District 2 First Round Playoff Previews (All Friday, Saturday games added)
Written by: Jon K on March 9, 2018
PIAA FIRST ROUND PREVIEWS
First Round Previews involving District 2 teams will be added throughout the week
FRIDAY, MARCH 9 GAMES
BOYS AAAAA
(2-1) Abington Heights (22-3) vs. (3-8) Garden Spot (15-13), Scranton 7:30
(2-2) Dallas (20-5) vs. (3-4) Lower Dauphin (19-7), Wyoming Area 7:30
Abington Heights captured their 7th straight District 2 championship as the Comets came away with an impressive 61-36 victory over Dallas. While George Tinsley delivered his usual stellar effort on both ends of the floor, it was the offensive explosion from Jack Nealon (19 points with 4 triples) that helped key their 39-19 second half surge. The Comets will take on Garden Spot from the Lancaster-Lebanon League. The Spartans compete in Section 2 where they finished 8-6 and dropped a quarter-final 55-45 loss to Lancaster Catholic in the L-L playoffs. In District 3 play, they opened up with a 66-59 win over Dover before dropping their next three games (90-66 to eventual champion Milton Hershey, 62-53 to Lampeter-Strasburg, and 77-67 to Greencastle-Antrim) to secure the final seed. Spot is led by a dynamic 1,000 point scorer, senior guard Jordan Shewbridge (15.6 ppg). He is one of several talented players on this guard-oriented squad. Keontae Nunn (senior, 7.7 ppg) had a breakout game hitting 32 points in their loss to G-A. Along with Jacob Arndt (senior, 9.6 ppg), the Spartans average 6 triples per game. Other top players include Kellito Westmoreland (6-0 senior, 7.7 ppg), Andrew Zenter (6-4 sophomore, 5.4 ppg), and Jonathan Vergeon (junior, 3.8 ppg). Spot prefers an up-tempo game and will have to contend with the Comets’ very opportunistic inside game. The winner advances to take on District 12 Runner-up, Martin Luther King, or the #4 team out of District 1, Chester (18-8).
Dallas will take on the #4 team out of District 3, Lower Dauphin. The Falcons, who finished at 11-3 in the Mid-Penn Keystone Division (two games behind division winner Hershey), secured their first state playoff berth since 1992 after they captured a District 3 quarter-final win over Ephrata, 58-41. They then upset top-seed Lampeter-Strasburg, 49-46 in overtime before falling to Hershey (75-68) and Northeastern (64-54) in the winners’ consolation round. LD is led by 1,000 point scorer, senior guard Casey Caruso (an all-league transfer from Camp Hill). He is joined in the backcourt by a pair of juniors, 6-2 Ryan Becher and Luke Hedrick. Inside, the Falcons have a talented junior duo in 6-5 Brian Swist and 6-6 Will Bowen. Bowen has been playing very steady, hitting 17 in the loss to Hershey. The winner advances to play the District 11 Champion, Allentown Central Catholic (23-4) or the #7 team out of District 3, Greencastle-Antrim (22-5).
BOYS AAAA
(2-1) Scranton Prep (20-5) vs. (11-3) Tamaqua (18-7), Marywood Univ 7:30
(2-2) Valley View (16-9) vs. (4-2) Mifflinburg (16-9), Shikellamy HS 6:30
(2-3) Nanticoke (20-5) vs. (11-1) Bethlehem Catholic (25-3), Liberty HS 7:30
District 2 Champion Scranton Prep will take on Tamaqua who finished 8-5 in Schuylkill League action. The Blue Raiders defeated Jim Thorpe in the District 1/11 Sub-regional, 57-40, before falling to Lower Moreland in the semi-finals, 69-58. They rebounded for a 67-62 consolation victory over Wilson. The Raiders were a team brimming with confidence as the season began, returning several key underclassmen but missing the services of sophomore guard Brayden Knoblauch for a few weeks due to a broken collarbone. As the season progressed, Tamaqua has continued to get strong efforts from their go-to players, senior point guard Thad Zuber and 6-3 sophomore forward Lucas Gregoire. They have also received balanced efforts from junior guard Michael Bonetsky, junior Darian Stianche, and senior Mitch Kurek. Inside, along with Lucas Gregoire, Tamaqua features 6-5 senior center Casey Rother and 6-2 senior forward Gabe Gregoire. In the loss to Lower Moreland, Zuber netted 24 while Knoblauch added 15. The winner moves on to play District 12 Champion, Imhotep Charter (26-2) or the #4 team out of District 3, Kennard-Dale (19-8).
