The playoffs are upon us. The EPC tournament will begin this Friday and the Colonial gets going Saturday! Let’s review the final games of the regular season and then talk conference tourneys.
Monday, 2/3:
Liberty 48, Nazareth 38
The first meeting between these two rivals was a double overtime thriller in Nazareth–one of the most intense basketball games of the entire regular season, hands down.
Liberty wasn’t leaving any doubts in the rematch on their home court. A dominant start by the Hurricanes, built on turnovers and stingy defense, amassed an insurmountable lead.
Renee Wells scored the first point of the night on a free throw, after being fouled going to the basket. That would be the Eagles’ first and only lead of the entire game. Liberty went on a 17-3 run in the remainder of the quarter. Ava Kopetskie dazzled, hitting a top of the key triple and then promply laying one in off a Nazareth turnover. About a minute later, she launched a ball from five or six steps behind the arc and connected. Tula Sobrinski picked off a pass in the backcourt and secured a layup of her own. After a quarter, Nazareth had turned it over 11 times.
Anijah Davis took the reigns in the second quarter. After five quick points off a Renee Wells 3-ball and Peyton Long score, Liberty called a timeout. Out of that break, Davis hit from the far corner. She hit from the same exact spot moments later to expand the lead to 28-14. At halftime, Kopetskie and Davis combined for 21 of Liberty’s points.
Tula Sobrinski hit a corner trey midway through the third quarter. Karly Leszcynski hit two from range to pull the Eagles back within 37-29 after three quarters.
Nazareth continued to claw back. Down 37-31, they got the ball back, but a steal by Kopetskie led to a transition 3-ball for Davis. That would be the last best chance for the Blue Eagles to get back in the game. Davis finished with 20 points and Kopetskie added 16. Renee Wells had 17 points in the loss.
The two will now faceoff for the third time on Friday night back at Liberty in the first round of the EPC tournament.
Anijah Davis was asked about the significance of winning on Senior Night: “Last year, we played Nazareth at their Senior Night, so honestly, we just felt like this was a big game and we had to get this big win.”
She talked about the hot start for her team: “We made sure to keep our heads high and start the game with a big start–those huge buckets at the beginning with the 3’s from Ava and Tula were huge for us and just staying locked in.”
She also knows it won’t be easy to beat a rival like Nazareth three times in a year, let alone twice in a week: “That’ll definitely be tough–honestly beating them again would be another challenge. They’re a really good team.”
Other Monday games and what they mean:
- Palmerton led from start to finish, defeating previously unbeaten Northwestern Lehigh 56-52. The Blue Bombers victory snapped a 20-game winning streak by the Tigers, behind a 25-point career high effort from Courtney Connell. Hailey Barry added 15 points, hitting three 3-pointers. Two big runs provided separation, as Palmerton took a 9-0 lead in the opening quarter and went on a 7-0 run in the third, holding on to the lead late. Northwestern will remain the top seed going into the Colonial tournament, which begins Friday night. Palmerton secured the third seed and will host Catasauqua.
- Central Catholic played their way into the EPC tournament this Friday night, rolling by William Allen 56-24. The Vikettes achieved a 26-11 halftime lead, allowing numerous players to get into the game. Thirteen Central players would end up scoring, led by 15 from Morgan Seagreaves and nine from Milly Wolf. The win got the Vikettes the 8th and final seed in the EPC tournament–they will face Emmaus on the road.
- Bethlehem Catholic takes a three game winning streak into the EPC tournament, having defeated Easton 54-34. This time, the Hawks knocked down 11 3-pointers. Freshman Palin Coleman hit three and DJ Jones hit four. Jones’ long shots all came in the first half, enabling Beca to cruise to a double-digit halftime lead. Kourin Carew led the Rovers with 12 points. The two now faceoff again Friday night in Easton in the EPC quarterfinals.
- Despite an 8-14 regular season record, Blue Mountain solidified a district playoff berth by beating Minersville 45-20. Makayla Keck bolstered her team, hitting four triples and finishing with 12 points. Both Callie Peel and Mila Fleagle added seven each. Minersville scored just three points in the first half, going scoreless in the second quarter.
- Emmaus finished 18-0 in EPC play, overcoming a slow start to dominate Whitehall 61-38. The Zephyrs only trailed 20-17 at halftime, but a 26-3 third quarter would be their undoing. Gabby DeVita was on fire, leading all scorers with 23 points. She was a perfect 8-for-8 at the charity stripe and hit seven shots from the field. Kayla Snyder dropped in 17, hitting three times from beyond the arc. Olive Whitney contributed two triples of her own. Emmaus now faces Central Catholic Friday night in the first round of the EPC tournament.
