District 2 Basketball Playoffs (Girls 4A and Boys 4A Third Place Games)
Written by: Jon K on February 25, 2020
February 25, 2020
Lady Bulldogs and Trojans Clinch Their Tickets to States
4A Girls: 3-Berwick Area 40, 5-Nanticoke Area 36
4A Boys: 6-Nanticoke Area 57, 5-Hanover Area 51
By Phil T
YATESVILLE – After coming up just a bit short a few days ago, the Lady Bulldogs and Trojans responded with wins Tuesday night to secure their tickets to the PIAA State Basketball Tournament.
In the District 2 Girls’ 4A consolation match-up, Berwick got off to a slow start, spotting the Trojanettes a 12-4 lead after the opening period.
Nanticoke Area would expand their halftime lead, going on 8-0 run to start the half. Katie Starr would then respond back, scoring the next five points to lessen the deficit, 27-23, heading into the final period.
A quick triple and layup by Rachael Whitenight would give the Lady Bulldogs their first lead early in the final quarter. Abigail Cullen would retake the lead back for the Trojanettes with a triple, but a lane violation called on Nanticoke Area during Morgan Nevel’s attempt from the charity stripe would give her a second chance to tie the game at 31 with under three minutes remaining.
Katie Starr would make her way to the basket to give Berwick the decisive lead with 2:27 remaining. The Lady Bulldogs would secure their victory by going 4-5 from the foul line down the final stretch.
Katie Starr led the Lady Bulldogs with 11 points and 13 rebounds.
The Trojanettes would only have four players on the scoresheet, three in double-digits, led by Abby Cullen with 14.
In the night cap, the Nanticoke Area boys’ team would face their top rival, Hanover Area, in the Boys’ 4A 3rd Place game.
Both teams got off to a slow start, but in the second half things would heat up as each team started feeling a hot hand.
Led by Khairi Carson’s four triples in the period, the Hawkeyes would connect on seven team treys from beyond the arc en route to a 27-point quarter.
The Hawkeyes defensive approach – to keep Colby Butczynski in check – worked well through the first three quarters, holding him to only two buckets at the free throw line. But, you can only keep a star player in check for so long, and Butczynski found his rhythym and scored 13 points in the final period to give the Trojans the pish they needed for the win, 57-53.
As quickly as the Hawkeyes three-point shooting arrived is as quickly as it faded, the team would not make a triple in the fourth quarter.
Jake Krupinski led the Trojans with 17 points on the night. Butczynski added 15 and J.J. Bilecki had 12 points to help send Nanticoke Area to the state tournament.
Kharir Carson has an incredible game, scoring 28 points, in the losing effort for Hanover Area.
D2 4A (Girls) 3rd-Place Game
End 1st Quarter
Nanticoke 12
Berwick 4
Morgan Nevel gets the layup before the buzzer to end the Trojanettes 8-0 run. pic.twitter.com/vGRK6CLcL2— LLHoops NEP Beat_Phil (@Phil_LLHoopsNEP) February 25, 2020
Rachael Whitenight gives the Lady Bulldogs their first lead of the night. 28-27, 6:34 remaining in the game. pic.twitter.com/8iMwVWWxND
— LLHoops NEP Beat_Phil (@Phil_LLHoopsNEP) February 25, 2020
D2 4A (Boys) 3rd-Place Game
End of 3rd Quarter
Nanticoke Area 40
Hanover Area 43
Khairi Carson hits his 4th triple, team 7th, of the quarter as times expires. pic.twitter.com/5M6oBAPEB9— LLHoops NEP Beat_Phil (@Phil_LLHoopsNEP) February 26, 2020
D2 4A (Boys) 3rd-Place Game
Final
Nanticoke Area 57
Hanover Area 51
Trojans are heading to states. pic.twitter.com/Q5iDt0u9OV— LLHoops NEP Beat_Phil (@Phil_LLHoopsNEP) February 26, 2020
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