The Guru Report: Late Orange/D3-Ursinus Rally Carries Bears Over Sun 71-67 After Kelly Green Cruises Over Royal Blue/D3-Arcadia 76-54 in Philly Summer League Playoff Openers

By Bob Heller and Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

HATBORO, Pa. — Placid most of the regular season, the Bears of Orange/D3-Ursinus opened their appearance in the first round of playoff action Thursday night, turning grizzly in the fourth quarter rallying to a 71-67 upset of sorts over Sun, the second of two draft squads in the ten-team league.

Going into the game on Court 1 at Kelly Bolish Gym, home of the AAU Renegades, both squads, 9-seeded Orange (1-8) and 8th-seeded Sun (3-6), knew what was ahead for the winner.

That was easily determined in the opener with 7th-seeded Kelly Green (3-6), the other draft squad, trouncing 10th-seeded Royal Blue 76-54 and sending  D3-Arcadia (0-9) home while moving on to Tuesday night’s quarterfinals where six other teams drew byes.

As the highest surviving seed of the night, Kelly Green will met second-seeded and defending champion Heather Maroon (7-2), which tied for the regular season title, at 7:45 p.m. on Court 1.

Orange meets top-seeded Red (7-2), which earned its place off a head-to-win over Heather Maroon, at 6:30 on Court 1.

Ursinus had lost seven straight after beating Royal Blue in the third game of the summer and in their meeting with Sun, the draft squad had gained a lopsided 75-62 win on June 21.

The two draft teams are so designated because when the squads were put together back in late May, they were the only two whose rosters were not dominated by any of the schools who compete in the winter.

In the other games on Tuesday, at 6:30 p.m. on Court 2 third-seed Columbia Blue (6-3) will meet sixth-seed Pink (6-3), which had a chance to gain the top seed until it had to forfeit its game with Black/D2-Jefferson earlier this week, unable to field enough players.

Black (6-3) as the fifth seed will meet 4-seed Purple/D2-West Chester (6-3).

Playoffs First Round Recaps

7-Seed Kelly Green 76, 10-seed Royal Blue 54

A 14-0 first quarter run by Kelly Green broke an early tie as they cruised to a 76-54 win over Royal Blue (Arcadia University) in the opening round of the 2022 Philadelphia/Suburban women’s Basketball Summer League playoffs.

The seventh seeded Kelly Green now advances to the quarterfinals where they will face #2 seed Heather Maroon (USciences Grads) next Tuesday night in the late game (7:45 p.m.) on Court #1.

Anna Hansson led Green with 15 points while Alexa Naessens chipped in 13.  Rachel Saxton was the third Green player in double figures with 12 points.

  Blue also placed three players in double figures led by Scarlett Glasser-Nehls and Kylie Meredith who scored 14 points apiece.  Hanna Rhodes added 11.

Green had an early 6-3 lead before Blue rallied back to tie the game at 8-8 on a Glasser-Nehls three-ball.  

Green ran off 14 straight points to take control of the game and a 22-8 lead en route to a 23-11 lead at the end of the period.

Blue closed within nine in the second quarter 29-20 but two straight baskets from Naessens and one from Saxton again gave Green a double digit lead they would not relinquish, expanding the margin to 19 by halftime, 49-29.

Green continued to increase their lead, outscoring Blue 18-8 in the third quarter and took their biggest lead at 68-37 two minutes into the final period following a Saxton basket.   

Blue followed with a 12-4 spurt, closing the gap to 23.  Glasser-Nehls closed out the scoring with a three-point basket to make the final difference 22, 76-54.

9-Seed Orange 71, 8-Seed Sun 54

 In the second game #9 seed Orange (Ursinus College) rallied from an eight-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter to defeat #8 seed Sun 61-57.

With the win, Orange advances to the quarterfinal round where they will take on #1 seed Red (Chestnut Hill College) on Tuesday in the early game (6:30 p.m.) on Court #1.

Eight different players scored for Orange led by Maria D’Aulerio’s 15 points.  Ellie Mack added 11 and Sarah DiLello chipped in nine.  

 Emily Violante led Sun with 22 points while Sue Altman chipped in nine. 

A back-and-forth battle in the first two quarters saw six lead changes with neither team leading by more than three points and Orange holding a slim 32-30 lead at halftime.