- Parkland left no doubt in their rematch with Dieruff, winning 50-30 over the Huskies. Dieruff was outscored 12-0 in the third quarter and the loss eliminated them from the EPC tournament. Isabella Hallal scored 15, followed by 14 from Arielle Brown and 9 from Addi Fritzinger. Fritzinger got her points on three treys. With the win, Parkland secured a home EPC quarterfinal game against Stroudsburg. Dieruff will be the 7th seed in the district playoffs.
- Tamaqua lost a slim halftime lead, falling to North Schuylkill 44-39. Millie Black scored a double double with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Lauren Ligenza also pulled down 13 rebounds. Mya Conti led her team with 15 points and Hannah Kane added 12. North Schuylkill wrapped up an unbeaten Schuylkill League season and the top seed in the upcoming league tournament.
- Stroudsburg capped off an undefeated EPC Monroe Division season with a 63-41 victory over Pocono Mountain West on Monday night. McKayla Strunk led the way with 27 points, while Teagan Strunk added 17 and Emily Bozena finished with 11. With the win, Stroudsburg improves to 18-4 overall, 13-3 in EPC play, and a perfect 10-0 in the division, securing the EPC Monroe Division championship. Stroudsburg will travel to Parkland Friday night in the EPC tournament quarterfinals.
- Catasauqua is one of the hottest teams entering the postseason. The Rough Riders have now won 10 of their last 12 games by upsetting Notre Dame Green Pond 43-35. Hailey Jenkins, with a 20 point second half, ended the night scoring 26 points. Catty rocketed back from a 14-10 halftime deficit aided also by 13 points from Kaylin Stewart. No Crusaders reached double figures. Catty will be the 6 seed in the Colonial tournament and travels to Palmerton Friday night.
- Pottsville enters the district 5A playoff field with an 8-14 record following a 39-28 win over Panther Valley. Jes Siminitus scored 13 points and Jo Barnhart added 12. Pottsville will not make the Schuylkill tournament, but will face Bethlehem Catholic in districts.
Tuesday, 2/4:
Notre Dame Green Pond 42, Wilson 32
All season long, players like Julianna Bonham, Kiera Hartzell-Ham, and Aby Colon have turned heads, as people tune in to what’s been happening with Meagan Eripret’s Wilson Warriors squad. Early on, fans were treated to what looked like the latest in a stretch of big wins. However, a strong start was then matched and surpassed by the Crusaders to temporarily stall WIlson.
The first quarter was marked by triples from Colon and Bonham, as Wilson jumped out with an 8-0 run after Lessig put back her own miss to open the game. The Crusaders stuck to their game plan, trying to force the ball inside. This led to their own 7-0 run to close the quarter; NDGP went 3-for-6 on free throw chances and Addison Ryan and Lessig added a layup each.
With the 9-8 lead, Notre Dame kept the press on defensively, leading to more transition layups at the other end. Lessig had three of them. Riley Boyle added the first triple of the night for Notre Dame, helping build a 24-14 halftime lead after a 13-11 Wilson lead disappeared. That lead would be their last. In the second quarter, Wilson had some opportunities from the charity stripe but went 2-for-6. NDGP closed the half on a 13-1 run and the game on a 31-13 one.
Wilson was able to cut their deficit to nine as Bonham capped the third quarter on a bucket. She caught a pass from Carlyna Stackhouse who was flat on her back after fighting for the ball.
Notre Dame then went on a 9-2 run in the fourth to take a 42-26 lead and eventually secure the victory.
Emily Lessig finished the game with 19 points. Brenna Hammerstone and Riley Boyle added seven each. In defeat, Juliana Bonham scored 18. The two teams will play again Friday in the first round of the Colonial league tournament at NDGP.
Other games from Tuesday and what they mean:
- Despite nine 3-pointers going in, Bangor came up short against Pen Argyl 59-55. Julia Vargo went off for 25 points, aided by 12 from Grace Weaver and 10 by Bella Whitman. The Green Knights led by double figures most of the night despite five triples from Avery Nelson and four by Kayla Cole. The Slaters will enter the Colonial tournament as the 8th and final seed. Pen Argyl will host Northern Lehigh on Friday.
- Catasauqua capped a seven game winning streak to end the regular season, cruising past Southern Lehigh 56-43. Hailey Jenkins and freshman phenom Kaylin Stewart continue to pique at the right time. Jenkins scored 26 and Stewart 22. With a 37-14 halftime lead, the Rough Riders had little trouble the rest of the way. Catty enters the Colonial tournament as a decisive dark horse poised for one or more upset victories.They will look to upend Palmerton in the first round.
- Lehighton secured a must-win victory to qualify for the District XI 4A playoff field, getting by Jim Thorpe 46-28. Emma Rephser was the catalyst, scoring 25 points, the only Indians player in double figures. Lehighton will not qualify for the Colonial tournament, so they will have time off to prepare for what could be a rematch with old Schuylkill league foe North Schuylkill to open district play.
