The Guru’s Philly Summer League Report: Aquatic and BlackStar Clinch 1-2 Playoff Spots With Lopsided Wins

 By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsgurux

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. – With one night left in the eight-game regular season schedule of the Philadelphia/Suburban Women’s Basketball League at Plymouth Whitemarsh High, unbeaten Aquatic (D2-Holy Family), still unbeaten at 7-0, and BlackStar (D2-Jefferson) at 6-1, the only loss to Aquatic, clinched the top two spots Tuesday night for the playoffs that begin in the nine-team league.

Both won in routs, Aquatic winning 75-42 over Electric Green (D3-Gwynedd Mercy) and BlackStar won 81-32 over Citrine Orange (D3-Rowan undergrads and D3-Ursinus Alums).

The outcome from losing side dropped Green in a three-way third-place tie at 4-3 with Electric Pink (D2-Goldey-Beacom and D3-Scranton), the most impressive winner Tuesday with a deep rally over to win 63-59 over Sunburst (D3-Ursinus), and Purple Haze (D2-West Chester), which served the second of the last two nightly byes this week.

At the moment, the trio are 1-1 to each other, one the sole forfeit of the summer in which Purple had to yield 2-0 to Green for a shortage of players, and none has a superior win to rise above the others.

However, Wednesday night’s schedule should determine the order, the key games Green playing BlackStar at 7:45 p.m. on Court 2, while Purple Haze plays Sunburst at 6:30 p.m. on Court 1.

Meanwhile Tuesday night’s 8-9 play-in opener next week at 6:30 p.m. is also set determined.

Royal Crown (D3-Immaculata) in Tuesday’s other game fell 67-59 to Jade (D3-Arcadia) and is last at 1-7 and will serve the last bye on Wednesday.

Sunburst is eighth and while a loss to Purple Haze would tie the Royal record, they have the head-to-head to be eighth, but if they win and Citrine Orange, which plays Electric Pink at 6:30 p.m. on Court 2, loses, Orange with a loss would still have a head-to-head tiebreaker at seventh.

Furthermore, Jade, playing Aquatic at 7:45 p.m. on Court 1, holds a potential sixth place tie break with with Orange. But Jade has lost all three games to the teams tied above as they take a two-game win streak into Wednesday.

In the night’s two dominate performances, Bridget Malloy, an incoming freshman at Scranrton, had 24 points, shooting four makes from deep in the Pink comeback over Sunburst, while Jade’s Abby Arnold, an Arcadia junior, scored 22 in the victory.

Bob Heller is away for two weeks but Andrew Robinson, who has covered the league for Josh Verlin’s City of Basketball Love, provided detail on the most dramatic game of the night.

Recaps

Electric Pink 63, Sunburst 59

In the night’s thriller, Sunburst led most of the way with a double-digit lead in the third quarter before Pink began its surge to tie at 51 with Za’Mylah Seda-Owens, a Goldey-Beacom junior helping to fuel the run with several baskets.

Following a stop, Pink went ahead for good at 53-51 at the line with 7:32 left in regulation.

Sunburst got back at the line to close to a point deficit and then Bridget Malloy, the night’s top performer in all games with 24 points, scored with 6:10 remaining.

The opposition went 1-2 at the line the other way and then Malloy fed Katherine Lange on a three-pointer making it 58-53.

Then Sunburst answered twice, Anna Chimento scoring inside and it was still anybody’s game at at 58-57.

Seda-Owens responded with a three-ball for Pink, and Sunburst came right back for Sunburst and it was a two-point 61-59 game before Malloy fed Seda-Owens to make it 63-59 with 2:04 left in regulation.

Sunburst missed an attempted three with 1:28 left, Pink grabbed the rebound and ran it down till 20 seconds were left.

Pink missed two attempts at the line but the winners were able to sustain to claim the victory.

Besides Malloy, who had four from deep for Pink, Maura Gilroy scored 12, and Seda-Owens had 11 points.