Orange still led by one in the third quarter when Sun went on an 8-0 run to take a 41-34 lead midway through the period.  

 Baskets by Alyssa Martin and Natalie Mehl brought Orange back within three before Violante scored six straight points to increase their lead to its biggest margin, 47-38.

Early in the fourth quarter with Sun still up by eight, Orange scored five straight points to close within three, 49-46 forcing a Sun timeout.  

D’Aulerio’s second three-pointer of the quarter pulled Orange within one 51-50 before Violante added two more baskets to put Sun back up by five 55-50 with just under five minutes remaining.

  Mack followed with a basket and Kyle McNicholas scored four more points to give Orange the lead at 56-55 with 1:47 left in the game.  

Three free throws increased the lead to 59-55 with 13 seconds left.  A basket by Meghan Barbera pulled Sun within two with seven ticks left on the clock. 

 Mehl then sank two free throws to seal the 61-57 win.

 PHILADELPHIA/SUBURBAN WOMEN’S SUMMER BASKETBALL LEAGUE

 Standings

 

(Final Regular Season Thru July 19th)

 

Team    W  L  PCT.   GB    PF  PA

 

Q*-Red  7 2  .778 — 465 424 

Q-Heather Maroon  7 2 .778 — 535 458

Q-Columbia Blue  6 3 .667 1 554 431

Q-Purple  6 3 .667 1 628 555

QF-Black  6 3 .625 1 463 428  

QF-Pink  6 3  .667 1 413 368  

Q-Kelly Green  3 6 .333  4 468 501

Sun  3 6 .333  4 461 493

Q-Orange  1 8 .111 6 482 618 

Royal Blue  0 9 .000 7 414 667

 

Q-Quarterfinalists; *-No. 1 Seed; F-includes 2-0 Black forfeit win, 0-2 Pink forfeit loss July 19

 

Players Scoring 20 or More Points

 

25-Leah Johnson, Purple, W, vs. Orange, July 19

24-Jess Huber, Heather Maroon, W, vs. Orange, June 28

24-Jess Huber, Heather Maroon, W, vs. Kelly Green, June 23 

24-Annie Whalen, Pink, W, vs. Red, June 21

24-Natalie Mehl, Orange, L, vs. Sun, June 21

22-Emily Violante, Sun, L, vs. Orange, First Round Playoffs, July 21

22-Jess Huber, Heather Maroon, L, vs. Pink, June 30

21-Siobhan Boylan, Red, W, vs. Purple, June 21

20-Erin Dougherty, Orange, L, vs. Pink, July 14

20-Leah Johnson, Purple, W, vs. Royal Blue, June 23

20 -Jess Huber, Heather Maroon, W, vs. Sun, June 14

 

Playoffs

 

Round 1 Play-In 

 

Results

7-Kelly Green/Draft Team 76, 10-Royal Blue/D3-Arcadia 54

9-Orange/D3-Ursinus 71, 8-Sun 67 

 Tuesday, July 26th

 

Playoffs Quarterfinals

 

Early Games (6:30 p.m.)

 

Court 1: 9-Orange (1-8) vs. 1-Red (7-2)

Court 2: 6-Pink (6-3) vs. 3-Columbia Blue (6-3)

 

Late Games (7:45 p.m.)

 

Court 1: 7-Kelly Green (3-6) vs. 2-Heather Maroon (7-2)

Court 2: 5-Black (6-3) vs. 4-Purple (6-3)

 

Thursday, July 28th

 

Playoffs Semifinals (Streaming - SFBN on YouTube)

 

Early Game (6:30 p.m.)

 

Court 1: Highest Quarterfinal Survivor vs. Lowest Quarterfinal Survivor

 

Late Game (7:45 p.m.)

 

Court 1: Remaining Surviving Seeds

 

Tuesday, August 2

 

Playoff Championship  (Streaming - SFBN on YouTube)

 

Tipoff: 7 p.m.