District 2 Runner-up Valley View will take on District 4 Runner-up Mifflinburg. The immediate contrast in this matchup is that while the Cougars feature a ton of youthful talent, the Wildcats are a team with plenty of senior leadership and determination. Mifflinburg also has a bit of a flare for the dramatic as they got game-winning shots from senior guard Tanner Stolzfus (a 1,000 point scorer) in their quarter-final 55-52 win over Shikellamy and 47-45 semi-final win over top-seeded Danville. Stolzfus is joined by point guard Jordan Tyson and shooting guard Levi Yoder. Senior guard Logan Mensch, known more for his defensive pressure, connected on a season-high 15 points in the victory over Shik. In the middle, Andre Roupp relies on junior center Austin Raymer and senior forward Adam McCardle-Coe. Raymer led the way with 9 points in their 46-32 District 4 championship loss to Montoursville. The winner advances to take on District 3 Champion Berks Catholic (26-2) or the #4 team out of District 12, Bartram (10-10).
The venue will be different, but Nanticoke Area will be hoping for some more of the final quarter magic that allowed the Trojans to pull off one of the biggest tournament upsets seen last season, a 58-56 win over Bethlehem Catholic. Becahi is back and ranked #3 in the state according to CoBL. The Hawks outlasted Allentown Central Catholic 47-44 to capture the East Penn Conference championship, their first such Lehigh Valley championship since 2003. They then rolled to a District 1/11 Sub-Regional title with big wins over Octorora (93-54), Wilson (68-49), and Lower Moreland (70-59). They feature a double threat inside-outside combination. On the perimeter, Deandre Gardner (senior, 10.6 ppg) and junior Justin Paz (16.9 ppg) have combined for over 130 triples on the season. Inside, 6-7 junior Kyle Young (7.2 ppg) and 6-10 senior Ryan Young (16.9 ppg) are steady. Becahi fans took a collective sigh of relief when Ryan got up following a hard fall to the floor in the championship game. The Hawks also have established depth in the backcourt, a great intangible for a deep run into the state playoffs. They get about 16 ppg combined from seniors Kenny Bell and Scott Kuna plus sophomores Ryan Santana and Julian Thomas. The winner moves on to play District 12 Runner-Up Conwell Egan (8-15) or District 11, #3 team Wilson (16-11).
BOYS A
(2/11-1) Susquehanna (17-9) vs. (3-5) Conestoga Christian (16-9), Carbondale 7
Susquehanna Community, already crowned the District 2/11 Sub-Regional champion, dropped a 38-22 loss to MMI Prep in the District 2 title game on Sunday afternoon. The quirky logistics of that aside, it should be noted that Sabers top-scorer Mason Deakin (15.8 ppg) did not play in the loss to the Preppers. They take on Conestoga Christian which is located about 15 miles south of Reading and competes in the CCAC (Commonwealth Christian Athletic Conference). The Cougars got an opening round 62-51 win over Mount Calvary before dropping a quarter-final loss to eventual district runner-up Lancaster Country Day, 62-32. They rebounded in the consolation bracket with wins over West Shore Christian (54-50) and High Point Baptist (49-41). In the backcourt, they feature junior Blake Greenly, senior Danial Boyer, and freshman Conrad Yoder. Inside, the Cougars have 6-4 junior Michael Myers and freshman Riley Watkins. The winner will move on to play the District 3 Runner-up, Lancaster Country Day (18-7) or the District 6, #3 team Blacklick Valley (21-5).
