Philly Summer League: Team Pink Upsets Front-Running Gold

By Mel Greenberg

Unbeatens are no more for 2014 in the Philadelphia/Suburban Women's NCAA Summer Basketball League.

The story of Tuesday night on top of several story lines was Pink, also known as Division II University of the Sciences of Philadelphia (USP) upsetting first-place Gold 64-61, ending the frontrunners' nine-game unbeaten streak at Kelly Bolish Gym, home of the AAU Renegades, in Hatboro, Pa., in Lower Bucks County.

Bob Heller, the all-everything athletics official at USP, once again offers an in-depth account of the game that will lead the recaps in the usual place under all this opening information.

The win catapulted Pink into 7th place in a tie-breaker but much remains to be done in the final two games.

Saint Joseph's star senior Natasha Cloud was unable to play for Gold, though the squad certainly still had enough firepower to win in her absence.

Incidentally, the Guru was not on the scene since he was up in New York for the Liberty's overtime WNBA win against the Washington Mystics in Madison Square Garden.

Meanwhile, White, also known as Division II West Chester, stayed a game behind Gold, though Gold has the tiebreaker between the two on a head-to-head win with two games remaining for each.

White was afforded a forfeit win over Maroon, a somewhat costly setback for using an ineligible player.

Black, also known as Division II Philadelphia University, topped Sky Blue 60-55 to move into the third seed, breaking a tie with Orange off a previous head-to-head win.

But while the win was enjoyable, Black must play Gold and White to finish out and two losses right now puts a postseason slot in jeapoardy.

Kelly Green stayed alive in a hunt for a playoff berth, beating Hunter Green 59-57 on a three-pointer with three second left from recent newcomer Vicki Tumasz, a North Penn graduate who is heading to Shippensburg.

Five players hit the 20 or more points nightly milestone with Navy Blue's Chelsea Woods, scoring 22, while Black's Najah Jacobs and Kelly Green's Alex Louin also scored 20 points all in victories.

Sarah Fairbanks, a Saint Joseph's junior, had the night's top performance with 26 points for Hunter Green.

Gold got another highlight night from Lauren Crisler, who scored 20 points in the loss.

Meanwhile, by the time the smoked cleared with the final game completed, things began very foggy looking ahead to the two remaining nights on the regular season schedule.

Ir'a like this: The Guru hates to break the news to longtime commissioner David B. Kessler, if he thought his recent hip replacement surgery at the start of the season was somewhat painful, he has no idea of the potential headache looming ahead to determine the who is going to fill the other six playoff spots, let alone how they will be filled by seed.

At this hour, mathematically, a gridlock unlike any the league has ever seen at the finish could occur.

Since the turnaround is short until Thursday night, there is no sense spending what would be almost up to the next tipoffs or even beyond to go over everyone's individual scenario, let alone how a massive tie would be broken.

After Thursday night things will be a little clearer but again maybe they will still be murky, but at least some clue may rise as to the remaining scenarios.

For now, what the Guru did in the seed tracker is also list the final two games for each team.

But everyone taking the court the next two nights, the best thing to say to all is that comment from the past: Just win baby.

It's a two-day demolition derby so it is doubtful that survival will be possible while suffering losses unless the affected get help from elsewhere.

Sewing the Seeds

For now, because of the mess that exists for the mnoment, the only thing to do is explain how every team is in the listed slot heading into Thursday night.

Gold and White are still clear-cut 1-2 on their records. Black and Orange moved up two slots with Black in the third seed and Orange the fourth by way of the Black head-to-head win over Orange.

Hunter Green and Maroon each fell two slots with Hunter Green using its head to head win over Maroon to be fifth and Orange sixth.

For what would be the final two playoff berths there is a three-way tie by record among Pink, Sky Blue and Purple.

Pink is 1-0 among the three with a game with Purple to be played but for now a win over Sky Blue gains seventh, Sky Blue at 1-1 ia eighth, and Purple, which was serving the nightly bye among the 13 teams, at 0-1 is night.

Kelly Green and Navy Blue could still catch the teams in front but for the moment, they remain ninth and tenth with Kelly Green gaining the ninth slot on a tie-breaking win over Navy Blue.

Red, which is 12th, was eliminated by its loss Tuesday night while Royal Blue, still looking for a win, was eliminated last week.

Tuesday's Recaps

Pink 64, Gold 61 -- For the winning Pink team from USP (5-5), incoming sophomore Jessica Sylvester had 17 points, including four 3-pointers, while classmate Brianne Traub scored 16 points, and Amber Reiley, a junior, scored seven.

