Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action Wednesday. CB South/Truman photos provided courtesy of Jon Sklut. Check back for a gallery of photos: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/f913170668 (North Penn photos courtesy of North Penn basketball)
SOL Patriot/Colonial crossover
NORTH PENN 51, BENSALEM 46
The night belonged to Caleigh Sperling.
The North Penn senior hit nothing but net on a 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter. The basket vaulted Sperling over the 1,000-point milestone, the first since Jess Huber accomplished that feat in 2017 and the 13th in program history.
“I knew of a few people that got a thousand because I used to watch North Penn when I was younger,” Sperling said. “Some of them have come to our practices to help out, but I never thought I would be able to get a thousand, especially because of the COVID year and shortened season freshman year.”
Any ground Sperling may have lost in her shortened freshman season, she more than made up for by averaging 18 points a game as a junior. She entered her final high school season with a thousand points well within her range.
“I had a good idea she would get it – I think she was in the mid-200s away,” North Penn coach Bri Cullen said. “Last year, she averaged 18 a game, so I had a good feeling she’d get there. It was just a matter of time.”
Sperling need 17 points entering Wednesday’s game, and after a low-scoring first half – the Knights led 17-12, she had only six points.
“It was a bit nerveracking because some of my friends came out tonight,” Sperling said. “But, overall, I was just looking for the team win.”
The historic basket came with 2:25 remaining in the fourth quarter.
“It was a relief off my shoulders because I was worrying about it a little bit, and it feels good to get it over with so we can move on,” Sperling said. “It’s really cool to know I’ll see my name up there (on the banner), but I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my teammates looking for that extra pass.”
The Thomas Jefferson University-bound senior credited teammate Leah Mikulski for setting the screen that set the stage for the 3-pointer that put her name in the program record books.
Interestingly, while many players have fallen in love with shooting from beyond the arc, Sperling is not in that number.
“I’m trying not to pick that habit up – I would prefer mid-range jump shots,” she said of a shot few master these days.
Sperling, according to her coach, does a lot of things well on the basketball court.
“She has an all-around, well-developed game,” Cullen said. “I think the biggest piece for her is that she’s a relentless worker. She’s always in the gym, she’s always looking to get better, she’s always watching film on other teams and on herself and asking great questions. Those types of things have elevated her game in the last two years.
“I would say the biggest jump from last year to this year is – she now has an outside game that’s pretty strong.”
In an outing that showed her complete game, Sperling led all scorers with 22 points, which included one 3-pointer and a 9-for-12 effort at the foul line. She was 5-for-6 from the line in a fourth quarter that saw the Owls – behind eight points from Amber Howard – rally, outscoring their hosts 19-14.
“It was a great win,” Cullen said. “Going into it, we knew Bensalem was going to be really well prepared. They’ve been in close games with really good teams, so this game is definitely something we did not take lightly.
“The whole game they just did not give up. They were constantly coming back with runs, they were constantly keeping the pressure on. They definitely gave us a run.”
In the first half, the Knights opened up a 14-5 lead after one quarter but then managed to edge the Owls 5-3 in a second quarter that saw a scarcity of points for both sides.
“Oh my goodness, we couldn’t score – it was definitely a slow start,” Cullen said. “They slowed us down a lot in the first half, and I think the biggest thing was – we got back into our game in the second half. We started to push the ball a little bit more.
“I think the pressure was on Caleigh – that’s a lot of points to get to a thousand. She just took a deep breath and relaxed. It came natural to her as opposed to forcing it to her.”
Sperling had all six of her first-half points in the first quarter and added eight in both the third and fourth quarters.
“In the second half, we were making the extra pass and running our offense more confidently,” Sperling said.
Cullen credited her players for their selfless play in Wednesday’s win.
“The players knew – we all knew that Caleigh was gunning for a thousand, and their willingness to get her the ball and to forfeit some shots to find her – I think that speaks volumes to their character,” the Knights’ coach said.
Also for the Knights, Olivia Stone had nine points while Cameron Crowley and Leah Mikulski both had seven.
For the Owls, Howard led the way with 20 points – 15 in the second half. The North Carolina A&T-bound senior was 5-for-7 at the foul line and had one 3-pointer. Grace McShane, Talia DiMichele and Devon Bell each had six points. Bell scored her six points on a pair of 3s – both in the fourth quarter when the Owls rallied.
“Huge congrats to North Penn on a hard-fought win and Caleigh scoring 1,000 points tonight,” Bensalem coach Steve Johnson said. “I wish she could have waited another night, but it’s a tremendous accomplishment.”
North Penn (11-2, 8-1 SOL) will travel to Harry S Truman for a crossover game Thursday, and Bensalem (8-5, 5-4) will host Pennridge on Friday.
Bensalem 5-7-15-19 46
North Penn 14-3-20-14 51
Bensalem (46) – Grace McShane 2 1-2 6; Talia DiMichele 3 0-0 6; Mikayla Donahue 1 0-0 3; Devon Bell 2 0-0 6; Amber Howard 7 5-7 20; Sydney Daut 2 0-0 4; Peyton Miller 0 1-2 1; TOTALS 17 7-11 46.
