Philly Women's Summer League: Hannah Fox Still Shining As Electric Green Gets Quarterfinals Upset

By Bob Heller and Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

HATBORO, Pa. – We’ve seen women’s basketball stars at the higher levels rack-up multiple team titles  within a calendar year attaining success capturing NCAA Division I and WNBA championships and Olympic Gold Medal glory.

The question after the first night of playoff action with quarterfinals in the Philadelphia/Suburban Women’s NCAA-Certified Summer Basketball League at Kelly Bolish Gym, home of the AAU Renegades, is whether Penn Charter grad Hannah Fox of Electric Green might be building her own little trophy collection in a short amount of time.

The native of Plymouth Meeting capped her first collegiate season last winter as a reserve member of Amherst’s second-ever NCAA Division III champions, with the squad gaining its first unbeaten season at 33-0.

The coach, by the way, G.P. Gromacki, who completed his first decade at Amherst, was an assistant to Dawn Staley at Temple in 2005 and 2006 when the Owls, featuring Candice Dupree, had their two greatest seasons, including being nationally ranked.

Then it was on to international play where Fox, who is the all-time Penn Charter women's scorer,  played for the USA women’s squad that won a gold medal at the Maccabiah Games in Israel.

Now recently returned from overseas, Fox got home just in time several weeks ago to light up the gym here with 30 points her first night and help the Steve Flynn-coached Electric Green squad to win its last two games to tie for fourth at 7-4 and earn a fifth seed for the playoffs.

So by seed, in the only upset and as predicted closest game of the quarterfinals, Fox was the top overall performer Thursday with 22 points and 11 of them in the decisive fourth period to give Electric Green a 72-64 win over fourth-seeded Royal Blue/Kutztown U. To move on to Tuesday’s semifinals where the opponent will be top-seeded Maroon/USciences at 7 P.M. on Court 1.

As it has played out, Fox returned at the right time because Saint Joseph’s senior Chelsea Woods, one of the top scoring sensations of the summer, had just become sidelined after tweaking her knee.

Word, however, is Woods is expected to be cleared by doctors Monday, increasing the chance to return to action Tuesday.

Former summer league standout Ciara Andrews, a former Cheltenham and Saint Joseph’s star, was in the house and informs after playing in Denmark last season, she plans to play professionally overseas in Greece next time around.

There were a few gulps when Fox’s teammates realized Maroon, a 62-51 winner over Electric Green on July 6, would be the opponent, but Flynn quickly noted to them, “You want to win this thing, you’re going to have to play through them to get there.”

Fox obviously didn’t play enough to earn selection to our first-ever 15-member regular season Womhoops Guru All-Philly WBB Summer League Team, of which Saint Joseph’s senior Amanda Fioravanti of Team White was named MVP Thursday morning in a post listed two below this one.

But surely, Fox is off to a great start to claim honors for the all-playoff squad and MVP.

Meanwhile, in the other games Maroon (10-2) essentially claimed a bye by default, earning a 2-0 forfeit victory over eighth-seeded Orange/Holy Family, which informed longtime commissioner David Kessler around noon that they did not have enough players.

Magnanimously, it was suggested by Orange (5-7) that enough time existed to invite Sun/Ursinus (7-4) to replace them, since Sun had the same record but missed the playoffs on a tie-break regular-season loss to Orange to fall to ninth in the final standings.

However, Sun, while appreciating the offer, said they could not get enough players fast enough.

The other two high seeds advanced to the semifinals. No. 2 Forest Green/West Chester (10-2), which tied Maroon for first but lost on a tie-break off a double-overtime defeat to Maroon during the season, moved forward beating seventh-seeded Sky Blue 76-63.

Sky Blue, which gained the seventh seed in a three-way tie-break out of seventh, finished 5-7. 

In the remaining game, No. 3 White (9-3) is still surging, advancing with its eighth straight, by eliminating  sixth-seeded Black/Jefferson U. 76-56.

With Keith Wood at the White helm, White and Electric Green are the only two of the 12 squads that played this summer that actually had coaches on the sidelines.   

