The Guru’s Philly Summer League Report: Sky/Holy Family Closing Rally Gains 66-60 Championship Upset of Unbeaten Black/Jefferson

By Bob Heller and Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

HATBORO, Pa. – As befitting the top two teams in both the D-2 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference in the winter, the same duo provided an exciting championship five months later Tuesday night at Kelly Bolish Gym, home of the AAU Renegades and caused history to repeat itself as 2-seed Sky (Holy Family—6-2) jumped to a commanding lead, gave it up by the start of the fourth quarter and then finished out with a 13-0 rally in the final minutes to upset unbeaten 1-Black (Jefferson—8-0) 66-60 for the Tigers’ first crown since 2019.

That summer after Bernadette Laukaitis had been hired in May at her alma mater, leaving Penn and coach Mike McLaughlin whom she had followed from the D-2 powerhouse in Northeast Philadelphia, Holy Family defeated defending champion Maroon (D2-USciences of Philadelphia).

 This past March, the Tigers as a two-seed upset Jefferson in the CACC championship though both moved on to the NCAA tournament.

“I was pleased with the way the summer went and am excited for the future if we start a new era next season elsewhere,” said longtime commissioner David “Deuce” Kessler, who is looking for some sponsorship involvement to lower the registration costs, which could attract more players and even cause a change in competitive structure by establishing divisions.

Ari Bluestein was also pleased with the135-viewer draw on his Sports Fan Based Network (SFBN) which streamed the championship for the fourth straight season on YouTube. On a night the weather was cooler, the game on Court 1 drew a nice crowd.

Kessler informed reporters the Renegades are likely to move from the three-court facility from which the league has paid rental costs “though perhaps we might hear ‘the Renegades will continue,’” he said.

The league, which used to have undergrad D-1 stars such as Dawn Staley, Natasha Cloud, and Gabriela Marginean, operated prior to here at Northeast High, and before then at such noted locations as Jefferson, then named Textile; Rhawnhurst Recreation Center, and Water Tower.

Kessler, now retired, was employed by the Dept. of Recreation.

There were no games the CoVid-19 summer of 2020, then USP in a combination the next four years took back the title in 2021 as an undergraduate entry before the Devils went out of business merging with D-1 Saint Joseph’s but replaced in the league with an alumni core competing as Cyber Pink which then won three more 2022-24 before Lemon Gold (D2 Kutztown) stopped the run last Tuesday in the quarterfinals.

Black, coached in the winter by Tom Shirley who is on a track to gain 1,000 wins, had dominated the summer and in a close win got revenge on Sky as part of the 8-0 performance.

Under NCAA rules, besides up to entire D2 and D3 teams allowed to play together, winter coaches can observe their teams but cannot guide them.

Recap

# 2-Sky/Holy Family 66, # 1-Jefferson 60

In a thrilling fourth quarter, Team Sky (Holy Family University) rallied from a seven-point deficit with 3:37 left in the game to capture the Philadelphia/Suburban Women’s Basketball Summer League title with a 66-60 win over top seed and undefeated Team Black (Jefferson University).

The title was the first for team Sky since the 2019 season when they upset defending champion Maroon (USciences).

Amy Ngo led Sky with 15 points, including seven in Sky’s final rally. Taylor Hinkle added 13 points.

  Emily Spratt led Black with 19 points while Kaci Mikulski chipped in 10.

Black had trailed by nine entering the second half and began to chip away at Sky’s lead throughout the third quarter, with Mikulski tying the score at 37-37 with a three-point basket with 4:10 left.

Sky pushed the lead back up to six 45-39 with two minutes left before Black scored the final five points of the quarter, the last three on Spratt’s third traditional three-point play of the period to trail by one 45-44.

Ana Pellecchia opened the fourth quarter scoring and gave Black their first lead since early in the opening quarter, 46-45.

   Black added two more baskets to complete an 11-0 run with Pellecchia stealing an inbounds pass for a layup to take a 50-45 advantage.

The lead oscillated between three and five points until Mikulski added a basket to give Black a 60-53 lead with 3:37 left.

Sky then began their final drive towards victory

Monee Moore and Hinkle each sank a pair of free throws to pull Sky within three. Ngo followed with a steal and a layup and then another steal for a layup and was fouled, converting the free throw to give Sky a 62-60 lead with 1:42 left.