North Penn (51) – Cameron Crowley 3 1-2 7; Caleigh Sperling 6 9-12 22; Lily Brown 1 1-2 3; Kelly Donnelly 1 0-0 3; Leah Mikulski 2 3-4 7; Olivia Stone 2 5-6 9; TOTALS 15 19-26 51.
3-point goals: Bensalem – Devon Bell 2, Grace McShane, Mikayla Donahue, Amber Howard; NP – Caleigh Sperling, Kelly Donnelly.
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 57, HARRY S TRUMAN 34
Gianna Rahill scored just one basket, but that one basket in the fourth quarter – the first of her varsity career – stole the spotlight.
“She’s the best,” South coach Beth Mattern of Rahill, a student with a disability who is a full member of an inclusive Titan squad. “In 10th grade, she started as team
manager, and she decided she wanted to try out because she loves basketball. Junior year she played jayvee, and this year she’s playing varsity.
“It’s been a while since she was able to get into a game. She got the ball, and she just drove right to the hoop and put it right in. She’s a very good shooter. This season she’s worked really hard, and she’s getting pretty consistent out to the foul line. She was so excited.”
So were her teammates, who celebrated with her after their big win over the visiting Tigers.
The Titans seized early control of the game, and behind seven points from Ella Wheeler, they opened up a 15-0 lead after one quarter and took a 29-11 lead into halftime.
A 20-point third quarter was highlighted by 10 points from Yoyo Samayoa.
Samayoa’s 13 points led the Titans. Wheeler added nine points, and Gabby Tropea had eight. Casey Balkir, who has
been friends with Rahill since kindergarten, added seven points. Lily Colon also connected on her first varsity basket
Truman’s Yamazjiah Thomas led all scorers, finishing with 19 points that included three 3-pointers. She scored 11 of her points in the fourth quarter. Shylah McCleve and Brianna Philemond both added six points.
“I’m proud of the team effort that went into tonight’s game,” Mattern said. “It was a complete team effort.
“Truman played hard, and (Yamazjiah) Thomas shot the ball incredibly well in the fourth quarter.”
Central Bucks South (8-6, 5-4 SOL) will travel to Pennsbury for a crossover game Thursday, and Harry S Truman (1-13, 0-10) will host North Penn on Thursday.
Harry S Truman 0-11-3-20 34
Central Bucks South 15-14-20-8 57
Harry S Truman (34) Brianna Philemond 2 0-0 6; Chealia Kpou 1 1-4 3; Shylah McCleve 2 2-3 6; Yamazjiah Thomas 6 4-5 19; TOTALS 11 7-12 34.
Central Bucks South (57) – Megan Schmidt 1 0-0 2; Ella Wheeler 4 0-0 9; Casey Balkir 3 0-0 7; Jules Tropea 2 0-0 4; Yoyo Samayoa 5 2-3 13; Emma Carner 1 0-0 2; Mia Klein 2 1-2 5; Gabby Tropea 3 2-2 8; Lilyana Colon 1 1-2 3; Gianna Rahill 1 0-0 2; Anna Granito 0 1-2 1; Morgan McKeever 0 1-2 1; TOTALS 23 8-13 57.
3-point goals: HST –Yamazjiah Thomas 3, Brianna Philemond 2; CBS – Ella Wheeler, Casey Balkir, Yoyo Samayoa.
NESHAMINY 51, PENNRIDGE 34
Neshaminy found itself on the short end of a 26-21 halftime score in Wednesday’s make-up game at Pennridge. Any thoughts of a Ram upset were put to rest in a hurry in the second half by the Redskins, who outscored their hosts 30-8 in an inspired performance.
“As the players entered the locker room at halftime, I heard them discussing things as Nick, Meg and I had our coaches halftime discussion in the hallway outside the locker,” Neshaminy coach John Gallagher said. “Upon entering the locker, I asked the team what they had discussed before we entered. The seniors told me that they were disappointed in the good shots we got without any points and how we needed to be better at getting defensive stops.
“These were the same exact points the coaches were ready to discuss. While we were getting good shots that were not falling, we were not getting any defensive stops. In fact, we only had five defensive rebounds in the first half without giving up any offensive rebounds. Pennridge was patient on offense and was rewarded with drives to the basket or kickouts for open shots.
“It is great to have mature players and leaders who understand what is working and what needs to be addressed. For the team to understand we were getting quality scoring opportunities and needed to be able to finish those opportunities in the second half were welcome words to the staff.”
The first half featured a whole lot of offense by both sides. Ava Fantaskey’s nine points led the Lady Rams, who also got seven points from Ella Brown. Lola Ibarrondo kept the Redskins close with 11 first-half points.
“Pennridge was determined to keep Reese (Zemitis) under control on the offensive end, and to Reese’s credit she did not force anything to the detriment to our team,” Gallagher said of the Bucknell-bound senior, who had three first-half points. “Reese realizes that the teammates she is playing with today are much more seasoned than they were in early December.”
The Redskins outscored the Rams 15-5 in the third quarter. They added to that lead with a 15-3 fourth quarter to close out the game.