 

Court 1 : Semifinal Winners

 

Playoff Seed Tracker (Setting the Spots)

 

Q-Red/D2-Chestnut Hill (7-2) vs. Or-W; vs. Pk-L; vs. Pur-W; vs. Blk-L; vs. RB-W; vs. Sun-W; vs. CB-W; vs; HM-W; vs. KG-W

 

Q-Heather Maroon/D2-USciences Grads (7-2) vs. Sun-W; vs. CB-W; vs. Blk-W vs. KG-W; vs. Or-W; vs. Pk-L vs. Pur-W; vs. Red-L vs. RB-W

 

Q-Columbia Blue/D2-Holy Family (6-3) vs. Blk-W; vs. HM-L; vs. KG-W; vs. Or-W; vs. Pk-L; vs. Pur-W; vs. Red-G7; vs. RB-W; vs. Sun-W 

 

Q-Purple/D2-West Chester (6-3) vs. Pk-W; vs. Blk-Ppd; vs. Red-L; vs. RB-W; vs. Sun-W; vs. CB-L; vs. HM-L; vs. Blk-W-M; KG-W; vs. Or-W

 

Q-Black/D2-Jefferson (6-3) vs. CB-L; vs. Pur-Ppd.; vs. HM-L; vs. Red-W; vs. KG-W; vs. RB-W; vs. Or-G7; vs. Pur-L-M; vs. Sun-W#; vs. Pk-W-Forfeit

 

Q-Pink/D2-Kutztown (6-2) vs. Pur-L; vs. Red-W; vs. RB-W; vs. Sun-L; vs. CB-W; vs. HM-W; vs. KG-W; vs. Or-W; vs. Blk-L-Forfeit

 

Q-Kelly Green/Draft-1 (3-6) vs. RB-W: vs. Sun-W; vs. CB-L; vs. H.M.-L; vs. Blk-L; vs. Or-W; vs. Pk-G7; vs. Pur-L; vs. Red-L

 

Sun/Draft-2 (3-6) vs. HM-L; vs. KG-L; vs. Or-W; vs. Pk-W; vs. Pur-L; vs. Red-L; vs. RB-W; vs. Blk-L; vs. CB-L

 

 Q-Orange/D3-Ursinus (1-8) vs. Red-L; vs. RB-W; vs. Sun-L; vs CB-L; vs. HM-L; vs. KG-L; vs. Blk-L; vs. Pk-L; vs. Pur-L

 

Royal Blue/D3-Arcadia (0-9) vs. KG-L; Or-L; vs. Pk-L; vs. Pur-L; vs. Red-L; vs. Blk-L; vs. Sun-L; vs. CB-L; vs. HM-L

 

Codes: Blk-Black; CB-Columbia Blue; HM-Heather Maroon; KG-Kelly Green; Or-Orange; Pk-Pink; Pur-Purple; Red-Red; RB-Royal Blue; Sun-Sun; D2-NCAA II; D3-NCAA III

 

Q-Clinched or advanced to quarterfinals.

Regular Season Results (By Date Schedule)

 

Tuesday, July 19

 

Red 58, Kelly Green 42

Heather Maroon 70, Royal Blue 34

Purple 79, Orange 73

Columbia Blue 66, Sun 25

Black 2, Pink 0, forfeit 

 

 Thursday, July 14

 

Pink 62, Orange 47

Columbia Blue 80, Royal Blue 29

Purple 83, Black 40, makeup from June 16

Black 53, Sun 45

Purple 66, Kelly Green 59

Red 58, Heather Maroon 49

 

Tuesday, July 12

 

Heather Maroon 72, Purple 65

Black 61, Orange 53

Pink 44, Kelly Green 33

Red 40, Columbia Blue 36

Sun 67, Royal Blue 35

 

Tuesday, July 5 

 

No Games - Holiday Break

 

Thursday, July 7

 

No Games - Holiday Break

 

Thursday, June 30

 

Red 61, Sun 54

Black 79, Royal Blue 46

Columbia Blue 74, Purple 69

Pink 71, Heather Maroon 49

Kelly Green 57, Orange 48

 

Tuesday, June 28

 

Purple 74, Sun 53

Heather Maroon 68, Orange 42

Pink 55, Columbia Blue 53

Red 83, Royal Blue 60

Black 82, Kelly Green 50

 

Thursday, June 23

 

Columbia Blue 76, Orange 51

Heather Maroon 69, Kelly Green 51

Sun 56, Pink 47

Purple 87, Royal Blue 67

Black 48, Red 39

 

Tuesday, June 21

 

Heather Maroon 53, Black 45

Pink 63, Royal Blue 50

Red 71, Purple 51

Columbia Blue 51, Kelly Green 48

Sun 75, Orange 62

 

 Thursday, June 16

 

Kelly Green 51, Sun 50

Pink 52, Red 51

Orange 61, Royal Blue 50

Heather Maroon 61, Columbia Blue 59 ovt.

