Neshaminy fell to Garnet Valley in the District 1 6A championship game at Temple on Saturday. CB West was a winner in a playback game. Neshaminy/Garnet Valley photos provided courtesy of Kathy Leister Photography & Darryl Rule of J&D Photography. Check back for a gallery of photos.
#1-1 GARNET VALLEY 63, #1-2 NESHAMINY 53
As the final seconds wound off the scoreboard clock at Temple University’s Liacouras Center, a Neshaminy layup rolled around the rim and fell out. It was a moment that effectively summed up Saturday’s District 1 6A title game for the Redskins.
“The ball just didn’t bounce our way,” junior Emily Tantala said.
The Redskins were certainly resilient, rallying from a seemingly insurmountable 20-3 deficit to pull to within three midway through the third quarter, but they never could get over the hump.
“You’re going to have those games where the ball just doesn’t bounce your way,” senior Allison Harvey said. “It sucks, but we’re going to get ready for states. We’re going to prepare.”
Saturday’s district title game got off to a shaky start for the Redskins, who fell behind 9-0 less than three minutes into the game. A Harvey three-pointer put the Redskins on the board with 5:19 remaining in the quarter, but they did not score again until the 4:50 mark of the second quarter when Olivia Scotti connected on a basket. During the Redskins’ scoring drought of eight-plus minutes, the Jaguars added to their lead, opening up a 20-3 advantage when Jillian Nagy sank one-of-two at the foul line.
The Redskins closed out the half with a 12-3 run. Tantala followed Scotti’s basket with one of her own, and then Brooke Mullin turned a steal into a layup. A three-point play by Kelli Kowalick was answered with a three at the other end by Abbey Anderson. Kristin Curley turned a pass from Tantala into a three-pointer, making it a 23-15 game at halftime.
The Redskins continued their comeback in the third quarter with McCoy finding Curley for an easy bucket on the team’s opening possession. A three-pointer by Harvey made it a 25-20 game.
McAteer responded with a three at the other end, but it looked like momentum might be swinging in the Redskins’ favor when – after Mullin missed the second of two foul shots – a Garnet Valley player mistakenly scored in the Redskins’ basket.
“We knew when we came out from halftime we had to get it together, focus, and we knew our shots would start dropping,” Harvey said. “We brought it close a couple of times.”
It was a 32-29 game when Tantala scored on a tough drive, but the Jaguars closed out the quarter with a 9-2 run to go back on top by double digits, 41-31. The Redskins pulled to within seven on several occasions in the final quarter but would get no closer.
“It felt as though as hard as we worked – two or three bounces didn’t go our way,” coach Joe Lally said. “They got it back to five again, and a couple of bounces didn’t go our way.
“I guess it’s the old cliché – the ball just didn’t fall for us today. We had opportunities and shots. Quite honestly, 20-3 should have been more like 20-17. Some of our spurts should have given us the lead and had them playing from behind. Unfortunately, it didn’t work that way. You have to give them credit. They made the best of their opportunities.”
Tantala, who gave the Redskins a lift off the bench, scored a team-high 13 points. Mullin had five steals to go along with nine points. Harvey also had nine points. McCoy added eight points and five steals. Curley finished with seven points and two steals.
“When we put really good pressure on them, I think they started to get scared,” McCoy said. “We capitalized on that with turnovers, and we just have to execute off those turnovers – that’s where we struggled.”
McAteer and teammate Brianne Borckey combined to score 43 points. McAteer led all scorers with 27 points, which included three three-pointers and a perfect 8-for-8 effort at the foul line.
“She can shoot the ball from the perimeter, she’s good off the dribble, and she’s just really strong,” Lally said of McAteer. “Overall, she’s a big kid that uses her body really well.”
Neshaminy (24-4, 12-0 SOL) will face Cedar Crest, District 3’s seventh place team, in Friday’s opening round of the PIAA 6A Tournament.
“Our ultimate goal is states,” Tantala said. “So now we just need to get back to practice and work on that.”
“We’re focusing on (one) game at a time,” McCoy said. “Don’t take anything for granted.”
Neshaminy 3-12-16-22 53
Garnet Valley 17-6-18-22 63
Neshaminy (53) – Brooke Mullin 3 3-6 9; Kristin Curley 3 0-0 7; Alexis McCoy 3 2-2 8; Kelli Kowalick 2 1-1 5; Allison Harvey 3 0-0 9; Olivia Scotti 1 0-0 2; Emily Tantala 5 3-4 13; TOTALS 20 9-13 53.
Garnet Valley (63) – Morgan Falcone 2 0-0 4; Emily McAteer 8 8-8 27; Madi McKee 0 0-3 0; Jillian Nagy 2 5-7 9; Brianne Borcky 4 8-9 16; Liesl Dentinger 2 0-0 4; Abbey Anderson 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 19 21-27 63.
Three-pointers: Neshaminy – Allison Harvey 3, Kristin Curley, Garnet Valley – Emily McAteer 3, Abbey Anderson.
Playback (Ninth place)
1-14 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 42, #1-12 PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 26
Central Bucks West looks very much like a team that has saved its best for last, turning in its second dominating performance in as many games. The Bucks took the suspense out of Saturday’s ninth place game in a hurry, opening up a 14-0 lead after one quarter and taking a 23-5 lead into halftime.
“I think we’re definitely getting better as a team,” senior Izzy Treon said. “In the beginning of the season, we were more off and on with games.
“We’re really starting to get in the groove. This is states. It counts – you’re one and done, and we have to come out that way every game.”
“It’s all a mindset, it’s all energy,” junior Maddie Burke said. “It’s nothing we can’t do physically. We’re coming together as a team at the right time.”