Black, by the way, until this month, had been known as Philadelphia U. and while we had been using the new name Thomas Jefferson U., it became known this week that the NCAA on all references to the school concerning athletic matters such as scheduling, etc., is using Jefferson U.

The Black squad, which had been part of the three-way tie for fourth but falling to the sixth seed, finished at 7-5.

White will meet Forest Green, a 57-51 upset winner over them on June 20 that started White on a three-game losing streak to fall to 1-3, at 8:15 P.M. on Court 1 following the first game. 

Top Performers

For the playoffs for obvious reasons the Guru will lower the boundary from top 20 or more points to 15. But for this paragraph right here, we’ll keep in limited, noting that in the 20s, after Fox’s 22, Saint Joseph’s senior Jaryn Garner also on Team Electric Green scored 20, a total attained by another Hawk, Michaela Clay on Royal Blue.

Whisper Fisher, yet another Hawk, had 19 for the eliminated Sky Blue (5-7) squad, as did another Hawk, incoming freshman Mary Sheehan of Team White.

Meanwhile, Bob Heller ignored a portion of his birthday to be on hand to pick up from his yeoman season work, providing detail of the three games that were played.

THURSDAY RECAPS

Quarterfinals

#2-Team Forest Green 75, #7-Team Sky Blue  63

 

Team Forest Green (West Chester University) used a strong second quarter to pull away from Team Sky Blue as they advanced to Tuesday’s semi-finals with a 76-63 win.

 

Five players reached double figures for the Forest Green squad, led by recent University of Tampa grad Jenny Horvatinovic’s 16 points.  

WCU senior Mia Hopkins added 15 points while Katie Feehery, a University of Scranton senior out of Cardinal O’HaraHigh school scored 12.  Casey Warley and Siani McNeil added 11 and ten points respectively.

 

St. Joseph’s junior Whisper Fisher led all scorers with 19 points while fellow Hawk and freshman Katie Jekot added 16. Emory University sophomore Erin Lindahl scored 13 points. 

 

The two teams battled throughout the first quarter as the lead changed hands three times with Forest Green taking an 18-15 lead on Feehery’s basket as time expired. 

Forest Green scored the first seven points of the second quarter to boost their lead to double digits before an 11-6 run by the Sky Blue squad capped by a pair of Jekot three-point field goals cut the lead in half at 31-26 with 3:35 left in the period.  The WCU contingent finished the quarter with an 11-2 flourish to lead by 13 at the break 41-28.

 

Another Forest Green run to open the third quarter provided their largest lead of the game at 52-32 before Sky Blue began to chip away at the lead.  

Taylor Dunn and Jekot sank three-balls late in the period and another Sky Blue basket as time was running out capped off a 14-6 uprising to pull Sky Blue within ten 56-46 as the two teams entered  the final quarter.

 

Hopkins scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to swing the momentum back to Forest Green and boost their lead to 14 points at 60-46. 

Sky Blue pulled back within ten three times as the period wore on but could come no closer.  A pair of baskets from McNeil in the final 1:29 put the icing on the cake with a 76-63 win.

 

#3-Team White 76, #6-Team Black  56

 

The third seeded Team White turned on the defense in the third quarter of their quarterfinal match with sixth seed Team Black, also known as Jefferson University, holding the black squad to one field goal over the first five minutes of the quarter, turning a close game into a rout as they cruised to a 76-56 win.

 

Incoming St. Joe’s freshman Mary Sheehan led White with 19 points while Kean College sophomore Briana Winston added 17.  

St. Joe’s senior Amanda Fioravanti, our regular season MVP who had scored 20 or more points a league-leading seven times, and Lafayette College junior Nia Holland added 13 and 12 points respectively.

(Electric Green’s Chelsea Woods also scored 20 or more seven times.)  

 

Sophomores Alyanna Williams and Caitlyn Cunningham led Black with 18 and 13 points respectively.

 

While White’s defense was holding Black at bay, their offense went on a 15-3 tear to turn a five point halftime lead into a comfortable 17-point margin at 51-34 at the 5:01 mark.  