Purple vs. Black, postponed to July 14

 

Tuesday, June 14

 

Columbia Blue 59, Black 53

Kelly Green 77, Royal Blue 33

Red 76, Orange 45

Heather Maroon 44, Sun 36

Purple 56, Pink 45

 

 Team By Team Regular Season Schedules/Results (Including Playoffs)

 

Site/Time Codes:EC1- Early 6:30 p.m. Court 1;  LC1 - Late 7:45 p.m. Court 1; and thus EC2, LC2; LC3

 

Dates: Week 1 - G1-June 14; G2- June 16

Week 2 - G3-June 21; G4 - June 23

Week 3 - G5-June 28; G6 - June 30

Week 4 - G7-July 12; G8-July 14

Week 5 -G9- July 19

 

5-Seed Black/D2-Jefferson (6-3) Quarterfinalist

 

June 14: vs. Columbia Blue, L - 53-59

June 16: vs. Purple, ppd. to July 14, EC3

Jun 21: vs. Heather Maroon, L - 45-53

June 23: vs. Red, W - 48-39

June 28: vs. Kelly Green, W - 82-50

June 30: vs. Royal Blue, W - 79-46

July 5: Dark:

July 7: Dark:

July 12: vs. Orange, W - 61-53)

July 14: vs. Purple, EC3, ppd., from June 16, L-40-83

July 14: vs. Sun, W-53-45

July 19: vs. Pink, W-2-0, Forfeit

July 26: Playoffs Quarterfinals vs. 4-seed Purple (6-3), Court 2, 7:45 p.m.

 

3-Seed Columbia Blue/D2-Holy Family (6-3) Quarterfinalist

 

June 14: vs. Black, W - 59-53

June 16: vs. Heather Maroon, L - 59-61 ovt.

Jun 21: vs. Kelly Green, W - 51-48

June 23:  vs. Orange, W - 76-51

June 28: vs. Pink, L - 53-55

June 30: vs. Purple, W - 74-69

July 5: Dark:

July 7: Dark:

July 12: vs. Red, L-36-40

July 14: vs. Royal Blue, W-80-29

July 19: vs. Sun, W-66-25

July 26: Playoffs Quarterfinals vs. 6-seed Pink (6-3), Court 2, 6:30 p.m.

 

 2-Seed Heather Maroon/USciences Grads (7-2) Quarterfinalist

 

June 14: vs. Sun, W - 44-36

June 16: vs. Columbia Blue, W - 61-59, ovt.

Jun 21: vs. Black, W - 53-45

June 23: vs. Kelly Green, W - 69-51

June 28: vs. Orange, W - 68-42

June 30: vs. Pink, L - 49-71

July 5: Dark:

July 7: Dark:

July 12: vs. Purple, W - 72-65

July 14: vs. Red, L-58-49

July 19: vs. Royal Blue, W-70-34

July 26: Playoffs, Quarterfinals vs. 7-Kelly Green (3-6), Court 1, 7:45 p.m.

 

7-Seed Kelly Green/Draft Team-1 (3-6) Quarterfinalist

 

June 14: vs. Royal Blue, W - 77-33

June 16: vs. Sun, W - 51-50

Jun 21: vs. Columbia Blue, L - 48-51

June 23: vs. Heather Maroon, L - 51-69

June 28: vs. Black, L - 50-82

June 30: vs. Orange, W - 57-48

July 5: Dark:

July 7: Dark:

July 12: vs. Pink, L - 33-44

July 14: vs. Purple, LC2 - L - 59-66

July 19: vs. Red, L-42-58

July 21: Playoff vs. 10-seed Royal Blue, 76-54

July 26: Playoffs, Quarterfinals, vs. Heather Maroon (7-2), Court 1, 7:45 p.m.