GIRLS AAAAAA
(2-1) Hazleton Area (15-9) vs. (1-8) Neshaminy (18-8), Berwick 7
District 2 Champion Hazleton Area will take on Neshaminy, who they played in the AAAA state playoffs two years ago. The Lady ‘Skins came away with a 50-41 win in that one which vaulted them into a deep playoff run. This year, Neshaminy finished as a tri-division champion (10-2) in the Suburban One League National Division with powerhouses Abington and Council Rock North (both regarded among the top teams in District 1). They feature a sensational playmaker in 5-11 junior forward Brooke Mullen. She is joined by junior point guard Kristen Curley and 5-8 junior forward Allison Harvey. Those three players form a very strong nucleus on this squad. They started out District 1 action with wins over Cheltenham (59-19) and Perk Valley (57-47). They then dropped consecutive (but close) losses to Central Bucks South (43-39), Plymouth-Whitemarsh (47-44), and Council Rock North (51-47). Mullin had a double-double in the loss to P-W with 22 points and 10 boards. She then hit 21 points in the loss to CRN while Harvey added 13. This is a young team (only one senior) but one which has tremendous chemistry on the floor. They are quick and play superb defense, limiting teams to a single shot and using fast-break outlet passes to get down court. Curley is a solid PG with excellent passing skills. After suffering a knee injury last year, Harvey looks to be back. The Lady ‘Skins also feature a pair of 5-10 junior forwards in the frontcourt, Olivia Scott and Kelli Kowalick. The winner moves on to play either District 3 Runner-up Central York (23-4) or District 1, #6 team Plymouth-Whitemarsh (22-5).
GIRLS AAA
(2-1) Dunmore (25-1) vs. (12-4) Phila. Aca. Charter (12-7), Marywood 6
(2-2) Holy Redeemer (22-4) vs. (4-2) Hughesville (16-9), Wyoming Area 6
(2-3) Mid Valley (17-8) vs. (11-1) North Schuylkill (24-3), Martz Hall 7:30
District 2 Champion Dunmore will take on Philadelphia Academy Charter which is located just off Roosevelt Blvd. near Route 63 in Northeast Philly. As with many District 12 teams, not a lot of info is known about the relatively young Lady Chargers program. They are led by 5-11 senior forward Lauren Beck. Another key player is sophomore Casey Bivenour. Head coach Casey Huckel also relies on junior Amanda Devine, freshman Sianee Perez, junior Amy Alexander, sophomore Madison Brady, and junior Olivia Sgrillo. The winner advances to take on District 4 Champion, Mount Carmel Area (21-5), or the District 11, #3 team Notre Dame Green Pond (17-9).
District 2 Runner-up Holy Redeemer will take on the District 4 Runner-up, Hughesville. The Lady Spartans rolled into the district finals with wins over Warrior Run (57-32) and Bloomsburg (51-28) to once again meet Mount Carmel for the championship. And while Hughesville showed that they are certainly a program on the rise, MCA solidified their place in history by winning their seventh title in eight years, 52-31. The Lady Spartans feature an experienced team with senior leadership, but it has been the explosive play of sophomore guard Jade Cordrey that has made the biggest impact (36 points in their first two playoff wins). However, early into the championship tilt, she suffered a possible serious knee injury. Her status for the playoff is not known. Without her in the backcourt, Hughesville has to rely on a trio of seniors in Kendra Smith, Emily Akers, and Alisha McKinley. Against Bloomsburg, Smith and Akers combined for 24. Inside, 5-7 senior forward Jayden Leighow is one of their top defenders. Overall, the Lady Spartans play tight defense bolstered by Akers’ in-your-face playing style. The winner advances to play District 1 Champion Saint Basil Academy (20-5) or the District 12, #5 team West Philadelphia (9-5).
Mid Valley, the District 2 consolation winner, will be taking on Schuylkill League powerhouse North Schuylkill. The Lady Spartans have only dropped three games on the season. Other than a close loss back in December to Abington Heights (61-55), they played perfect basketball for about two months. However, somewhat surprising losses in the SL championship game (51-35 to Mahanoy Area) and District 1/11 title game (57-39 to Saint Basil in which they led 25-15), have them re-focusing their efforts entering the state playoffs. Without question, they have a duo of versatile scorers in 5-10 senior playmaker Averi Jordan and 5-8 senior guard Sam Shinkus. Jordan became their all-time leading scorer in the loss to St. Basil as her 15 points raised her mark to 1,743 career points. Other top players for Richard Wetzel include 5-9 senior Hailey Guerrero, 5-10 junior Emma Green, senior guard Karly Hillbish, plus a pair of freshmen in Mya Wetzel and Sarah Wagner. The key in both of their recent losses has been the success of their opponent in creating turnovers. Mahanoy Area forced 16 turnovers while Saint Basil created 30 (17 in the second half). The winner moves on to play District 12 Champion, Imhotep Charter (20-7) or the District 3, #3 team Delone Catholic (21-5).
