Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action Friday. Cheltenham/New Hope-Solebury photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson, CB East/CB West photos courtesy of Tracy Valko & North Penn/Souderton photo by Keith Clemens Photography. Check back for galleries of both games.
SOL Patriot Division
PENNSBURY 32, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 25
The visiting Falcons opened up 12-4 lead after one quarter and took a 19-6 lead into halftime. The Indians trimmed six points off that lead in the third quarter, but the Falcons held on for the win.
Key stretch: The Falcons’ fast start in the first quarter ultimately proved to be the difference.
Key players: Sammie Haws had 10 points to lead the Falcons.
For the Indians, Julia Koval scored 13 points.
Pennsbury coach Frank Sciolla: “Tonight had an odd feel to it. Even though it wasn’t discussed, the girls understood the stakes. It’s impossible not to respect CR North because they never quit, and they also game plan with such a fastidious attention to detail that you can’t afford to not be sharp. CRN is so fortunate to have someone like Coach Kelly because he maximizes everything he has, and playing them is such a grind because he adjusts and plays to his strengths and your weakness rather than play the same way all the time.
“We defended really well in the first half, and we had some really good looks that rimmed out, but at halftime, we were in control. They made some changes at halftime and knocked down a couple 3-pointers in the third quarter, and they got back into the game. In the fourth quarter, we got back into defending well, and we were able to create some turnovers with different defenses.
–Props: “Alyssa Thomas was really good all night long and took care of the ball and then knocked down free throws at the end to solidify the game. Julia Koval kept them in it with some big-time rebounds and strong finishes. She’s such a terrific athlete.”
–The season: “It’s almost a strange feeling right now. Obviously, we knew during the summer that Council Rock South and Neshaminy were going to vie for the league title. South has such tremendous experience, and Neshaminy has possibly the MVP of the league and such fantastic length and skill. We all had to deal with losing people to graduation, and obviously we were hit hard, but losing Jolie Hohman to injury in the summer – someone who we think would’ve been one of the best players in the league – forced us to have to play a different way and rush people into action. And it also reframed expectations in people’s minds outside of our program
–A title bout awaits: “On Dec. 4, we were 1-3, and I remember thinking that the only thing we could do is be as positive as possible and try to grow with each other. Had you told me in July that we’d have a chance to play at home on the final night of the season that we’d have a chance to play for a league title I’d have made the same deal that Daniel Webster did.
“And we know what awaits. CR South has not lost in seven weeks and that’s 15 games. They are the team to beat and deservedly so. Their chemistry is so much different this year. They play together, and they play to win. They aren’t bogged down with distractions. They have a couple hundred games of varsity experience between their starters and go-to players. Coach Polinsky has perfectly blended them, and they believe. But at this point, so do we. We are playing with nothing but house money. And while we know the mountain is steep, we’ve been up it one or two times before, so we will still show up on Tuesday and give it everything we have. We are certainly grateful to have the opportunity.”
Up next: Pennsbury (14-7, 7-2 SOL) will host Council Rock South Tuesday, and Council Rock North (3-17, 1-8) will travel to Harry S Truman Tuesday.
Pennsbury 12-7-2-11 32
Council Rock North 4-2-8-11 25
Pennsbury (32) – Emily Panaro 1 1-2 3; Maggie Burns 2 2-3 6; Sammie Haws 2 0-0 5; Alyssa Thomas 2 5-6 10; Ava Jordan 2 3-3 8; TOTALS 9 11-14 32
Council Rock North (25) – Skyler Wright 1 0-0 3; Julia Koval 4 4-5 13; Amara Arroyo 1 2-2 4; Addie Martin 0 2-2 2; Meg Reichenbach 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 7 8-9 25
3-point goals: P – Sammie Haws, Alyssa Thomas, Ava Jordan; CRN – Skyler Wright, Julia Koval, Meg Reichenbach.
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 52, BENSALEM 35
The Golden Hawks made it 15 wins in a row and clinched at least a share of the SOL Patriots Division title with one division game remaining. They opened up a 16-8 lead after one quarter and never looked back.
Key stretch: The tone for this one was set in the opening quarter when Sarah Freeman ignited the Hawks with three 3-pointers.
Key players: Lil Metrick’s 14 points, which included three 3-pointers, led the Golden Hawks. Kathryn O’Kane also finished in double figures with 11 points, and Sarah Freeman had nine on three 3s.