As mentioned on Gold (9-1), Lauren Crisler, an American U. sophomore from North Penn, scored 20, while Jasmine Elum, a 2012 Bethune-Cookman grad out of Bodine High, scored 13, and Pallavi Jueja, a Division III Haverford senior from the Peddie School, scored 10.

Two huge second half runs propelled the Pink team to the upset that stopped Gold's ubeaten streak at nine.

The Gold team held the lead for the first 35 minutes before Pink pulled out the come-from-behind win, outscoring Gold 17-9 over the final 6:29.

Amber Reiley's seven seven points all came in the final 3:44.

The Pink team trailed by as many as 13 points in the opening 20 minutes before cutting the Gold team’s lead down to eight at the break, 36-28.

Gold struck first in the second half to go back up by double digits 38-28 before Pink began their comeback.

Pink went on a 12-4 run to cut the deficit to two, 42-40 at the 14 minute mark.

Three-pointers by Traub and Sylvester capped the rally.

The Gold lead oscillated between three and six points over the next seven minutes with Stephanie Leon (Delaware’17) putting her team on top by five 52-47 with a ten-foot jumper at the 6:29 mark.

Traub sank another trey at the 5:57 mark, starting string of 12 straight points by the victors and cutting the lead to two 52-50.

Two possessions later, incoming freshman Colleen Walsh gave Pink their first lead of the game, 53-52 with a layup at the 4:27 mark.

Reiley and incoming freshman Molly Greenberg each sank a pair of free throws to extend the lead and Reiley running scoop shot at the 2:41 mark put Pink on top 59-52.

Crisler broke the run, making one of two from the free throw line at the 2:06 mark, before Reiley completed what would be a 15-1 spurt from the Pink squad with two trips to the free throw line and converting three of four attempts to produce their largest lead of the game 62-53 with 37.2 seconds left.

Gold countered with a triple from Elum to pull within six 62-56 and after a Greenberg free throw made two of three from the line to cut Gold’s deficit to five 63-58 with 11.9 seconds left.

Sylvester went 1-2 from the free throw line before Leon sank a three-pointer with 1.6 seconds left to make the final score 64-61.

White 2, Maroon 0, forfeit -- White (8-2) gets the win because Maroon (6-5) used an ineligible player, though Maroon had a win on the court before the infraction was determined.

That kept White in second two games back and a playoff spot with a chance at this hour to finish first if Gold loses its last two games and White sweeps.

Kelly Green 59, Hunter Green 57 -- As mentioned above, Kelly Green (4-6), which has had much adversity, stayed in the playoff hunt with a narrow win, courtesy of Vicki Tumasz' 3-ball over Hunter Green (6-5), which was at least temporarily deprived of clinching a spot in the postseason, which begins a week from Thursday with the quarterfinals.

The winners were powered by a Villanova duo as imcoming freshman Alex Louin, an incoming freshman from Mt. St. Joseph's, scored 20 points and sophomore Megan Quinn from Episcopal scored 16 points.

Saint Joseph's junior Sarah Fairbanks had her third game of 26 or more points, including a league-best 35 two weeks ago, for Hunter Green (6-5). Sarah Veilleux, an incoming Saint Joseph's freshman, scored 11 points.

Black 60, Sky Blue 55 -- Two teams that were tied going into the game play a competitive game with Black (6-4), prevailing to move into the third seed for the moment, though as mentioned above, the Division II Philadelphia University group finishes out against the two top teams in the league and a 6-6 record at this time looks dicey unless a tiebreak would go the right way.

As mentioned, Najah Jacobs, a senior from Central High, scored 20 points for Black, while Monica Shacker, a senior from Germantown Academy, scored 15 points, and Jacqueline McCarron, a junior from Lansdale Catholic, scored 11.

Sky Blue (5-5), which fell into a three-way tie for seventh, got 19 points from Megan Gallagher, a recent DeSales grad out of St. Basil who was also 6-for-6 from the line, while Carolyne Heston, a recent Division II Holy Family grad from Villa Jos. Marie, scored eight points.

Navy Blue 73, Royal Blue 58 -- The winners (4-6) stayed in the playoff hunt as Chelsea Woods, an incoming Saint Joseph's freshman, had another night in the twenties with 22 points.