GIRLS AA
(2-1) Old Forge (12-12) vs. (4-2) South Williamsport (11-14), Scranton 6
(2-2) Northwest (14-10) vs. (4-1) Southern Columbia (17-8), Shamokin 5
District 2 Champion Old Forge will take on District 2 Runner-up South Williamsport. One of the great rewards of following District 2 teams into the state playoffs is to hear about some of the paths which their opponents took to reach the same destination. In the case of South Williamsport, the Lady Mountaineers did not appear to be even district playoff bound when they were at 7-13 approaching the end of the regular season. Wins over Millville and Line Mountain helped secure a District 4 playoff spot where they rattled off wins over Northern Tier League contenders Northeast Bradford (55-40) and Sayre (58-46). In the championship game, Southern Columbia got off to a quick start to get a 46-32 championship win. This is a team that has come together for a common goal. They compete in a challenging conference and that helped prepare them for their late season push. The Mounties are led by junior Megan Weber, sophomore Haley Neidig. junior Alyssa Johnson, senior Amiya Harris, sophomore Sydney Bachman, and junior Jaela House. The winner advances to take on District 12 Runner-up Motivation (10-8) or District 11 Runner-up Minersville (22-3).
Northwest Area will take on District 4 Champion Southern Columbia. The Lady Tigers got to the championship game with wins over North Penn Mansfield (55-32) and Muncy (48-28). In their 46-32 title victory over South Williamsport, they jumped out to a 13-3 start and created 25 turnovers for their first district gold since 2003. They feature a pair of resilient four-year starters in 5-11 forward Abby Hager and 1,000 point scorer Madison Klock. Other key players include juniors Sarah Rodriguez, Jill Marks, and Morgan Cole. Off the bench they have juniors Hanna Davis and 5-10 Sami Palacz plus sophomore Morgan Marks. The winner moves on to play District 12 Champion West Catholic (12-12) or the District 3 Runner-up, Steelton-Highspire (11-10).
SATURDAY, MARCH 10 GAMES
BOYS AAAAAA
(2-1) Hazleton Area (23-1) vs. (1-7) Norristown (18-10), Berwick 4
One upon a time, Hazleton was just another hoops-crazy town that began with the letter “H”. That changed a bit back in 1989 when the Bruce Leib coached Mountaineers ousted a powerhouse Norristown squad in the opening round of the state playoffs, 64-58, to move to 27-0 on their season. One of the top Eagles players was 6-1 junior guard Dana “Binky” Johnson who took over the Norristown program 38 years later and is now squarely focused on bringing his beloved school and community back to its glory hoops days. Likewise, Mike Joseph who took over the Cougar program is well on his way toward getting the District 2 Champion Hazleton Area program back onto the statewide map. Norristown has a rich history of PIAA excellence, but has not played in the tourney since 2013. In 2016 they switched from the Suburban One League to the Pioneer Athletic Conference. In the District 1 tournament, the Eagles defeated Perk Valley 50-41 before dropping games to top teams Abington (57-43) and Pennridge (61-51) before getting by Upper Darby 53-41 to secure the #7 seed. This team has come a long way in just one season. They love to force the ball up the floor and score quickly. And they have matched up well against more deliberate teams (like PV). The Eagles have a trio of versatile junior guards in 5-8 Vernon Tubbs, 5-10 Tyler Lyons, and 6-0 Marcus Sanford. Inside, they feature 6-4 junior forward Mikeel Allen and 6-7 senior center Darius Hopewell. Norristown is going to have to control the Cougar bigs and score in transition. The Cougars need to be careful handling the ball because the Eagles’ backcourt are all terrific defenders. This one should be a terrific first round game with the winner advancing to play District 3 Runner-up Chambersburg (19-5) or District 11, #3 seed Pocono Mountain West (16-10).
BOYS AAA
(2-1) Wyo. Seminary (21-4) vs. (12-4) Mastery Charter South (14-8), Wilkes U. 6
(2-2) Holy Redeemer (18-7) vs. (4-2) Loyalsock (20-7), Williamsport 7:30
District 2 Champion Wyoming Seminary will take on Mastery Charter South from the Philly Public League American Division. They dropped a 71-51 loss to Dobbins in the Pub 3A Title game and then fell to Bishop McDevitt 71-54 to gain the #4 seed. MCS is led by their inside-outside combination scoring duo of Jalen Watkins (6-4 junior center) and Vincent Boykin (5-6 junior guard) who were both named to the division all-star teams. They also feature Miles Middleton (6-2 senior forward), Deon Harris (5-10 senior guard), and Hamid Gingraw (junior guard). The winner advances to play District 1 perennial powerhouse Neumann-Goretti (18-6) or the District 3, #3 team Steelton-Highspire (16-8).
