Philly Summer League: Neon Green Powers Past Purple For 2015 Title

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

HATBORO, Pa. -- Third-seeded Neon Green quickly put an end to seventh-seeded Team Purple’s postseason Cinderella run Thursday night, taking a lopsided 75-41 victory to capture the 2015 championship of the Philadelphia/Suburban Women’s NCAA Summer Basketball League at Kelly Bolish Gym, home of the AAU Renegades in lower Bucks County.

Purple, also known as Division II USciences had made history in the quarterfinals and semifinals taking down the top two seeds, No. 2 Pink in the quarterfinals and No. 1 Gold, the defending champion, in the semifinals.

But in this one, Neon Green (9-3), which had beaten Purple 72-60 in their regular season matchup, got off to a hot start and pulled away to earn coach Ted Hagedorn his second title in three seasons following the 2013 crown won by a group that included former Saint Joseph’s stars Katie Kuester and Erin Shields.

No one hit the magic nightly performance 20-or-more points mark in the final event of the 13-team league, of which eight earned playoff bids, but Neon Green’s Maureen Leahy just missed.

The Bryant incoming senior senior out of Cardinal O’Hara, topped the winners with 19 points while the Villanova duo of junior Megan Quinn out of Episcopal Academy and sophomore Alex Louin out of Mount St. Joseph’s were at it again with 16 points each.

Samantha Stipa, a Lafayette sophomore out of Spring-Ford High also scored in double figures with 10 points.

The scene was enhanced by longtime commissioner David Kessler assuming his usual role in the championship of using a wireless microphone to announce the game.

No one on Purple (6-6) scored in double figures but nine players collected points with Amber Reiley, an incoming Devils senior, and Shannon Evans, also a Devils senior, topping the group with eight each.

Purple was the seventh seed but actually finished in a three-way tie for fifth.

Neon Green started the season on June 16, losing to Pink, also known as Division III Scranton, in the opener and then straightened out for the most part but down the stretch handed Gold their only lost and suffered narrow setbacks to Sapphire Blue, also known as Division II East Stroudsburg, in double overtime, and also to Black, also known as Division II Philadelphia U.

But in the playoffs Neon Green avenged the losses and actually used a road that went through all three teams involved in the fifth place tie.

“I thought as we went along about third-way we really started to jell,” Hagedorn said. “I didn’t expect much out of Megan Quinn off of last summer, but she really did what was needed to improve since then

“And the other thing is we played great defense, which really carried us.”

Neon Green also had great skill all summer hitting three-pointers, especially Quinn, who was redshirted at Villanova last winter.

Traditionally, the teams and players who perform well here are often indicators on how they may fare when school resumes in the fall.

Considering other players on Villanova, such as senior Caroline Coyer, who was on the USA silver medal Pan Am team, who didn’t participate here, there will be big expectations out of the Wildcats in the Big East wars.

The array of Saint Joseph’s players in the league all did well, particularly sophomore Chelsea Woods on Team Red, who along with Quinn were the two scoring leaders in the league.

But there are times a misread will come off a potential omen. Even though Saint Joseph’s had graduated a strong senior class, the play of the Hawks here last summer seemed to indicate they might overcome the losses but injuries forced the squad to struggle.

One bright spot was Broomall’s Natasha Cloud out of Cardinal O’Hara, who played on Gold last summer and is now performing solidly as a rookie in the WNBA with the Washington Mystics where she has made six straight starts and has helped keep the squad strongly in the playoff hunt and contend for the regular season Eastern Division crown.

One change that happened in the league was adjusting to some of the new collegiate basketball rules that were passed by the NCAA just before opening day in mid-June.

Thus, a switch was made from two 20-minute halves to four 10-minute quarters.

Next summer the league will enact the rest of the alterations.

Kessler, who does a fine job orchestrating everything, had is usual mixed feelings once the final awards were handed to the two squads.

“On one hand, I’m glad it is over but on the other I’m going to miss it,” he said.

