Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action Thursday.
Ridley Holiday Tournament
Championship game
NORTH PENN 70, BISHOP SHANAHAN 54
The Knights – sparked by the 26-point effort of Caleigh Sperling - were back at it again.
After scoring just 44 points in their win over Ridley one day earlier, the Knights got back to their high-scoring ways, putting 70 points on the board – in line with their four games prior to the holiday break that saw the Knights average almost 67 points a game.
After putting 70 points on the board on Thursday, it was hard to believe the Knights actually trailed 14-11 after one quarter.
“They had us very well scouted, so we really just had to adjust our offense. – at halftime, we were only up by four, 32-28,” NP coach Bri Cullen said. “They slowed us down a lot. I think we just had to get back to our game in the second half.
“They could shoot the ball very effectively. They had nine 3s.”
Things actually changed in a second quarter that saw the Knights put 22 points on the board, playing at a tempo that was much more to their liking.
“We pulled out into a full-court man,” Cullen said. “Our defense is what fuels out offense. When they came out strong and started hitting some shots, it definitely set the tone for them early, so we just had to make adjustments defensively in order to make our offense operate.”
No one benefitted more from the Knights’ up-tempo game than Sperling, who scored 10 points in the second quarter and had 15 in the first half.
“It was just our ball movement,” Cullen said. “The willingness to move the ball is what got Caleigh wide open. The first couple games (of the season) we struggled, and Caleigh tried to get her own shot, which wasn’t as effective.
“There were a few possessions where the ball never touched the floor. When that happens, Caleigh is good at reading off the ball. She had a few 3s in transition, and that obviously helps.”
The Knights added to their lead in the second half, scoring 38 points to win the tournament title going away.
In addition to Sperling, Olivia Stone added 16 points to the Knights’ total – 9 in the fourth quarter, and Cameron Crowley added 15 points while Kelly Donnelly had nine.
Sperling and Stone both earned spots on the all-tournament team. Stone – a defensive catalyst – had eight steals in Wednesday’s win. Her defensive stats were not available for Thursday’s game.
“Caleigh is a workhorse on offense always – she’s just naturally athletic, naturally gifted offensively,” Cullen said. “In most cases, Liv’s contributions don’t show up in a stat book, and I was glad to see the recognition was there for a tournament like this.
“Normally, she averages 6-10 deflections a game, which is a stat most people don’t look at it, but it’s something you can’t duplicate and can’t make up for.”
The tournament title – on the heels of a win over Pennsbury - sends the Knights into the new year on a high note.
“I think this was huge,” Cullen said. “This is the first holiday tournament that I’ve been with them. It can be hard to have a break for Christmas and come back and keep the same energy.
“I think the energy from the Pennsbury game rolled right into this week.”
North Penn (7-2, 5-1 SOL) will host Neshaminy on Friday, Jan. 5, in a crossover game.
North Penn 11-21-19-19 70
Bishop Shanahan 14-14-16-10 54
North Penn (70) – Cameron Crowley 6 2-2 15; Caleigh Sperling 9 4-4 26; Kelly Donnelly 2 3-6 9; Leah Mikulski 2 0-0 4; Olivia Stone 5 4-4 16; TOTALS 24 13-16 70.
Bishop Shanahan (54) – Sam Blumenthal 5 2-4 13; Cianna Land 1 0-0 2; Carmel Ambrose 4 1-2 13; Abigail Wolf 3 0-0 7; Taylor Bollenbach 1 2-2 4; Faith Ambrose 6 0-0 15; TOTALS 20 5-8 54.
3-point goals: NP – Caleigh Sperling 4, Kelly Donnelly 2, Olivia Stone 2, Cameron Crowley, Shanahan – Carmel Ambrose 4, Faith Ambrose 3, Abigail Wolf, Sam Blumenthal.
Holiday ESCIT Tournament
BENSALEM 43, NOTRE DAME (N.J.) 38
Sparked by the standout 20-point effort of Amber Howard, the Owls ended December on a positive note, notching a hard-fought win over Notre Dame (N.J.) in Thursday’s third place game.
“I’m proud of the ways our girls played,” Bensalem coach Steve Johnson said. “The first three quarters we executed in transition and half court very effectively. The fourth quarter was really sloppy, but I have to give our girls credit - our first five logged a ton of minutes today and yesterday.”
And what a difference a day made for the Owls.
In the preceding day’s 46-43 loss to Our Lady of Mercy (N.J.), the Owls struggled mightily at the foul line, connecting on just 6 of 15. In Thursday’s win, they were a near-perfect 13-for-16.
“Basketball at its finest,” Johnson said.