District 2 Runner-up Holy Redeemer will take on District 4 Runner-up Loyalsock. The Lancers are the definition of District 4 success, qualifying for the state tournament in 15 of the last 18 seasons. Their head coach, Ron Insinger, a 900+ game winner, just logged his 36th 20-win season. All that being said, there have been some ups and downs for Loyalsock this year. After dropping a Heartland Conference semi-final game to Danville (53-49), the Lancers rebounded to win district games over Warrior Run (72-40) and rival Hughesville (58-36). In the championship tilt, Wellsboro captured their first gold medals in 66 years with a 53-47 victory to avenge their only loss on the season. Loyalsock is led by 1,000 point scorer, junior guard Gerald Ross. He is joined by junior point guard Anthony Pastore and sophomore guard Aiden Gair. In the frontcourt, they have 6-3 junior Connor Watkins, 6-4 senior forward Mitchell Klingerman, and 6-5 junior center Bam Brima. Ross had 22 points and Pastore added 14 in their win over Hughesville. In the loss to Wellsboro, Ross netted 15. The winner moves on to play District 1 Champion Valley Forge (23-5) or the District 12 #5 team, Penn Treaty (15-3).
BOYS AA
(2-1) Holy Cross (20-6) vs. (4-2) Northeast Bradford (12-14), Marywood Univ. 7
(2-2) Northwest Area (10-15) vs. (4-1) Muncy (17-7), Williamsport 4:30
District 2 Champion Holy Cross will take on District 4 Runner-up Northeast Bradford. The Panthers opened district competition with wins over Cowanesque Valley (52-43) and top-seed Wyalusing (45-42) before dropping the championship to Muncy, 52-39. Their top scorer is junior Zak Smith, averaging 14.4 ppg. He is joined by seniors Matt Torres, Nick Vrabel, and Nick Shaffer. Inside, NEB features a pair of sophomores in Andy Crown (9.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and Clayton Connor (3.8 rpg). In their win over CV, Smith netted 18 while Crown had a double-double with 10 points and 12 boards. In their title loss to Muncy, Smith again led the way with 18 while Crown added 14. The winner advances to play District 5 Champion, Berlin (20-4) or District 6 #3 seed, Bishop McCort (16-9).
Northwest Area will take on the District 4 Champion, Muncy. The Indians defeated last year’s district winner North Penn Mansfield 69-50 in the semi-finals before getting by Northeast Bradford 52-39 for their first championship since 2004. Muncy plays very well as a team, getting very balanced scoring all over the floor. Their perimeter game is very solid behind the scoring of senior Nate Paisley (13 ppg), junior Noah Rymsza (13 ppg), and junior Colby Moyer (10.4 ppg). Inside, 6-2 senior forward Matt Coyner has proven to have the agility and ball-handling skills to be very effective (11.8 ppg and 10.3 rpg). Paisley had back-to-back 18 point games while Rymsza had a 2-game total of 44 points. Muncy also gets contributions from 6-2 junior Dylan Wilt, junior guard Kyle Lenhart, and senior Jordan Yaple. The winner moves on to play District 11 Champion, Moravian Academy (19-6) or the District 12 #3 team, Paul Robeson (20-5).
GIRLS AAAAA
(2-1) Abington Hts. (18-7) vs. (3-6) Solanco (17-10), Marywood U. 5:30
(2-2) Crestwood (17-8) vs. (3-4) Susquehannock (22-6), Wilkes Univ. 4:30
District 2 Champion Abington Heights will take on Solanco, the #6 seed out of District 3. The Golden Mares compete in the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 2 where they finished at 9-5, well behind eventual league champion Lampeter-Strasburg (14-0). After dropping an L-L quarter-final to Elizabethtown (69-55), they entered the District 3 playoffs with a 52-47 win over West York. After a quarter-final loss to Harrisburg (72-46), they entered the losers’ (#5-#8 seeds) bracket where they defeated Spring Grove (53-34) before dropping a 68-59 loss to Lampeter-Strasburg. Solanco is located south of Lancaster in Quarryville. They feature a young squad with only one senior on their roster. The Mares are led by junior guard Jess Cabrera (15.3 ppg through the D3 playoffs). She is joined by junior guard Grace Kreider (11.5 ppg), sophomore guard Jenna Dombach (8.8 ppg), and junior playmaker Aleksa Burger (10.6 ppg). Inside they have junior forward Kara McClure. This should be a very good matchup. The winner advances to play District 3 Champion Harrisburg (23-4) or the #6 team out of District 1, Upper Merion (14-13).