Kathleen Fitzpatrick, a Saint Joseph's sophomore from Academy od Notre Dame de Namur, added had 16 points, and Stephanie Keyes, a Penn State-Abington senior from Archbishop Wood, scored scored 11 points.

Ciara Andrews, a Saint Joseph's junior from Cheltenham High, had 17 points for Royal Blue (0-10) and Adashia Franklyn, yet another incoming Saint Joseph's freshman who is a graduate of Rustin High in West Chester, scored 12.

Orange 80, Red 32 -- The winners (6-4) jumped into the fourth seed with an easy win over Red (2-8) as Amanda Fioravanti, a Saint Joseph's sophomore, scored 18 points, Penn senior Kathleen Roche of the defending Ivy League champions scored 14 points, and Kelsey Watson, a Division II Kutztown sophomore from Methacton High, scored 10 points.

Nobody scored in double figures for Red but Emily Kiersnowski, an incoming DeSales freshman from Archbishop Wood, scored nine points, and Brianna Spector, an Oneonta State sophomore from Upper Dublin High, scored seven points.

Individual Scoring Performances
(20 or more points)

35 pts. -- Sarah Fairbanks, Hunt. Grn(W) vs. Orange, July 17
31 pts. -- Jasmine Elum, Gold (W) vs. Maroon, July 1
29 pts. -- Ciara Andrews, RB (L) vs. Orange, July 24
28 pts. -- Sarah Fairbanks,Hunt.Grn. (L) vs. S. Bl., July 24
27 pts. -- Samantha Stipa, Purple (W) vs. H.G., June 26
26 pts. -- Mariah Powell, White (W) vs. Red, July 17
26 pts. -- Courtney Brown, Maroon (W) vs. R. Blue, July 2
26 pts. -- Sarah Fairbanks, Hunt. Grn (l) vs. K.G., July 29
25 pts. -- Meghan Gibson, Gold (W) vs. Navy Blue, July 17
24 pts. -- Jasmine Elum, Gold (W) vs Hunter Green, June 24
24 pts. -- Erin Fenningham, Hunt. Green (W) vs. N.B., July 1
24 pts. -- Alexis Smith, Gold (W) vs. Maroon, July 1
24 pts. -- Brianne Traub, Pink (W) vs. Royal Blue, July 10
24 pts. -- Amanda Fioravanti, Orange (W) vs. R. B., July 23
23 pts. -- Lexi Scrivano, Kelly Green (L) vs. White, June 24
22 pts. -- Mariah Powell, White (W) vs. Kelly Green, June 24
22 pts. -- Alex Smith, Gold (W) vs. Orange, June 26
22 pts. -- Brianne Traub, Pink (L) vs. Sky Blue, July 1
22 pts. -- Chelsea Woods, Navy Bue (L) vs. White, July 24
22 pts. -- Chelsea Wood, Navy Blue (W) vs. R.B., July 29
21 pts. -- Alex Smith, Gold (W) vs. Hunter Green, June 24
21 pts. -- Jasmine Elum, Gold (W) vs. Orange, June 26
21 pts. -- Chelsea Woods,Nav Blu (L-OT),vs.Kelly Grn, July 8
21 pts. -- Amanda Fioravanti, Orange (L) vs. Maroon,July 10
21 pts. -- Natalie Stella, Pink (W) vs. Royal Blue, July 10
21 pts. -- Sarah Fairbanks, Hunt Grn (L) vs. White, July 14
21 pts. -- Ciara Andrews, Royal Blue (L) vs. Gold, July 14
21 pts. -- Kara Bonenberger, Orange (W) vs. R.B., July 24
20 pts. -- Brittany Sicinski, White (W), vs. R.B., June 26
20 pts. -- Lauren Crisler, Gold (W), vs. White, July 10
20 pts. -- Natasha Cloud, Gold (W), vs. Royal Blue, July 14
20 pts. -- Chelsea Woods, Navy Blue (W), vs. Black, July 22
20 pts. -- Lauren Crisler, Gold (L) vs. Pink, July 29
20 pts. -- Najah Jacobs, Black (W) vs. Sky Blue, July 29
20 pts. -- Alex Louin, Kelly Green (W) vs. H.G., July 29

Running Tracker for Playoff Seeds and Tiebreakers
Placements now reflect seeds (in front of team name) if the season ended today, which it doesn't

1-Gold (9-1): H.G. (W), Orange (W), Maroon (W), Purple (W), White (W), R.B. (W), N.B.(W), S.B. (W). K.G. (W), Pink (L), vs. Black, vs. Red

2-White (8-2): K.G.(W), R.B. (W), Purple (W), S.B.(W), Gold (L), H.G.(W), Red (W), Orange (L), N.B. (W). Maroon (W-F), vs. Pink, vs. Black

3-Black (6-4): Pink (L), Red (L), Orange (W), K.G. (W-F), R.B. (W), H.G. (L), Purple (W), N.B.(L), Maroon (W), S.B.(W), vs. Gold, vs. White.