Sky then sank four of six free throws in the final 1:42 to complete a 13-0 run and capture the league title with a 66-60 win.

The champions produced a double-digit lead early in the game, jumping out to an 11-point advantage 24-13 in the opening quarter.

A Ngo bucket to open the second quarter gave Sky their biggest lead of the game, 26-13 before Black gradually cut into the lead, closing within five, 27-22 on a Pellecchia basket with 2:47 left.

Sky closed out the quarter with a 6-2 run to lead 33-24 at halftime before Black started their second half comeback.

 CHAMPIONS TEAM SKY

  4  DANI BRUSHA 5’4 LOWER MORELAND /HOLY FAMILY ‘29

  5  MAYA HILL 5’7 DELAWARE MILITARY ACADEMY/HOLY FAMILY ‘29

 10 MONEE MOORE 5’7 ARCH RYAN/HOLY FAMILY ‘23

 11 AMY NGO 5’4 UPPER DUBLIN/HOLY FAMILY 28

 12 ELLA BROWN 5’8 PENNRIDGE/HOLY FAMILY ‘29

 13 CLAIRE DOUGHERTY 6’1 LAKE LEHMAN HS/HOLY FAMILY ‘26

 14 KARA MEREDITH 6’ ARCH WOOD/HOLY FAMILY ‘27

 15 CAMRYN GREGORY 5’8 COUNCIL ROCK S/HOLY FAMILY ‘28

 20 TAYLOR HINKLE 5’11 CENTRAL BUCKS S/HOLY FAMILY ‘26

 21 CAROLYN PREVOST 6’2 MONTGOMERY HS/HOLY FAMILY ‘24

FINALISTS TEAM BLACK

  4   TORI NIGRO 5’4 ST. BASIL ACADEMY-VILLA JOSEPH MARIE/JEFFERSON ‘27

  5   MICHELLE STEELE 5’10 RANNEY SCHOOL/JEFFERSON ‘29

  10 BELLA BACANI 5’5 PERKIOMEN VALLEY/JEFFERSON ‘29

  11 KACI MIKULSKI 5’8 WILDWOOD CATHOLIC/JEFFERSON ‘28

  12 CALEIGH SPERLING 5’10 NORTH PENN/JEFFERSON ‘28

  13 KYLIE MULHOLLAND 5’4 GARNET VALLEY/JEFFERSON ‘29

  14 ANA PELLECCHIA 5’8 CLEARVIEW REGIONAL/JEFFERSON ‘28

  15 EMILY SPRATT 5’10 CB WEST/JEFFERSON ‘27

  20 CARLIE LAPINSKI 6’ MANASQUAN/JEFFERSON ‘28

  21 GABRIELLE RECINTO 5’10 CHEROKEE/JEFFERSON ‘27

  22 CAROLYN SIPPRELL 6’ QUAKERTOWN COMMUNITY/JEFFERSON ‘27

  23 JORDYN THOMAS 6’1 PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH/JEFFERSON ‘27

Results and Schedule

Playoffs

Records Are Regular Season Results

Tuesday July 29

Quarterfinals

6:30 p.m.

Court 1

1-Black 75, 8-Royal 51

6-Lemon Gold 77, 3 -Cyber Pink 72

2-Sky 86, 7-Maroon 50

4-Purple 62, 5-Kelly 58

 

Thursday July 31

Semifinals

 

1-Black 59, 6-Lemon Gold 36

2-Sky 60, 4-Purple 51

 

Tuesday, Aug. 5

Championship

2-Holy Family 66, 1-Black 60

 

Standings (Final July 24)

Team   W L Pct. GB PF   PA

F-Black 8-0 1.000 — 568 392

C-Sky 6-2 .750 2 416 400

Q-Cyber Pink 5-3 .625 3 440 383

S-Purple 4-4 .500 4 485 432

Q-Kelly 3-5 .375 5 386 465

S-Lemon Gold 2-6 .250 6 298 353

Q-Maroon 2-6 .250 6 469 572

Q-Royal 1-7 .125 7 314 480

Q-quarterfinalist; S-semifinalist F-finalist C-Champion

 

Individual 20+ Nights

 

