Sky Blue (Holy Family) Win Over Purple (West Chester) Allows Black (Jefferson) Win As Last Unbeaten to Sole Possession of First in Philly Women’s Summer League
By Bob Heller and Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru
HATBORO, Pa. — In the adapted parlance of David Kessler, longtime commissioner of the Philadelphia/Suburban Women’s Summer Basketball League, “Neither booming thunder, flashing lightning, nor a heavy downpour shall stop our post players from seeing through their tasks on game nights.
“That also goes for the guards.”
Thus, with the arrival of another round of all three weather elements in the area Tuesday night near the 6:30 p.m. tip times of the twice weekly doubleheaders in the nine-team league at Kelly Bolish Gym, home of the AAU Renegades, the show still went on without any forfeits, though some tinkering was needed to have the games properly officiated and Team Red (D2-Chestnut Hill) did the iron women routine, barely avoiding an assessed forfeit by fielding just the minimum five-players the entire 40 minutes of their contest.
The start of week three was hump night for most teams on the eight-game schedules as many reached over the halfway point at game five, the rest at four due to being the early groups each serving a bye.
As for the business at hand, a big 70-63 win by Sky Blue (D2-Holy Family) over previously unbeaten Purple (D2-West Chester) combined with Team Black (D2-Jefferson) gaining a lopsided 83-51 over Maroon (D3-Arcadia) shot the Jefferson bunch (4-0) as the last team of perfection atop the standings.
Red (4-1), meanwhile, shook off its shorthanded situation to top Royal Blue (D3-Cabrini) 61-47 to stay tied with Sky Blue in second a half-game behind Team Black.
It’s already a tough week for Royal Blue (1-4), having learned this winter, assuming enough players left who didn’t immediately hit the transfer portal to form a team, will be the last for Cabrini which will become part of Villanova.
It’s the same fate that occurred recently when USciences merged with Saint Joseph’s.
If the playoffs began right now, Sky Blue would be the two seed on a basis of better win by topping Purple, though the Red and Sky Blue squads will meet next month after next week’s July 4 two-night holiday break.
Red gets a jump start on the holiday break serving its bye on Thursday night.
Purple’s loss dropped the squad to fourth a game behind Jefferson.
Kelly Green (2-2), one of the three draft teams, groups not overwhelmingly dominated by D2 or D3 units allowed by the NCAA to play together in the summer, served its bye, and that allowed in a game between Pink and Sun, the other two draft teams, Pink off a 59-52 victory to tie Kelly Green for fifth, while Sun (0-4) fell to eighth behind Royal Blue.
Maroon holds ninth, however, the last two teams without wins meet Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. on Court 2.
There’s no big showdown battles in the other three games, Black (4-0) will try to stay perfect meeting Kelly Green at 7:45 p.m. on Court 2, while Sky Blue, which lost to Black opening night, will try to stay close, meeting Pink (2-2) at 7:45 p.m. on Court 1.
The other game at 6:30 p.m. has Purple seeking to stay in the mix playing Royal Blue on Court 1.
Three players all hit exactly 20 points, each on winning sides, for the nightly citation, Sam Yancha helping Black’s cause, while Taylor Hamm, a USP alum did so for Pink, and Bridie McCann did likewise for Red.
Now here’s Bob with the recaps followed by the scoreboard.
Recaps
Sky Blue 70 Purple 63
Team Sky Blue (D2- Holy Family) held off a late rally from Team Purple (D2-West Chester), knocking them out of the unbeaten ranks with a 70-63 win in one of the two early games Tuesday night.
Sky Blue keeps pace with Black and Red (both winners tonight) and remains ½ game behind Black with a 4-1 record and tied with Red. Purple drops to 3-1 and sits a ½ game behind Sky Blue and Red.
Three players reached double figures for the victors with Carolyn Prevost and Jessica Riepe leading the way with 12 points apiece, while Kara Meredith added ten points.
Leah Johnson and Anna McTamney led Purple with 12 and 11 points respectively.
Purple cut a seven-point Sky Blue lead to two early in the fourth quarter before Meredith took over, scoring five straight points to give her team a 62-55 lead with 5:16 left.
