Womhoops Guru

Mel Greenberg covered college and professional women’s basketball for the Philadelphia Inquirer, where he worked for 40 plus years. Greenberg pioneered national coverage of the game, including the original Top 25 women's college poll. His knowledge has earned him nicknames such as "The Guru" and "The Godfather," as well as induction into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Philly Women's Summer League: Maroon Edges Gold 44-43 to Earn Top Playoff Seed Off Deadlock

By Mel Greenberg @whomhoopsguru
and Bob Heller

HATBORO, Pa. -- By the narrowest of margins, Maroon, also known as Division II USciences, upset Gold 44-43 Tuesday night and as a result finished in a first place tie with its opponent and in the head-to-head tiebreaker grabbed the top playoff seed in the Philadelphia/Suburban NCAA Certified Women's Summer Basketball League at Kelly Bolish Gym, home of the AAU Renegades.

Laura Trisch, a Devils junior out of Archbishop Wood, hit two foul shots with 31 seconds left in regulation to give Maroon the margin of victory.

The postseason opens with quarterfinals action Thursday night at 7 p.m. In a series of doubleheaders on Courts 1 and 2 with the nightcaps beginning at 8:15 p.m. The survivors will move on to next Tuesday's semifinals with matchups to be set following the quarterfinals and the championship will be played at 7 p.m. one week from Thursday.

Several upsets, including the one at the top where the second place team going in took down the top team resulted in four sets of ties to be broken but unlike recent seasons, all the eliminations occurred  on the court and simple head-to-head inseason results determined the seed order for the playoffs.

Individually, Saint Joseph's junior Chelsea Woods scored 31 to lead Purple to a 75-67 win over Royal Blue and the fourth playoff spot. Voted the most improved player in Big 5 women's competition last winter, Tuesday's total gave her the top seven scoring performances for the regular season all 31 points or better, incluiding perhaps a league all-time best 46 points.

Woods also scored twice in the 20s giving her nine nights scoring 20 or more with the only two times she failed was once because she was forced to miss a game and the second because Purple gained a 2-0 forfeit win over Gold, thus canceling the need for a 40-minute contest.

Two other players hit the 20 or more honor roll with Lauren Rothfeld scoring 22 for Pink in a 59-55 upset loss to Sky Blue while recent Saint Joseph's graduate Ciara Andrews out of Cheltenham High scored 24. 

The win helped Sky Blue tie Royal Blue for the seventh playoff spot and gain the seventh seed off a 78-71 overtime win over Royal Blue during the season.

White eliminated Orange with a lopsided 56-38 win that gave it a fifth-place tie with Black, also known as Division II Philadelphia University, which knocked out Red with a 53-48 triumph. White then got the fifth spot with a 60-44 season openeing win over Black, which lost its first five games, then got its first win off a forfeit but went on to win out in its next five games.

Though Pink lost and got tied for third off Purple's win, the regular-season 72-65 win over Purple enabled it to hold third and drop Purple to fourth.

Royal Blue backed into the playoffs for the last seed when Orange and Red lost. Hunter Green, which had already been eliminated, topped already-eliminated Kelly Green 69-36 to finish in a three-way tie with Red and Orange for ninth. Kelly Green lost all 11 games.

For the final standings, Orange, Red, and Hunter Green were all 1-1 against each other but Orange dropped to 10th win no premium win equal or better to the other two teams, who each beat Purple.

In the head-to-head tiebreak, Hunter Green topped Red 54-45 during the season to get the ninth spot, dropping Red to 10th.

By the way, with the WNBA on break for the Olympics until late August, former Saint Joseph'a star Natasha Cloud, the Cardinal O'Hara grad who plays for the Washington Mystics was in thw house to watch some of her former Hawks teammates, who she played with in the summer league.

Looking Ahead

In Thursday's quarterfinals, top-seed Maroon opens against eighth-seed Royal Blue at 7 p.m. on Court 1. During the season, Maroon gained a 62-55 win off the Royal Blue squad, whose roster is dominated by Division II East Stroudsburg players but also has Saint Joseph's Amanda Fioravanti.

