Check out the recaps for SOL boys/girls basketball teams in action Saturday.
Boys’ Non-league
BENSALEM 56, HOLY GHOST 40
Jeremiah Alexander had himself a day.
The Owls’ junior forward – who did not play basketball last year – racked up an unorthodox and remarkable triple-double, finishing with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocked shots.
"He played fantastic," coach Mike McCabe said. "He's been out of the game for a while. He hasn't played a whole lot, but he's starting to really come around.
"The kid can jump out of a building. It's just amazing – his timing and everything. He takes more pride in that than anything. It's a nice thing to have."
Lamont Hasker led all scorers with 18 points, and Nasir Williams had eight.
"Lamont had a really good game," McCabe said. "Nasir Williams, our point guard, played really well.
"We're starting to come together a little bit. I knew it would take some time. We don't have a whole lot of varsity experience. You see flashes of it coming together."
The Owls led 11-7 after one quarter and took a 25-16 lead into halftime. They outscored their hosts 31-24 in the second half to earn the impressive win.
"That's a great program every year," McCabe said. "Tony (Chapman) does such a great job coaching. He knows the game. He knows how to counter everything you do. He's been around for a long time, and he's a real asset to our game.
"This is for the pride of Bensalem. We call it the Backyard Brawl."
The win came on the heels of Thursday's overtime loss to Pennsbury.
"Coming off that heartbreaker, we get up to Pennsbury, and we shoot 6-for-15 from the line up there – if we make our foul shots, we don't go to overtime," McCabe said. "It's kind of been our Achilles heel lately.
"Today again we were 15-for-30, and we win by 16. It's not like we don't practice them, believe me. I think it's focus. We talked to the kids yesterday about it."
Bensalem (3-4, 1-2 SOL) will face Bristol in an opening round game of its own Dick Dougherty Tournament on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Bensalem 11-14-18-13 56
Holy Ghost 7-9-15-9 40
Bensalem (56) – Nasir Williams 8, Jeremiah Alexander 15, Shane Simmons 5, TJ Igielski 3, Lamont Hasker 18, Adam Beck 2, Sanders 5.
Holy Ghost (40) – Matt Soban 2, Tyler Mish 11, Jack Rittenmeyer 3, Greg Calvin 13, Sean Sylvester 8, Jim Armentani 3.
PENNRIDGE 61, SCRANTON PREP 36
The Rams dominated play from the outset of Saturday’s non-league game at Muhlenberg College. They led 21-10 at the end of one quarter and took a commanding 32-17 lead into halftime. If there was any doubt about the outcome, those doubts were put to rest when the Rams came out of the locker room and outscored Scranton Prep 19-1 in the third quarter.
Senior Sean Yoder led all scorers with 18 points. John Dominic and Pat Gillespie each added nine points. Jon Post contributed seven and Trent Fisher had six.
Pennridge (6-2, 1-1 SOL) will take on Governor Mifflin in the opening round of the Boyertown Holiday Tournament on Friday at 3 p.m.
Scranton Prep 10-7-1-18 36
Pennridge 21-11-19-10 61
Scranton Prep (36) – Shereton 3, Borland 13, Rowell 5, Bednarz 2, Genco 2, Skiff 2, Merritt 9.
Pennridge (61) – Luke Yoder 5, John Dominic 9, Sean Yoder 18, Paul Croyle 3, Colin Post 2, Trent Fisher 6, Ryan Benscoter 2, Pat Gillespie 9, Jon Post 7.
Girls’ Non-league
PENNSBURY 65, AUDENREID 59
The Falcons competed in the Cream of the Crop Showcase at Imhotep on Saturday, and they made the most of the opportunity, defeating Audenreid in a high octane non-league contest.
“We knew it would be a high-scoring game,” coach Frank Sciolla said. “One of the biggest issues we’ve had in the first six games of the season – we’ve seen exactly three possessions of full-court pressure.
“We knew that this team because of their style of play and their guards – they were going to press us. They weren’t going to stop doing what they do. We figured that would give us a chance to get out into the open floor, which is advantageous to some of our girls.”
The Falcons – behind eight points from Ava Sciolla and six from Cami Wiegand – led 18-15 after a high-scoring first quarter. They took a 34-26 lead into halftime. Sciolla’s nine points led the Falcons.
“They did pressure us, and we were able to handle it,” Sciolla said. “We got into foul trouble. A big press breaker for us is Ava (Sciolla), and she got in quick foul trouble in the first quarter, and we had to shuffle her in and out because the game was really physical.