Devon Bell (14 points, 2 3-pointers) and Talia DiMichele (11 points) led the Owls.
Council Rock South assistant coach Blair Klumpp: “Another strong effort from our girls tonight. This game presented its challenges in a few ways. We had Senior Night last night, and the emotions and everything involved in that, and the girls stayed after to interact and be involved with teams from our community night. It was a really great night but very quick turnaround against a Bensalem team with a very talented trio of guards and a team we have a lot of respect for. We knew they would come in trying to avenge the first game. To their credit, they matched our pace early and got out in transition. Steve Johnson has done a really good job of adjusting after Jordyn Bell’s injury and mixing different matchups. They run a lot of good stuff. Our girls’ defense in the halfcourt was very good. The third quarter we really dialed up the effort plays and intensity. We had multiple possessions where we kept possessions alive with several offensive rebounds or loose balls. We also were very connected defensively, and that led to some stop and score sequences.”
–Props: “Sarah Freeman had nine first quarter points and got us going a bit. The biggest contributions she’s making right now are on hustle plays and offensive rebounds. I think the group is feeding off that too. She’s done a good job getting back to that the last two weeks. Fi (Reckner), Kat (O’Kane) and Maria (Freeman were primary defenders on Grace (McShane) and Talia (DiMichele), and to hold them to 11 points combined is a really good job. And as good as they did individually, it’s always a team effort and attention to detail if it’s executed that well.
“Bella (Hettler) was fantastic in rim protection once again on the glass. She’s having a very special season where she’s being impactful on nights she doesn’t score, but her value to us is so high. Fi did a nice job facilitating a bit in the zone and getting teammates open shots, she didn’t force anything and trusted her teammates. As primary defender on Grace, we got another great defensive game from her.
“Maria (Freeman) had a big steal and finish in the third to get a run going and again hit a timely 3. Gill (Martin) won’t show up in the box score today for points, but another girl who’s just making positive plays diving on the floor and making the right play. She was great doing that last night too.
“Kat had a very strong middle of game stretch for us. She’s a tough kid and absorbed a lot of contact. She wasn’t happy with her first game versus them, and she bounced back.
“Lil is back to being herself, she’s hunting scoring opportunities, she’s playing to open space reading defenses and playing with a lot of confidence.
“Emerson (Gunther) hit a huge fourth quarter three off a drive from Gill and then hit two free throws late and took care of calm down the stretch.
“As a group, we are really connected, and all eight that are in the rotation find different ways to contribute. That’s been the most enjoyable part about this all. Not one girl cares about their points, being all league, or anything personal right now. They are fully locked into our getting better daily and one game at a time approach. We have to prepare for Pennsbury on Tuesday, and I’m sure that’ll be an exciting environment.”
Up next: Council Rock South (17-3, 8-1 SOL) will be on the road at Pennsbury Tuesday, and Bensalem (12-9, 4-5) will travel to Neshaminy Tuesday.
Bensalem 8-13-5-9 35
Council Rock South 16-13-10-13 52
Bensalem (35) – Talia DiMichele 5 0-0 11; Mary Beck 2 0-0 6; Grace McShane 0 0-2 0; Devon Bell 6 0-1 14; Sydney Daut 1 1-2 4; TOTALS 14 1-5 35.
Council Rock South (52) – Ruby Bross 0 2-2 2; Sarah Freeman 3 0-0 9; Lil Metrick 3 5-7 14; Maria Freeman 2 0-0 5; Kacie Donahue 1 0-0 2; Emerson Gunther 1 2-2 5; Kathryn O’Kane 5 0-2 11; Fiona Reckner 2 0-0 4; TOTALS 17 9-13 52.
3-point goals: B – Mary Beck 2, Devon Bell 2, Sydney Daut, Talia DiMichele; CRS – Sarah Freeman 3, Lil Metrick 3, Maria Freeman, Emerson Gunther, Kathryn O’Kane.
NESHAMINY 49, HARRY S TRUMAN 14
The Redskins led this one wire to wire. They took a 15-0 lead into the second quarter and opened up a 29-6 lead into halftime on their way to the big win.
Key stretch: The tone for the game was set in a first quarter that saw the Redskins shut out their visitors.