29-Emily Spratt, Black W over Lemon Gold, Semifinals Thurs., July 31

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

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

26-Caleigh Sperling, Black W over Royal, Thurs., July 24

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

25-Rylee Deer, Pink L to Lemon Gold, Quarters, Tues., July 29

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

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

24-Kaci Mikulsi, Black W over Royal, Quarters, Tues., July 29

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-Sa’ni Savage, Purple W over Kelly, Quarters, Tues., July 29

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

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

20-Taylor Hinkle, Sky W over Maroon, Quarters, July 29

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

 

Thursday, July 24

 

End of Regular Season

Cyber Pink 2, Lemon Gold 0, forfeit

Black 78, Royal 48 makeup from Thurs., June 19

Purple 72, Maroon 45 makeup from Thurs., June 19

Sky 58, Kelly 42 makeup from Thurs., June 19

 

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, wins suspended game June 18

Maroon 56, Lemon Gold 47 — Maroon declared suspended winner

 

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

 

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

 

Team Schedules

 

Black (Jefferson) 8-0- Finalist – Seed 1

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 – W 78-48 (makeup from June 19)

6:30 p.m.Tues., July 29 vs. Royal – Quarterfinals W 75-51

6:30 p.m. Thurs., July 31 vs. 7-Lemon Gold Semifinals W 59-36

7 p.m. Tues., Aug. 5 vs. 2- Sky (6-2) – Final L 60-66

 

Cyber Pink (USP Alums+) 5-3 Quarterfinalist Seed 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 – W 2-0, forfeit (makeup from June19)

6:30 p.m. Tues. July 29 vs. 7-Lemon Gold – L 72-77

 

Kelly (East Stroudsburg+) 3-5 Quarterfinalist Seed 5

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 – L 42-58 (makeup from June 19)

7:45 p.m. Tues. July 29 vs. Purple – L 58-62 Purple

 

Lemon Gold (Kutztown) 2-6 Semifinalist Seed 6

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 – 0-2 forfeit (makeup from June 19)

6:30 p.m. Tues. July 29 vs. Cyber Pink —Quarterfinals W 77-72

6:30 p.m. Thurs. July 31 vs. Black – L 36-59

 

Maroon (Arcadia) 2-6 Quarterfinalist Seed 7

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 – L 45-72 (makeup from June 19)

7:45 p.m. Tues. July 29 vs. Sky – Quarterfinals L 50-86

 

Purple (West Chester) 4-4 Semifinalist Seed 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 32-33 halftime when suspended

7:45 p.m. Thurs. July 24 vs. Maroon – W 72-45 (makeup from June 19)

7:45 p.m. Tues. July 29 vs. Kelly — Quarterfinals W 62-58

7:45 p.m. Thurs. July 31 vs. 2 Sky – L 51-60

 

Royal (Goldey Beacom+) 1-7 Quarterfinalist Seed 8

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. Black – L 48-78 (makeup from June 19)

6:30 p.m. Tues. July 29 vs. Black – 51-75

 

Sky (Holy Family) 6-2 Champion Seed 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 33-32 when suspended

7:45 p.m. Thurs. July 24 vs. Kelly – W 58-42 (makeup from June 19)

7:45 p.m. Tues. July 29 vs. Maroon – Quarterfinals W 86-50

7:45 p.m. Thurs. July 31 vs. 4-Purple - Semifinals W 60-51

7 p.m. Tues. Aug. 5 vs. 2-Sky – Final W 66-60

 

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; W-R

Sky (Holy Family) 6-2: vs. PU (Su); vs. K (P); W-R; L-CP; W-PU; W-LG; W-M; L-B; W- PU; W-K

Cyber Pink (USP A+) 5-3: vs. B (P); vs. LG (P); W-K; W-S; L-B; L-PU; W-R; W-M; L-B; W-LG (F)

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

Kelly (E. Stroud+) 3-5: vs. R (P); vs. S (P); L-CP; W-M; L-R (F); L-B; L-LG; W-PU; W-R; L-S

Lem. Gold (Kutztwn) 2-6: vs. M (Su); vs. CP (P); L-PU; L-B; W-M; L-S; W-K; 0-R; L-M; L-CP (F)

Maroon (Arcadia) 2-6: vs. LG (Su); vs. PU (P); L-B; L-K; L-LG; W-R; L-S; vs. L-CP; W-LG; L- PU

Royal (Goldey Beac+) 1-6: vs. K (P); vs. B (P); L-S; L-PU; W-K (F); L-M; L-CP; 0-LG; L-K; L-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.