4-Orange (6-4): Gold (L), Black (L), Purple (W-F), Pink (W), Maroon (L), S.B. (W), H.G. (L), White (W), R.B. (W), Red (W), vs. N.B., vs. K.G.

5-Hunter Green (6-5) Gold (L), Purp. (L), N.B. (W), Pink (W), Red (W), vs. Black (W), White (L), Orange (W), Maroon (W), S.B. (L), K.G. (L), Bye, vs. R.B.

6-Maroon (6-5): Red (W), K.G. (W-F), Gold (L), R.B. (W), S.B. (L), Orange (W), N.B. (W), Pink (W), H.G. (L), Black (L), White (L-F), Purple, Bye

7-Pink (5-5): Black (W), N.B. (L), S.B. (W), H.G. (L), Orng (L ), R.B. (W), Red (W-OT), Maroon (L), K.G. (L), Gold (W), White, Purple

8-Sky Blue: (5-5) R.B.(W), Pink (L), White (L), Maroon(W), Purple (W), Orge (L), K.G. (W), Gold (L), H.G.(W), Black (L),, Red, N.B.

9-Purple (5-5): N.B.(W), H.G.(W), White (L), Orange (L-F), Gold (L), S.B. (L), K.G. (W), Black (L), R.B. (W), Red (W), Maroon, Pink

10-Kelly Green (4-6): White (L), Maroon (L-F), Black (L-F), N.B. (W-OT), Red (W), Purple (L), S.B. (L), Pink (W), Gold (L), H.G. (W), R.B., Orange

12-Navy Blue (4-6): Purple (L), Pink (W),H.G.(L), Red (W), K.G. (L-OT), Maroon (L), Gold (L), Black (W), T.B. (W), Otsnge, S.B.

12-Red (2-8) Maroon (L), Black (W), R.B.(W), N.B. (L), H.G. (L), KG (L), Pink (L-OT), Gold (L), Purple (L), Orange (L), S.B., Gold

13-Royal Blue (0-10): S.B. (L), White (L), Red (L), Maroon (L), BLack (L), Pink (L), Gold (L), Purple (L), Orange (L), N.B. (L), K.G., H.G.

Standings (Thru Wednesday, July 30)

Team, W-L, Pct., G.B., Pts., Opp Pts.

x-Gold, 9-1, .900, --, 748 600
x-fw-White, 8-2, .800, 1.0, 654 489
w-Black, 6-4, .600, 3.0, 468 443
Orange, 6-4, .600, 3.0, 564 549
Hunter Green, 6-5, .545, 3.5, 648 706
fw, fl-Maroon, 6-5, .545, 3.5, 541 493
Pink, 5-5, .500, 4.0, 519 482
Sky Blue, 5-5, .500, 4.0, 639 559
fl-Purple, 5-5, .500, 4.5, 519 482
fl(2)-Kelly Green, 4-6,.400, 5.0, 441 505
Navy Blue, 4-6, .400, 5.0, 612 615
Red, 2-8, .200, 7.0, 507 676
Royal Blue, 0-10, .000, 9.0, 574 785

x -- Clinched playoff slot
fw -- includes forfeit win, fl -- includes forfeit loss

Past Results

Tuesday (July 29) Results

Pink 64, Gold 61
White 2, Maroon 0, Forfeit
Black 50, Sky Blue 55
Kelly Green 59, Hunter Green 57
Naby Blue 73, Royal Blue 58
Orange 80, Red 32

Bye: Purple

Thursday (July 24) Results

Gold 61, Kelly Green 48
White 60, Navy Blue 58
Black 52, Maroon 45
Sky Blue 66, Hunter Green 53
Orange 77, Royal Blue 74
Purple 59, Red 30

Bye: Pink

Tuesday (July 22) Results

Purple 72, Royal Blue 51
Orange 67, White (D2-West Chester) 58
Navy Blue 45, Black (D2-Phila. U.) 36
Hunter Green 68, Maroon 57
Gold 74, Sky Blue 63
Kelly Green 43, Pink (D2-USP) 37
Bye: Red

