Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action on Wednesday, a night that included Neshaminy senior Reese Zemitis surpassing the 1,000-point mark. Photos provided courtesy of Trish Sexton.
Non-league
LANSDALE CATHOLIC 45, NESHAMINY 24
The large crowd in attendance told the story.
This was not just another non-league game. This was a night one of their own was destined to make history. Reese Zemitis entered Wednesday’s game needing just three
points to reach the 1,000-point plateau, and the Neshaminy senior surpassed the milestone when – despite being fouled – she turned a pass from teammate Lola Ibarrondo into a layup midway through the second quarter.
“We had a great crowd tonight,” Neshaminy coach John Gallagher said. “We had a lot of students there. Some of our younger girls in the middle school – a lot of kids with signs.
“It was a great night for the program. I was glad to see some of our younger players see Reese get her due for all the hard work she’s done and how much she’s done for the Neshaminy girls’ basketball program. She’s a Neshaminy kid 1,000 percent. She bleeds Neshaminy. Sometimes that’s lost these days – be true to your school, but boy oh boy, there’s not a kid that’s more loyal to her school. That was shown today with the attendance at the game. It was great.”
Gallagher has coached Zemitis for the past five years with the Mid-Atlantic Magic and the past four years at Neshaminy.
“When she was entering eighth grade, I had her in AAU,” the Redskins’ coach said. “It’s progressed since then. She just works really hard on her game.”
The consummate student-athlete, Zemitis has signed a letter of intent to continue her basketball career at Bucknell University.
“As a high school athlete, you have a choice each day – you can either walk in the gym and let your circumstances control your attitude, or you make your attitude define your circumstances,” Gallagher said. “I have never met anyone who inserted their attitude to control her circumstances better than Reese Zemitis. Her attitude toward her teammates, coaches, and Neshaminy High School in general will reverberate through the community for years to come.”
Zemitis went on to score a team-high 12 points, but no other Redskin had more than five on a night that saw the team struggle offensively against the defending PIAA 4A state champions.
“Lansdale was very gracious in the handling of the little ceremony we had as soon as Reese scored her thousandth point – I appreciate that from coach (Eric) Gidney,” Gallagher said. “They are an extremely talented team that plays hard.
“Grace McDonough on the back line gives them a dimension I don’t think they’ve had in maybe a couple years with that size. She finished extremely well around the basket and was a force inside for them.”
McDonough, a transfer from Souderton, finished with 12 points. She had four points in a first quarter that saw the Crusaders open up a 16-3 lead. Sanyiah Littlejohn’s five points led the Crusaders in the frame.
LC went on to win all four quarters, opening up a 27-12 halftime lead and rolling to the non-league win.
In addition to scoring 12 points, Zemitis had five rebounds. Ibarrondo led the ‘Skins with six rebounds.
She also had two assists, two steals and two blocks. Alena Cofield had four rebounds and two steals.
“We had 15 offensive rebounds – that was due largely to the fact that we didn’t shoot the ball particularly well, and that was a credit to Lansdale Catholic and their defense,” Gallagher said. “They extended on us when they should have. We tried to pick them up full court. I had watched them play Regis Jesuit at the She Got Game Classic. Regis Jesuit is a really strong team from Colorado. They tried pressing them, and Lansdale destroyed it. Their lead grew to 12-15, and I tried it – unsuccessful as it was.
“They were very, very good tonight on both ends of the floor. We didn’t really turn the ball over too much, but their offense was something to behold. Their rotations on offense, their inbounds plays – they got us in every aspect.”
Nadia Yemola’s 13 points led the Crusaders. Olivia Boccella added 11 points.
Neshaminy (3-1, 3-0 SOL) will travel to Council Rock North on Friday.
Lansdale Catholic 16-11-11-7 45
Neshaminy 3-9-7-5 24
Lansdale Catholic (45) – Sanyiah Littlejohn 2 0-1 5; Nadia Yemola 6 0-0 13; Olivia Boccella 4 1-2 11; Allie Esposito 2 0-0 4; Grace McDonough 4 4-6 12; TOTALS 18 5-9 45.
Neshaminy (24) – Grace Weyler 1 0-0 3; Ashlyn Duffy 0 1-2 1; Lola Ibarrondo 2 1-2 5; Ava Irizarry 1 0-0 3; Reese Zemitis 5 1-1 12; TOTALS 9 3-5 24.
3-point goals: LC – Olivia Boccella 2, Nadia Yemola, Sanyiah Littlejohn; Neshaminy – Grace Weyler, Ava Irizarry, Reese Zemitis.
QUAKERTOWN 46, UPPER PERK 21
Sparked by the 16-point effort of Ava Pistone, the Panthers won their first game of the season.
“It feels good to get a win under our belts,” Quakertown coach Brittany Bamford said. “Especially coming off of an overtime loss last night (to Wissahickon) where we were winning the whole game.