- Palmerton had two big tests in front of it entering the week. With their game against Northwestern Lehigh being rescheduled to Monday, it meant the Bombers would face Northwestern and Northern Lehigh on back to back nights to end the regular season. Palmerton went to overtime with the Bulldogs and came away with a 57-54 win. Along the way, Palmerton overcame an early 18-9 deficit. Ella Baumgardt scored 13 of her team-leading 16 points in the first half. From there, Mikayla Pengelly and Courtney Connell had strong second halves. Both finished the night with 14 points and combined to score seven of the nine Bombers points in the extra session. Northern Lehigh’s Katelynn Barthold scored 23 and Tegan Simms added 18.
- Saucon Valley avoided a goose egg in the win column by sneaking past Palisades 30-24. A very young Panthers team will not lose any players due to graduation. Sophomore Brooke Davis led her team with nine points. Eight more came from fellow 10th grader Magilyn Gorman.
EPC Tournament
#8 Central Catholic @ #1 Emmaus
Last Meetings: Emmaus won at Rockne Hall 51-36 on 12/2. The Hornets won again at the Hive 53-48 on 1/21.
The Hornets enter the EPC tournament as the top seed, completing an undefeated conference season. Their only loss of the year came to state ranked and unbeaten Hazleton. Emmaus gets plenty of balanced scoring from contributors like Gabby DeVita, Kayla Snyder, Cassie Doemling, and strong bench play from Olive Whitney and others.
Meanwhile, the Vikettes just wrapped up their first season post-Molly Driscoll. Morgan Seagreaves and Milly Wolf have shown some outstanding play both ways, but scoring beyond those two has been hard to come by at times with a younger team. That said, Central had a 30-22 halftime lead on Emmaus in their last meeting before coming up short. Seagreaves and Wolf combined for 30 points in that 53-48 loss. In that game, Snyder, DeVita, and Doemling all hit double figures.
#7 Nazareth @ #2 Liberty
Last Meetings: On 1/10 Liberty won a double overtime thriller 64-62. Monday night, the Hurricanes won again 48-38.
Nazareth enters the postseason tournament having lost three of their last four against Liberty, Easton and Bethlehem Catholic. In the first meeting, Renee Wells scored 21 and 20 more came from Alexa Davis. In the rematch, Wells had 17, but Davis was limited to just three points.
On the other side, Liberty knows beating a tough rival three times in a season and twice in the same week will be tough. Monday night, Liberty forced a ton of turnovers on their way to a 17-4 first quarter lead. Anijah Davis scored 20 and Ava Kopetskie contributed 16. Kopetskie now sits at 949 career points, so if the Hurricanes keep winning, it’s possible she could score her 1,000th at the PPL Center. The first time these two teams met, they combined for 20 3-pointers, ten for each side. Monday night, Liberty had seven and held Nazareth to five. The long ball will definitely be a factor once again.
#6 Bethlehem Catholic @ #3 Easton
Last Meetings: Easton won the first meeting on 1/10 40-26. Bethlehem Catholic returned the favor this past Monday night 54-34.
Bethlehem Catholic just snapped a ten game Rovers win streak with their 54-34 victory. Now the two will faceoff again for the second time in a week. The Golden Hawks hit 11 3-pointers Monday night, which is where they tend to be most comfortable. Freshman star Palin Coleman, daughter of Palmerton girls basketball coach Jeremy Coleman, scored 14 along with DJ Jones. Despite being without Aliyah Brame for most of the year, Leah Ault has stepped up and Kendall Nickischer has been relied upon heavily. Don’t let a 13-9 record fool you, either–the Hawks have played one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the valley to prepare them for the postseason.
On the other side, Easton had won ten straight before falling on the road Monday. Like the Hawks, the Rovers have numerous weapons that can fire at any time. Kourin Carew has been in double figures each time the teams played. Natalie Amato has had success from beyond the arc in both meetings. The X-factors will be Elena Brunetti, Melina Cole, and Gabby Wismer–if one or more of them get hot, the Hawks will have their hands more than full.
#5 Stroudsburg @ #4 Parkland
Last Meeting: These two have not played since last year’s district quarterfinals. Parkland won that game 54-28.
The only two EPC teams to beat Parkland this year are Easton and Emmaus. The rest of the Trojans’ losses come to a difficult non-conference slate. While there is no more Tulia Zurinskas or Madi Siggins, there is a whole lot of Delaney Chilcote, Addi Fritzinger, Aneri McGalla and Isabella Hallal. All are very capable of posting double-digit points and will be a defensive threat to turn the Mounties over.
