PW & North Penn were winners in SOL girls’ basketball action Thursday. PW/UM photos provided courtesy of Larry Small. Check back for a gallery of photos: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/f582224377
SOL Liberty/Freedom crossover
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 43, UPPER MORELAND 36
The Colonials struggled to find any kind of offensive rhythm against the visiting Golden Bears, who made life uncomfortable for them most of the night. UM actually took a 16-11 lead in the second quarter and still led 19-13 before Erin Daley buried a late three to make it a 19-16 game at the half.
Daley – who had nine first-half points – entered the game needing 21 points to reach the 1,000-point milestone, but that was not a priority for the PW senior.
“We talked about it at practice yesterday, and Erin made it a point to say to everybody – just win the game,” PW coach Daniel Dougherty said. “I think it was a credit to their defense. Also, both Abby (Sharpe) and Erin to start the game were way too tentative.
“The first half I thought our press was a step slow. We talked about it multiple times in the first half – we were just being completely undisciplined in the press. It’s a disciplined press, and the girls were doing whatever they wanted out there. If you press correctly, you get a steal or at least get into the defense we want to get into. We were far too tentative offensively in the first half, and defensively, we were just way too undisciplined.”
For the Golden Bears, Lilly Hansen and Allie LaRocco both had six first-half points.
“I thought our girls played really good team basketball,” UM coach Matt Carroll said. “When we were able to play straight man to man, we were fine. We disrupted their man sets a little in the first half and made them take prolonged possessions.
“They’re well-coached and don’t take bad shots. The issue was when we didn’t keep them to one shot in the first half, we usually ended up fouling.”
The Colonials were 7-for-9 from the charity stripe in the first half, but they were just getting started. They were 15-for-18 in the second half (22-for-27 for the game). Sharpe – who had just four first-half points – was a perfect 5-for-5 from the line in a second half that saw her score 11 of her game-high 15 points.
“There was a big free throw discrepancy tonight,” Dougherty said. “At the same time, one team is shooting 3s all night, and we’re driving hard to the basket.”
In the first half, the Golden Bears, who had four more field goals than the Colonials in the game, were 2-for-7 from the line.
“Fouling was our kryptonite tonight,” Carroll said. “People may look at the free throw difference and think it was one-sided from a referee perspective, but I don’t think that was the case. They were much more aggressive attacking the basket, especially in the second half, and Sharpe led the way right out the gate. She really attacked us and attacked the basket, and we didn’t and that was the difference.”
Sharpe scored on a drive to the hoop to open the second half. She had six points in a third quarter that saw the Colonials outscore their visitors 14-6 to go on top 30-25 after three. The Colonials were 8-for-10 from the line in the third quarter, led by freshman AJ Avery’s perfect 4-for-4 effort.
“At halftime, we talked to the kids and said, ‘Listen, let’s make some adjustments, let’s become more disciplined in our press,’” Dougherty said. “To start the third quarter, we got a score, a turnover off the press, scored again and got another turnover.
“I thought AJ Avery really stepped up to where Abby (Sharpe) started going stronger to the basket and Erin (Daley) too, but I thought AJ Avery was a big difference maker in the game. Both teams have two standout players. I thought it was going to come down to whose role players stepped up. Their role players hit a couple 3s on us in the first half. For us in the second half, it was AJ Avery’s energy, getting a couple of steals, and then Abby fed off of that. That was a big lift.”
The Golden Bears never could make up the ground they lost in the third quarter, and they were outscored 13-8 in the fourth quarter. Holly Gohl accounted for six points before fouling out. PW was 7-for-9 from the line in the frame.
“Things started go poorly in the third, and you could see everyone tighten up,” Carroll said. “It led to careless turnovers that we didn’t have in the first half. Rushed shots that we didn’t really take on the first half. They put the pressure on us, and we didn’t respond well enough
“When Holly fouled out in the fourth quarter, it really hurt us offensively because she was great all game. This loss will really help us moving forward. They’re a very good team and have a lot of talent.”
Sharpe’s 15 points led the Colonials while Daley added 13. Avery finished with six points on a 6-for-8- effort at the line. Azzy Crumpton added four points, including a 3-for-4 showing at the line.