While that action is taking place at the same time on Court 2 third-seeded Pink, headlined by Salsibury U. senior Lauren Rothfeld out of Upper Dublin High, will face sixth-seeded Black, which it beat 63-51. Alynna Williams, a freshman at Philadelphia U, out of Plymouth Whitemarsh has been one of Black's better players.

In the two games at 8:15 p.m., Court 1 will house second-seeded Gold against seventh-seeded Sky Blue, which Gold thumped 89-59. On Court 2, fourth-seeded Purple, featuring Woods and a bunch of Penn State-Abington players, will meet fifth-seeded White, which is dominated by Division II Kutztown U, players and lost to Purple 90-81 during the season.

Recaps:

Here's the recaps from Tuesday's final night of regular season action.

Maroon 44,  Gold  43  -  Laura Trisch’s two free throws with 31 seconds remaining provided the advantage Team Maroon (also known as Division II University of the Sciences) needed as they held off a fourth quarter rally by Team Gold, winning 44-43 and securing the regular season title in the Philadelphia/Suburban NCAA Certified Summer Basketball League.

 

Team Maroon and Team Gold both finish the regular season with 9-2 records with Maroon earning the regular season title and top seed in the upcoming playoffs by virtue of their win over Gold Tuesday night.  Maroon’s win was their fifth straight and snapped a six game win streak by Gold.

 

The defensive-minded Maroon squad held the Gold squad to their lowest point total of the season (43) and held the Gold squad over 20 points below their 64.4/ppg. average.  Maroon has held opponents to 50 or fewer points in seven of their 11 games.

 

USciences junior Colleen Walsh (The Shipley School) led Team Maroon with 12 points on four three point field goals.  Recent Holy Cross University graduate Alex Smith (The Peddie School) led Team Gold with 13 points. 

 

Gold trailed by ten 36-26 enter the fourth period and opened the quarter with an 11-1 run, getting production from four different players to tie the game at 37-37.  Trisch (Archbishop Wood HS), A USciences junior, added a layup and USciences sophomore Marissa Sylvester (Nazareth Academy)followed with a three-point field goal to give Maroon a 42-37 lead with 2:15 left.  Gold closed the gap back to two, 42-40, with a free throw from, recent Bloomsburg University graduate Danielle Derr (Upper Dublin HS) and a layup from Lafayette College sophomore Nia Holland (The Shipley School)with just under a minute left.  Trisch followed with two free throws with 31 seconds to put Maroonahead by four 44-40.   On Gold’s next possession, Smith drained a long three to pull her team within one 44-43 and had a chance to pull off the win after a defensive stop but was unable to score as the Maroon hung on for the win.

 

Leading up to the fourth quarter, Maroon used an 11-3 run to close of the third period as Walsh scored eight of the 11 points, giving Maroon a 36-26 lead.  Scoring nearly came to a standstill in the second period as both teams combined for just two points in the first five minutes of play, including a 4:10 second segment when neither team put any points on the board.  The score was just 20-18 at the half.   

 

 

Purple 75, Royal Blue 67 – Team Purple rallied from a 12-point halftime deficit to win their second straight game, defeating Team Royal Blue 75-67 to finish the regular season at 7-4 and earn the #4 seed for the upcoming playoffs.

 

Team Royal Blue (made up primarily of players from Division II East Stroudsburg University), despite the loss finished in a tie for seventh place and secured the #8 seed for the upcoming playoffs. 

 

St. Joseph’s University junior Chelsea Woods led Team Purple with 31 points, breaking the 30-point plateau for the sixth time in nine games played. Penn State Abington teammates Shayna Rodriguez (Archbishop Ryan HS) and Symantha Marrerro (Central HS) added 12 and 16points respectively.  St.Joseph’s University senior Amanda  Fiorvanti (Our Lady of Good Counsel HS) led Team Royal Blue with 12 points while  ESU senior Courtney Brown (Council Rock South  HS) chipped in 11. 