Player of the Game: Grace Weyler led the Redskins with 11 points, 4 offensive rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
Also for the Redskins, Alena Cofield had nine points and six rebounds, Ashlyn Duffy added eight points and four assists, and Hayley Kolk had seven points.
Neshaminy coach John Gallagher on the game: “Grace Weyler continues to grow her game every day. Grace came off a strong performance against Pennsbury and was our outstanding player in this game. I asked Grace to do a better job of getting downhill, and she has taken that insight and applied it to the benefit of our team. Her ability to take defenders off the dribble is something we have accentuated in the last several games. As a sophomore, Grace has gained the respect of her teammates who are constantly giving her support and expecting her to be a leader of our team today and years to come.
“Mia Raivitch has proven to be an invaluable asset to our team leading us in assists and the coaches trusting her with guarding an opponent’s best power forward. We have grown as a defensive team in part to the role that Mia embraces on our team.”
Up next: Neshaminy (16-5, 7-2 SOL) will host Bensalem Tuesday, and Harry S Truman (2-15, 0-9) will host Council Rock North Tuesday.
Harry S Truman 0-6-4-4 14
Neshaminy 15-14-16-4 49
Harry S Truman (14) – Julianna Romer 2 0-0 4; Kylee Ennis 1 0-0 2; Martinez 1 0-0 2; Shy McCleve 2 0-3 4; Mikasia Jones 1 0-0 2 TOTALS 7 0-3 14.
Neshaminy (49) – Grace Weyler 4 0-0 11; Alena Cofield 3 2-2 9; Brinley Buretta 1 0-0 2; Ashlyn Duffy 3 0-0 8; Marley Martin 1 0-0 2; Mia Raivitch 1 0-0 2; Auslyn Wilkins 1 0-0 2; Sydney Snyder 1 0-0 2; Hayley Kolk 3 0-0 7; Camryn Rodriguez 0 2-2; Ella Hoyas 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 19 4-4 49.
3-point goals: N – Grace Weyler 3, Ashlyn Duffy 2, Hayley Kolk, Alena Cofield
SOL Colonial Division
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 52, PENNRIDGE 48 (OT)
The Titans staged an improbable comeback, rallying from 17 down to earn the overtime win, and as Senior Nights go, they don’t get much better than this. The win was not only delighted the home crowd and gave the Titans a sweep of the the season series against the Lady Rams, it solidified the Titans’ spot in the 24-team District 1 6A Tournament field.
“It was an incredible win,” CB South coach Beth Mattern said. “This group – they’ve just been hard workers since they got into the program. We haven’t had the most success since they’ve been in the program, and this year I’m just happy that they’re finishing playing their best and putting their best foot forward.
“We play Souderton on Tuesday, and we still really need to win to get ourselves in the postseason. It’s just been really fun to coach them and to watch them grow and to see them execute tonight. The bench was so into it. We had a huge crowd tonight. It was just really, really an electric game.”
Sparked by 10 points from Ella Brown, nine on three 3s from Emily DeHaven and eight from Samantha Murphy, the Lady Rams opened up a 28-14 halftime lead.
Key stretch: In the third quarter, the Titans began to turn things around, outscoring their visitors 17-8 to make it a 36-31 game heading into the final quarter. Mia Klein had eight points, which included a 4-for-5 effort at the foul line. Jules Tropea added six points and was 4-for-5 from the line. Ella Wheeler had a 3-pointer.
Key players: Mia Klein led the Titans with 19 points – 15 after halftime, which included a big 3 in OT. Jules Tropea added 13 points – 10 after the half, and Ella Wheeler had 10 points – all after the intermission.
For the Lady Rams, Ella Brown led the way with 20 points. Samantha Murphy added 10 points, and Emily DeHaven had nine.
Central Bucks South coach Beth Mattern: “I actually thought we came out really strong. It was Senior Night, so we started five of our seven seniors. They came out with wonderful energy, but we really couldn’t get going. We were struggling to make shots, we weren’t really getting stops on defense. To Pennridge’s credit, they shot the ball incredibly in the first half.
“We made a couple of adjustments at halftime. We kind of talked about what we wanted out of the game. I thought the girls really showed a lot of heart – I thought they played pretty incredible. At one point, something just switched on the floor, and they went from just going with the flow to confident and making it happen. We executed really well at the end.”