Stroudsburg has rattled off 11 straight victories and went undefeated in the Monroe County division. However, due to tiebreakers, they find themselves on the road in the tournament quarterfinals. McKayla and Tegan Strunk have been outstanding once again this year. In last year’s meeting, they combined to score 26 of Stroudsburg’s 28 points. Another year of growth makes them even more formidable before. The question will be, as it usually is, if a Monroe county opponent can come down south to topple a traditional conference power.
COLONIAL TOURNAMENT
#8 Bangor @ #1 Northwestern Lehigh
Last Meeting: Northwestern Lehigh beat the Slaters 66-24 back on 12/9.
In their one and only meeting, Cara Thomas had a 20 point night, along with 19 from Natalie Conner. The two have led the Tigers all season long, and have been very consistent. In their regular season finale, a 56-52 loss to Palmerton, Conner put up 24 and Thomas had 13. The Tigers will be hungry after having their 20-game winning streak snapped.
Bangor enters the postseason having lost four of their last five contests, but will be going into the state tournament as part of the 5A field. Avery Nelson leads her team in scoring, averaging nearly 20 points per game and passing the 1,000 point mark earlier this year. On the downside, the Slaters are only 2-8 against teams in the Colonial tournament. However, they’ll have their chance to make a big splash and upend the top seed Friday night.
#7 Wilson @ #2 Notre Dame Green Pond
Last Meetings: Notre Dame Green Pond beat the Warriors 50-36 on 1/11 and again 42-32 on Tuesday night.
This will be another tale of two teams that will see each other twice within a matter of a few days. Wilson’s early 8-2 lead was quickly thwarted and the Crusaders went on a 40-18 run prior to allowing two late scores in the final minute. Emily Lessig put up 19 points on numerous layups off of Warriors turnovers. However, she is not the only weapon for NDGP–Brenna Hammerstone, Ava Shonk, Riley Boyle and Addison Ryan are all capable of putting up near double figures in any given game.
Wilson head coach Meagan Eripret recently told us that she and her team are happy to be in the playoffs, coming off of two six win seasons. Things are turning around for the Warriors and they’re now building on some young talent. Freshman Julianna Bonham has complimented upper classmen like Kiera Hartzell-Ham and Aby Colon wonderfully, providing some well-balanced scoring efforts. The key to getting by the Crusaders will be not turning the ball over against a very aggressive defense and getting back in transition.
#6 Catasauqua @ #3 Palmerton
Last Meeting: Palmerton won at Catasauqua 47-31 back on 12/18.
Palmerton enters the Colonial tournament having won eight of their last nine. After a postponement, the Bombers had to face Northwestern Lehigh and Northern Lehigh on consecutive nights and won both by a combined seven points. Head coach Jeremy Coleman has always highlighted learning as a theme for his girls, and they’ve learned quite a bit this year. They’ve learned they can rebound off tough losses, like they experienced against Lehighton, and they’ve learned they can knock off the top team in the league. They also know they have a well-balanced attack from Hailey Barry, Cate Morgan, Mikayla Pengelly, Courtney Connell and Ella Baumgardt. All five are very capable of big nights and all complement each other, which will make it tough for the Rough Riders.
Catasauqua is the very definition of a dark horse. After a 2-6 start, the Roughs have won ten of their final 12 and seven in a row. That includes upending Notre Dame Green Pond 43-35 on Monday night. Despite being 2-5 against other teams in the tournament, Catty is one of the toughest matchups in the first round. Hailey Jenkins had put up 20+ in her last three games, including 26 in games against NDGP and Southern Lehigh. Kaylin Stewart has emerged as a significant and consistent contributor, as well. Two red-hot teams get together in Palmerton Friday night and this promises to be a good one.
#5 Northern Lehigh @ #4 Pen Argyl
Last Meeting: Northern Lehigh defeated Pen Argyl 68-36 on 12/13.
The Green Knights have faced a very tough schedule down the stretch. Despite losing five of nine, those losses have come against NDGP, Palmerton, Northwestern Lehigh and Wilson. Senior Julia Vargo is always a threat, averaging 19ppg and has put up 24 or more seven times this year. Freshman Bella Whitman is the next top scorer on the team, averaging 5ppg but able to get into double figures at times. Grace Weaver has proven a 3-point threat at times. If the Bulldogs can contain or limit Vargo, it will force other Knights to step up and beat them.
Northern Lehigh has two powerhouse players in Katelynn Barthold and Tegan Simms. Simms, now a sophomore, joins Barthold, a senior, in averaging 20 points per game. The two combined to account for nearly 75% of the team’s offense this year. While this makes the Bulldogs a favorite on paper, Pen Argyl will have their home crowd behind them, having only lost twice on their court.
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