The Guru Philly Summer League Report: Assured Top Seed, Black (D2 Jefferson) Completes Sweep of Cyber Pink (D2-USP Alums) to Clinch 1st One Away From Unbeaten

By Bob Heller and Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

HATBORO, Pa. — Black (D2-Jefferson) Tuesday night defeated Cyber Pink (D2-USciences Alums) 64-55 to clinch first-place outright and moved within a game of finishing unbeaten in the eight-game regular season schedule of the Philadelphia/Suburban Women’s Summer Basketball League at Kelly Bolish Gym, home of the AAU Renegades.

“To beat them twice was good for us,” said Tom Shirley, who was in the building to see his squad’s performance against an older group representing the former D2 powerhouse who merged as a university with D-1 Saint Joseph’s several years ago, bringing an end to the Devils’ undergraduate competition in all sports.

Caleigh Sperling on Black was the lone player to reach 20 or more points Tuesday, collecting that exact number.

This was the first of two nights this week to make up for the postponed and suspended games back in June that played havoc with the season openers when the weather affected all the indoor courts causing slippery conditions.

Pink (4-3) fell to third a game behind Sky (D2-Holy Family), which held a two-point lead on Purple (D2-West Chester) at the half in their original meeting but prior to Tuesday was awarded a 2-0 forfeit when Purple (3-4) indicated they would not have enough  players to complete the game.

Also, Maroon (D3-Arcadia), which had held a nine-point lead on Lemon Gold (2-5) with two minutes left when play was suspended on opening night was given the win outright.

On July 8, the opening night matches were repeated and Sky (5-2) won that game 60-56 over Purple. This had been done to ensure all eighth teams each had eight games.

On other full game was played Tuesday and Kelly (D2-East Stroudsburg) met Royal Blue (D2-Goldey-Beacom) and won 66-61.

When Black recently beat Sky, an opponent they compete in the winter against in the Southern Division of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, they clinched the top seed for the playoffs, which begin next Tuesday with quarterfinals play.

But Tuesday gave Black (7-0) outright possession of the first place.

At the moment, the slots are all in rightful order but there are games Thursday that could cause some finishing shakeups.

Sky is second two behind Black and a game ahead of Purple and Kelly (3-4), which are tied for fourth place, but Kelly’s head-to-head win earns the fourth slot.

Lemon Gold (2-5) and Maroon (2-5) are tied for sixth, they met twice and split their games, but since Lemon Gold had the better win by topping Kelly, they got the sixth slot and Royal (1-6) completes the standings lineup.

The semifinals will be next Thursday with the championship to be played Tuesday, August 5th at 7 p.m. with the possibility that Ari Bluestein’s Sports Fan Based Network will return to stream the action for the third straight year.

Looking Ahead

Playoff spots will be settled through Thursday’s finals and some spots that exist now could change.

In the 6:30 p.m. games Cyber Pink meets Lemon Gold on Court 1 while Black goes for a perfect finish playing Royal on Court 2.

The 7:45 p.m. nightcaps have Purple meeting Maroon on Court 1 while Kelly meets Sky on Court 2.

The semifinals will occur on Court 1 on Thursday, July 31 at 6:30 p.m. for the first game and 7:45 p.m. for the nightcaps.

Now, here’s Bob With the recap detail on the Tuesday games that were played followed by the data section.

Recaps

Black 64 Cyber Pink 55

Team Black (Jefferson University) secured the top seed for the upcoming league playoffs and remained undefeated on Tuesday with a 64-55 win over defending league champions Cyber Pink (alumni team+).

Black improves to 7-0 on the season.  Pink falls to 4-3 overall and sits in third place heading into the final game of the regular season.

Caleigh Sperling led Black with 20 points and Emily Spratt joined her in double figures with 14.

Taylor Hamm (USciences ’22) led three pink players in double figures with 16 points. Rylee Derr (Kutztown ’21) and Holly Gohl (Millersville’28) each added 12 points.

Pink struggled to put together any sustainable offense for much of the night and did not make back-to-back field goals until the third quarter.

Hamm scored the first points of the game for the early lead, but Sperling and Jordyn Thomas followed with baskets to give Black a lead they never relinquished, closing out the quarter on an 11-4 run to lead 17-10.

Black’s lead oscillated between five and nine points for much of the second quarter until Thomas gave her team its first double figure lead 32-21 late in the period. 