 

Trailing 41-29 at halftime, Purple opened the quarter with a 12-2 run and closed it with an 11-2 uprising to take a 52-50 lead entering the fourth quarter.  Royal Blue came out strong to start the fourth quarter, re-taking the lead immediately as ESU sophomore Ann McKnight (Archbishop Carroll HS) started an 8-2 run with a three-point field goal and a trey from ESU senior Rachel Falkowski (Central Bucks South HS) ended it, giving Royal a 58-54 lead.  Royal still led by four 60-56 when Woods started a 16-1 outburst with a layup with 6:24 left.  Woods scored 11 of Purple’s 16 points during the run, capping it off with a pair of free throws with 1:47 left, making the score 72-61.  Less than a minute later Purple took their largest lead of the game at 75-63 before Royal closed out the scoring with two layups in the final 45 seconds.

 

Royal Blue had used solid second quarter shooting effort to open up a close game early on, outscoring Purple 22-13 in the second quarter to hold a 12-point edge at the half..

 

 

Sky Blue 59, Pink 55 – Team Sky Blue used 13-1 over the final five minutes of play to pull out a 59-55 upset win over third place Team Pink and earn themselves a playoff spot in the process, finishing the regular season at 5-6 and tied for seventh place with Royal Blue.

 

Recent St. Joseph’s University graduate Ciara Andrews (Cheltenham HS) scored a game high 24 points while Chestnut Hill College junior Vicky Tumasz (North Penn HS) and Mercyhurst University freshman Stephanie Petery (Pope John Paul II HS) added eight points apiece.  Salisbury University senior Lauren Rothfeld (Upper Dublin HS) (22 points) and Lycoming College sophomore Shelby Schoonver(Pennridge HS) (10 points) led Team Pink (7-4).

 

Trailing 54-46 with just under five minutes to go Andrews started the rally with a layup with Petery and St. Joseph’s freshman Avery Marz (Wilson HS) also scoring, cutting the lead down to two 55-53 with 2:01 remaining.  Sky Blue then scored the final six points of the game, with Marz making a pair of free throws in the final minute to seal the win for her team.

 

Pink scored the first nine points of the game; all on three-point field goals before Sky Blue countered with 12 straight points to take the early 12-9 lead and proceeded to hold a two point lead after one period.  Pink came back to reclaim the lead 34-32 at the break before outscoring Sky Blue 16-6 to lead by 11, 49-38 as the two teams entered the final quarter.

 

 

Black 53, Red 48 - Team Black  used a late fourth quarter rally as the erased a 47-40 deficit and went on to secure their sixth straight win 53-48 over Team Red, and earn the #6 six seed in the upcoming playoffs. 

 

Junior Rachel Day (Archbishop Wood HS) led Team Black (also known as Division II Philadelphia University) with 13 points, PU freshmen Alynna Williams (Plymouth Whitemarsh HS) and Caitlyn Cunningham (Mount St. Joseph Academy) had seven points apiece.  The predominantly Division II West Chester University Red Team was led by West Chester freshman Gabby Troisi’s (Pope John Paul II HS)13 points.  WCU senior Brooke Mullen (Boyertown HS) added ten.

 

Team Red held a seven point lead with just under five minutes remaining before Team Black scored eight of the next nine points; taking their first lead since early in the second quarter as Williams, Day and junior Jessica Kaminski (Archbishop Wood HS) provided the spark during the run.  After taking a 49-48 lead with just 33 seconds remaining, Kaminski sank three straight free throws and Day added a single point from the charity stripe to seal the win.

 

White 56, Orange 38 Team White was in control from the opening tip as they cruised to a 56-38 win over Team Orange and secured the #5 seed for the upcoming league playoffs which begin Thursday.

 

Eleven different players scored for the predominantly Division II Kutztown University White team, led by KU freshman Gabbi Wright (Cheltenham HS) and St. Joseph’s junior Michaela Clay ; who scored ten points apiece.   The Orange team was paced by Emory University freshman Allison Chernow’s (Upper Dublin HS) nine points while Catholic University freshman Taylor Dunn (Central Bucks South HS)added eight.

