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District 2 Girls Lynett Title Game Recap (Scranton vs. Scranton Prep)
 

District 2 Girls Lynett Title Game Recap (Scranton vs. Scranton Prep)

Written by: Jon K on December 30, 2023

 

 

December 29, 2023

 

Balanced Scranton Attack Holds Off Scranton Prep Comeback

 

Scranton Lady Knights 65, Scranton Prep Classics 54  

 

By Jon K.

SCRANTON – Several teams that have their sights set on winning District 2 championships come March got together Friday evening at the area’s most historic hoops venue to decide this year’s Lynett Memorial Tournament Championships.  The Lackawanna College Student Union Gymnasium (former CYC) oozes basketball tradition and brought together a boisterous crowd that was entertained for both games.  These matchups were both very intense and very well-played.  In the Girls’ title matchup, Scranton held off an impressive comeback by Scranton Prep to prevail by a 65-54 score.  And in the Boys’ title tilt, Scranton rallied for a 48-46 victory over Holy Cross.    

Right off the opening tip, the fans got a quick introduction to one half of Scranton’s dynamic freshmen duo as 6-2 Zya Small drove in for a layup.  Small would add another driving layup wrapped around a triple by Finley Bittenbender to give the Lady Knights a 7-0 advantage.  Scranton’s precision ball movement and tenacious defense were giving Scranton Prep problems, but, despite their record, the Classics have an experienced lineup that has played a rugged December slate.  Jenna Hillebrand got Prep on the board three minutes into the contest, but Scranton then got clutch back-to-back triples from junior Maggie O’Shea (2 of her 4 total) to give the Lady Knights an early double-digit lead, 13-3.  After Claire McGrath scored to cut it to 13-5, the final minute of the period featured some outstanding perimeter shooting up and down the floor as Finley Bittenbender nailed her second trey wrapped around a pair of triples by junior Jenna Hillebrand.  Small capped off the scoring to give Scranton an 18-11 lead after the first quarter.

Scranton Prep began to chip away at the Scranton lead before the break as Hillebrand netted 9 points in the frame, but it was the Lady Knights who were dazzling the crowd midway through the period after taking another 10-point lead following another Maggie O’Shea triple.  McGrath finished off a nifty fast break feed to Hillebrand to get the quarter started before a getting a lay-in at the 5:20 mark to cut it to 20-15.  Continuing her impressive start, O’Shea scored five more points that were wrapped around a powerful block by Small to put the Lady Knights up 25-15.  And every time the Classics tried to battle their way back, Scranton had an emphatic response.  Scores by juniors Bella Dennebaum and Maya Jenkins (cutting it to 25-19) were gut-checked by a Chrissy Jacklinski (freshman) triple.  Scranton Prep got an offensive burst from Hillebrand to reduce the gap to five points at intermission, 31-26.  So far, this one was living up to all of the pre-game hype.

Scranton began the second half with a 10-0 run that seemed to give them complete momentum and a 41-26 lead.  The Lady Knights were hitting on all cylinders and getting balanced scoring – a corner triple by Finley Bittenbender, a drive to the basket by Kamryn Alers, yet another triple by O’Shea, and inside score by Jacklinski.  Scranton Prep refused to get flustered and slowly began to whittle down the gap on the scoreboard, outscoring the Lady Knights 24-9 over the next 8 minutes to eventually tie things up at 50.  The comeback began with a score by junior Ashlyn Moore at the 3:03 mark.  McGrath then made a strong drive to the hoop to make it 41-30.  Fueled by their spark, Hillebrand hit a pair of free throws at the 1:22 mark and then made a fast break score continuing the run and making it 41-34 heading into the final fame.

The Classics continued their 11-0 run into the final frame as free throws by Jenkins and McGrath reduced Scranton’s lead to four points, 41-37 with 7:22 remaining in the game.  Jacklinski responded with a drive to the bucket and putback that elevated their lead back to eight points, 45-37.  But, once again, Scranton Prep fought back getting scores from Dennebaum and McGrath (off a turnover) to make it 45-41 with 5:40 on the clock.  The action in this one was just heating up.  O’Shea converted a traditional 3-point play before McGrath and Jacklinski traded baskets (50-43).  Scranton Prep would then go on a 7-0 run over the next minute to knot this one at 50.  McGrath started the sequence with a nice baseline drive.  Dennebaum added a layup followed by the game-tying triple by Moore off a Scranton turnover.  Small gave the lead back to Scranton with 2:00 left before Jenkins again tied it at 52.  The momentum quickly got reversed following a score by Jacklinski and putback by Small.  A steal by Small and subsequent drive in for the score was followed by a pair of free throws by Alers moments later (with 59 ticks remaining) giving Scranton a 60-52 lead as their fans erupted in an early celebration.  The Lady Knights closed out the hard-fought championship win, 65-54, over Scranton Prep.  This was an incredibly entertaining game that matched two of the top teams in the entire district.  The upcoming matchups in Lackawanna League Division 1 play will definitely be circled on everyone’s calendar.

Scranton was paced by junior Maggie O’Shea with 19 points (including 4 triples).  Also in double-figures were their sensational pair of freshmen, 6-2 Zya Small (16 points) and Chrissy Jacklinski (13 points).  Finley Bittenbender, Kamryn Alers, and Canyah Randle combined for 17 points.  The Lady Knights connected on 8 triples and converted 11 of 16 free throws.

Scranton Prep was led by junior guard Jenna Hillebrand with 25 points.  Claire McGrath also netted 12 points.  Maya Jenkins, Bella Dennebaum, and Ashlyn Moore combined to score 17 points.  The Classics hit 4 treys and converted 6 of 11 opportunities from the charity stripe.        

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