This ends the Guru’s annual Philly summer league coverage (well, maybe something from the Aug. 20 staff outing) and leaves him solely with the WNBA through the playoffs and soon the phase-in to the collegiate season.

But since this is word and not video, for closing credits here are the scorekeepers and then the rosters of the top two finishers. They are listed out of alphabetical order because the roster order followed low to high player jersey numbers, which are not needed here since the season is over.

Scorers Table/Timekeepers Officials

April Bush
Ryan Dreeman
Curtis Goff
Emily Makara
Lindsey & Samantha Spector
Melanie Werner
Kayla Wolf & Her Dad

Neon Green (2015 champions)

Alex Louin, 6’ Mt. St. Jos./Villanova ‘18
Mackenzie Rule, 5’6 Cardinal O’Hara/Saint Jos. ‘17
Eliza Polli, 5’8 Hanover/Swarthmore ‘13
Sarah Sherman, 5’7 Methacton/Juniata ;17
Megan Quinn, 6’2 Episcopal Academy/Villanova ‘17
Carly Monzo, 5’10 Mt. St. Jos./Loyola ‘18
Larissa Leyes, 5’1 Upper Dublin/Gwynedd Mercy ‘18
Nia Holland, 5’6 Shipley School/Lafayette ‘19
Samantha Stipa, 5’5 Spring-Ford/Lafayette ‘18
Brynne Brous, 5’8 Parkland High/Wash. College ‘18
Maureen Leahy, 6’2 Cardinal O’Hara/Bryant ‘16

Team Purple (2015 Runners Up)

Micah Morgan, 5’7 Caravel Academy/USciences
Molly Greenberg, 5’6 Saint Basil/USciences ‘18
Marissa Silver, 5’8 Nazareth Academy, USciences ‘19
Colleen Walsh, 5’10 Shipley School,.USciences ;18
Haley Helms, 5’10 Cardinal/O’Hara/Usciences ‘20
Amber Reiley, 5’8 High Point Regional/USciences ‘16
Hadiya Tucker, 5’10 Sanford School/USciences
Laura Trisch, 5’10 Arch. Wood/USciences ‘18
Natalie Stella, 5’9 Wilmington Christian/USciences ‘16
Sarah Abbonizio, 5’8 Episcopal Academy, USciences ‘20
Alex Thomas, 5’10 USciences ‘19
Shannon Evans, 5’10 Jackson Memorial H.S./USciences ‘16
Caitlin Conroy, 6’4 Red Bank Catholic, USciences ‘18

Final Regular Season Standings

Team W-L G.B. PF PA Pct.

*-1-%%-Gold 11-1 -- 659 556 .917
*-1-%-Pink 11-1 -- 689 510 .917
X-*-3-%-Neon Green 9-3 2.0 760 650 .750
*-4-@-Maroon 8-4 3.0 732 .667 .
*-5-Sapphire Blue 6-6 5.0 681 678 .500
*-5--%-Black 6-6 5.0 570 584 .500
R-*-5-Purple 6-6 5.0 653 600 .500
*-8-%@-Red 5-7 6.0 674 657 .417
8--%@-Forest Green 5-7 6.0 610 689 .417
10-Orange 4-8 7.0 746 763 .333
10--&-Ash 4-8 7.0 526 575 .333
12-@-Kelly Green 3-9 8.0 674 755 .250
13-@-Royal Blue 0-12 11.0 537 793 .000

%%-Includes 2 forfeit 2-0 wins
%-includes 1 forfeit 2-0 win
&-includes 2 forfeit 0-2 losses
@-includes 1 forfeit 0-2 loss

*-Clinched playoff berth
X-Champion, R-Runnerup

Playoffs

(Seed No. in Front of Team
Regular Season Records in Parenthesis
^-Won Regular Season Meeting Between the Two)