“A shining part in the first half – Azzy Crompton got some good offensive rebounds, got a couple of fouls on 24 (Holly Gohl),” Dougherty said. “I thought Azzy really played well in the first half. She was somebody who was being aggressive, and she made some good plays in the first half.
“I told the girls after the game – I thought our role players won us that game tonight. The defense, the steals, the energy, the foul shots. Kenna Winland came in. They fouled her immediately, and she hit both free throws. She’s a kid – when we do free throws at practice, she’s a kid that hits clutch free throws. Everybody was pumped up to see her hit those free throws because they know how much she hits big free throws for us at practice.”
Gohl’s 14 points led the Golden Bears, Lilly Hansen added eight while EmmyFaith Wood and Allie LaRocco both had six.
“I’m just happy we won,” Dougherty said. “Matt Carroll has done a nice job with that program. We’ve had a couple of games like that with them. Last year we running clocked them, but two years prior, it was a close game with them. They’re a team that prepares very hard.”
Dougherty has a perfect 21-0 record against UM during his years at the helm.
“Tonight’s not the night we’re going to drop one – we’re going to find a way to win this game,” Dougherty said. “Ultimately, we just found a way to win. When you have Abby Sharpe and Erin Daley, that makes it a little bit easier.:
Plymouth Whitemarsh (14-2, 10-1 SOL) will face Scranton Prep in a non-league game at Sunday’s Maggie Lucas Classic at Jefferson University (4:30 pm). Upper Moreland (13-2, 9-2) will travel to the Christian Academy for a non-league game Friday at 5 p.m.
Upper Moreland 8-11-6-11 36
Plymouth Whitemarsh 8-8-14-13 43
Upper Moreland (36) – Mikel Lancit 1 0-0 2; EmmyFaith Wood 2 1-4 6; Lilly Hansen 3 1-1 8; Holly Gohl 6 0-2 14; Allie LaRocco 2 0-0 6; TOTALS 14 2-7 36.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (43) – Azzy Crumpton 1 2-4 4; Angelina Balcer 0 2-4 2; AJ Avery 0 7-8 7; McKenna Winland 0 2-2 2; Erin Daley 5 2-2 13; Abby Sharpe 4 7-7 15; TOTALS 10 22-27 43.
3-point goals: UM – Holly Gohl 2, Allie LaRocco 2, EmmyFaith Wood, Lilly Hansen; PW – Erin Daley.
SOL Patriot/Colonial crossover
NORTH PENN 86, HARRY S TRUMAN 39
Caleigh Sperling continued to light it up offensively, scoring a game-high 27 points to lead the Knights to the convincing win. She had 16 points in a first half that saw the Knights open up a 41-24 halftime lead on their way to the win.
Kelly Donnelly added 13 points, Koomba Samassa had 12 points – eight in the third quarter, and Liv Stone also finished in double figures with 10 points, eight in the second quarter. Emily Orth chipped in with six points.
For the Tigers, Shylah McCleve led the way with 13 points, Erynn Bond added 12, and Ya’Mazijah Thomas finished with eight points.
North Penn (12-4, 8-3 SOL) will travel to Methacton for a non-league game Saturday at 11 a.m.
Harry S Truman 11-13-7-8 39
North Penn 21-20-29-16 86
Harry S Truman (39) – Saniya Blount 0 2-2 2; Erynn Bond 5 2-2 12; Shylah McCleve 6 1-2 13; Secret McCleve 2 0-0 4; Ya’mazijah Thomas 2 2-2 8; TOTALS 15 7-8 39.
North Penn (86) – Cam Crowley 2 0-0 5; Emily Orth 2 2-2 6; Caleigh Sperling 13 0-0 27; Koomba Samassa 5 2-2 12; Abby Plaugher 2 0-0 4; Cailin Halfpenny 0 1-2 1; Kelly Donnelly 4 4-4 13; Liv Stone 4 0-0 10; Olivia Stevens 0 2-2 2; Keira Sparango 1 0-0 2; Hannah Raquet 1 0-0 2; Tallie Smink 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 35 11-12 86.
3-point goals: NP – Liv Stone 2, Caleigh Sperling, Kelly Donnelly, Cam Crowley; HST – Ya’mazijah Thomas 2.
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