The lead remained at 17 as the period ended.

 

Black scored six of the first nine points of the fourth quarter to close the gap to 14, 62-48 as they tried to come back.  

White however was just too strong for the Black squad, producing an 8-4 spurt to go back up by 18 at 70-52 and later increasing the lead to 21 points at 76-55 with a minute left in the game.  Maddison Haney made one free throw with 49 seconds left to round out the scoring.

 

Five lead changes highlighted the first quarter until an 8-2 White run erased a two point deficit and gave White a 19-15 lead at the end of the quarter.  

Black rallied to take a 23-21 lead before White scored the next five points take the lead for good.

 

 #5-Team Electric Green  72, #4-Team Royal Blue  64

 

In what was clearly the closest game of the evening, fifth seed Electric Green held off a late charge from fourth seed Royal Blue, also known as Kutztown University to becoming the only lower seed to win a playoff game this season with a 72-64 win.

 

Amherst University junior Hannah Fox led all scorers with 22 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter.  St. Joseph’s senior Jaryn Garner added 20 points to pace the victors.  

Morgan Maturani and Emily Walls also reached double figures for Electric Green with 13 and 10 points respectively.

 

St. Joe’s junior Michaela Clay led Royal Blue with 20 points while Abbey Beyer added 13.

 

Electric Green was strong out of the gate, jumping out to an early 10-2 lead only to see Royal Blue battle back to cut the deficit to three at the end of the first quarter 18-15.

 

Beyer’s bucket at the 4:47 mark in the second quarter gave Royal their first lead of the game at 27-26.  Clay closed out the quarter with two baskets to push Royal’s lead to four at 35-31 at break.

 

An 8-2 run by electric Green to open the third quarter shifted the momentum back to their side as they retook the lead at 39-37 before Sierra Taylor tied the game at 39-39 and after a single free throw by the Green squad, another Royal basket gave Royal a 41-40 lead.  

Electric Green then ran off 11 straight points to retake the lead and go up by ten at 51-41.  Two late royal baskets cut the margin to six at the end of the quarter, 53-47.

 

In the fourth quarter Fox’s bucket at the 6:11 mark gave ElectricGreen a 60-50 lead only to have Royal score the next six points to close the gap to four.  

Buckets by Garner and Fox doubled the lead to eight before a three-ball from Gabrielle Heinsinger brought Royal back within five 64-59 with 3:34 left. 

Both teams exchanged baskets before Fox sank the a pair of free throws with just 64 ticks on the clock to give her team a 68-61 lead.  

After the free throws Heinsinger again came through for the Royal squad with another three-ball to pull Royal Blue within four 68-64 with 51 seconds left.  

 

Fox added two more free throws at the 49.4 mark and Garner followed with a steal and a breakaway layup with 32 seconds left to seal the win, 72-64. 

 Final Regular Season Standings

Team,  W-L, Pct., G.B., PF, PA

$=+ Maroon, 9-2, .818, -- ,  742 542

$=+ Forest Green, 9-2, .818, -- , 741 646

$= White, 8-3, .727, 1.0,  709 603

$-&^%-Royal Blue, 7-4, .636, 2.0 , 591 538

$= Electric Green, 7-4, .636, 2.0, 728 654

$-Black, 7-4, .636, 2.0, 721 603

S-@-Sky Blue, 5-6, .455, 4.0, 650 667

$-!-Orange, 5-6, .455, 4.0 ,  617 659

X-^*-Sun, 5-6, .455, 4.0 615 596

X-!%-Red, 2-9, .182, 7.0, 505 580

X-Pink, 1-10, .091, 8.0, 517 830

X-@-Purple, 1-10, .091, 8.0 492 708

@-Includes forfeit wins of Sky Blue over Orange and Purple over Red.

!-Does include Orange forfeit loss to Sky Blue and Red forfeit loss to Purple.

^-Does include Royal Blue forfeit 2-0 loss to Sun.

*-Includes Sun 2-0 forfeit win over Royal Blue.

