Narrow Escapes for 1-Seed Black/Jefferson and 3-Seed Purple, while 2-Seed Sky Blue/Holy Family Wins Easy and 5-Seed Pink Pulls Mild Upset in Philly/Suburban Summer League Quarterfinals
By Bob Heller And Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru
HATBORO, Pa. — After getting its first win of the season last Thursday night in the play-in opening round of the playoffs of the Philadelphia/Suburban Women’s Summer Basketball League, Team Sun (Draft Team-3) nearly pulled a shocker on the top seed in the quarterfinals Tuesday until unbeaten Team Black (D2-Jefferson) (8-0) rallied and broke a 58-58 tie late in its contest to win 60-58.
This was actually the first meeting between the two squads, Sun having to take a 2-0 forfeit loss when it couldn’t field enough players in their scheduled event. That contest was one of only two forfeits across the eight-game schedule.
In the league, six teams also have their winter names for our identity since the NCAA allows D2 and D3 schools in summer action to use as much of their normal roster as they please, while the three draft teams are put together from remaining registrants that also include D-1 alums.
Sun does have a large contingent from D2-Kutztown, but just under what would be needed to also include the team's name.
This was the same round several seasons ago that Black, winning all eight games in the nine-team league this time, was also unbeaten but upset by Red (D2-Chestnut Hill), one of its winter rivals in the Southern Division of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC).
Red (5-3) was involved with the lone upset on Tuesday at Kelly Bolish Gym, home of the AAU Renegades, but this time as a 4-seed losing to 5-seed/Team Pink (Draft Team-2) 63-52. The winners went 4-4 on the way to the playoffs.
In the other two games, Three-Seed Team Purple (D2-Westchester) (6-2-) was also challenged until pulling out a 59-53 win over six-seed Kelly Green (Draft Team-1), which had finished 3-5.
Two-Seed Team Sky Blue (D2-Holy Family), which entered on a 7-game win streak following its narrow season-opening overtime loss to its CACC South Rival Black, had the easiest time of the night beating 7-seed Royal Blue (D3-Cabrini) 79-42.
Nobody scored 20 or more points, individually, Tuesday, but Ella Gordon of Royal Blue (2-6) came close with 19, a total that was reached by players numerous times this summer.
For Royal Blue, the loss may have marked the last time Cabrini will play as a unit.
Recently, the school announced it will be closing down next spring, the campus property being purchased by Villanova.
With the reaction sending players into the portal hoping to be picked up by other schools as transfers, there may not be enough to field a squad.
Earlier in the day Cabrini announced the resignation of coach/assistant athletic director Kate (Pierangeli) Pearson, who, after 14 seasons, will move to Glassboro in South Jersey to become the new women’s coach at Rowan, which also announced its hire.
She’ll take a record of 240-125, five conference championships and NCAA appearances, in filling the vacancy caused by the sudden death of Demetrius Pole in May.
Meanwhile, the semifinals matchups, Thursday, both on Court 1, begin at 6:30 p.m., Jefferson
At 7:45 p.m., Sky Blue, which actually was extra rested with the final bye last Tuesday, meets West Chester, which it narrowly beat 70-63 on June 27.
Here’s Bob with Tuesday’s four-game details, followed by the earlier now repeated coverage of the two earlier meetings involving the semifinals opponents.
Following that is the ongoing season summary data.
Quarterfinals Recaps
#1 Black 60 #9 Sun 58
Emma Kuczynski sank free throws in two separate trips to the foul line in the final 50 seconds as top seed Team Black (D2-Jefferson University) held off an upset by the #9 seed Team Sun and advanced to the semi-finals of the Philadelphia/Suburban Women’s basketball Summer League Championship with a 60-58 win in one of the two early games Tuesday night.
Black remains undefeated and will play #5 seed Team Pink (alumni players) who recorded a mild upset victory over #4 team Red (D2-Chestnut Hill College) 63-52 in one of the late games.
Emily Keehfuss led Black with 14 points while Haley Meinel chipped in ten.
Sun placed four players in double figures with Casey Remolde (Kutztown ’25); Allie Sillo (Illinois Tech ’25) and Abigail Marino (Illinois Institute’27) scoring 12 points apiece. Mia Stock (Bloomsburg ’27) added ten points.
Clinging to one point lead heading into the final quarter, the lead changed hands four times in the first three minutes with a Marino three-ball giving Sun a 50-48 lead.
Stock’s basket with 6:33 remaining gave Sun their biggest lead of the quarter at 52-48.