Pink countered with five straight points including a Gohl three-pointer to pull back within six before Black closed out the period on a 7-3 run to lead 39-29 at halftime.

Pink had their best run in the third quarter using an 8-0 spurt to pull within three points 48-45 after trailing by 11.

Gohl’s second three-ball of the game started the run while Hamm and Derr provided the finishing touches with back-to-back baskets. Black scored the final four points of the period to lead 52-45.

Sperling’s three pointer midway through the fourth quarter put her team back up by ten 59-49 before a Derr basket puller her team within eight which would be as close as they got the rest of the way as Black came away with the nine-point win, 64-55.

Kelly 66 Royal Blue 61

A wild fourth quarter saw six lead changes in the final 4:34 as Kelly (East Stroudsburg University+) hung onto defeat Royal Blue (Goldey-Beacom College+) 66-61 in the late game.

Kelly improves to 3-4 overall and moves into a tie for fourth place. Royal remains in eighth place with a 1-6 mark.

Kelly placed four players in double figures led by Avery White’s (East Stroudsburg ’26) 17 points.

Annie Aspesi (Tufts’ 26) scored 14 second half points to finish the game with 16. Emily Chmiel (ESU’ 25) and Kaitlyn McGeary (ESU ’27) finished with 14 and 10 points, respectively.

Angelina Zagone (Goldey Beacom’28) and Jocelyn Goldstein (Johns Hopkins ’29) led Royal with 15 points apiece. Talia Battavio (Goldey Beacom ’29) added ten points.

Trailing by five heading into the final quarter Royal mounted a 10-4 run to retake the lead 55-54 with 4:34 left.

What followed over the next 1:28 was an exchange of baskets that saw the one-point advantage swap side five more times until McGeary’s basket put Kelly ahead 60-59.

 Aspesi increased the lead to three with a basket with 2:40 left. A minute later Lange pulled Royal within one 62-61. 

Chmiel then scored two straight baskets to seal the five-point win.

In the first half, three ties highlighted the first 16 minutes of action as Royal scored the opening bucket and sustained a lead of as many as five on three occasions before White’s basket with 3:40 left in the quarter gave her team their first lead of the game at 23-2.

 Zagone later tied the game and Battavio sank a free throw in the final minute to give Royal a slim 24-23 lead at halftime.

Goldstein scored the first five points of the third quarter to push Royal’s lead to six 29-23 and later extended the lead to eight, 39-31 following Katherine Lange’s (Goldey-Beacom ’29) basket.

White and Aspesi then took over, each scoring two baskets as part of an 8-0 run to tie the game at 39-39.

Three more ties followed before Kelly scored the final five points to lead 50-45 heading into the final period as the Aspesi-White combination accounted for all five points.

Standings (Thru Wed., July 23)

Team   W L Pct. GB PF   PA

X-Black 7-0 1.000 — 490 344

Sky 5-2 .667 2 434 329

Cyber Pink 4-3 .571 3 436 383

Kelly 3-4 .429 4 341 387

Purple 3-4 .429 4 381 356

Lemon Gold 2-5 .286 5 298 349

Maroon 2-5 .286 5 424 500

Royal 1-6 .143 6 266 408

X-Clinched top seed

 

Individual 20+ Nights

 

28-Taylor Hamm, Cyber Pink W over Maroon, Thurs., July 18

27-Caleigh Sperling, Black W over Kelly, Thurs., July 10

26-Hannah Rhoades, Maroon L to Lemon Gold, Tues., July 8

25-Lizzie Halligan, Maroon L to Kelly, Thurs., June 26

25-Dani Brush, Sky W over Royal, Wed., June 25

24-Emily Spratt, Black W over Sky, Thurs., July 18

23-Talia Battavio, Royal L to Cyber Pink, Tues., July 15

23-Hannah Rhoades, Maroon W over Royal, Thurs., July 10

22-Emily Chmiel, Kelly over Purple, Thurs., July 18

22-Hannah Rhoades, Maroon L to Sky, Tues., July 15

22-Sabrina Mann, Purple W over Royal, Thurs., June 26

21-Rylee Derr, Cyber Pink W over Maroon, Thurs., July 18

21-Emily Spratt, Black W over Maroon, Wed., June 25

20-Caleigh Sperling, Black W over Cyber Pink, Tues., July 22

20-Taylor Hamm, Cyber Pink W over Royal, Tues., July 15

20-Claire Dougherty, Sky W over Maroon, Tues., July 15

20-Claire Dougherty, Sky W over Lemon Gold, Thurs., July 10

20-Sa’ni Savage, Purple W over Cyber Pink, Thurs., July 10

20-Taylor Hamm, Cyber Pink L to Purple, Thurs., July 10

20-Alainna Hopta, Purple L to Sky, Tues, July 8

20-Brianna Seltzer, Purple W over Royal, June 26

 