–The ending: “With less than a minute, we were down by three, 43-40. With about 30 seconds left on the clock, we inbounded under our basket. It kind of broke down, and Gabby (Tropea) made a strong cut towards the hoop, and Mia (Klein) was the inbounder and gave her a great pass for a lay-in, and we trailed by one.
“We fouled, and they made 1 of 2 from the line, so now it’s 44-42. Basically, we possessed it pretty well. They fouled us because they had a foul to give. We inbounded. Mia Klein just makes a really strong take to the hoop and gets a great look and knocks it down to tie the score. They have just under 10 seconds, they inbound to Ella Brown – we tried to deny her the ball. She did get the ball in her hands, and she did get a shot off, but it wasn’t the best look, so then we went to overtime. I thought we just played our best part of the game in overtime.
“It was a big game. It’s been a while since I felt like we really executed well down the stretch. Obviously, CB West was a close game, but we had to come back double-digits at halftime against a team that’s playing really well and taking it to overtime. I was just really, really proud of the effort by everyone.”
Pennridge coach Jason Rapp: “It was the tale of two halves. Our girls did a great job executing in the first half. The second half we made a few mistakes and shots didn’t fall. We knew South would come out in full force on their Senior Night. They made some huge plays down the stretch and in OT. Credit to them.
“Kudos to Coach Mattern for creating a great high school girls’ basketball environment tonight. There was great energy from a great crowd. I’m very happy our girls got to experience that.”
Up next: Central Bucks South (11-10, 5-4 SOL) will travel to Souderton Tuesday (6:30 pm), and Pennridge (14-7, 3-6) will host Central Bucks West on Tuesday.
Pennridge 15-13-8-8- 4 48
Central Bucks South 7-7-17-13-8 52
Pennridge (48) – Ella Brown 9 2-2 20; Emily DeHaven 3 0-0 9; Samantha Murphy 4 0-0 10; Madison Lapp 0 4-6 4; Layla Verbit 1 3-6 5; TOTALS 17 9-14 48.
Central Bucks South (52) – Ella Wheeler 3 2-2 10; Jules Tropea 4 5-7 13; Mia Klein 7 4-5 19; Gabby Tropea 2 1-3 5; Morgan McKeever 1 0-0 2; Megan Schmidt 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 18 12-17 52.
3-point goals: P – Emily DeHaven 3, Samantha Murphy 2; CBS – Ella Wheeler 2, Mia Klein, Megan Schmidt.
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 67, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 31
The Patriots clinched sole possession of the SOL Colonial Division crown with a convincing win over their crosstown rival. They opened up an early lead and led wire to wire.
Key stretch: A 26-point first quarter established that the night belonged to the Patriots. Haley Moran led the charge with 12 points, which included a pair of 3s and a 2-for-2 effort at the foul line. Sydney Ralph (6 points), Natalie Berndt and Delaney Lone each had a 3-pointer on a night that saw the Patriots bury 10 3s.
Key players: Four players finished in double figures for the Patriots. Sydney Ralph led the Patriots with 18 points, which included three 3s and a 7-for-7 effort at the foul line. Haley Moran added 17 points – 15 in the first half. Natalie Berndt added 13 points (3 3-pointers), and Jess Lockwood had 10 points and six assists.
Peyton Cramer’s 10 points led the Bucks.
Central Bucks East coach Liz Potash: “We came out strong from the start of the game and shot the ball really well. The girls are playing team basketball on both ends of the floor, and we had four players score in double figures, making it really hard to key in on one or two people. Syd Ralph led us tonight with 18, hitting three 3s and Haley Moran was just behind her with 17 points. Nat Berndt contributed 13 points with three 3s as well, and Jess
Lockwood rounded us out with 10 points and six assists.
“It’s another truly team win, and we couldn’t be prouder of them to achieve one of their goals from the start of the season which was to win the Colonial Division. It’s another short turnaround with our last non-league game tomorrow against a strong District 3 team, Wilson.”
Up next: Central Bucks East (17-3, 9-0 SOL) will host Wilson in a non-league game Saturday (12:30 pm), and Central Bucks West (7-13, 2-7) will host New Hope-Solebury in a non-league game Saturday (1:30 pm).