Tonight had a similar feeling as in the first half Upper Perk was right with us and went on a little run in the second quarter and only held us to five points. Coming out of halftime, Ava was able to attack the basket and Ambri Dager knocked down a pair of threes and hit a foul shot.
“In the fourth quarter, Addyson Davis was crashing the offensive boards again and was able to put back some shots. She had a great stat sheet tonight with seven rebounds, two blocks, and five steals. Addyson has been pretty consistent for us on defense as we put her on their best player, Erin States, who was only able to score four points, but she crashed the boards hard and had many follow-up shots we didn’t want her to take.”
The Panthers opened up a 13-4 lead after a strong first quarter but saw the visiting Tribe trim three points off that lead by halftime to make it an 18-12 game. A strong third quarter ensured there would be no reruns of the Panthers’ loss to Wissahickon the preceding night as they outscored their visitors 14-3 to go on top 42-15 on their way to the decisive win.
Included in Pistone’s 16-point effort were one 3-pointer and a 5-for-8 effort at the foul line. Dager – who had three 3s – also finished in double figures with 10 points while Addyson Davis and Truly Heft both had eight points.
“Ava made some great decisions tonight offensively and jumped in the passing lanes with five steals and three deflections,” Bamford said. “Truly Heft had 11 rebounds tonight, eight of them offensively. Mackenzie Clayton did a great job of getting position for rebounding as well as directing her team defensively. Paisley Heft also was given the job of guarding their point guard who was their other offensive threat and held her to four points.
“It was great to get a win in and hopefully we can build on this. As a team, we are improving each game and hopefully we can continue to do so as we will close out the year with some tough teams.”
Quakertown (1-6, 0-3 SOL) will travel to Hatboro-Horsham on Friday.
Upper Perk 4-8-3-6 21
Quakertown 13-5-14-14 46
Upper Perk (21) Kearney 2 0-0 4; States 1 2-2 4; Marshall 2 0-1 4; Fabian 1 0-0 2; Langenback 0 1-2 1; Cahill 0 1-2 1; Thyberg 1 0-0 3; Guffey 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 8 4-7 21
Quakertown (46) – Mackenzie Clayton 1 0-0 2; Ambri Dager 3 1-2 10; Paisley Heft 1 0-0 2; Addyson Davis 4 0-1 8; Ava Pistone 5 5-8 16; Truly Heft 4 0-0 8; TOTALS 18 6-11 46..
3-point goals: UP – Thyberg; Quakertown – Ambri Dager 3, Ava Pistone.
HATBORO-HORSHAM 47, NORRISTOWN 27
The Hatters brought a welcome end to a three-game skid with a convincing road win, seizing control with a 15-9 second quarter to go into halftime with a 21-13 lead. They added to that lead in the second half, outscoring the Eagles 26-14.
“After a slow first quarter, the Hatters were able to produce some even scoring,” HH assistant Nicole Miletto said. “We had an eight-point lead going into the half, and we were finding ways to score.
Senior Kitty Randa made a welcome return to the lineup, leading all scorers with 13 points. She was an offensive catalyst in the first half, scoring 11 points.
“Kitty Randa was back after being out for a game, and she gave us the spark we needed,” Miletto said. “She had a great offensive first half, and then when she wasn’t scoring in the second half, she was finding open players, handling the ball, and all over the defensive boards with rebounds. If she wasn’t rebounding, she was blocking shots. It was good to have her back and give the team some confidence.”
Junior Maddy Patel added 12 points – all in the second half.
“Maddy Patel struggled in the first half to get things going,” Miletto said. “She hit a big basket in the third quarter when it seemed as though our offense stalled, and we were getting sloppy.
Freshman Angelica Visceglia added eight points and Gabby Fisher had seven. “Sophomore Madison Duggan played well defensively and hit a big three for us,” Miletto said. “Sophomore Mia Fisher and freshman Madison Siegfried each added two points.
“It’s back-to-back weeks playing three games in four or five days, and in each game, we see improvements. This was nice win for us against an aggressive, no-quit Norristown team.”
Hatboro-Horsham (2-3, 1-2 SOL) will travel to Quakertown on Friday.
Hatboro-Horsham 6-15-13-13 47
Norristown 4-9-10-4 27
Hatboro-Horsham (47) – Angelica Visceglia 3 2-4 8; Mia Fisher 1 0-0 2; Kitty Randa 6 1-6 13; Maddy Patel 4 2-2 12; Gabby Fisher 3 1-2 7; Madison Duggan 1 0-2 3; Madison Siegfried 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 19 6-16 47.
Norristown (27) – Brianna 2 1-2 5; Azjona 3 5-5 11; Zaniyah 0 1-2 1; Carly 1 1-1 3; Olivia 2 0-0 4; Adrianna 1 0-2 2; Olivia 1-1 1; TOTALS 9 9-13 27.
3-point goals: HH – Maddy Patel 2, Madison Duggan.
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