The Owls threw some defense at the Irish out of the gate and led 11-3 after one quarter. They took a 25-13 lead into halftime with Howard accounting for 10 of her team’s points.
It was a 39-27 game heading into the final quarter when the Irish made a run, outscoring the Owls 11-4, but they could not dig their way out of their early hole.
The Owls put the game away at the foul line where Howard was a perfect 8-for-8 in the second half and Grace McShane was 4-for-4. Howard had 10 points in the second half while McShane had six.
Howard’s 20-point effort included one 3-pointer and a 9-for-12 showing at the charity stripe. McShane added 11 points, which included a three, and Talia DiMichele also had a three and finished with seven points.
“Amber Howard had a strong game but really impressed us in the second half from the foul line,” Johnson said. “Talia (DiMichele) had the job of guarding one of the better shooters I have seen in high school and did one heck of a job. I think she ran through and over about 20 screens in the fourth quarter alone.
“Sophomore Grace McShane has only gotten better with every single varsity minute she played. She had a career high 10 points yesterday and today extended that to 11. She is very coachable and has the desire to better herself. Peyton Miller and Amber did a good job on the glass but what really impressed us was how well our guards Grace, Devon (Bell), and Talia rebounded the ball. At the end of the day, we learned a ton over this holiday break. We can compete with teams. We can beat good teams.”
Bensalem (4-4, 2-3 SOL) will host Souderton in a crossover game next Wednesday.
Bensalem 11-14-14-4 43
Notre Dame (N.J.) 3-10-14-11 38
Bensalem (43) – Grace McShane 3 4-4 11; Talia DiMichele 3 0-0 7; Devon Bell 2 0-0 5; Amber Howard 5 9-12 20; TOTALS 13 13-16 43.
Notre Dame (N.J.) (38) – Simone Pintinalli 4 0-0 11; Sara Farnan 1 4-8 6; Meghan Connelly 3 3-4 10; Alayna Ramirez 1 0-2 2; Anna Primerano 0 1-2 1; C.Bector 0 1-2 1; Isabella Diaz 2 3-3 7; TOTALS 11 12-19 38.
3-point goals: Bensalem – Grace McShane, Talia DiMichele, Devon Bell, Amber Howard; ND – Simone Pintinalli 3, Meghan Connelly.
Upper Merion Holiday Tournament
WILLIAM TENNENT 60, SUN VALLEY 38
Avery Kocur scored 23 points to lead the Panthers to a decisive win over the Vanguards in an opening round game.
The Panthers actually found themselves on the short end of a 12-10 score after one quarter. That turned out to be the Vanguards’ last hurrah. Tennent used to a 16-6 second quarter to turn that two-point deficit into a 26-18 halftime lead, and the Panthers were just getting started.
“The first quarter we missed some assignments defensively and lacked some discipline, but I thought after we made some adjustments and tightened things up, we did a nice job of holding Sun Valley in check,” Tennent coach Laura Whitney said. “We were able to take advantage of some turnovers and play more up-tempo.
“We had great scoring balance. Everyone that played scored and made an impact on the game. I was really pleased with how well we shared the ball. A few times we were almost too unselfish, but it was great to see the girls play so cohesively and feed off of each other.”
The Panthers held a five-point edge in the third quarter in a second half that saw them close out the game with a 34-20 tear on their way to the big win.
In addition to Kocur, Morgan Volz also finished in double figures with 11 points. Katherine Balibar contributed nine points, and Halie Staub added eight points.
“Avery (Kocur) and (Halie) Staub continue to play big for us and have shown a lot of maturity this season,” Whitney said. “Morgan (Volz) had one of her best offensive performances so far this season. I thought she was really active offensively and showed a lot of patience.”
Whitney lauded the efforts of players whose contributions might not show up in the scoring column.
“Ella (Mednick) had several hustle plays that won’t show up in the box score, but the energy she brings every night is contagious,” the Tennent coach said. “A few baskets in the first half were a result of her crashing the boards and diving on the floor to get us extra possessions.
“Jess Whisler may have only scored two points but took a big charge in the second half to stop any momentum from Sun Valley. Aubrey Lynch had a great game at both ends of the floor. She hasn’t gotten a ton of time this season, but the last few games she has taken some big strides. She’s playing with more confidence and I thought today she did a nice job of handling the ball and made some great decisions.
“We will look to keep it going tomorrow when we face Upper Merion in the championship.”
William Tennent (4-6, 3-3 SOL) will face Upper Merion in the title game Friday at 4:45 p.m.