Thurs., Aug. 6

Championship Result

^3-Neon Green 75, 7-Purple 41

Tues., Aug. 4

Semifinals Results

7-Purple 54, 1-Gold 42
3-Neon Green 68, 5-Sapphire Blue 49

Thurs., July 30

Quarterfinals Results

1-Gold 2, 8-Red 0, forfeit
3-Neon Green 57, 6-Black 50
7-Purple 57, 2-Pink 56
5-Sapphire Blue 2, 4-Maroon 0, forfeit

Season Results

Tues., July 28
End of the Regular Season

Pink 2, Kelly Green 0, forfeit
Forest Green 2, Maroon 0, forfeit
Black 66, Neon Green 65
Orange 67, Ash Grey, 64, overtime
Gold 51, Sapphire Blue 39
Purple 50, Royal Blue 30
Bye: Red

Thurs., July 23

Neon Green 55, Gold 48
Pink 97, Maroon 57
Orange 83, Forest Green 61
Sapphire Blue 62, Kelly Green 58
Black 43, Purple 34
Red 69, Ash 38
Bye: Royal Blue

Tues., July 21

Gold 56, Pink 47
Neon Green 68, Royal Blue 53
Sapphire Blue 49, Black 33
Orange 69, Red 67, ovt.
Maroon 51, Ash 47, ovt.
Forest Green 85, Kelly Green 84, ovt.
Bye: Purple

Thurs., July 16

Gold 65, Purple 60
Pink 69, Orange 48
Neon Green 72, Kelly Green 48
Maroon 74, Sapphire Blue 65
Red 2, Forest Green 0, forfeit
Black 2, Royal Blue 0, forfeit
Bye: Ash Grey

Tues., July 14

Neon Green 72, Orange 66, ovt.
Gold 61, Black 55
Pink 56, Ash Grey 38
Sapphire Blue 70, Red 65
Maroon 68, Purple 63
Kelly Green 73, Royal Blue 52
Bye: Forest Green

Thurs., July 9

Sapphire Blue 70, Neon Green 67, 2 ovt.
Gold 2, Red 0, forfeit
Pink 34, Purple 31
Forest Green 79, Royal Blue 54
Black 54, Ash 43
Kelly Green 67, Orange 62
Bye: Maroon

Tues., July 7

Pink 52, Black 42
Gold 72, Forest Green 56
Neon Green 72, Purple 60
Maroon 68, Red 63
Ash Grey 74, Kelly Green 68
Sapphire Blue 58, Royal Blue 41
Bye: Orange

Thurs., July 2

Maroon 67, Royal Blue 51
Ash 56, Sapphire Blue 59
Pink 60, Forest Green 56
Kelly Green 68, Black 51
Neon Green 75, Red 73
Purple 63, Orange 56
Bye: Gold

Tues., June 30

Red 60, Purple 47
Orange 89, Royal Blue 43
Gold 76, Kelly Green 60
Maroon 67, Black 48
Forest Green 60, Sapphire Blue 54
Neon Green 2, Ash 0, forfeit
Bye: Pink

Thurs, June 25

Maroon 77, Orange 56
Purple 59, Sapphire Blue 54
Red 94 , Kelly Green 64
Gold 2, Ash 0, forfeit
Pink 87, Royal Blue 31
Bye: Neon Green

Tues., June 23

Black 49, Orange 47

Neon Green 91, Forest Green 42
Purple 59, Ash 31
Red 89, Royal Blue 84
Gold 87, Maroon 84
Pink 54, Sapphire Blue 49
Bye: Kelly Green

Thurs, June 18

Gold 70, Royal Blue 57
Ash 74, Forest Green 67
Sapphire Blue 62, Orange 60
Neon Green 69, Maroon 60
Pink 67, Red 50
Purple 66, Kelly Green 40
Bye: Black

Tues, June 16

Maroon 59, Kelly Green 54
Gold 69, Orange 43
Black 73, Red 42
Pink 64, Neon Green 52
Purple 61, Forest Green 47
Ash 61, Royal Blue 41
Bye: Sapphire Blue