Results and Schedule

Calendar Results/Schedule

Tuesday July 22

Black 64, Cyber Pink 55 makeup from June 18

Kelly 66, Royal 61 makeup from June 18

Sky beats Purple,2-0, forfeit of suspended game June 18

Maroon 56, Lemon Gold 47 — Maroon declared suspended winner

 

Thursday, July 24

 

End of Regular Season

 

6:30 p.m.

Court 1

Cyber Pink (4-3) vs. Lemon Gold (2-5) makeup from Thurs., June 19

Court 2

Black (7-0) vs. Royal (1-6) makeup from Thurs., June 19

 

7:45 p.m.

Court 1

Purple (3-4) vs. Maroon (2-5) makeup from Thurs., June 19

Court 2

Sky (5-2) vs. Kelly (3-4) makeup from Thurs., June 19

 

Thursday, July 17

Black 67, Sky 60

Cyber Pink 85, Maroon 59

Kelly 66, Purple 58

Lemon Gold 0, Royal 0

 

 Tuesday July 15

6:30 p.m.

Lemon Gold 48, Kelly 40

Sky 79, Maroon 50

Black 63, Purple 49

Cyber Pink 70, Royal 49

 

Thursday July 10

Black 87, Kelly 44

Maroon 75, Royal 46

Sky 67, Lemon Gold 47

Purple 61, Cyber Pink 57

 

Tuesday July 8

Royal 2, Kelly 0, forfeit

Black 54, Cyber Pink 48

Lemon Gold 74, Maroon 62

Sky 60, Purple 56

 

Thursday July 3

Dark – Holiday

 

Tuesday July 1

Dark – Holiday

 

Thursday June 26

Cyber Pink 57, Sky 52

Kelly 81, Maroon 67

Purple 100, Royal 59

Black 67, Lemon Gold 33

 

Court 1

Kelly (0-1) vs. Maroon (0-1)

Sky (1-0) vs. Cyber Pink 57, Sky 52

 

7:45 p.m.

Court 1

Royal (0-1) vs. Purple (1-0)

Court 2

Black (1-0) vs. Lemon Gold (0-1)

 

Wednesday June 25

Sky 97, Royal 49

Purple 57, Lemon Gold 49

Cyber Pink 64, Kelly 44

Black 88, Maroon 55

 

Wednesday, June 18

6:30 p.m.

Court 1

Sky vs. Purple suspended to Tues., July 22

Sky Blue 33, Purple 32 halftime

Court 2

Maroon vs. Lemon Gold suspended to Tues., July 22

Maroon 56, Lemon Gold 47 4th quarter 2:02

 

7:45 p.m.

Court 1

Cyber Pink vs. Black, postponed to Tues., July 22

Court 2

Kelly vs. Royal, postponed to Tues., July 22

 

Thursday, June 19

6:30 p.m.

Court 1

Cyber Pink vs. Lemon Gold, postponed to Thurs., July 24

 

Court 2

Royal vs. Black, postponed to Thurs., July 24

 

7:45 p.m.

Court 1

Purple vs. Maroon, postponed to Thurs., July 24

Court 2

Sky vs. Kelly, postponed to Thurs., July 24

 

Playoffs

Tuesday July 29

Quarterfinals

6:30 p.m.

Court 1

1 vs. 8

Court 2

3 vs. 6

 

7:45 p.m.

Court 1

2 vs. 7

Court 2

4 vs. 5

 

Thursday July 31

Semifinals

Court 1

6:30 p.m.

Highest Seed vs. Lowest Seed

7:45 p.m.

Second Highest Seed vs. Second Lowest Seed

 

Tuesday, Aug. 5

Championship

Court 1

7 p.m.