District 2 Runner-up Crestwood will battle Susquehannock, the #4 team out of District 3. The Warriors are located near the Maryland border off I-83. They advanced to the District 3 semi-finals with wins over Hershey (47-32) and Lampeter-Strasburg (53-45) before dropping back-to-back losses to Lower Dauphin (45-32) and Twin Valley (48-44). They returned plenty of talent (5 of 6 starters) from their 5A district championship and state semi-final appearance from a year ago. And even with the loss of senior guard Maddie Stone for rest of the season (foot injury), the Warriors remain a very strong team. They are led by 5-10 junior forward Jaden Walker, junior guard Jayla Galbreath, 5-9 senior forward Anna Mahan, and senior guard Taylor Tannura (a 4-year starter). The winner moves on to play undefeated District 1 Champion WC Henderson (28-0) or the #8 team out of District 3, Spring Grove (16-10).
GIRLS AAAA
(2-1) Scranton Prep (23-2) vs. (3-4) Wyomissing (21-5), Marywood U. 4
(2-2) Nanticoke (21-5) vs. (4-3) Danville (17-8), Wilkes Univ. 3
(2-3) Berwick (17-8) vs. (11-1) Bethlehem Catholic (24-3), Freedom HS 4:30
District 2 Champion Scranton Prep will take on Wyomissing, the #4 team out of District 3. The Lady Spartans defeated Kennard-Dale in the quarter-finals (54-48) before dropping back-to-back games to Berks Catholic (53-44) and Bishop McDevitt (55-51). They compete in the Berks Conference Division 3 where they finished 10-0. One of their top players (who also excels at tennis) is Leah McAvoy, a senior center who averages 18.4 ppg. She netted 19 in the win over BC. Senior forward Myra Owens is a 1,000 point scorer. In the backcourt they have senior Kristy Bell (7.6 ppg), junior Jamie DiCarlo (7.0 ppg), and senior Megan Masano (3.6 ppg). The winner advances to play District 12 Runner-up Audenried (15-10) or District 1 Runner-up Lower Moreland (18-7).
District 2 Runner-up Nanticoke Area will tip off against the #3 seed out of District 4, Danville. The Ironmen rallied in the second half for a 51-38 district quarter-final win over Athens. They then dropped a 38-30 loss to top-seeded Lewisburg before rolling to an impressive 55-30 consolation victory over Shamokin (who had beaten them twice earlier in the season). Danville has a strong inside game anchored by 5-10 junior center Clara Coombe. She finished with 14 points and 17 rebounds in the win over the Lady Indians. They also have plenty of experienced talent. Senior guard Bethany Hileman is a three-year starter. Sophomore guards Corinna Petrus and Linae Williams were both starters as freshmen. Petrus is terrific at dribble penetration. The also feature sophomore guard Emily Heath and 5-9 senior forward Samantha Chillis. The winner moves on to play District 1 Champion Gwynedd Mercy (16-8) or the #4 team out of District 12, Carver Engineering and Science (3-14).
Berwick, the District 2, #3 team will battle District 11 Champion, Bethlehem Catholic. The Golden Hawks are the defending state champion who just wrapped up their 5th district title in the last 6 seasons. They defeated Blue Mountain in the semi-finals (49-27) before rolling over Allentown Central Catholic (45-17). The Vikettes, who played Becahi very close in the EPC title game (40-37), actually led after the first quarter 11-7 before the Hawks went on a 38-18 run. They are led by 5-9 senior forward Hope Brown (a West Point recruit) who hits 11.5 ppg and has over 20 triples. She is joined by 5-10 sophomore forward Abby Brown (5 ppg). On the perimeter, 6-0 sophomore guard Taliyah Medina (13.8 ppg), senior Morgan Orloski (7.4 ppg), and sophomore point Jaleesa Lanier (3.8 ppg) are all sensational defenders. Medina and Orloski have combined for over 70 treys. The Golden Hawks forced 25 turnovers in their win over Blue Mountain as they repeatedly found success with their trap defense and using their athleticism to jump into the passing lanes. The winner advances to play District 12 Champion Bonner-Prendergast (14-10) or the #5 seed out of District 3, Northern Lebanon (20-9).
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