%-Does include Red forfeit loss to Royal Blue.

&-Includes Royal Blue forfeit win over Red.

$-Clinched playoffs

X-Eliminated from playoffs

+-Regular Season Co-Champion (Maroon top seed thru head-to-head tiebreaker)

=-Semifinalists

PLAYOFF RESULTS AND SCHEDULE

Thursday, July 27

Quarterfinals Results

1-Maroon 2, 8-Orange 0, forfeit

5-Electric Green 72, Royal Blue 64

2-Forest Green 76, Sky Blue 63

3-White 76, Black 56

Tuesday, August 1

Semifinals

7 p.m.

1-Maroon (10-2) vs. 5-Electric Green (8-4), Court 1

8:15 p.m.

2-Forest Green (10-2) vs. 3-White (9-3), Court 1

Thursday, August 3

Championship

7 p.m.

Semifinal Winners, Court 1

Players In Postseason With 15 Or More Points

22-Hannah Fox, Electric Green, W, vs. Royal Blue, Quarterfinals, July 27

20-Jaryn Garner, Electric Green, W, vs. Royal Blue, Quarterfinals, July 27

20-Michaela Clay, Royal Blue, L, vs. Electric Green, Quarterfinals, July 27

19-Whisper Fisher, Sky Blue, L, vs. Forest Green, Quarterfinals, July 27

19- Mary Sheehan, White, W, vs. Black, Quarterfinals, July 27

18-Alynna Williams, Black, L, vs. White, Quarterfinals, July 27

17-Briana Winston, White, W, vs. Black, Quarterfinals, July 27

16-Jen Horvatinovic, Forest Green, W, vs. Sky Blue, Quarterfinals, July 27

16-Katie Jekot, Sky Blue, L, vs. Forest Green, Quarterfinals, July 27

15-Mia Hopkins, Forest Green, W, vs. Sky Blue, Quarterfinals, July 27

LEAGUE 12-TEAM SEASON PERFORMANCE

XX-Playoff Team

XX-BLACK (Jefferson University – formerly Philadelphia U.) (7-5)

June 15: vs. Sun (Ursinus) W: 70-42

June 20: vs. Pink (PSU-Abington) W: 89-42 

June 22: vs. Electric Green L: 57-59

June 27: vs. Maroon (USciences) L: 50-74

June 29: vs. White L: 45-61

July 4:  No Game (Holiday)

July 6: vs. Royal Blue (Kutztown) W: 70-62

July 11: vs. Purple (Delaware Valley) W: 63-35

July 13: vs. Orange (Holy Family) W: 79-55

July 18: vs. Sky Blue W: 68-62

July 20: vs. Forest Green (West Chester) L: 69-70

July 25: vs. Red (Chestnut Hill) W: 61-41

July 27: vs. White, L: 56-76, Playoff Quarterfinals 

XX-ELECTRIC GREEN (8-4)

June 15: vs. Royal Blue (Kutztown) L: 47-56

June 20: vs. Sun (Ursinus) L: 46-73

June 22: vs. Black (Jefferson U.) W: 59-57

June 27: vs. Red (Chestnut Hill) W: 77-63

June 29: vs. Purple (Delaware Valley) W: 74-55

July 4: No Game (Holiday)

July 6: vs. Maroon (USciences) L: 51-62

July 11: vs. Forest Green (West Chester) W: 68-60

July 13: vs. Sky Blue W: 81-66

July 18: vs. White L: 52-58

July 20: vs. Pink (PSU-Abington) W: 95-47

July 25: vs. Orange (Holy Family) W: 73-58

July 27: vs. Royal Blue (Kutztown) W: 72-64, Playoff Quarterfinals

August 1: vs. Maroon, Playoff Semifinals, 7 P.M., Court 1  

XX-FOREST GREEN (West Chester) (10-2) (Regular Season Co-Champion)

June 15: vs. Sky Blue W: 74-59

June 20: vs. White W: 57-51

June 22: vs. Red (Chestnut Hill) W: 55-52

June 27: vs. Orange (Holy Family) W: 61-48

June 29: vs. Maroon (USciences) L: 69-73 (2OT)