Ruth O’Keefe had 14 for Sunburst and Olivia Nardi scored 10.

Aquatic 75, Electric Green 42

The league leaders, who were the East champs into the NCAA Division II tournament out of the the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, took care of business quickly, Amy Ngo leading with 14 points in the contest, mostly from three makes from distance, while Brooke Evans scored three long shots also, while seven others got into the scorebook.

Layla Verbit was a perfect 4-4 from the line and had 12 points for Green, while Brianna McFadden scored 10, with six others also scoring in the contest.

BlackStar 81, Citrine Orange 32

This one was also over fast, Emily Spratt just missing the 20+ roll call at 19 points, while Karissa Smedley was 6-6 on the line and finishing with 16 points, while Caleigh Sperling had 12 points, with seven other teammates also able to score.

Natalie Mehl had 11 points and Peyton Tague had six for Orange.

Jade 67, Royal Crown 59

Abby Arnold had the other big night, scoring 22 points with four 3-pointers and a perfect 4-4 from the line for Jade, while Taylor Koenig scored 17, and Jocelyn Goldstein had 10 points.

On Royal’s final night, Abby Grillo had 16 points, and Fiona Reckner scored 11 with six others in the books.

Standings (Thru Wednesday, July 15)

Team         W   L   Pct. GB    PF   PA

*-Aquatic      7   0  1.000  — 506 321

BlackStar        6  1  .857  1.0   534 365

Electric Green 4  3 .571 3.0  321 385

Purple Haze   4  3  .571  3.0   388 332

Electric Pink  4  3   .571 3.0    423 422

Jade                     3 4  .429 4.0  439 461

Citrine Orange 2 5 .286 5.0 401 546

Sunburst          1  6  .142 6.0 462 451

Royal Crown     1  7 .125  6.5  430 536

*-Clinched top seed

 

Individual Scoring 20+ Points

36-Taylor Koenig, Jade (W) vs. Citrine Orange, June 17

26-Grace McShane, Citrine Orange (W) vs. Royal Crown, June 30

25-Natalie Mehl, Citrine Orange (L) vs. Aquatic, July 7

25-Grace McShane, Citrine Orange (W) vs. Sunburst, June 23

24-Bridget Malloy, Electric Pink (W) vs. Sunburst, July 14

24-Jocelyn Goldstein, Jade (W) vs. Cintrine Orange, June 17

24-Kara Meredith, Aquatic (W) vs. Sunburst, June 30

23-Amy Ngo, Aquatic (W) vs. Electric Pink, July 8

23-Lianna Adames, Royal Crown (W) vs. Electric Green, July 7

22-Abby Arnold, Jade (W) vs. Royal Crown, July 14

22-Taylor Koneig, Jade (L) vs. Purple Haze, July 1

21-Emily Spratt, BlackStar (W) vs. Purple Haze, June 30

21-Bridget Malloy, Electric Pink (W) vs. Electric Green, June 16

20-Caroline Foley, Sunburst (W) vs. Jade, July 8

20-Taylor Koenig, Jade (L) vs. Electric Green, June 30

20-Emma Wagner, Royal Crown (L) vs. Citrine Orange, June 30

20-Abby Arnold, Jade (L) vs. Electric Pink, June 24

20-Gabrielle Recinto, BlackStar (W) vs. Electric Pink, June 17

 

Results and Schedule

Tuesday, July 14

Jade 67, Royal Crown 59

Aquatic 75, Electric Green 42

Electric Pink 63, Sunburst 59

BlackStar 81, Citrine Orange 32

Bye: Purple Haze (4-3)

 

Regular Season Ends

Wednesday, July 15

6:30 p.m.

Sunburst (1-6) vs. Purple Haze (4-3), Court 1

Citrine Orange (2-5) vs. Electric Pink (4-3), Court 2

7:45 p.m.