 

White held a ten point lead after one period and pushed the margin to 16, 33-17 by halftime.  In the third quarter, White again extended their lead, pushing the margin to 20, 41-21 before a 6-0 run by Orangeclosed the gap to 14, 41-27 with about two minutes to play in the quarter.  White scored the final four points of the period to lead 45-27 after three quarters.  White pushed the lead to 20 on two occasions in the fourth period before settling in for the 18-point win.

 

Hunter Green 69, Kelly Green 36 Hunter Green led wire-to-wire as they defeated Kelly Green 69-36 in their final game of the season.  

 

Hunter Green finished the season with a 4-7 record and in a three-way tie for ninth place with Team Red and Team Orange.  Kelly Green finished the season in 12 th place with and 0-11 record.

 

University of Scranton senior Sarah Payonk (Spring-Ford HS) led Hunter Green with 16 points while Catholic University junior Karissa Mansure (Shawnee HS) added 14.  Delaware Valley University graduate Brittany Wood (Archbishop Ryan HS) led the Kelly Green Squad, composed primarily of players from Division III Delaware Valley University.

 

The Hunter Green squad used a 23-7 second quarter scoring effort to turn a close game into a rout as they built a 44-20 lead by halftime and increasing the lead to 29, 56-27 after the third quarter.

 

 Final Regular Season Standings

Team,  W-L, Pct., G.B., PF, PA
^-Maroon, 9-2, .818, ---, 624 525
^@-Gold, 9-2, .818, ---, 727 533
^-Pink, 7-4, .636, 2.0, 727 616
^%-Purple, 7-4, .636, 2.0, 689 650
^-White, 6-5, .545, 3.0, 671 686
^-%-Black, 6-5, .500, 3.0, 556 578
^-Sky Blue, 5-6, .455, 4.0, 671 717
^Royal Blue, 5-6, .455, 4.0, 659 636
#-@-Hunter Green, 4-7, .364, 5.0, 546 561
#-%-Red,4-7, .364, 5.0 , 543 612
#-@-Orange, 4-7, .364, 5.0 552 634
#-Kelly Green, 0-11, .000, 9.0, 592 809
%-includes forfeit win
@-includes forfeit loss
^-Clinched playoff berth
#-Eliminated from playoffs

Playoff Schedule and Results

Quarterfinals

Thursday, July 28

7 p.m.

1-Maroon (9-2)  vs. 8-Royal Blue (5-6), Court 1
3- Pink (7-4) vs. 6-Black (6-5), Court 2

8:15 p.m.

2-Gold (9-2)  vs. 7-Sky Blue (5-6), Court 1
4-Purple (7-4) vs. 5-White (6-5) , Court 2

Semifinals

Tuesday, Aug. 2

7 p.m.

Game 1, Court 1

8:15 p.m.

Game 2, Court 1

Championship

Thursday, Aug. 4

7 p.m.

Winner Semifinal 1 vs. Winner Semifinal 2

Regular Season Results

Tuesday, July 26

Black 53, Red 48
Sky Blue 59, Pink 55
White 56, Orange 38
Purple 75, Royal Blue 67
Maroon 44, Gold 43
Hunter Green 69, Kelly Green 36

Thursday, July 21

Black 65. Kelly Green 52
Pink 79, White 52
Gold 80, Orange 57
Red 51, Royal Blue 46
Maroon 55, Hunter Green 41
Purple 64. Sky Blue 60

Tuesday, July 19

Pink 90, Kelly Green 35
Gold 79, Red 51
Maroon 49, Orange 35
Hunter Green 59, Purple 33
Black 62, Sky BLue 44
Royal Blue 61, White 56

Thursday, July 14

Hunter Green 54, Red 45
Black 72, Orange 64, OT
Maroon 56, Pink 46
Gold 55, Royal Blue 51
White 59, Sky Blue 56
Purple 85, Kelly Green 78