Three minutes later Alexa Abbonizio’s three-ball pulled purple back within four, 64-60.
Time, however, was not on their side and Purple had to foul, putting Sky Blue on the foul line four times in the final 1:13.
Sky made six of their eight free throws and Purple was only able to score one final field goal in the period as Sky held on for the win.
Four lead changes in the opening quarter saw Sky emerge with a narrow 14-13 lead.
Lindsey Tretter knocked down a three-point basket midway through the second quarter to give Sky their biggest lead of the game at 29-21.
McTamney scored six points in a 7-2 Purple run that pulled her team within three 31-28 late in the quarter before five straight points from Sky pushed their lead back to eight.
Abbonizio’s basket in the final seconds pulled Purple within six at halftime.
Purple shaved just one point of the lead in the third quarter before their opening flourish in the fourth quarter that pulled them within one possession but no closer.
Red 61 Royal Blue 47
A dominant third quarter propelled a shorthanded Team Red (D2-Chestnut Hill) to a 61-47 win over Team Royal Blue (D3-Cabrini) in the late game Tuesday night.
Red keeps pace with the leaders and improves to 4-1, remaining ½ game behind undefeated Black and tied with Sky blue. Royal Blue falls to 1-4.
Bridie McCann led the five Red players that were suited for the game with 20 points, connecting on four three point baskets, all in the final 10+ minutes of action.
Kait Carter sank three three-point baskets to finish with 16 points. Avery White rounded out the double figure scorers with 12 points.
Miranda Liebtag led Royal Blue with 19 points while Tamia Wessels contributed ten.
Royal held a five-point lead early in the third quarter before the Red offense went to work, producing a 16-2 run to take a 45-36 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Nine straight points from Red, including four from Angelina Balcer, who was making her summer league debut, erase the five-point deficit and gave Red a lead they would never relinquish.
Carter sank her second three-point basket late in the third quarter and McCann buried her first triple as the buzzer sounded.
McCann extended the run to 19-2 with another three-point basket to open the fourth quarter.
Wessels broke the run with two free throws at the 7:01 mark before Red added an 8-2 flourish, fueled by two more McCann three-pointers to take a 56-41 lead midway through the quarter.
Two straight baskets from Royal cut the lead to 11 as the game wound down.
A basket from Sara Tamoun and Carter’s final three-ball and Red’s ninth overall in the game rounded out the scoring for the victors.
Liebtag added two free throws with 17 seconds left to make the final score 61-47.
Pink 59 Sun 52
Team Pink (alumni players) opened up a double digit lead early and hung on to defeat a tenacious Team Sun 59-52 on court 1 in the late game Tuesday.
Pink evens their record at 2-2. Sun remains winless at 0-4.
Taylor Hamm (USciences ’22) made her summer league debut and led Pink with 20 points
Jen Kremp (USciences ’22) added 14 points while Lauren Crim (Chestnut Hill ’23) chipped in 11.
Rachel Saxton (Muhlenberg ’25) led Sun with 18 points while Mia Stock (Bloomsburg ’27) added 15. Allie Sillo (Illinois Tech ’25) chipped in 11.
Pink used a 10-0 run crossing two quarters to jump out to an 18-5 lead early in the second quarter.
Crim’s three point basket helped jump start the run and Erin Morgan (LaSalle ’22) capped the run.
Pink continued to expand their lead as the quarter wore on, doubling up Sun 32-16 at halftime.
Sun dominated the third quarter, outscoring Pink 18-8 to claw their way back in the game and trail 40-34 heading into the final quarter.
Kremp and Crim opened the fourth quarter with back-to-back three-balls to push their lead to 12, 46-34.
Kremp sank another three point basket midway through the quarter to give her team a 54-38 lead.
Sun slowly began to cut into the deficit as the game wound down.
Sillo’s three-point basket cut the lead to single digits and Saxton followed with a basket to make the score 55-48, before both teams exchanged points over the final 90 seconds as Pink maintained the seven-point advantage for the win.
Black 83 Maroon 51
Team Black (D2 Jefferson) became the only unbeaten team remaining as they cruised to an 83-51 win over Team Maroon (D3-Arcadia).