No one gave the Bucks more energy than Burke, who buried four three-pointers in the opening quarter. While the junior sharpshooter was working her magic on the offensive end, the Bucks were playing stifling defense against a young Colonial squad that starts three freshmen and two sophomores.
“I think our defense is for sure the start of our offense,” Burke said. “The intensity we bring on defense leads to offense, and that’s how we get momentum going forward.”
“Our coaches always say – it doesn’t matter if you make shots,” Treon said. “He told us at the beginning of this game – try your best, shut their girls down, don’t put them on the foul line, and everything else will go your way.”
The Colonials got on the scoreboard when Anna McTamney sank one-of-two at the foul line at the 6:16 mark of the second quarter. They did not connect on their first field goal until Jordyn Thomas buried a foul line jumper with 2:20 remaining in the first half. By that time, the Colonials had a 21-5 lead.
“We did play great defense – our defense was exceptional today,” West coach Terry Rakowsky said. “We played smart again today – we moved the ball, moved the ball, moved the ball and got really good shots. We have enough kids that can shoot if we get those great shots.”
The Colonials turned in a gritty second-half performance, outscoring the visiting Bucks 21-19.
McTamney’s seven points led the Colonials, who received six points each from Jordyn Thomas and Lainey Allen.
Burke led the Bucks with 16 points while Treon added 14. Olivia Irons had six points on a pair of three-pointers.
Central Bucks West (18-9, 9-3 SOL) will take on District 2 champion Hazleton in Friday’s PIAA 6A opening round. Plymouth Whitemarsh (21-6, 10-4) will face Cardinal O’Hara, District 12’s top seed, in an opening round state playoff game.
Central Bucks West 14-9-11-8 42
Plymouth Whitemarsh 0-5-10-11 26
Central Bucks West (42) – Olivia Irons 2 0-0 6; Jess Broskey 1 2-2 4; Maddie Burke 5 2-2 16; Izzy Treon 5 3-8 14; Tori Abelson 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 14 7-12 42.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (26) – Kate Flanagan 1 1-3 3; Gabby Cooper 1 0-0 2; Anna McTamney 3 1-2 7; Brooke Felgoise 0 2-2 2; Lainey Allen 3 0-0 6; Jordyn Thomas 2 2-2 6; TOTALS 10 6-9 26.
3-pointers: CB West – Maddie Burke 4, Olivia Irons 2, Izzy Treon.
Playback (11th place)
#1-19 METHACTON 26, #1-15 PENNSBURY 17
The explanation for the Falcons’ season-ending loss was quite simple – they connected on just 7-of-44 shots from the floor (16 percent) and made only 2-of-25 shots from beyond the arc.
“In 23 years, I never had anything like it,” coach Frank Sciolla said. “It wasn’t like it was a Neshaminy and a smothering defense. Everybody was getting looks.
“If we don’t press them, if we’re not behind and have to chase them the whole game and try to speed the tempo up, they’re probably in the teens. They only got to 26 because we’re fouling.”
To say both teams were struggling to put points on the board would be an understatement – the two teams combined for just 12 points in the middle two quarters. Methacton, which led 12-7 at halftime, took a 15-10 lead into the final quarter.
“We’re not talking about teams that don’t have talent,” Sciolla said. “There are some good players.
“Some of it is defense – to Methacton’s credit and even to our credit. We shot like that, and we were still in the game. We had a wide open three with about 90 seconds to go to cut it to two, and it goes down and it pops out. That’s the way it goes.”
Ava Sciolla’s seven points led the Falcons. Cami Wiegand had a pair of threes for six points.
“Obviously, for us, it’s been a really good year,” Sciolla said. “I’m very happy and proud for our seniors who have seen this thing through from where they have come to this point.
“Really, the biggest piece for us is the dynamic of our community and the crowds at our games and the interest we have that have reminded me of my years there coaching the boys. There are so many good teams and so many good coaches in District 1 basketball. Now we’re in the mix – next year we hope we get back and get better, but I don’t even want to talk about next year.
“I want to focus on being really happy for all of ours seniors and obviously our captain, Kate Mix, who was able to come back and play this year and make all-league.”
Pennsbury (8-4 SOL) closed out its season with a 19-8 record.
“I ran into a guy who told me, ‘You lost to all state playoff teams. Every one of your losses were to state playoff teams, and your other loss was to CB South, and you got revenge on that,’” Sciolla said. “For me, that put things in perspective, but I’d always been proud, and I’d always been happy and happy for our community.
“When you have kids coming in and you have ninth graders like Nicole Pompili and Ava (Sciolla) and you have 10th graders Bella (Arcuri) and Abbi (Nassivera) – it can be difficult for seniors, but they handled it so well. I’m really appreciative of that. I feel like I learn every single year when I’m coaching, but I almost feel in these three years I’ve learned as much as I have in my whole career.”
The starting lineup for last year’s season-ending loss in districts to Upper Dublin was, according to Sciolla, the screensaver on his phone for the past year.
“I kept it as a reminder to keep working and keep working,” the Falcons’ coach said. “I’ll take that off now, and I’ll move on to the next thing and just be very grateful for the year that we had and for the relationships we had with these girls.”
Pennsbury 4-3-3-7 17
Methacton 9-3-3-11 26
Pennsbury (17) – Kate Mix 1 0-2 2; Mary Miller 1 0-0 2; Ava Sciolla 3 1-2 7; Cami Wiegand 2 0-0 6; TOTALS 7 1-4 17.
Methacton (26) – Caroline Pellicano 1 1-2 3; Nicole Timko 2 2-3 7; Tori Bockrath 2 1-2 5; Abby Penjuke 3 2-2 11; TOTALS 8 6-9 26.
3-pointers: Pennsbury – Cami Wiegand 2, Methacton – Abby Penjuke 3, Nicole Timko.
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