Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action Sunday. File photo courtesy of Michael Price Photography (https://solsports.zenfolio.com/f911865812)
Non-league
CoBL Winter Classic (at Ursinus College)
UPPER DUBLIN 50, CARDINAL O’HARA 44
It was just one of four in a string of ambitious non-league games for the Cardinals. Played in front of a modest crowd as part of the CoBL Winter Classic at Ursinus College on Sunday afternoon.
But this one – it meant just a little more. Actually, it meant a whole lot more.
Turns out no one on UD’s sideline had forgotten last year’s 48-17 season-ending loss to O’Hara in the opening round of the PIAA 6A State Tournament.
“We had a big game last Sunday (a win over Rutgers Prep), and to be able to come back this Sunday and win – especially for me, the last time we played O’Hara, I was out with my knee, and I couldn’t play,” said Megan Ngo, who was on crutches with a torn ACL when the teams last met. “I just really wanted to win this time.”
A win seemed unlikely, at best, when Leah Hudak buried a shot less than three minutes into the second quarter, giving O’Hara a 22-8 lead. The Lions couldn’t miss.
“In the first half, we kind of got caught in certain spots, our shots weren’t dropping,” UD sophomore Tamia Clark said. “We were just trying to stay in the game, just trying to keep it under control.”
Clark – named UD’s player of the game – did her part to keep the Cards in it, scoring all eight of her team’s first-quarter points.
The Lions, however, buried four 3-pointers in the opening frame and led 16-8, but after opening up their 14-point lead on Hudak’s bucket, the Lions scored just five points the remainder of the half.
With less than a minute remaining in the half, a basket by Clark – who had 14 points in the first half – sent UD into halftime trailing by just eight, 27-19.
“I didn’t think we had a whole lot of energy in the first quarter,” UD coach Morgan Funsten said. “In the second quarter, our bench started getting loud, and it was cool. I felt like it woke me up too. I complimented the girls after the game – just for that little extra energy. That was the emotional side of things.
“The physical basketball side of things was – the games we scouted (O’Hara) shot 23 percent from 3-point range. I wouldn’t say it’s a strength of theirs, and then they made seven 3s in the first half.
“The message at halftime was – we just have to wait this out, and hopefully, we have weathered their 3-point shooting storm. It had kind of slowed down by halftime.”
Ngo’s six points kept the Cards in it in the third quarter, and when Clark scored on a drive late in the quarter, the Cards trailed 33-28 heading into the final quarter.
Things got very interesting when Ngo buried a 3 after an O’Hara turnover to open the fourth quarter.
Just like that it was a 33-31 game.
The Lions went back on top 38-34, but Ngo turned an Emilia Coleman deflection into a fast break. She was fouled and buried both shots.
After a pair of O’Hara misses, Bridget DiMartile connected on one of two foul shots to pull the Cards to within one, and when Coleman hit nothing but net on a 3 with 2:45 remaining, the Cards had their first lead, 40-38.
O’Hara evened the score on a pair of Molly Rullo foul shots, but Clark scored over her defender to give UD a two-point lead.
Ngo sank a pair at the foul line to up that lead to four. The Lions pulled to within two yet again, but with 13 seconds remaining Clark sank the first of two at the foul line, missed the second but Coleman snagged the offensive rebound. She was fouled and sank both foul shots to put the Cards on top 48-43 on their way to the big win.
By the numbers: Tamia Clark finished with 21 points (8-for-15 from the field, 5-for-8 at the foul line) and six rebounds. Megan Ngo added 17 points (6-for-6 from the foul line), 3 steals and two assists. Emilia Coleman had 11 points – 8 in the third quarter, 7 rebounds and 3 assists.
Upper Dublin coach Morgan Funsten:
— The second half: “I even thought we were a little unlucky in the third quarter. We were getting great shots, and they just weren’t dropping. I thought the girls did a great job of not panicking, staying patient and not trying to do too much defensively, and eventually, we’re offensively talented enough that I thought we’d start making shots.”
–Clark named UD’s outstanding player: “(She had) 14 first-half points. She was absolutely unguardable. They tried a couple different girls on her. Her moves – it was so simple. If they gave her a lane, she would take it to the basket. If they cut her off on her drive, she would jump stop and shoot a six-footer. She’s been unbelievable.”
–Ngo delivers: “You know Meg’s a gamer. The biggest games are usually when she has her biggest performances. Just to stay within herself – I thought she tried to do a little too much in the first half, but in the second half, I know we take it for granted her making all of her foul shots, but there’s nobody better to step to the line.”
–Prime time Coleman: “She had eight (points) in the fourth quarter – two big 3s. We were down one, and she made that wing 3 off the out of bounds play.