Semifinal Winners

 

Team Schedules

 

Black (Jefferson) 7-0-x

7:45 p.m. Wed. June 18 vs. Cyber Pink – Court 1 (postponed to July 22)

6:30 p.m. Thurs. June 19 vs. Royal – Court 2 (postponed July 24)

7:45 p.m. Wed. June 25 vs. Maroon W 88-55 

7:45 p.m. Thurs. June 26 vs. Lemon Gold – W 67-33

6:30 p.m. Tues. July 8 vs. Cyber Pink – W 54-48

6:30 p.m. Thurs. July 10 vs. Kelly – W 87-44

7:45 p.m. Tues. July 15 vs. vs. Purple – W 63-49

7:45 p.m. Thurs. July 17 vs. Sky – W 67-60

7:45 p.m. Tues. July 22 vs. Cyber Pink – W 64-55 (makeup from June 18)

6:30 p.m. Thurs. July 24 vs. Royal – Court 2 (makeup from June 19)

X-Clinched top seed

 

Cyber Pink (USP Alums+) 4-3

745 p.m. Wed. June 18 vs. Black – Court 1 (postponed to July 22)

6:30 p.m. Thurs. June 19 vs. Lemon Gold – Court 1 (postponed to July 24)

7:45 p.m. Wed. June 25 vs. Kelly – W 64-44

6:30 p.m. Thurs. June 26 vs. Sky – W 57-52

6:30 p.m. Tues. July 8 vs. Black – L 48-54

6:30 p.m. Thurs. July 10 vs. Purple – L 57-61

7:45 p.m. Tues. July 15 vs. Royal – W 70-49

6:30 p.m. Thurs. July 17 vs. Maroon – W 85-59

745 p.m. Tues. July 22 vs. Black – L 55-64 (makeup from June 18)

6:30 p.m. Thurs. July 24 vs. Lemon Gold – Court 1 (makeup from June19)

 

Kelly (East Stroudsburg+) 3-4

7:45 p.m. Wed. June 18 vs. Royal – Court 2 (postponed to July 22)

7:45 p.m. Thurs. June 19 vs. Sky – Court 2 (postponed to July 24)

7:45 p.m. Wed. June 25 vs. Cyber Pink – L 44-64

6:30 p.m. Thurs. June 26 vs. Maroon – W 81-67

6:30 p.m. Tues. July 8 vs. Royal – L 0-2, Forfeit

6:30 p.m. Thurs. July 10 vs. Black -L 44-87

6:30 p.m. Tues. July 15 vs. Lemon Gold – L 40-48

6:30 p.m. Thurs. July 17 vs. Purple – W 66-58

7:45 p.m. Tues. July 22 vs. Royal – W 66-61 (makeup from June 18)

7:45 p.m. Thurs. July 24 vs. Sky – Court 2 (makeup from June 19)

 

Lemon Gold (Kutztown) 2-5

6:30 p.m. Wed. June 18 vs. Maroon – (suspended to July 22)

6:30 p.m. Thurs. June 19 vs. Cyber Pink – (postponed to July 24)

6:30 p.m. Wed. June 25 vs. Purple – L 49-57

7.45 p.m. Thurs. June 26 vs. Black – L 33-67

7:45 p.m. Tues. July 8 vs. Maroon – W 74-62

7:45 p.m. Thurs. July 10 vs. Sky – L 47-67

6:30 p.m. Tues. July 15 vs. Kelly – W 48-40

7:45 p.m. Thurs. July 17 vs. Royal – L 0-0

6:30 p.m. Tues. July 22 vs. Maroon – L 47-56 (score froze with 2 min left)

6:30 p.m. Thurs. July 24 vs. Cyber Pink – Court 2 (makeup from June 19)

 

Maroon (Arcadia) 2-5

6:30 p.m. Wed. June 18 vs. Lemon Gold -Court 2 (suspended to July 22)

7:45 p.m. Thurs. June 19 vs. Purple – Court 1(postponed to July 22)

7:45 p.m. Wed. June 25 vs. Black – L 55-88

6:30 p.m. Thurs June 26 vs. Kelly – L 67-81

7:45 p.m. Tues. July 8 vs. Lemon Gold – L 62-74

7:45 p.m. Thurs. July 10 vs. Royal – W 75-46

6:30 p.m. Tues. July 15 vs. Sky – L 50-79

6:30 p.m. Thurs. July 17 vs. Cyber Pink – L 59-85

6:30 p.m. Tues. July 22 vs. Lemon Gold – W 56-47 (score froze with 2 min left)

7:45 p.m. Thurs. July 24 vs. Purple – Court 1(makeup from June 19)

 