Aquatic (7-0) vs. Jade (3-4), Court 1

BlackStar (6-1) vs. Electric Green (4-3), Court 2

Bye: Royal Crown (1-7)

 

Wednesday, July 8

Electric Green 55, Citrine Orange 55

Jade 64, Sunburst 63

Aquatic 70, Electric Pink 47

Purple Haze 76, Royal Crown 55

Bye: BlackStar

 

Tuesday, July 7

Purple Haze 53, Electric Pink 47

BlackStar 81, Sunburst 56

Royal Crown 56, Electric Green 47

Aquatic 85, Citrine Orange 66

Bye: Jade (1-4)

 

Wednesday, July 1

Aquatic 68, BlackStar 50

Electric Pink 59, Royal Crown 58

Electric Green 58, Sunburst 54

Purple Haze 72, Jade 63

Bye: Citrine Orange

 

Tuesday, June 30

Electric Green 60, Jade 57

Citrine Orange 80, Royal Crown 71

BlackStar 83, Purple Haze 68

Aquatic 75, Sunburst 44

Bye: Electric Pink

 

Wednesday, June 24 (Games J23 & J24 Rear Bldg)

Electric Green 2, Purple Haze 0, forfeit

Electric Pink 72, Jade 49

Bye: Aquatic (2-0)

 

Tuesday, June 23

Citrine Orange 81, Sunburst 72

BlackStar 84, Royal Crown 47

 

Wednesday, June 17

BlackStar 80, Electric Pink 47

Aquatic 55, Purple Haze 33

Jade 92, Citrine Orange 60

Sunburst 49, Royal Crown 45

Bye: Electric Green

 

Tuesday, June 16

Aquatic 88, Royal Crown 53

Purple Haze 86, Citrine Orange 27

BlackStar 75, Jade 47

Electric Pink 88, Electric Green 53

Bye:  Sunburst

 

Playoffs

Tuesday, July 21

Play-in

6:30 p.m.

8-Sunburst vs. 9-Royal Crown, Court 1

 

Quarterfinals

Wednesday, July 22

6:30 p.m.

1-Aquatic vs. 8-9 winner, Court 1

6 seed vs. 3 seed, Court 2

7:45 p.m.

7 seed vs. 2-BlackStar, Court 1

5 seed vs. 4 seed, Court 2

 

Semifinals

Tuesday, July 28

Court 1

6:30 p.m.

Highest Seed Survivor vs. Lowest Seed Survivor

7:45 p.m.

Remaining Survivors Meet

 

Championship

Wednesday, July 29

 

Team by Team Schedules and Results

 

Aquatic (D2-Holy Family +) 7-0

June 16 (W) 78-39 vs. Royal Crown (D3-Immaculata)

June 17 (W) 55-33 vs. Purple Haze (D2-West Chester)

June 23 Bye

June 30 (W) 75-44 vs. Sunburst (D3-Ursinus)

July 1 (W) 68-50 vs. BlackStar (D2-Jefferson)

July 7 (W) 85-66 vs.Citrine Orange (D3 Rowan + Ursinus Alums)

July 8 (W) 70-47 vs. Electric Pink (D2-Goldey-Beacom)

July 14 (W) 75-42 vs. Electric Green (D3-Gwynedd Mercy)

July 15 vs. Jade (D3-Arcadia), 7:45 p.m., Court 1

 

BlackStar (D2-Jefferson+), 6-1

June 16 (W) 75-47 vs. Jade

June 17 (W) 80-47 vs. Electric Pink

June 23 (W) 84-47 vs. Royal Crown

June L 30 (W) 83-68 vs. Purple Haze

July 1 (L) 50-68 vs. Aquatic

July 7 (W) 81-56

July 8 Bye

July 14 (W) 81-32 Citrine Orange

July 15 vs. Electric Green, 7:45 p.m., Court 2

 