Black improves to 4-0 and holds a ½ game lead over Sky Blue and Red. Maroon falls to 0-5.
Black placed four players in double figures led by Sam Yencha’s 20 points.
Yencha was playing in her first official game of the summer league season. (She was also present last week when Black won by forfeit on Thursday.)
Cassie Murphy added 16 while Haley Meinel drained three three-point baskets en route to 12 points.
Emily Keehfuss rounded out the double figure scorers with ten points.
Delaney Bell and Dayna Balasa led Marron with 12 and 11 points respectively.
Black went wire-to-wire, scoring the first six points as they jumped out to an 18-11 lead in the opening quarter.
In the second quarter a three-ball from Balasa cut the lead to four 20-16 before a 9-2 run by Black, capped by a Yencha basket again increased the lead to double digits.
Black started the third quarter with a 13-4 flourish to open up a 53-32 lead.
Jordan Thomas capped the run with a layup. Marron did cut the lead to 18, 59-41 by the end of the period via an Emily Schall basket.
Jackie Skalski’s basket to open the fourth quarter made the score 59-43.
Black then ran off 20 straight points to put the game out of reach and increased the lead to its biggest margin 79-43 before settling in for the 32-point win.
Standings (Thru Wed., June 28)
Team W L Pct. GB PF PA
Black 4 0 1.000 — 220 180
Sky Blue 4 1 .800 0.5 308 273
Red 4 1 .800 0.5 316 262
Purple 3 1 .750 1 302 229
Kelly Green 2 2 .500 2 213 212
Pink 2 2 .500 2 208 244
Royal Blue 1 4 .200 3.5 257 281
Sun 0 4 .000 4 136 177
Maroon 0 5 .000 4.5 259 300
Players Scoring 20 or More Points
29-Cassie Murphy, Black, W, vs. Royal Blue, June 15
23-Michelle Kozicki, Purple, W, vs. Maroon, June 15
20-Sam Yencha, Black, W, vs. Maroon, June 27
20-Bridie McCann, Red, W, vs. Royal Blue, June 27
20-Taylor Hamm, Pink, W, vs. Sun, June 27
20-Valerie McGriff, Purple, W, vs. Maroon, June 15
22-Haley Meinel, Black, (W-OT) vs. Sky Blue, June 13
20-Cassie Murphy, Black (W-OT), vs. Sky Blue, June 13
20-Ava Morrow, Sky Blue (L-OT), vs. Black, June 13
Running Results/Advance Schedule
Tuesday, June 27
Sky Blue (Holy Family) 70, Purple (West Chester) 63
Black (Jefferson) 83, Maroon (Arcadia) 51
Pink (Draft Team-2) 59, Sun (Draft Team-3) 52
Red (Chestnut Hill) 61, Royal Blue (Cabrini) 47
Bye: Kelly Green (2-2)
Thursday, June 22
Black (Jefferson) 2, Sun (Draft Team-3) 0, forfeit
Red (Chestnut Hill) 67, Pink (Draft Team-2) 51
Royal Blue (Cabrini) 61, Maroon (Arcadia) 48
Sky Blue (Holy Family) 50, Kelly Green (Draft Team-1) 41
Bye: Purple (3-0)
Tuesday, June 20
Purple (West Chester) 62, Red (Chestnut Hill) 52
Pink (Draft Team – 2) 49, Royal Blue (Cabrini) 42
Kelly Green (Draft Team -1) 59, Sun (Draft Team – 3) 40
Sky Blue (Holy Family) 63, Maroon (Arcadia) 54
Bye: Black (Jefferson)
Thursday, June 15
Black (Jefferson) 64, Royal Blue (Cabrini) 61
Red (Chestnut Hill) 76, Kelly Green (Draft Team-1) 54
Sky Blue (Holy Family) 57, Sun (Draft Team-3) 44
Purple (West Chester) 94, Maroon (Arcadia) 58
Bye: Pink
Tuesday, June 13
Black (Jefferson) 71, Sky Blue 68 (Holy Family), ovt.
Kelly Green (Draft-1) 59, Royal Blue (Cabrini) 46
Purple (West Chester) 83, Pink (Draft-2) 49
Red (Chestnut Hill) 60, Maroon (Arcadia) 48
Bye – Sun (Draft-3)
Thursday, June 29
Early Games (6:30 p.m.)