Purple (West Chester) 3-4

6:30 p.m. Wed. June 18 vs. Sky – Court 1 (suspended to July 22)

7:45 p.m. Thurs. June 19 vs. Maroon – Court 1(postponed to July 24)

6:30 p.m. Wed. June 25 vs. Lemon Gold – W 57-49

7:45 p.m. Thurs. June 26 vs. Royal – W 100-59

7:45 p.m. Tues. July 8 vs. Sky – L 56-60

6:30 p.m. Thurs. July 10 vs. Cyber Pink – W 61-57

7:45 p.m. Tues. July 15 vs. Black – L 49-63

6:30 p.m. Thurs. July 17 vs. Kelly – L 58-66

6:30 p.m. Tues. July 22 vs. Sky – L 0-2 forfeit

7:45 p.m. Thurs. July 24 vs. Maroon – Court 1(makeup from June 19)

 

Royal (Goldey Beacom+) 1-6

7:45 p.m. Wed. June 18 vs. Kelly – Court 2 (postponed to July 22)

6:30 p.m. Thurs. June 19 vs. Black – Court 2 (postponed to July 24)

6:30 p.m. Wed. June 25 vs. Sky – L 49-97

7:45 p.m. Thurs. June 26 vs. Purple – L 59-100

6:30 p.m.  Tues. July 8 vs. Kelly – W 2-0, Forfeit

7:45 p.m. Thurs. July 10 vs. Maroon – L 46-75

7:45 p.m. Tues. July 15 vs. Cyber Pink – L 49-70

7:45 p.m. Thurs. July 17 vs. Lemon Gold- L 0-0

6:30 p.m. Tues. July 22 vs. Kelly – L 61-66 (makeup from June 18)

7:45 p.m. Thurs. July 24 vs. Maroon – Court 1(makeup from June 19)

 

Sky (Holy Family) 5-2

6:30 p.m. Wed. June 18 vs. Purple – Court 1 (suspended to July 22)

7:45 p.m. Thurs. June 19 vs. Kelly – Court 2 (postponed to July 24)

6:30 p.m. Wed. June 25 vs. Royal – W 97-49

6:30 p.m. Thurs. June 26 vs. Cyber Pink -L 52-57

7:45 p.m. Tues July 8 vs. Purple – W 60-56

7:45 p.m. Thurs. July 10 vs. Lemon Gold – W 67-47

6:30 p.m. Tues. July 15 vs. Maroon – W 79-50

7:45 p.m. Thurs. July 17 vs. Black – L 67-70

6:30 p.m. Tues. July 22 vs. Purple (resumed from June 18) W 2-0 forfeit

7:45 p.m. Thurs. July 24 vs. Kelly – Court 2 (makeup from June 19)

 

Seed Tracker

 

Black (Jefferson) 7-0: vs. CP (P); vs. R (P); W-M; W-LG; W-CP; W-K; W-PU; W-S; W-CP; vs. R

Sky (Holy Family) 5-2: vs. PU (Su); vs. K (P); W-R; L-CP; W-PU; W-LG; W-M; L-B; W- PU (F); vs. K

Cyber Pink (USP A+) 4-3: vs. B (P); vs. LG (P); W-K; W-S; L-B; L-PU; W-R; W-M; L-B; vs. LG

Kelly (E. Stroud+) 3-4: vs. R (P); vs. S (P); L-CP; W-M; L-R (F); L-B; L-LG; W-PU; W-R; vs. S

Purple (West Chester) 3-4: vs. S (Su); vs. M(P); W-LG; W-R; L-S; W-CP; L-B; L-K; L-S (F); vs. M

Lem. Gold (Kutztwn) 2-5: vs. M (Su); vs. CP (P); L-PU; L-B; W-M; L-S; W-K; 0-R; L-M; vs. CP

Maroon (Arcadia) 2-5: vs. LG (Su); vs. PU (P); L-B; L-K; L-LG; W-R; L-S; vs. L-CP; W-LG; vs. PU

Royal (Goldey Beac+) 1-5: vs. K (P); vs. B (P); L-S; L-PU; W-K (F); L-M; L-CP; 0-LG; L-K; vs. B

 

(S) suspended (P) postponed (Co) Completed (MU) Made Up (F) forfeit

B Black; CP – Cyber Pink; K – Kelly; LG – Lemon Gold;

M – Maroon; PU – Purple; R – Royal; S – Sky.