Baskets from Emily Spratt and Meinel tied the game up at 52-52 with 5:16 left.
The two teams then kept exchanging baskets producing a pair of ties until Keehfuss sank a mid-range jumper with 2:23 left to put Black on top 58-56.
Remolde tied the game with 1:21 left with a pair of free throws.
Kuczynski sank one of two free throws on her first trip to the charity stripe with 49.7 seconds left. Following a defensive stop by Black, Kuczynski was fouled again, and again connected on one of two shots with 21.9 seconds remaining, giving Blck a 60-58 lead.
Sun came down on offense and Remolde had an open look for a shot from the baseline about 16 feet out, but it did not fall, and Black was able to stave off the upset.
Sun led by five at the half and increased the margin by two to seven in the opening minute of the third quarter.
Rachel Saxton’s basket at the 6:30 mark gave Sun their largest lead of the game at 41-32 before Black went on a 12-3 run to tie the game with a minute remaining.
Sillo’s free throw gave Sun the one-point advantage heading into the final quarter before Black’s Tori Nigro drove for a layup to give Black their first lead of the second half, setting the tone for the back-and-forth action of the fourth quarter which saw Black eventually pull out the win.
#3 Purple 59 #6 Kelly Green 53
A late run by #3 seed Team Purple (D2-West Chester University) propelled the team into the semi-finals of the Philadelphia/Suburban Women’s basketball Summer League Championship with a 59-53 win over #6 seed Team Kelly Green.
Purple will face #2 seed Sky Blue (D2-Holy Family University) who had a big win over #7 Team Royal Blue (D3-Cabrini University) in one of the two late games.
Valerie McGriff led Purple with 18 points while Alexa Abbonizio added 13.
Morgan Warley chipped in 11. Anna Hansson (Swarthmore ’26) led Kelly Green with 17 points while Sydney Blum (College of New Jersey ’23) sank four three pointers to finish with 12 points.
Kelly Green led by three 47-44 heading into the final quarter.
Purple opened the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run to take a five-point lead 52-47 with a little over six minutes remaining.
Kelly rallied to tie the game on Blum’s fourth three pointer of the game, 52-52 with four minutes remaining.
Purple then tightened up their defense while outscoring Kelly 7-1 the rest of the way.
Leah Johnson broke the tie with a basket and Kelly’s Hansson followed with a free throw.
Warley then added Purple’s final field goal of the game to give her team a 56-53 lead. Purple made three of four free throws in the final minute to seal the 59-53 win.
Purple did not get their first lead of the game until three minutes into the second quarter 22-21.
The lead was short lived however as Kelly’s Malia Kolb scored on Kelly’s next possession following McGriff’s basket that gave Purple their first lead.
Purple had another short-lived one-point lead at 35-34 that was erased on Kelly’s next possession.
McGriff gave Purple their third one-point lead early in the fourth quarter but this time they never relinquished it as they hung on to advance to Thursday’s semi-final round.
#5 Pink 63 #4 Red 52
Team Red (D2-Chestnut Hill College) had no answer for Team Pink’s Taylor Hamm (USciences ’22) as the fifth seeded Pink squad pulled off the mild upset with a 63-52 win.
Pink advances to the semifinals and will face top seed Black who eked out a 60-58 win over #9 Sun earlier in the evening.
Hamm led all scorers with 16 points, including a 6-of-7 effort from the free throw line.
Kate Connolly (Drexel ’23) added 11 points while Cassie Sebold was a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line and finished with 10 points.
Red was led by Avery White’s 13 points. Kaitlyn Carter sank four three-point baskets to finish with 12 points.
Red never really got going in the contest as Hamm scored five of her team’s first seven points as Pink took a 7-3 lead they never relinquished.
A Jen Kremp three-point basket gave Pink their first double digit advantage of the game at 35-25 with about three minutes left in the second quarter en route to a 39-30 lead at halftime.
Sebold’s basket early in the third quarter gave Pink their biggest lead of the game at 43-30 before a 9-2 run by Red closed the gap to six 45-39.
White started the run with a basket and also closed it out with a three-point bucket. Pink upped the lead to nine 50-41 heading into the final period.
In the fourth quarter, Red could come no closer than five at 55-50 before Sebold went to work at the foul line making all six of her free throw attempts in the final two minutes as Pink closed out the game with an 8-2 run to seal the win.