Central Bucks West 4-10-7-10 31
Central Bucks East 26-14-13-14 67
Central Bucks West (31) – Peyton Cramer 2 5-6 10; Addy Fay 1 1-2 4; Marleigh Mallon 1 0-0 2; Audra Lawson 2 0-0 4; Emily Ladley 2 0-0 6; Scarlett Baumgardner 2 1-1 5; TOTALS 10 7-9 31.
Central Bucks East (67) – Sydney Ralph 4 7-7 18; Haley Moran 5 3-4 17; Cece Hayes 1 0-0 2; Natalie Berndt 5 0-0 13; Savannah Hayes 1 0-0 2; Delaney Long 1 0-0 3; Jess Lockwood 5 1-2 10; Hailey Helmstetter 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 23 11-13 67
3-point goals: CBW – Emily Ladley 2, Addy Fay, Peyton Cramer; CBE – Sydney Ralph 3, Natalie Berndt 3, Jess Lockwood 2, Haley Moran, Delaney Long;
NORTH PENN 47, SOUDERTON 22
The Knights opened up a 13-4 lead after one quarter and extended that lead to 23-9 by halftime on their way to the win.
Key stretch: Lily Brown’s eight first-quarter points propelled the Knights to a 13-4 lead. They never looked back.
Key players: Lily Brown led all scorers with 24 points – 10 in the first half and 12 more in a third quarter that saw the Knights outscore their visitors 17-0. Cam Crowley added 12 points, which included two 3-pointers.
North Penn coach Bri Cullen: “Our biggest piece was we got on the offensive boards really well. Our shots were not falling in the first half at all, but we continuously crashed the boards, and that kept us in the game in the first half.
“We switched defenses a little bit in the third quarter, and that just got us going. We broke it open a little bit. The intensity we were playing with kept us in the game.”
–Props: “Lily Brown had another 24-point game, and I don’t have the stats, but I’d imagine she had at least 15 rebounds. She’s just playing really well.”
Up next: North Penn (11-10, 7-2 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks East on Tuesday, and Souderton (9-12, 1-8) will host Central Bucks South (6:30 pm)
Souderton 4-5-0-13 22
North Penn 13-10-17-7 47
Souderton (22) Julia Purvy 1 0-0 2; Olivia Herron 0 2-2 2; Madison Bealer 1 0-0 3; Emily Dick 6 3-3 15; TOTALS 8 5-5 22.
North Penn (47) – Sam Crowley 4 2-2 12; Lily Brown 10 2-3 24; Leah Mikulski 2 0-0 5; Jadyn Sperling 1 2-2 4; Lailani Williams 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 18 6-7 47.
3-point goals: S – Madison Bealer; NP – Cam Crowley 2, Lily Brown 2, Leah Mikulski.
SOL Liberty Division
UPPER DUBLIN 73, HATBORO-HORSHAM 14
The Flying Cardinals – with a division title already theirs – dominated play from the outset, opening up a 28-4 lead after one quarter on their way to the lopsided win.
Key players: Emilia Coleman’s 19 points included three 3-pointers and led all scorers She also had a team-high 11 rebounds. Megan Ngo added 11 points, including a pair of 3s. She also had six assists, five rebounds and four steals. Tamia Clark and Kaitlyn Zacharia (3 3-pointers) both had nine points. Clark also had seven rebounds and four steals, and Bridget DiMartile had six boards. Lexi Ngo shared the team lead with four steals.
Up next: Upper Dublin (17-4, 7-0 SOL) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh on Tuesday, and Hatboro-Horsham (3-16, 1-6) will host Pottsgrove in a non-league game Tuesday.
Upper Dublin 28-14-14-17 73
Hatboro-Horsham 4-6-0-4 14
Upper Dublin (73) – Shannon Connaughton 2 1-2 5; Bridget DiMartile 2 0-0 4; Tamia Clark 4 1-4 9; Megan Ngo 4 1-1 11; Anna DiMartile 2 0-0 4; Lexi Ngo 1 0-0 3; Jordan Siegel 1 0-0 3; Emilia Coleman 6 4-4 19; Kaitlyn Zacharia 3 0-0 9; Ella Morris 2 0-0 5; TOTALS 27 7-11 73.
Hatboro-Horsham (14) – Angelica Visceglia 0 2-2 2; Madison Duggan; Maddy Patel 2 2-2 8; Cora Saxer 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 4 4-6 14.