Tuesday, July 12

Black 69, Purple 65
Orange 56, Royal Blue 48
White 66,  Kelly Green 55
Pink 62, Red 37
Maroon 60, Sky Blue 40
 Gold 62, Hunter Green 43 

Thursday, June 30

Gold 90, Kelly Green 52
White 67, Maroon 65
Red 67, Purple 65, OT
Royal Blue 69, Pink 56
Orange 69, Sky Blue 57
Black 2, Hunter Green 0, forfeit

Tuesday, June 28

Purple 90, White 81
Gold 76, Pink 59
Maroon 58, Kelly Green 47
Royal Blue 55, Black 45
Orange 67, Hunter Green 42
Sky Blue 61, Red 56

Thursday, June 23

Sky Blue 78, Royal Blue 71
Orange 71,  Kelly Green 65
Purple 2,  Gold 0, forfeit
Maroon 64, Black 41
White 67, Red 64, OT
Pink 70, Hunter Green 66, OT

Tuesday, June 21

Purple 57, Maroon 52
Royal Blue 80, Hunter Green 58
Red 69, Kelly Green 66
White 60, Black 44
Gold 89, Sky Blue 59
Pink 75, Orange 50

Thursday, June 16

Sky Blue 67, Hunter Green 66
Pink 63, Black 51
Maroon 59, Red 53, OT
Purple 88, Orange 45
Gold 90, White 63
Royal Blue 56, Kelly Green 44

Wednesday, June 15

Hunter Green 48, White 44
Sky Blue 90, Kelly Green 66
Pink 72, Purple 65
Gold 63. Black 52
Maroon 62, Royal Blue 55
Red 2, Orange 0, forfeit

Individual Scoring 20 Or More Points

46 Chelsea Woods, Purple, L, vs. Black, July 12
43-Chelsea Woods, Purple, W, vs. White, June 28
39-Chelsea Woods, Purple, W, vs. Kelly Green, July 14
34-Chelsea Woods, Purple, W, vs. Sky Blue, July 21
33-Chelsea Woods, Purple, W, vs. Maroon, June 22
32-Chelsea Woods, Purple, L, vs. Pink, June 15
31 Chelsea Woods, Purple, W, vs. Royal Blue, June 26
28-Alex Smith, Gold, W, vs. Sky Blue, June 22
28-Alex Smith, Gold, W, vs. White, June 16
26-Chelsea Woods, Purple, L, vs. Red, June 30 
26-Alexix Roman, Hunter Green, L, vs. Sky Blue, June 16
25-Danielle Skedzielewski, Kelly Green, L, vs. Black, July 21
25-Ciara Andrews, Sky Blue, W, vs. Hunter Green, June 16
25-Ciara Andrews, Sky Blue, W, vs. Kelly Green, June 15
24-Ciara Andrews, Sky Blue, W, vs. Pink, July 26
24-Adaisha Franklyn, Gold, W, vs. Orange, July 21
24-Emma Dorshimer, Pink, W, vs. White, July 21
24-Alynna Williams, Black, W-OT, vs Orange, July 14. 
23-Alynna Williams, Black, L, vs. Pink, June 23
23-Kelsey Watson, White, L, vs. Gold, June 16
23-Chelsea Woods, Purple, W, vs. Orange, June 16
22-Lauren Rothfeld, Pink, L, vs. Sky Blue, July 26
22-Alexix Roman, Hunter Green, W, vs. Red, July 14
22-Mia Hopkins, Gold, W, vs. Sky Blue, June 22
22-Adaisha Franklyn, Gold, W, vs. White, June 16
21-Ciara Andrews, Sky Blue, L, vs. Orange, June 30
21-Lauren Rothfeld, Pink, L, Royal Blue, June 30
21-Tori Smick, Red, L, vs. Sky Blue, June 28
21-Julia Glantz, Hunter Green, W, vs. White, June 15
21-Jessica Gerber, Sky Blue, W, vs. Kelly Green, June 15
21-K.T. (Katie) Armstrong, Royal Blue, L, vs. Maroon, June 15
20-Michele McCaughern, Gold, W, vs. Red, July 19
20- Emma Dorsheimer, Pink, W, vs. Kelly Green, July 19
20-Taylor Thames, White, W, vs. Maroon, June 30
20-Ciara Andrews, Sky Blue, W, vs. Royal Blue, June 23
20-Lauren Rothfeld, Pink, W-OT, vs. Hunter Green, June 23
20-Mackenzie Rule, Orange, L, vs. vs. Pink, June 22
20-Micah Morgan, Maroon, W-OT, vs. Red, June 16