July 4 : No Games (Holiday)

July 6: vs. Sun (Ursinus) W: 70-60

July 11: vs. Electric Green L: 60-68

July 13: vs. Purple (Delaware Valley) W: 77-66

July 18: vs. Pink (PSU-Abington) W: 75-42

July 20: vs. Black (Jefferson U.) W: 70-69

July 25: vs. Royal Blue (Kutztown) W: Forest Green W: 73-58

July 27: vs. Sky Blue W: 76-63, Playoff Quarterfinals

August 1: vs. White, Playoff Semifinals, 8:15 p.m., Court 1

XX-MAROON (USciences) (10-2) (Regular Season Co-Champion)

June 15: vs. White L: 50-56

June 20: vs. Red (Chestnut Hill) W: 42-33

June 22: vs. Purple (Delaware Valley) W: 80-36

June 27: vs. Black (Jefferson U.) W: 74-50

June 29: vs. Forest Green (West Chester) W: 73-69 (2OT)

July 4: No Games (Holiday)

July 6: vs. Electric Green W: 62-51

July 11: vs. Sky Blue W: 65-46

July 13: vs. Pink (PSU-Abington) W: 83-35

July 18: vs. Orange (Holy Family) W: 91-55

July 20: vs. Royal Blue (Kutztown) L: 54-57

July 25: vs. Sun (Ursinus) W: 68-54

July 27: vs. Orange (Holy Family), W: 2-0, forfeit, Playoff Quarterfinals

August 1: vs. Electric Green, Playoff Semifinals, 7 P.M., Court 1

XX-ORANGE (Holy Family) (5-7)

June 15: vs. Red (Chestnut Hill) W: 60-56

June 20: vs. Purple (Delaware Valley) W: 68-51

June 22: vs. Pink (PSU-Abington) W: 60-44

June 27: vs. Forest Green (West Chester) L: 48-61

June 29: vs. Royal Blue (Kutztown) W: 83-63

July 4:  No Games (Holiday)

July 6: vs. Sky Blue L: 0-2 forfeit

July 11: vs. White L: 47-71

July 13: vs. Black (Jefferson U.) L: 55-79

July 18: vs. Maroon (USciences) L: 55-91

July 20: vs. Sun (Ursinus) W: 84-63

July 25: vs. Electric Green L: 57-78

July 27: vs. Maroon L: 0-2, forfeit, Playoff Quarterfinals

PINK (PSU-Abington) (1-10)

June 15: vs. Purple (Delaware Valley) W: 55-52

June 20: vs. Black (Jefferson U.) L: 42-89

June 22: vs. Orange (Holy Family) L: 44-60

June 27: vs. Royal Blue (Kutztown) L: 47-83

June 29: vs. Sun (Ursinus) L: 46-76

July 4: No Games (Holiday)

July 6: vs. White L: 47-68

July 11: vs. Red (Chestnut Hill) L: 71-78

July 13: vs. Maroon (USciences) L: 35-83

July 18: vs. Forest Green (West Chester) L: 42-75

July 20: vs. Electric Green L: 47-95

July 25: vs. Sky Blue L: 41-71 

PURPLE (Delaware Valley) (1-10) - #

June 15: vs. Pink (PSU-Abington ) L: 52-55

June 20: vs. Orange (Holy Family) L: 51-68

June 22: vs. Maroon (USciences) L: 36-80

June 27: vs. Sun (Ursinus) L: 50-70

June 29: vs. Electric Green L: 55-74

July 4: No Games (Holiday)

July 6: vs. Sky Blue L: 58-77 (originally scheduled July 20)

July 11: vs. Black (Jefferson U.) L: 35-63

July 13: vs. Forest Green (West Chester) L: 66-77

July 18: vs. Royal Blue (Kutztown) L: 33-69

#-July 20: vs. Red (Chestnut Hill) W: 2-0 forfeit win

July 25: vs. White L: 54-75 

RED (Chestnut Hill) (2-9)