3-point goals: UD – Emilia Coleman 3, Kaitlyn Zacharia 3, Megan Ngo 2, Lexi Ngo, Jordan Siegel, Ella Morris; HH – Maddy Patel 2.
SOL Freedom Division
CHELTENHAM 53, NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 47
The Lady Panthers added their team to the lengthy list of program championships, clinching sole possession of the SOL Freedom Division title with Friday’s road win.
The title is the program’s first since the 2010-11 season, and the Lions didn’t make it easy on their visitors.
The two teams were deadlocked at 16 apiece after one spirited quarter, and the Lady Panthers took a 33-29 lead into halftime. Maya Simmons led the Lady Panthers with 10 points in the half while Zoe Thompson added nine. Emily Wilson kept the Lions close with 16 first-half points.
The Lions trimmed three points off that lead in the third quarter and trailed by just one entering the fourth quarter, 40-39.
Key stretch: The Lady Panthers won it with a 13-8 fourth quarter. Jiah Price and Paige Powell both had five points in the pivotal quarter.
Key players: The Lady Panthers had four players in double figures, led by Zoe Thompson with 13 points. She notched her fifth straight double-double with 11 rebounds and also had three steals and two blocks. Jiah Price added 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists, and Maya Simmons also had 12 points to go along with six steals, four rebounds and four assists. Paige Powell added 11 points, four rebounds and three assists. Cassie Bugg pulled down nine rebounds.
For the Lions, Emily Wilson turned in a brilliant 27-point effort that included a 5-for-9 effort from beyond the arc.
New Hope-Solebury coach Andy Krasna: “Terrific effort by both teams tonight in New Hope! The quickness and athleticism of the Cheltenham team along with their deep roster is impressive. In our first game with Cheltenham, we were run off the court, and we couldn’t play at their pace. Tonight was
a different story. We had the lead very late in the game, and we looked like a totally different team.
“Close losses are hard to digest, and we sure have had our share, however, when I see steady improvement, it somewhat takes the sting out.”
–Props: “We again were without Kayla Fennell, and it hurt us tonight. Freshman Danielle Wilson did a super job as a starter and is showing signs of her upside potential. Her big sister Emily carried us tonight as she often does, and we almost were able to pull off something big. Emily just competes with every single possession. She breaks pressure for us and is a big-time playmaker. Tonight, we needed her to score points (27 on the night for Emily) as we were having trouble getting good looks at the basket. Emily found a way. It was a spectacular performance for those who don’t see her play often, but no surprise to us in New Hope. I get to see it every day in practice.”
Up next: Cheltenham (18-2, 9-0 SOL) will host Springfield Twp Tuesday, and New Hope-Solebury (11-8, 6-3) will travel to Central Bucks West for a non-league game Saturday (1:30 pm).
Cheltenham 16-17-7-13 53
New Hope-Solebury 16-13-10-8 47
Cheltenham (53) – Jiah Price 5 2-3 12; Paige Powell 5 1-2 11; Maya Simmons 6 0-0 12; Cassie Bugg 1 1-3 3; Marguerite Reimer 1 0-0 2; Zoe Thompson 5 2-4 13; TOTALS 23 6-12 53.
New Hope-Solebury (47) – Danielle Wilson 1 0-2 3; Izzy Elizondo 2 0-0 5; Danielle Wilson 10 1-2 27; Mary Tresler 1 4-4 6; Ella Dudick 2 2-2 6; TOTALS 16 7-10 47.
3-point goals: C – Zoe Thompson; NH-S – Emily Wilson 6, Izzy Elizondo, Danielle Wilson.
WILLIAM TENNENT 67, LOWER MORELAND 64
The visiting Panthers won a barnburner, putting a damper on Lower Moreland’s Senior Night.
This was a big win for the Panthers, who opened up a 32-28 halftime lead. Avery Kocur served early notice that she was on her way to a monster performance, connecting on five 3s and scoring 18 points in the first half to lead the Panthers. The two teams exchanged baskets in the second half.
Key stretch: The game was close for the duration, and the Lions got close, but the Panthers maintained their composure, holding on for the win. In the pivotal fourth quarter, Avery Kocur had seven points, including a 4-for-4 effort at the foul line. Megan Volz added five points in the frame.
Key players: Avery Kocur was unstoppable, scoring a game-high 29 points that included six 3-pointers. Halie Stahl and Megan Volz both added 15 points.