#2 Sky Blue 79 #7 Royal Blue 42
In what turned out to be the only big blowout of the evening #2 seed Sky Blue (D2-Holy Family University) easily defeated a shorthanded #7 seed Royal Blue 79-42 to advance to Thursday’s semifinal round.
Sky Blue will face #3 Purple who was a 59-53 victor over #6 Kelly Green earlier in the evening.
Emma Ingersoll Wang led Sky with 13 points while Lindsey Tretter added 12.
Royal, who had just five players on the evening, got 19 points from Ella Gordon and 11 points from Emma Pyne.
Three-point baskets from Jessica Riepe and Tretter gave Sky a 6-0 lead they would never relinquish, opening up a 22-9 advantage after one quarter.
Ingersoll-Wang scored her team’s final five points in the quarter.
Sky increased their lead to 25 points 42-16 at halftime and grew their lead to 30 at 50-20 with eight straight points early in the third quarter after Royal cut the gap to 22 with a three-ball from Pyne and a free throw by Gordon to open the period.
Sky led by 27, 58-31 heading into the final period.
Royal would close the gap to 25 at 61-36 in the fourth quarter but would come no closer as Sky closed out the game with an 11-3 spurt to seal the 37-point victory, 79-42.
Semifinals Opponents Previous Meetings
Black 58 Pink 38
Team Black (D2 -Jefferson University) clinched the #1 seed and at least a share of the regular season title as they remained unbeaten with a 58-38 win over Team Pink (alumni players) in one of the two early games Thursday night at Kelly Bolish gym.
Black is 7-0 and will be the top seed in the playoffs that start next week by virtue of their season opening game win over Team Sky Blue (D2-Holy Family University). Sky blue sits in second place after tonight’s games with a 7-1 record.
Black placed two players in double figures with Cassie Murphy leading the way with 16 points. Sam Yencha chipped in 11.
Pink, who played with just six players, was led by Lexie Edwards’ 12 points. Jen Kremp chipped in ten.
A strong second half turned a tie game at halftime into a double digit lead for black by the end of the third quarter.
Black scored the first four points in the period, breaking a 26-26 tie and taking a 30-26 lead.
Following a Kremp three-ball that brought the Pink squad within one 30-29, Black went on a 16-3 tear including nine straight points to push the lead to 46-32 at the end of the quarter.
Murphy (5 points); Jordyn Thomas (four) and a three-ball from Emily Keehfuss highlighted the run. Pink’s only basket in the final six-plus minutes was another three-pointer from Kremp.
Pink was unable to seriously cut into the lead as the Black group maintained their double digit advantage throughout the final period and scored the final six points of the game to push the final margin to 20.
In the first half, Black did not take their first lead until late in the first quarter as Pink opened the game with a 7-1 run.
Black rallied to tie the game at 8-8 and took a 12-11 lead on Morgan Robinson’s layup. Kremp and Cassie Sebold scored the last two baskets for Pink to retake the lead 15-12 heading into the second quarter.
Black opened the second quarter with a 12-4 run to lead 24-19 before Pink closed out the half with a 7-2 spurt to head into halftime tied at 26-26 before running out of gas in the second half.
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. 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.
Final Season Standings (Thru ., Tues., July 18)
Team W L Pct. GB PF PA
X-Black 8 0 1.000 — 470 365
Sky Blue 7 1 .875 1 517 412
Purple 6 2 .750 2 594 474
Red 5 3 .625 3 451 446
Pink 4 4 .500 4 409 455
Kelly Green 3 5 .375 5 361 374
Royal Blue 2 6 .250 6 413 496
Maroon 1 7 .125 7 367 429
Sun 0 8 .000 8 351 421
X-Clinched top seed
Players Scoring 20 or More Points
29-Cassie Murphy, Black, W, vs. Royal Blue, June 15
24-Alexa Abbonizio, Purple, W, vs. Kelly Green, July 18
23-Michelle Kozicki, Purple, W, vs. Maroon, June 15
22-Anna McTamney, Purple, W, vs. Royal Blue, June 29
21-Taylor Hamm, Pink, W, vs. Maroon, July 18
20-Miranda Liebtag, Royal Blue, W, vs. Sun, July 18
20-Ava Morrow, Sky Blue, W, vs. Pink, June 29
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
Playoffs
Tuesday, July 25th
Quarterfinals
1-Seed/Black (Jefferson) 60, 9-Seed/Sun (Draft Team-3) 58
2-Seed Sky Blue (Holy Family) 79, 7-Seed/Royal Blue (Cabrini) 42
3-Seed/Purple (West Chester) 59, 6-Seed/Kelly Green (Draft Team-1) 53
5-Seed/Pink (Draft Team-2) 63, 4-Seed/Red (Chestnut Hill) 52
Thursday, July 20
Play-In Round
9-Sun (Draft Team 3) 57, 8-Maroon (D3-Arcadia) 49
Thursday, July 27
Semifinals
Early Game (6:30 p.m.)