June 15: vs. Orange (Holy Family) L: 56-60

June 20: vs. Maroon (USciences) L: 33-42

June 22: vs. Forest Green (West Chester) L: 52-55

June 27: vs. Electric Green L: 63-77

June 29: vs. Sky Blue W: 88-72

July 4: No Games (Holiday)

July 6: vs. Purple (Delaware Valley) L: 0-2 forfeit

July 11: vs. Pink (PSU-Abington) W: 78-71 

July 13: vs. Royal Blue (Kutztown) L: 0-2

July 18: vs. Sun (Ursinus) L: 41-73

July 20: vs. White L: 53-65

July 25: vs. Black (Thomas Jefferson U.) L: 41-61

XX-ROYAL BLUE (Kutztown) (7-5)

June 15: vs. Electric Green W: 56-47

June 20: vs. Sky Blue W: 76-65

June 22: vs. White W: 65-64

June 27: vs. Pink (PSU-Abington) W: 83-47

June 29: vs. Orange (Holy Family) L: 63-83 

July 4: No Games (Holiday)

July 6: vs. Black (Jefferson U.) L: 60-70

July 11: vs. Sun (Ursinus) L: 0-2 forfeit

July 13: vs. Red (Chestnut Hill) W: 2-0 forfeit

July 18: vs. Purple (Delaware Valley) W: 69-33

July 20: vs. Maroon (USciences) W: 57-54

July 25: vs. Forest Green (West Chester) L: 58-73

July 27: vs. Electric Green L: 64-72, Playoff Quarterfinals

XX-SKY BLUE (5-7)-#

June 15: vs. Forest Green (West Chester) L: 59-74

June 20: vs. Royal Blue (Kutztown) L: 65-76

June 22: vs. Sun (Ursinus) W: 51-46

June 27: vs. White W: 77-70

June 29: vs. Red (Chestnut Hill): L: 72-88

July 4: No Games (Holiday)

July 6: vs. Purple (Delaware Valley) W: 77-58 (originally scheduled July 20)

July 11: vs. Maroon (USciences) L: 46-65

July 13: vs. Electric Green L: 66-81

July 18: vs. Black (Jefferson U.) L: 62-68

#-July 20: vs. Orange (Holy Family) W: 2-0 forfeit

July 25: vs. Pink (PSU-Abington) W: 71-41

July 27: vs. Forest Green (West Chester) L: 63-76

SUN (Ursinus) (5-6)

June 15: vs. Black (Jefferson U.) L: 42-70

June 20: vs. Electric Green W: 73-46

June 22: vs. Sky Blue L: 46-51

June 27: vs. Purple (Delaware Valley) W: 70-50

June 29: vs. Pink (PSU-Abington) W: 76-46

July 4: No Games (Holiday)

July 6: vs. Forest Green (West Chester) L: 60-70

July 11: vs. Royal Blue (Kutztown) W: 2-0 forfeit

July 13: vs. White L: 56-70

July 18: vs. Red (Chestnut Hill) W: 73-41

July 20: vs. Orange (Holy Family), L: 63-84

July 25: vs. Maroon (USciences) L: 54-68

XX-WHITE (9-3)

June 15: vs. Maroon (USciences) W: 56-50

June 20: vs. Forest Green (West Chester) L: 51-57

June 22: vs. Royal Blue (Kutztown) L: 64-65

June 27: vs. Sky Blue L: 70-77

June 29: vs. Black (Jefferson U.) W: 61-45

July 4: No Games (Holiday)

July 6: vs. Pink (PSU-Abington) W: 68-47

July 11: vs. Orange (Holy Family) W: 71-47

July 13: vs. Sun (Ursinus) W: 70-56

July 18: vs. Electric Green W: 58-52

July 20: vs. Red (Chestnut Hill) W: 65-53

July 25: vs. Purple (Delaware Valley) W: 75-54

July 27: vs. Black (Jefferson U.) W: 76-56, Playoff Quarterfinals

August 1: vs. Forest Green, Playoff Semifinals, 8:15 P.M., Court 1