“Our girls did a great job. Mary Miller – in an up-tempo game – can really thrive because she’s an athlete. She played well, and she was able to get down the floor and get some baskets. Bella Arcuri did a nice job handling pressure.
“We take it for granted sometimes with Ava, but she just really refuses to turn the ball over, so she really helps us getting through pressure and making the right plays.”
Audenreid outscored the Falcons 33-31 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough as Pennsbury held on for the win.
“It was back and forth,” Sciolla said. “We struggled a little bit at the line, and they actually took a two-point lead with five minutes to go in the fourth quarter.
“With about three minutes to go, we pressed for the first time – normally, we press the whole game. With the foul situation and their athleticism, we didn’t want to let their guards go crazy. We went to a little half-court zone press with about three minutes to go, and they turned it over three straight times. That turned the tide on the game.”
Wiegand scored nine of her team-high 17 points in the fourth quarter, which included a 5-of-6 effort at the foul line. She also had nine assists and seven rebounds and was named game MVP.
“The real story today was Cami Wiegand, who did a great job passing the ball and really took advantage of opportunities against their pressure to attack the rim,” Sciolla said.
Wiegand was one of four Falcons to finish in double figures. Miller added 14 points, Sciolla had 12 and Kate Mix added 10. Nicole Pompili had six points.
Audenreid was led by Alanis Hill (22 points) and Taliyah Rahman (21 points).
“Audenreid has two girls who are averaging 20 a game,” Sciolla said. “They have three guards who will be either Division I or Division II players, so they can score, and they’re really skilled, and they were magnificent shot makers.
“I think they made eight floaters in one game. Sometimes you look at floaters and think, ‘That’s a bad shot. I’m not in love with it,’ but this was clearly something they worked on and were comfortable with.”
Pennsbury (5-2, 1-1 SOL) will take on Oxford on Thursday at 3 p.m. in an opening round game of the Ridley Tournament.
Pennsbury 18-16-14-17 65
Audenreid 15-11-18-15 59
Pennsbury (65) – Abbi Nassivera 2, Bella Arcuri 4, Kate Mix 10, Mary Miller 14, Nicole Pompili 6, Ava Sciolla 12, Cami Wiegand 17.
Audenreid (59) – Alanis Hill 22, Taliyah Rahman 21, Destiny Lee-Stevens 3
Ashjahnelle Wilson 6, Serenity Peterson 2, Haniyyah Zahir 2.
NORTH PENN 52, GOVERNOR MIFFLIN 29
The Knights raced out of the gate to a 19-6 lead after one quarter and took a commanding 34-14 lead into halftime on their way to the non-league win.
The win was a team effort with just two points separating the top four Knights. Carley Adams had a team-high 11 points, which included a pair of threes and a 5-for-8 effort at the foul line. Val McGriff added 10 points. Alli Lindsay and Alaina Mullaly both had nine points. Rachel Dunne chipped in six points.
North Penn (3-2, 1-1 SOL) will face Germantown Academy Friday at 5:15 p.m. in an opening round game of the Cardinal Classic at Upper Dublin.
Governor Mifflin 6-8-10-3 29
North Penn 19-15-7-11 52
Governor Mifflin (29) – Stella Mollica 12, Sydney Payne 3, Destiny White 6, Lindsey Diggan 6, Kayla Delveccio 4.
North Penn (52) – Cayla Sharkey 5, Laynie Doran 2, Alli Lindsay 9, Rachel Dunne 6, Alaina Mullaly 9, Carley Adams 11, Val McGriff 10.
LIBERTY 40, QUAKERTOWN 28
The Panthers hung tough in the first half, trailing by just four at the intermission, but Liberty added to its lead in the second half to earn the non-league win.
Fallon Grandinetti and Katie Offner both scored eight points to lead the Panthers. Bri Lefkoski added six points.
Quakertown (1-6, 0-2 SOL) will travel to Stroudsburg on Thursday for a non-league game at 7 p.m.
Liberty 9-6-14-11 40
Quakertown 4-7-10-7 28
Liberty (40) – Wesco 10, McDonald 6, Curti 2, Bokan 11, Eisenhart 3, Riefinger 8.
Quakertown (28) – Bri Lefkoski 6, Abigail Dickson 2, Kimmy Best 2, Katie Offner 8, Fallon Grandinetti 8, Alexis Miccuci 2.
LANSDALE CATHOLIC 84, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 32
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