Court 1: Royal Blue (1-4) vs. Purple (3-1)
Court 2: Sun (0-4) vs. Maroon (0-5)
Late Games (7:45 p.m.)
Court 1: Sky Blue (4-1) vs. Pink (2-2)
Court 2: Black (4-0) vs. Kelly Green (2-2)
Bye: Red (4-1)
Tuesday, July 4
Dark (Holiday Week)
Thursday, July 6
Dark (Holiday Week)
Tuesday, July 11
Early Games (6:30 p.m.)
Court 1: Pink vs. Kelly Green
Court 2: Sun vs. Red
Late Games (7:45 p.m.)
Court 1: Purple vs. Black
Court 2: Sky Blue vs. Royal Blue
Bye: Maroon
Thursday, July 13
Early Games (6:30 p.m.)
Court 1: Sky Blue vs. Red
Court 2: Black vs. Pink
Late Games (7:45 p.m.)
Court 1: Sun vs. Purple
Court 2: Kelly Green vs. Maroon
Bye: Royal Blue
Tuesday, July 18 (Regular Season Ends)
Early Games (6:30 p.m.)
Court 1: Sun vs. Royal Blue
Court 2: Kelly Green vs Purple
Late Games (7:45 p.m.)
Court 1: Black vs. Red
Court 2: Maroon vs. Pink
Bye: Sky Blue
Playoffs
Thursday, July 20
Play-In Round
7 pm.
Court 1: 8th seed vs. 9th seed (Winner advances)
Tuesday, July 25th
Quarterfinals
Early Games (6:30 p.m.)
Court 1: 1-seed vs 8-9 winner
Court 2: 3-seed vs. 6-seed
Late Games (7:45 p.m.)
Court 1: 2-seed vs. 7-seed
Court 2: 4-seed vs. 5-seed
Thursday, July 27
Semifinals
Early Game (6:30 p.m.)
Court 1: Highest Advancing Seed vs. Lowest Advancing Seed
Late Game (7:45 p.m.)
Court 2: Other Advancing Seeds Meet
Tuesday, August 1
Championship (7 p.m.)
Court 1: Semifinal Winners Meet
Season Seed Tracker
Codes: BK – Black; KG – Kelly Green; MR-Maroon; PK- Pink; PU-Purple; RD-Red; RB-Royal Blue; SB-Sky Blue; SU-Sun; FW – Forfeit Win; FL-Forfeit Loss
Black (D2-Jefferson) 4-0: W-SB (OT); W-RB; Bye; FW- SU; vs. W-MR; vs. KG; vs. PU; vs. PK; vs. RD
Sky Blue (D2-Holy Family) 4-1: L-BK (OT); W-SU; W-MR; W-KG; vs. W-PU; vs. PK; vs. RB; vs. RD; Bye
Red (D2-Chestnut Hill) 4-1: W-MR; W-KG; L-PU; W-PK; vs. W-RB; Bye; vs. SU; vs. SB; vs. BK
Purple (D2-West Chester) 3-1: W-PK; W-MR; W-RD; Bye; vs. L-SB; vs. RB; vs. BK; vs. SU; vs. KG
Kelly Green (Draft-1) 2-2: W-RB; L-RD; W-SU; L-SB; Bye; vs. BK; vs. PK; vs. MR; vs. PU
Pink (Draft-2) 2-2: L-PU: Bye, W-RB; L-RD; vs. W-SU; vs SB; vs. KG; vs. BK; vs. MR
Royal Blue (D3-Cabrini) 1-4: L-KG; L-BK; L-PK; W-MR; vs. L-RD; vs. PU; vs. SB; vs. SU
Sun (Draft-3) 0-4: Bye; L-SB; L-KG; FL-BK; vs. L-PK; vs. MR; vs. RD; vs. PU; vs. RB
Maroon (D3-Arcadia) 0-5: L-RD; L-PU; L-SB; L-RB; vs. L-BK; vs. SU; vs. KG; vs. PK
posted by Mel Greenberg | 3:42 AM
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