“It’s really difficult play Molly Ruhl, who is such a physical, special player. She beat us in the first half the way she doesn’t usually beat us – she made four 3s. Especially based off our scout, I thought Emilia defended her the way we wanted to defend her. Molly got hot from the outside, but in the second half, she was more in a space and much more uncomfortable.”
UD sophomore Tamia Clark:
–On her expanded repertoire of shots: “I feel like I’m not limited to what I was doing last year, but also, it helps me find some of my teammates open if I don’t have a shot.”
–The importance of the win: “It was really, really big because after last year – we came in and really wanted to beat them. We wanted to be really aggressive and play smart.”
Upper Dublin point guard Megan Ngo on the game: “We had scouted them as a team that could get downhill, and we weren’t focused on their 3s. They made seven 3s in the first half. We just had to keep our head up and keep focusing on what we wanted to do. We had to adjust at halftime and guard the 3 a little better.”
–On the play of teammate Tamia Clark: “She’s been great this season, especially the past couple of weeks. She has a 3-point shot, and she also has moves in the paint. She’s just become an all-around scorer and a great player.”
–On attacking the basket in the second half: “Personally, I was seeing where there was space for me to attack a little bit more and just being smarter and more aggressive and finding my teammates.”
–On the addition of Emilia Coleman this season: “She’s been great for us. She’s very versatile. For her to have to guard the best player on the other team and also be a big part of our offense, it’s been great to have her. She had the big offensive rebound – that was the biggest play of the game.”
Up next: Upper Dublin (13-2, 4-0 SOL) will host Pennsbury in a non-league game Tuesday.
Upper Dublin 8-11-9-22 50
Cardinal O’Hara 16-11-6-11 44
Upper Dublin (50) – Bridget DiMartile 0 1-2 1; Tamia Clark 8 5-8 21; Megan Ngo 5 6-6 17; Jordan Siegel 0 0-2 0; Emilia Coleman 3 3-3 11; TOTALS 16 15-21 50.
Cardinal O’Hara (44) – Brigid MacGillvray 1 0-0 2; Natalie DiBlasi 1 0-0 3; Leah Hudak 3 0-0 8; Molly Rullo 4 5-6 17; Brigidanne Donohue 6 1-2 14; TOTALS 15 6-8 44.
3-point goals: UD – Emilia Coleman 2, Bridget DiMartile; CO – Molly Rullo 4, Leah Hudak 2, Natalie DiBlasi, Brigidanne Donohue.
CONESTOGA 61, NESHAMINY 22
Ryann Jennings made sure Neshaminy never had a chance in Sunday’s CoBL Winter Classic at Ursinus College.
Conestoga’s junior shooting guard was unstoppable, lighting up the net for 17 first-quarter points.
By halftime, Jennings had 24 points, and the Pioneers led 39-10 on their way to the big win. Jennings finished with 27 points, which included five 3-pointers.
Mia Raivitch – who had nine points on three 3-pointers – was selected as Neshaminy’s player of the game.
Neshaminy coach John Gallagher on the game: “We anticipated a serious challenge from Conestoga today, but the game came down to two things. As a coach, I felt we were ready for the things Conestoga does. In actuality, I did a poor job preparing our girls for the anticipated half court trapping zone. What the staff put in to help the girls was not adequate to offset what we faced. The second item was how poorly we came mentally prepared to compete against a very strong district team. Aside from Alena Cofield, no other player or coach displayed a competitive spirit that was worthy of being invited to the CoBL event.
“We went down 9-0 before we got a decent look at the basket. Their press improved dramatically the past couple games with the addition of previously injured Ruth Lanovette, who sits behind Jennings and in front of Preston (Army signee), in the trapping defense. Her length and athleticism complement their defensive concepts. To say Jennings had a hot hand is an understatement. It was not like we were unaware of her ability to shoot from distance, but it didn’t matter.”
Up next: Neshaminy (10-3, 4-1 SOL) will host Abington in a non-league game Tuesday.
Neshaminy 5-5-6-6 22
Conestoga 26-13-12-10 61
Neshaminy (22) – Grace Weyler 0 2-2 2; Alena Cofield 1 0-0 2; Ashlyn Duffy 2 0-0 4; Mia Raivitch 3 0-0 9; Hayley Kolk 1 0-2 3; Camryn Rodriguez 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 8 2-4 22.
Conestoga (61) – Libby Brown 1 0-0 2; Ruth Lanouette 3 0-1 8; Rebecca Schmidt 3 0-0 8; Ryann Jennings 11 0-1 27; Maggie Neery 0 2-2 2; Janie Preston 4 2-2 10; Kate Martin 2 0-0 4; TOTALS 24 4-6 61.
3-point goals: N – Mia Ravitch 3, Hayley Kolk; C – Ryann Jennings 5, Ruth Lanouette 2, Rebecca Schmidt 2.
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