William Tennent 10-16-17-17 60
Sun Valley 12-6-12-8 38
William Tennent (60) – Aubrey Lynch 1 1-4 4; Katherine Balibar 2 2-2 7; Ella Mednick 2 0-0 5; Avery Kocur 8 7-8 23; Halie Staub 3 2-5 8; Jessica Whisler 1 0-0 2; Morgan Volz 5 1-4 11; TOTALS 22 13-23 60.
Sun Valley (38) – Brielle Wright 3 4-4 11; Samantha Baron 0 3-4 3; Nora Novotni 1 6-8 8; Rylee Hoesch 1 0-0 3; Alison Riley 0 1-4 1; Luci D’Amico 3 4-10 10; Anaka Boyd-Volz 1 0-0 2; Brynn Price 0 0-2 0; TOTALS 9 18-32 38.
3-point goals: WT – Katherine Balibar, Ella Mednick, Aubrey Lynch; SV – Rylee Hoesch, Brielle Wright.
Cardinal O’Hara Christmas Tournament
UPPER DUBLIN 53, SPRINGFIELD-DELCO 22
Amy Ngo couldn’t miss. Or at least that’s what it must have seemed like to the Cougars, who were victimized by the senior guard’s torrid offensive showing. Ngo missed just three shots the entire game, burying five 3-pointers and torching the Cougars for 25 points.
“Amy Ngo brought a ton of energy and was all over the place on defense,” UD coach Morgan Funsten said. “She had eight rebounds and also shot the lights out, scoring 25 points on 9-for-12 shooting. The girls are doing a better job of staying connected on defense and are becoming more disruptive.”
Ngo gave a glimpse of things to come, connecting on a pair of 3s and scoring 10 points in a first quarter that saw UD take a 16-10 lead. The Cardinals took a 23-15 lead into halftime but seized complete control with an 11-0 third quarter, outscoring the Cougars 30-7 in a dominant second half.
“After having some time off over break, we came out a little rusty in the first half,” Funsten said. “We gave up way too many offensive rebounds and that is something we need to clean up.
“Fortunately, we were able to force 16 turnovers for the game and get out in transition because Springfield played us in zone most of the game.”
Also for UD, Tamia Clark added 13 points and six rebounds. Megan Ngo stuffed the stat sheet with six points, six steals, six assists and four rebounds.
“We have a quick turnaround with Villa Maria, and we are excited to get back on the court and get better tomorrow,” Funsten said.
Upper Dublin (9-0, 6-0 SOL) will face Villa Maria at Cardinal O’Hara on Friday at 12:30 p.m.
Springfield-Delco 10-5-0-7 22
Upper Dublin 16-7-11-19 53
Springfield-Delco (22) – Alyssa Estep 3 1-4 7; Cora Fatori 1 0-0 2; Keira Schoffler 1 0-2 3; Megan Zane 2 0-0 5; Corinne Guyton-Williams 2 1-1 5; TOTALS 9 2-7 22.
Upper Dublin (53) – Megan Ngo 2 2-2 6; Tamia Clark 5 3-6 13; Amy Ngo 9 2-2 25; Julia Scullen 1 0-1 2; Nora Brady 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 20 7-11 53.
3-point field goals: Springfield-Delco – Keira Schoffler, Megan Zane; UD – Amy Ngo 5, Nora Brady.
Marple Newtown Holiday Tournament
SPRINGFIELD TWP 49, CHICHESTER 21
The Spartans took care of business in a hurry in Thursday’s third place game, riding the hot hand of Ava Culler to a 26-5 lead after one quarter. The sophomore forward scored 12 points in the opening quarter while Jayla Daniels added six, and the Spartans were off and running.
By halftime Springfield Twp led 38-12 and coasted to the no-doubt-about it win that came on the heels of a disappointing 47-38 opening round loss to Marple Newtown the preceding day.
“It was a good bounce-back game for us after yesterday,” Springfield coach Dave Giordano said. “We were happy to be playing again. I think the girls were a little disappointed things didn’t go our way last night, so we wanted to try and focus on getting a strong start if we could.
“We did that through the first two quarters and then just tried to focus on getting people to contribute, running through our stuff and closing out strong. It was a good win. We finished out the year nicely, and we’re looking forward to coming back after the new year.”
Culler – who had 14 points by halftime – led the Spartans with 22 points. Daniels added eight points while Alana Decker and Catlin Lewis both had six points.
Springfield Twp (5-5, 2-4 SOL) will return to action Friday, Jan. 5, when the Spartans will travel to Quakertown for a crossover game.
Chichester 5-7-6-3 21
Springfield Twp 26-12-11-0 49
Chichester (21) – Tahkya Pray 2 2-9 6; Jordynn Anderson 2 0-0 6; Layla Lewis 3 2-2 9; TOTALS 7 4-11 21.