Court 1: 1-Seed/Black (D2-Jefferson) 8-0 vs. 5-Seed/Pink (Draft Team-3) 4-4
Late Game (7:45 p.m.)
Court 2: 2-Seed/Sky Blue (D-2-Holy Family) 7-1 vs. 3-Seed/Purple (West Chester) 6-2
Tuesday, August 1
Championship (7 p.m.) (Live Stream-Sports Fan Based Network)
Court 1: Black/Pink Winner vs. Sky Blue/Purple Winner
Tuesday, July 18 (Regular Season Ends)
Royal Blue (D3-Cabrini) 56, Sun (Draft Team-3) 51
Black (D2-Jefferson) 72, Red (D2-Chestnut Hill 41
Purple (D2-West Chester) 67, Kelly Green (Draft Team-1) 66
Pink (Draft Team-2) 72, Maroon (D3-Arcadia) 49
Bye: Sky Blue (D2-Holy Family) (7-1)
Thursday, July 13
Black (Jefferson) 58, Pink (Draft Team-2) 38
Sky Blue (Holy Family) 62, Red (Chestnut Hill) 43
Purple (West Chester) 79, Sun (Draft Team-3) 59
Kelly Green (Draft Team-1) 2, Maroon (Arcadia) 0, forfeit
Tuesday, July 11
Red (Chestnut Hill) 51, Sun (Draft Team-3) 50
Pink (Draft Team-2) 40, Kelly Green (Draft Team-1) 37
Black (Jefferson) 65, Purple (West Chester) 62
Sky Blue (Holy Family) 80, Royal Blue (Cabrini) 45
Bye: Maroon (Arcadia)
Tuesday, July 4/Thursday July 6
Dark (Holiday Week)
Thursday, June 29
Purple (West Chester) 84, Royal Blue (Cabrini) 55
Maroon (Arcadia) 58, Sun (Draft Team-3) 55
Black (Jefferson) 55, Kelly Green (Draft Team-1) 43
Sky Blue (Holy Family) 67, Pink (Draft Team-2) 51
Bye: Red (4-1)
Tuesday, June 27
Sky Blue (Holy Family) 70, Purple (West Chester) 63
Black (Jefferson) 83, Maroon (Arcadia) 52
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)
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-Jeff) 8-0: W-SB (OT); W-RB; Bye; FW-SU; vs. W-MR; vs. W-KG; vs. W-PU; vs. W-PK; vs. W-RD
Sky Blue (D2-Holy Fam) 7-1: L-BK (OT); W-SU; W-MR; W-KG; vs. W-PU; vs. W-PK; vs. W-RB; vs. W-RD; Bye
Purple (D2-West Chester) 6-2: W-PK; W-MR; W-RD; Bye; vs. L-SB; vs. W-RB; vs. L-BK; vs. SU; vs. W-KG
Red (D2-Chestnut Hill) 5-3: W-MR; W-KG; L-PU; W-PK; vs. W-RB; Bye; vs. W-SU; vs. L-SB; vs. L-BK
Pink (Draft-2) 4-4: L-PU: Bye, W-RB; L-RD; vs. W-SU; L-SB; vs. W-KG; vs. L-BK; vs. W-MR
Kelly Green (Draft-1) 3-5: W-RB; L-RD; W-SU; L-SB; Bye; vs. L-BK; vs. L-PK; vs. FW-MR; vs. L-PU
Royal Blue (D3-Cabrini) 2-6: L-KG; L-BK; L-PK; W-MR; vs. L-RD; vs. L-PU; vs. L-SB; Bye; vs. W-SU
Maroon (D3-Arcadia) 1-7: L-RD; L-PU; L-SB; L-RB; vs. L-BK; vs. W-SU; Bye; vs. FL-KG; vs. L-PK
Sun (Draft-3) 0-8: Bye; L-SB; L-KG; FL-BK; vs. L-PK; vs. L-MR; vs. L-RD; vs. L-PU; vs. L-RB
*-Clinched Top Seed
posted by Mel Greenberg | 1:00 AM
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