Seed Tracker (In order)

^-Maroon (9-2) vs. RB (W), vs. Red (W-OT), vs. Pur(L), vs. Bk (W), KG (W), vs. Wh (L), vs. SB(W),
vs. Pnk(W), vs. Orng(W), vs. HG(W), vs. Gold (W).
^-Gold (9-2) vs. Bk (W), vs. Wh (W), vs. SB (W), vs. Pur (L-@), vs. Pnk (W) ,vs. KG (W), vs. HG (W),
RB(W), vs. Red (W), vs. Orng(W), vs. M(L).

^-Pink (7-4) vs. Pur (W), vs. Bk (W), vs. Orge, (W), vs. HG (W-OT), Gold (L), vs. RB(L), vs. Rd(W),
 vs. M(L), vs. KG(W), Wh(W), vs. SB (L).
^-Purple (7-4) vs. Pk (L), vs. Org (W), vs. M(W), vs. Gd (W-%), vs. W (W) vs. Red (W-OT), vs. Bk(L), 
 vs. KG(W) vs. HG(L), vs. SB(W), vs. RB(W).

^-White (6-5) vs. HG (L), vs. Gd (L), vs. Bk (W), vs. Red (W-OT), vs. Pur (L), vs. M (W), vs. KG(W)
 vs. SB(W), vs. RB(L), vs. Pink(L), vs. Ornge(W).  
^-Black (6-5) vs. Gd (L), vs. Pk (L), vs. Wh (L), vs. M (L), vs. RB (L), vs. HG (W-%), vs. Pur(W), vs. Or(W-OT), vs. SB(W), vs. KG(W), vs. Red (W).

^-Sky Blue (5-6) vs. KG (W), vs. HG (W), vs. Gold (L), vs. RB (W), vs. Red (W), Ornge(L), vs. M(L),
  vs. Wh(L), vs. Blk(L), vs. Purple(L), vs. Pink (W).
^-Royal Blue (5-6) vs. M (L), vs. KG (W), vs. HG (W), vs, SB (L), vs. Black (W), Pnk(W), vs. Orng(L), vs. Gold(L), vs. Wh(W), vs. Red (L), vs. Pur (L).

#-Hunter Green (4-7) vs. Wh (W), vs. SB (L), vs RB (L), vs. Pk (L-OT), vs. Org (L),vs. Blk (L-@) vs. Gd(L), vs. Red(W), vs. Pur(W), vs. M(L), vs. KG(W).
#-Red (4-7) vs. Org (%-W), vs. M (L-OT), vs. KG (W), vs. Wh (L-OT), vs. SB (L), Pur (W-OT), vs. Pk(L), vs. HG(L), vs. Gold(L), vs. RB(W), vs. Blk (L).
#-Orange (4-7) vs. Red (@-L), vs. Pur (L), vs. Pnk (L), vs. KG (W), vs. HG (W), vs. SB (W), vs. RB(W),
 vs Bk (L-OT), M(L), vs. Gold (L), vs. Wh(L).

#-Kelly Green (0-10) vs. SB (L), vs. RB (L), vs Red (L), vs. Orange (L), vs. M(L), vs. Gold (L), vs. Wh(L), vs. Pur(L) vs. Pnk(L),vs. Blk(L), vs. HG(L).

%-forfeit win
@-forfeit loss
^-Clinched playoff berth
#-Eliminated from playoffs

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