounder.
Starting lineup includes four seniors

How they got here: In an opening round game, Owen J Roberts led wire to wire in a 45-35 win over #2-1 Hazelton. Sophomore point guard Avery White’s 19 points included a 10-for-10 effort at the foul line. Olivia LeClaire added 10 and Hannah Clay had seven.

#1-3 PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH vs. #7-5 BALDWIN (at Chambersburg High School, Tuesday, March 10, 6 p.m.)

Plymouth Whitemarsh

24-4 overall
13-1 SOL American Conference champions
Fell to #8 Upper Dublin 39-35 in SOL Tournament semifinals.
Balanced scoring is the name of the game for the Colonials, who are led by sophomore point guard Kaitlyn Flanagan (11.1 ppg) and junior forward Anna McTamney (11.0).
Also making important contributions are freshman Erin Daley (9.2 ppg), junior Gabby Cooper (8 ppg) and junior Jordyn Thomas (7.6 ppg).
PW opened the season 17-0.

How they got here: In an opening round game, Plymouth Whitemarsh rallied from a 40-37 halftime deficit to defeat #11-4 Pocono Mountain West 68-52, allowing just 12 second-half points. Junior Anna McTamney had a career night, scoring 32 points. Freshman Abby Sharpe added 15, and Kaitlyn Flanagan had eight.

Baldwin

13-10 overall
7-7 WPIAL Section 2
First WPIAL playoff berth since 2015
Jenna Lutz, a 6-0 forward, is the lone senior on a roster that is anchored by a strong junior class. She recently returned to action after being sidelined for the season with a foot injury
Lost five of six games entering the state tournament.

How they got here: In an opening round game, Baldwin upset #3-1 Central Dauphin 43-35. Meghan Dryburgh’s 11 points led the way.

#1-5 UPPER DUBLIN vs. #7-2 BETHEL PARK (at Chambersburg High School, Tuesday, March 10, 7:30 pm)

Upper Dublin

21-8 overall
12-2 SOL American Conference second place
Lost to #2 Central Bucks West 38-33 in SOL Tournament title game, a loss that broke a 10-game winning streak.
Won two of three meetings against #1 Plymouth Whitemarsh, splitting the regular season series (25-47, 39-26) and winning in the SOL Tournament semifinals (39-35).
Led by Lehigh University-bound senior Jackie Vargas, who averages 13.6 points and controls the paint.
Senior Anajae Smith, a Millersville University signee, has averaged 7.8 points and been a welcome addition to the lineup after being sidelined most of the regular season with an injury.
Dayna Balasa (8.5 ppg) is dangerous from long range, Kara Grebe (6.3 ppg) provides muscle in the paint, and point guard Jess Polin (5.4 ppg) distributes the ball.
Eighth seed in the District One 6A tournament

How they got here: In an opening round game, Upper Dublin defeated #3-2 Cumberland Valley 42-19. The Flying Cardinals, who allowed just one field goal in the opening half, took a 13-4 lead into halftime. Dayna Balasa led the way with 12 points on four 3-pointers. Kara Grebe added seven.

Bethel Park

22-3 overall
Allows an average of 37 ppg
Fell in overtime to North Allegheny (54-50) in the WPIAL championship game
Led by St. Bonaventure recruit Madelyn Dziezgowski. The 5-11 guard/forward averages 15 points a game and surpassed the 1,000-point milestone on Jan. 20
Junior Olivia Westphal also averages 15 points. The 5-9 guard reached the 1,000-point milestone on Jan. 25. Westphal has 14 Division I offers

How they got here: In an opening round game, Bethel Park – despite trailing 15-13 at halftime – rallied to defeat Governor Mifflin, the fifth place team out of District 3, 46-28. Senior Lauren Mullen’s 16 points led the Black Hawks. Olivia Westphal had 13 – all in the second half, and Madelyn Dziezgowski added 11.

#1-7 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST vs. #3-2 CENTRAL YORK (at Garden Spot High School, Tuesday, March 10, 6 p.m.)

Central Bucks East

19-9 overall
8-4 SOL Continental Conference tied for second place
Patriots average 51 points a game while allowing 44.
Emily Chmiel had a breakout season, averaging 18.8 points and 22.5 rebounds a game. The junior center is shooting 54 percent from the field and 70 percent from the line (123-of-175).
The Patriots, who have no seniors on their roster, are led by co-captains Mia Salvati (12.5 ppg) and Gabby Wilga (6 ppg). Salvati has 37 3s on the season and is 71-of-93 at the foul line (76 percent).
Sophomore Aubrey DeAngelis (6.0 ppg) and junior Emily Barry (5.0 ppg) also make important contributions. DeAngelis leads the team with two steals a game.
Fourth trip to state tournament in coach Liz Potash’s seven years at the helm.
11^th seed in the District One 6A tournament

How they got here: In an opening round game, Central Bucks East routed #12-2 Central 62-22. Junior Emily Chmield’s 23 points led the Patriots. Elise Duffy (9 points), Mia Salvati (8 points), Emily Barry (8 points) and Devon Burns (6 points) also contributed.

Central York

22-5 overall
11-1 Division 1 regular season champion
Fell to Central Dauphin 40-36 in District 3 title game
Fell to Gettysburg 34-32 in the semifinals of the YAIAA Tournament, breaking a 15-game winning streak.
Led by senior captain Emily Prowell (11 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.8 spg) and junior captain Sarah Berman (11.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.3 apr, 1.2 spg).
Also making important contributions are freshmen Bella Chimienti (8.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.4 spg) and Mackenzie Wright-Rawls (5.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.3 apg, 2.4 spg, 1.3 bpg).
The Panthers have connected on 146 3-pointers, led by Sarah Berman (63), Emily Prowell (27) and Bella Chimienti (17).

How they got here: In an opening round game, Central York scored at the buzzer to defeat #1-8 Methacton 51-49. Sarah Berman and Bella Chimienti both scored 14 points while Abby McFerren added 10.