Scoring 20 Points or More

32-Chelsea Woods, Red (L) vs. Maroon (W) – July 7
31-Dallas Ely, Maroon (W) vs. Royal Blue (L) – July 2
31-Chelsea Woods, Red (W) vs. Kelly Green (L) – June 25
30 Chelsea Wood, Red (L-Ovt) vs. Orange, (W) – July 21
30 Megan Quinn, Neon Green (W) vs. Royal Blue (L) – July 21
30- Megan Quinn, Neon Green (W), vs. Forest Green (L) - June 23
30-Maureen Leahy, Neon Green (W), vs. Forest Green (L) –June 23
29-Sarah Fairbanks, Pink (L) vs. Purple (W) – quarterfinals – July 30
29-Megan Quinn, Neon Green (L-2ovt) vs. Sapphire Blue (W), July 9
28-Chelsea Woods, Red (L), vs. Neon Green (W) – July 2
28- Chelsea Woods, Red (W), vs. vs. Royal Blue (L) – June 23
28-Chelsea Woods, Red (L), vs. Pink (W) – June 18
27-Chelsea Woods, Red (W), vs. Ash (L) – July 23
26-Megan Quinn, Neon Green (W) vs. Black (L), quarterfinals – July 30
26-Chelsea Woods, Red (L) vs. Sapphire Blue (W) – July 14
26-Megan Quinn, Neon Green (W-ovt.) vs. Orange (L) – July 14

25-Megan Quinn, Neon Green (W), vs. Red (L) – July 2
25-Tori Smick, Maroon (L) vs. Gold (W) – June 23
25-Ashley Wood, Gold (W) vs Orange (L) – June 16
25-Alex Louin, Neon Green (W) vs Maroon (L) – June 18
24-Mary Ellen McCollum, Kelly Green (L-ovt.) vs. Forest Green (W) – July 21
24-Amanda Fioravanti, Kelly Green (W) vs. Orange (L) – July 9
24-Jasmine Elum, Gold (W) vs. Forest Green (L) – July 7
24-Jasmine Elum, Gold (W) vs. Kelly Green (L) – June 30
24-Sarah Fairbanks, Pink (W) vs. Red (L) – June 18
24-Tyniqua Henderson, Royal Blue (L) vs. Gold (W) – June 18

23-Sarah Fairbanks, Pink (W) vs. Maroon (L) – July 23
23-Katie O’Hare, Forest Green (W-ovt), vs. Kelly Green (L) – July 21
23-Dallas Ely, Maroon (W), vs. Sapphire Blue – July 16
23-Amanda Fioravanti, Kelly Green (W) vs. Royal Blue (L) – July 14
23-Mackenzie Carroll, Orange (W) vs. Royal Blue (L) – June 25
23-Lauren Crisler, Gold (W) vs. Maroon (L) – June 23
22-Megan Quinn, Neon Green (W) vs. Sapphire Blue (L), semifinals – August 4
22-Jenna Swope, Kelly Green (L-ovt.) vs. Forest Green (W) – July 21
22-Sarah Fairbanks, Pink (W) vs. Forest Green (L) – July 2
22-Alex Thomas, Purple (W) vs. Sapphire Blue (L) – June 25
22-Micah Morgan, Purple (W), vs. Kelly Green (L) – June 18
21-Johanna McMillan, Pink (W), vs. Maroon (L) – July 23
21-Jasmine Elum, Gold (W), vs. Purple (L) – July 17
21-Alex Louin, Neon Green (W), vs. Purple (L) – July 7
21-Aunjel Van Brakle, Ash (W), vs. Kelly Green (W) – July 7
21-Chelsea Woods, Red (W) vs. Purple (L) – June 25
21 Sarah Payonk, Pink (W) vs. Royal Blue (L) – June 25
21-Natalya Lee, Red (W), vs. Royal Blue (L) – June 23
21-Alex Louin, Neon Green (W), vs. Forest Green (L) –June 23
21-Lauren Crisler, Gold (W) vs. Royal Blue (L) – June 18