 

9-Seed Orange/D3 - Ursinus (1-9), Quarterfinalist

 

June 14: vs. Red, L - 45-76

June 16: vs. Royal Blue, W - 61-60

Jun 21: vs. Sun, L - 62-75

June 23: vs. Columbia Blue, L - 51-76

June 28: vs. Heather Maroon, L - 42-68

June 30: vs. Kelly Green, L - 48-57

July 5: Dark:

July 7: Dark:

July 12: vs. Black, L - 53-61

July 14: vs. Pink, L - 47-62

July 19: vs. Purple, L - 73-79

July 21: Playoffs vs. 8-Seed Sun, W-71-67

July 26: Playoffs, Quarterfinals, vs. 1-Seed Red (7-2), Court 1, 6:30 p.m.

 

 6-Seed Pink/D2-Kutztown (6-3), Quarterfinalist

 

June 14: vs. Purple, L - 46-57

June 16: vs. Red, W - 52-51

Jun 21: vs. Royal Blue, W - 63-50

June 23: vs. Sun, L - 47-56

June 28: vs. Columbia Blue, W - 55-53

June 30: vs. Heather Maroon, W - 71-49

July 5: Dark: 

July 7: Dark:

July 12: vs. Kelly Green, W - 44-33

July 14: vs. Orange, W - 67-42

July 19: vs. Black, L-0-2, Forfeit

July 26: Playoff Quarterfinals vs. 3-Seed Columbia Blue (6-3), Court 2, 6:30 p.m.

 

4-Seed Purple/D2-West Chester (6-3), Quarterfinalist

 

June 14: vs. Pink, W - 57-46

June 16: vs. Black, LC1, ppd. to July 14, EC3

Jun 21: vs. Red, L - 51-71

June 23: vs. Royal Blue, W - 87-67

June 28: vs. Sun, W - 74-53

June 30: vs. Columbia Blue, L - 69-74

July 5: Dark:

July 7: Dark:

July 12: vs. Heather Maroon, L - 65-72

July 14: vs. Black, EC3, ppd., from June 16, W-83-40

July 14: vs. Kelly Green, W-66-59

July 19: vs. Orange, W-79-73

July 26: Playoffs Quarterfinals vs. 5-Seed Black (6-3), Court 2, 7:45 p.m.

 

1-Seed Red/D2-Chestnut Hill (7-2), Quarterfinalist

 

June 14: vs. Orange, W - 76-45

June 16: vs. Pink, L - 51-52

Jun 21: vs. Purple, W - 71-51

June 23: vs. Black, L - 39-48

June 28: vs. Royal Blue, W - 83-60

June 30: vs. Sun, W - 61-54

July 5: Dark:

July 7: Dark:

July 12: vs. Columbia Blue, W - 40-36

July 14: vs. Heather Maroon, W-58-49

July 19: vs. Kelly Green, W - 42-58

July 26: Playoffs Quarterfinals vs. 9-Seed Orange (1-8), Court 1, 6:30 p.m.

 

10-Seed Royal Blue/D3-Arcadia (0-9)

 

June 14: vs. Kelly Green, L - 33-77

June 16: vs. Orange,  L - 60-61

Jun 21: vs. Pink, L - 50-63

June 23: vs. Purple, L - 67-87

June 28: vs. Red, L - 60-83

June 30: vs. Black, L - 46-79

July 5: Dark:

July 7: Dark:

July 12: vs. Sun, L - 35-67

July 14: vs. Columbia Blue, L-29-80 

July 19: vs. Heather Maroon, L-34-70

July 21: Playoffs vs. 7-Seed Kelly Green, L- 54-76

 

8-Seed Sun/Draft Team-2 (3-6)

 

June 14: vs. Heather Maroon, L - 36-44

June 16: vs. Kelly Green, L 50-51

Jun 21: vs. Orange, W - 75-62

June 23: vs. Pink, W - 56-47

June 28: vs. Purple, L - 53-74

June 30: vs. Red, L - 54-61

July 5: Dark:

July 7: Dark:

July 12: vs. Royal Blue, W - 67-35

July 14: vs. Black, L-45-53

July 19: vs.  Columbia Blue, L-25-66

July 21: Playoffs vs. 9-Seed Orange, L-67-71