Springfield Twp (49) – Alana Decker 3 0-0 6; Hannah Brandon 2 0-0 4; Catlin Lewis 3 0-1 6; Jayla Daniels 3 1-2 8; Keira Brandon 1 1-2 3; Ava Culler 11 0-2 22; TOTALS 23 2-7 49.
3-point goals: Chichester – Jordynn Anderson 2, Layla Lewis; Springfield – Jayla Daniels.
Championship game
MARPLE NEWTOWN 48, WISSAHICKON 16
The Tigers opened up a 29-8 halftime lead on their way to a win in the title game of their own tournament.
Ashley Klein (4 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, block), Maura Jacob (4 points, 2 steals) and Julia Lettieri (4 points, rebound, steal) led the Trojans.
Wissahickon (2-8, 1-5 SOL) will host Upper Moreland next Friday in a crossover game.
Wissahickon 4-4-2-6 16
Marple Newtown 14-15-16-3 48
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 43, SOUDERTON 22
The Patriots opened up a 16-8 lead after one quarter and extended that by halftime on their way to the decisive win.
Olivia Herron’s six points led the Indians.
Souderton (1-7, 0-5 SOL) will travel to Bensalem for a crossover game on Wednesday.
Souderton 8-3-4-7 22
Germantown Academy 16-15-10-2 43
Souderton (22) – Jacquelyn Bermel 1 2-2 4; Julia Purvy 0 0-2 2; Olivia Herron 1 4-4 6; Madison Bealer 0 1-2 1; Brooke Fenchel 1 0-0 2; Kiera Fadden 1 1-2 3; Emily Dick 1 2-3 4; Avie Sackor 0 1-2 1; Erin McGee 0 1-2 1; TOTALS 5 12-19 22.
Germantown Academy (43) – Jenna Aponik 15, Gabby Bowes 5, Isabella Casey 9, Jessica Kolecki 10, Claire McKee 4.
3-point goals: GA – Jenna Aponik, Gabby Bowes, Isabella Casey.
Garnet Valley Holiday Tournament
GARNET VALLEY 47, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 33
The Jaguars served early notice that they would not be allowing the tournament’s title trophy to leave their home court, opening up a 16-4 lead after one quarter and going on to defeat the defending champion Titans. South rebounded to outscore the host team 8-3 in the second quarter but never could cut into the Jaguars’ lead.
Mia Klein, who earned all-tournament honors, scored a team high 11 points – all in the second half. Ella Wheeler and Jules Tropea both added seven points while Casey Balkir had six.
Central Bucks South (6-5, 3-3 SOL) will return to action Friday, Jan. 5, when the Titans will host Council Rock North in a crossover game.
Central Bucks South 4-8-8-13 33
Garnet Valley 16-3-12-16 47
Central Bucks South (33) – Ella Wheeler 2 2-2 7; Casey Balkir 2 2-2 6; Jules Tropea 1 3-7 7; Yoyo Samayoa 2 0-0 4; Mia Klein 3 5-8 11; TOTALS 10 12-19 33.
Garnet Valley (47) – Emily Olsen 3 4-5 10; Kylie Mulholland 4 1-2 9 Savannah Saunders 2 1-2 5; Haylie Adamski 7 2-2 17; Addie Adamski 2 0-0 6; TOTALS 18 8-11 47.
3-point goals: CBS – Alla Wheeler; GV - Addie Adamski 2, Haylie Adamskie.
Boardwalk Classic (Showcase)
PADUA ACADEMY 48, HATBORO-HORSHAM 26
Padua Academy opened up a 24-11 lead after one quarter and upped that advantage to 37-15 by halftime. The two teams exchanged baskets in the second half.
Kitty Randa’s 12 points led the Hatters. Maddy Patel added six points.
Hatboro-Horsham (4-6, 2-4 SOL) will face Lower Merion on Friday at 11:30 a.m.
Hatboro-Horsham 11-4-5-6 26
Padua Academy 24-13-6-5 48
Hatboro-Horsham (26) – Angelica Visceglia 1 0-0 2; Madison Duggan 1 0-0 2; Kitty Randa 6 0-0 12; Maddy Patel 2 1-4 6; Gabby Fisher 0 2-4 2; Alyssa Tooley 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 11 3-8 26.
Padua Academy (48) – Abigail Nichols 2 0-0 4; Emme Mulvena 2 0-0 4; Abigail Hayes 2 3-4 7; Grace Trerotola 4 0-0 11; Molly Mager 1 0-0 2; Abigail Grillo 4 4-4 12; Kai Swirantwi 4 0-0 8; TOTALS 19 7-8 48.
3-point goals: HH - Maddy Patel; Padua – Grace Trerotola 3.
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