Ibarrondo’s 19 points led the Redskins. The senior point guard also had three steals, three assists and three rebounds.
“It helps that we have a player with the talent level of Lola Ibarrondo,” Gallagher said. “Pennridge clogged the lane in an effort to take away Lola’s ability to get to the rim. Lola picked her spots on getting into the lane and when to kick to Ava (Irizarry) Ashlyn (Duffy) and Mia (Raivich) who took advantage of the extra shooting room to knock down some important baskets.
“Ashlyn Duffy picked up additional second half minutes with her ability to do a better job defending, rebounding and knocking down some shots. Ashlyn also has an excellent rapport with the staff in regard to discussing the nuances of scouting reports, and she is not hesitant to ask clarifying questions.”
Also for the Redskins, Zemitis – who surpassed Allison Harvey and is now sixth on the program’s all-time scoring list – added nine points and nine rebounds. Alena Cofield contributed eight points, six rebounds and four assists. Duffy and Irizarry both had six points on a pair of 3s.
For the Lady Rams, Brown’s 13 points led the way. Fantaskey added nine points.
Neshaminy (10-3, 8-1 SOL) will host Central Bucks West in a crossover game Thursday at 4:30 p.m. Pennridge (8-6, 3-6) will travel to Bensalem on Friday.
Neshaminy 9-12-15-15 51
Pennridge 13-13-5-3 34
Neshaminy (51) – Alena Cofield 4 0-0 8; Ashlyn Duffy 2 0-0 6; Lola Ibarrondo 6 5-6 19; Ava Irizarry 2 0-0 6; Mia Raivich 1 0-0 3; Reese Zemitis 3 2-2 9; TOTALS 18 7-8 51.
Pennridge (34) – Ella Brown 5 1-1 13; Avan Fantaskey 3 2-2 9; Madison Lapp 2 0-0 5; Abby Huskin 1 0-0 2; Layla Verbit 1 2-2 5; TOTALS 12 5-5 34.
3-point goals: Neshaminy – Ava Irizarry 2, Ashlyn Duffy 2, Lola Ibarrondo 2, Mia Raivitch, Reese Zemitis; Pennridge – Ella Brown 2, Ava Fantaskey, Madison Lapp, Layla Verbit.
SOL Liberty/Freedom crossover
CHELTENHAM 54, QUAKERTOWN 29
Maya Simmons came out of the gate on fire, scoring 14 points in the first quarter and igniting a 22-point opening frame for the visiting Lady Panthers, who took a 22-4 lead and never looked back.
“It was a good all-around team effort,” Cheltenham coach Ben Bowman said. “Our focus is finishing the season strong, and tonight was the first step in doing so.
“Paige Powell set the tone early with her defense. She ended the game with 13 steals.”
Powell finished the game with an unusual double-double- 13 steals and 13 points – in an impressive outing. Jiah Price added nine points – all in a 26-point second quarter. Ije Ojukwu contributed eight points, all in the first half, and Arianna Davis had six points – all in the second quarter.
Quakertown was led by the 11-point effort of Addyson Davis. Carli Maha added nine points.
“Addyson Davis and Carli Maha were our main contributors on offense tonight,” Quakertown coach Brittany Bamford said. “Once we could get the ball past Cheltenham’s excellent pressure defense to Addy and Carli at the top of the key, they were able to make a play at the basket. Addyson also had three steals and Carli had two. These two were also the leading rebounders on the team tonight.
“Paisley Heft did a nice job of pressuring on defense. Especially the fight that they showed in the last couple of minutes started with Paisley’s aggressiveness. Mackenzie Clayton doesn’t necessarily get all the stats, but she does the intangibles like communicating with her teammates on defense, inbounding the ball with confidence, and getting a body in front of their posts. There were some bright lights with our communication better in the second half and rotating a little better on defense.”
The Panthers’ coach also credited the play of her opponent.
“Cheltenham did a great job of crashing the boards hard on offense and finishing those rebounds,” Bamford said. “Ben has his team playing really hard the entire game.
“Our girls played with a lot of effort, but we turned the ball over 28 times tonight and many of that was just making poor passes to our teammates or players not coming to the ball.”
Cheltenham (7-8, 3-6 SOL) will host Hatboro-Horsham in a crossover game Friday, and Quakertown (1-14, 0-10) will host New Hope-Solebury on Friday.
Cheltenham 20-26-6-2 54
Quakertown 4-8-5-12 29
Cheltenham (54) – Jiah Price 4 0-0 9; Paige Powell 6 0-0 13; Maya Simmons 6 1-2 14; Arianna Davis 3 0-0 6; Ije Ojukwu 4 0-0 8; Tori Simmons 1 0-0 2; Autumn Kimble 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 25 1-2 54.
Quakertown (29) – Mackenzie Clayton 0 2-2 2; Ambri Dager 2 0-0 5; Addyson Davis 5 1-2 11; Mae Henry 1 0-0 2; Carli Maha 4 1-4 9; TOTALS 12 4-8 29.
3-point goals: Cheltenham – Jiah Price, Paige Powell, Maya Simmons; Quakertown – Ambri Dager.
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