Thursday (July 17) Results

White (D2-West Chester) 102, Eed 62
Black (D2-Phila. U.) 56, Purple 39
Hunter Green 78. Orange 62
Gold 83, Navy Blue 62
Maroon 55, Pink (D2-USP) 36
Sky Blue 70, Kelly Green 55
Bye: Royal Blue

Tueaday (July 14) Results

White (D2-West Chester) 89, Hunter Green 37
Gold 79, Royal Blue 64
Pink (D2-USP) 64, Red 59, ovt.
Purple 62, Kelly Green 59
Orange 73, Sky Blue 72
Maroon 68, Navy Blue 61

Black (D2-Phila. U.), Bye

Thursday (July 10) Results

Maroon 53, Orange 47
Sky Blue 59, Purple 36
Kelly Green 59, Red 45
Gold 69, White(D2-West Chester) 47
Hunter Green 51, Black (D2-Phila. U) 43
Pink (D2-USP) 70, Royal Blue 50

Tuesday (July 8) Results

Black (D2-Phila. U.) 58, Royal Blue 56
Kelly Green 74, Navy Blue 70, ovt.
Orange 50, Pink (D2-USP) 49
Sky Blue 52, Maroon 47
Hunter Green 75, Red 60
Gold 77, Purple 57

Wednesday (July 2) Results

Hunter Green 51, Pink 47
Maroon 98, Royal Blue 48
White (D2-West Chester) 59, Sky Blue 48
Navy Blue 78, Red 52
Black 2, Kelly Green 0, forfeit
Orange 2, Purple 0, forfeit

Tuesday (July 1) Results

Hunter Green 69, Navy Blue 59
White (West Chester) 54, Purple 45
Gold 85, Maroon 68
Black (Phila. U.) 54, Orange 38
Pink (USP) 59, Sky Blue 56
Red 70, Royal Blue 57

Thursday (June 26) Results

Red 55, Black 54
White 84, Royal Blue 59
Gold 79, Orange 68
Purple 80, Hunter Green 50
Navy Blue 62, Pink 46
Maroon 2, Kelly Green 0 (forfeit)
Bye: Sky Blue

Tuesday (June 24) Results

Purple 69, Navy Blue 44
Maroon 48, Red 42
Sky Blue 93, Royal Blue 43
White (West Chester) 99, Kelly Green 44
Pink (USP) 59, Black (Phila. U.) 53
Gold 84, Hunter Green 59
Bye: Orange

Looking Ahead

Basically, with the wild scramble that is ahead, every game Thursday night and Tuesday night to finish the regular season will have some meaning for someone except maybe Red and Royal Blue, who have been eliminated, though Royal Blue is looking to avoid going winless through the 12-game slate.

Gold and White, while the only two to clinch berths, still need wins to gain the top seed because White could pass Gold, and while Gold cannot finish worse than second, White could still be caught from below.

Upcoming Schedule

Thursday, July 31

7 p.m.

Gold (9-1) vs. Black (6-4), Court 1
Kelly Green (4-6) vs. Royal Blue (0-10), Court 2
Maroon (6-5) vs. Purple (5-5), Court 3

8:15 p.m.

Pink (5-5) vs. White (8-2), Court 1
Sky Blue (5-5) vs. Red (2-8), Court 2
Navy Blue (4-6) vs. Orange (6-4), Court 3

Bye: Hunter Green

Tuesday, August 5

7 p.m.

Sky Blue vs. Navy Blue, Court 1
Purple vs. Pink, Court 2
Hunter Green vs. Royal Blue, Court 3

8:15 p.m.

Orange vs. Kelly Green, Court 1
Red vs. Gold, Court 2
Black vs. White, Court 3

Bye: Maroon

Regular Season Ends

Playoff Schedule

Quarterfinals

Thursday, August 7

7 p.m.
8th aeed vs. 1st seed, Court 1
6th seed vs. 3rd seed, Court 2

8:15 p.m.

7th seed vs. 2nd seed, Court 1
5rh seed vs. 4th seed, Court 2

Semifinals

Tuesday, Aug. 12

7 p.m.

Highest surviving seed vs. lowest surviving seed, Court 1

8:15 p.m.

Remaining quarterfinals survivors, Court 1

Championship

Thursday, Aug. 14

Semifinal survivors, Court 1

That's it for this report.

-- Mel


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