20-Emily O’Donnell, Sapphire Blue (L), vs. Maroon (W) – July 16
20-Emily O’Donnell, Sapphire Blue (W) vs. Red (L) – July 14
20-Micah Morgan 20, Purple (L) vs. Maroon (W) – July 14
20-Samantha Stipa, Neon Green (W), vs. Red (L) – July 2
20-Maggie Locke, Royal Blue (L) vs. Orange (W) – June 25
20-Mary Ellen McCollum, Kelly Green (L) vs, Red (L) – June 25
20-Margaret Melham, Red (W) vs. Royal Blue (L) – June 23
20-Brittany Sicinski, Maroon (L) vs. Gold (W) – June 23

Tie-Break Tracker

#-Gold (10-1) vs. O (W), RB (W), vs. M (W), Ash (W-*F), KG(W), FG(W), Red (W-*F), Black (W), Pur(W), PK (W) NG (L), SB (W)
Pink (10-1) vs. NG (W), Red (W), SB (W), RB(W), FG(W), Black (W), Purple (W), A(W), O (W), Gold (L), M(W), KG (W-*F).

Neon Green (9-3) vs. Pnk(L), M(W), FG (W), Ash (W-*F), Red(W), Purp (W), SB(L-2ovt.), O (W-ovt.), KG(W), RB (W), Gold (W) Black (L).

Maroon (8-4) vs. KG (W), NG (L), G(L).O(W), Black (W), RB(W), Red(W), Purple (W), SB (W), Ash (W-ovt.), Pink (L), FG (L-*F).

$-Sapphire Blue (6-6) vs. O(W), Pink(L),Purple(L), FG(L), Ash(L), RB(W), NG (W-2ovt.), Red(W), M(L), Black (W), KG (W) Gold (L).
Black (6-6) vs. Red (W), O (W), FG(L), M(L), KG(L), Pink (L), Ash (W), Gold (L), RB (W-*F), SB (L), Purple (W), NG (W).
Purple (6-6) vs. FG (W), KG (W), A(W), SB(W), Red (L), O(W), NG(L), Pink (L), M(L), Gold (L), Black (L) , RB (W).

^-Red (5-7) vs. Blk (L), Pink (L), RB(W), KG(W), Purp(W), NG(L), M(L), Gold (L-*F), SB(L), FG(W-*F), O(L-ovt.), Ash (W).
Forest Green (5-7) vs. Purp (L), Ash (L), NG(L),B(W), SB(W),Pink(L),Gold (L), RB(W), Red (L-*F), KG(W-ovt.), Or (L), M (W-F*).

%-Orange (4-8) vs. Gold (L), SB (L), B(L),M(L), RB(W),Purple(L), KG(L), NG(L), Pink (L), Red (W-ovt.), FG (W), Ash (W).
Ash (4-8) vs. RB (W), FG (W), Purple (L), Gold (L-*F), NG(L-*F), SB(W), KG(W), Black (L), Pnk(L), M(L), Red (L), Orange (L)

Kelly Green (3-9) vs. M (L), Purp (L),Red(L), Gold(L),Black(W), Ash (L), O(W), RB(W), NG (L), FG (L-ovt.), SB (L), Pink (L-*F).

Royal Blue (0-12) vs. Ash (L), Gold (L), Red (L),Pink(L), O(L),M(L), SB(L), FG(L), KG(L), Black(L-*F), NG(L), Purple (L).

*-Forfeit win or loss

#-Gold holds first on head to head win over Pink.

$-Three-Way Sapphire Blue, Black, and Purple all 1-1. Sapphire Blue and Black both beat Neon Green on best win, dropping Purple to seventh and then Sapphire Blue beat Black on head-to-head to fifth seed and black at sixth.

^-Red takes eighth seed on head-to-head win over Forest Green.

%-Orange takes 10th place on head-to-head win over Ash Grey.

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