For the Lions, Dani Brusha had another huge game, scoring 26 points – 13 points in each half. Bri McFerran added 17 points, and Emma DiJoseph had nine points.
William Tennent coach Laura Whitney: “Huge win tonight for our girls. I’m still waiting for my heart rate to come back down. It was such an incredible game to be a part of. You couldn’t have asked for a better atmosphere. The gym was packed to celebrate Lower Moreland’s seniors, and the crowd was raucous. The last few seasons we have had some tough battles that came down to a possession or two. We’ve come up on the short end in most of those battles, so to come out with the victory tonight is a testament to the hard work our girls have put in. I’m so proud of our girls and the poise they showed down the stretch to finish the game.”
–The game: “We got out to a fast start and did a great job of weathering some early foul trouble and their run to end the first half. The first half was highlighted with the stars from both teams going back and forth with one big basket after another. The second half was much of the same. Even when we got the lead up to seven, Lower Moreland didn’t go away easily. Credit to their girls – kept playing hard and eventually took a one-point lead with just under three minutes to go.
“Our girls never panicked though and came right back and answered. I think that was what was most impressive. The last few seasons when we’ve lost to them, we didn’t handle their pressure well late in the game. But tonight, we executed perfectly down the stretch and made free throws when it mattered most to seal the game.”
–Props: “Avery continues to be so impressive. She’s a big-time player who loves to compete. She wants the ball in her hands in the biggest moments and isn’t afraid of failure. I couldn’t have been more proud of her tonight and the full circle moment from a year ago. Last year, she was at the line with under a minute to go and had a chance to tie the game or put us up one, and she missed both free throws. Tonight, she was a perfect 4-for-4 from the line in the final seconds of the game. She finished with a game high 29 points.
“Staub was relentless tonight with how she was attacking the basket and puts so much pressure on the other team’s defense. She finished with 15 points and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the line in a crucial second half.
“Big V (Megan Volz) has been so consistent all season for us and plays with a lot of toughness. Tonight, she came up with some clutch rebounds and timely basket and finished with 15 points.”
Lower Moreland coach Rich Becker: “We knew tonight would be tough. We beat them in overtime earlier in the season and in addition to Avery, both Halie Staub and Megan Volz stepped up and scored 15 points each.
For as well as Tennent played, we still had our chances. The stat that killed us was free throws. We were 6-for-17 from the line, and they were 8-for-12.
“I think that the key moment for us came at the four-minute mark. We had battled our way back and taken a one-point lead, and on back-to-back possessions, we missed a few shots from within four feet. That was our opportunity to get them on their heels, and we were not able to convert.
That combined with a few mental lapses on defense were too much to overcome on a night when Kocur was phenomenal.”
–Praise for Kocur: “Avery Kocur was incredible tonight. She scored 29 points, and I would have to say 23 of those points were contested. She had the best game this season of any player that we’ve played against.
–Kudos to Coach Whitney: “Tennent has continued to get better as the year has progressed, and tonight they made their shots, and we didn’t. This continues our streak where nine of the last 10 games against Tennent where the final score was within four points.”
Up next: William Tennent (13-8, 5-4 SOL) will host New Hope-Solebury on Tuesday, Lower Moreland (8-12, 2-7) will travel to Upper Moreland on Tuesday.
William Tennent 15-17-19-16 67
Lower Moreland 10-18-20-16 64
William Tennent (67) – Aubrey Lynch 1 0-0 3; Lindsey Catoni 2 0-0 5; Avery Kocur 9 5-5 29; Halie Staub 5 4-4 15; Megan Volz 6 3-6 15; TOTALS 23 12-15 67.
Lower Moreland (64) – Briana McFerran 8 0-6 17; Dani Brusha 10 5-6 26; Emma DiJoseph 3 1-2 9; Mady Rossiter 2 0-1 4; Nikki Sahl 1 0-2 2; Maddie Broderick 2 0-0 6; TOTALS 26 6-19 64.
3-point goals: WT – Avery Kocur 6, Aubrey Lynch, Lindsey Catoni, Halie Staub; LM – Emma DiJoseph 2, Maddie Broderick 2, Briana McFerran, Dani Brusha.
Non-league
SPRING-FORD 69, ABINGTON 48
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