Citrine Orange (D3-Rowan Undergrads + Ursinus Alums), 2-5

June 16 (L) 27-86 vs. Purple Haze

June 17 (L) 60-92 vs. Jade

June 23 (W) 81-72 vs. Sunburst

June 30 (W) 80-71 vs. Royal Crown

July 1 Bye

July 7 (L) 66-85 vs. Aquatic

July 8 (L) 55-59 vs. Electric Green

July 14 (L) 32-81 vs. BlackStar

July 15 vs. Electric Pink, 6:30 p.m., Court 2

 

Electric Green (D3-Gwynedd Mercy +) 4-3

June 16 (L) 53-88 vs. Electric Pink

June 17 Bye

June 24 (W) 2-0 vs. Purple Haze, forfeit

June 30 (W) 60-57 vs. Jade

July 1 (W) 58-54 vs. Sunburst

July 7 (L) 47-56 vs. Royal Crown

July 8 (W) 59-55 vs. Citrine Orange

July 14 (L) 42-75 vs. Aquatic

July 15 vs. BlackStar, 7:45 p.m., Court 2

 

Electric Pink (D2-Goldey-Beacom +) 4-3

June 16 (W) 88-53 vs. Electric Green

June 17 (L) 47-80 vs. BlackStar

June 24 (W) 72-49 vs. Jade

June 30 Bye

July 1 (W) 59-58 Royal Crown

July 7 (L) 47-53 vs. Purple Haze

July 8 (L) 47-70 vs. Aquatic

July 14 (W) 63-59 vs. Sunburst

July 15 vs. Citrine Orange, 6:30 p.m., Court 2

 

Jade (D3-Arcadia +) 3-4

June 16 (L) 47-75 vs. BlackStar

June 17 (W) 92-60 vs. Citrine Orange

June 24 (L) 49-72 vs. Electric Pink

June 30 (L) 57-60 vs. Electric Green

July 1 (L) 63-72 vs. Purple Haze

July 7 Bye

July 8 (W) 64-63 vs. Sunburst

July 14 (W) 67-59 vs. Royal Crown

July 15 vs. Aquatic, 7:45 p.m., Court 1

 

Purple Haze (D2-West Chester +) 4-3

June 16 (W) 86-27 vs. Citrine Orange

June 17 (L) 33-55 vs. Aquatic

June 24 (L) 0-2, forfeit vs. Electric Green

June 30 (L) 68-83 vs. BlackStar

July 1 (W) 72-63 vs. Jade

July 7 (W) 53-47 vs. Electric Pink

July 8 (W) 76-55 vs. Royal Crown

July 14 Bye

July 15 vs. Sunburst, 6:30 p.m., Court 1

 

Royal Crown (D3-Immaculata +) 1-7

June 16 (L) 39-78 vs. Aquatic

June 17 (L) 45-49 va. Sunburst

June 23 (L) 47-84 vs. BlackStar

June 30 (L) 71-80 vs. Citrine Orange

July 1 (L) 58-59 vs. Electric Pink

July 7 (W) 56-47 vs. Electric Green

July 8 (L) 55-76 vs. Purple Haze

July 14 (L) 59-67 vs Jade

July 15 Bye

 

Sunburst (D3-Ursinus +) 1-6

June 16 Bye

June 17 (W) 49-45 vs. Royal Crown

June 23 (L) 72-81 vs. Citrine Orange

June 30 (L) 44-75 vs. Aquatic

July 1 (L) 54-58 vs. Electric Green, 7:45 p.m., Court 1

July 7 (L) 56-81 vs. BlackStar

July 8 (L) 63-64 vs. Jade

July 14 (L) 59-63 vs. Electric Pink

July 15 vs. Purple Haze, 6:30 p.m., Court 1

 

Seed Tracker

 

Codes – AQ-Aquatic; BS-BlackStar; CO-Citrine Orange; EG-Electric Green; EP-Electric Pink; JA-Jade; PH-Purple Haze; RC-Royal Crown; SU-Sunburst

F-Outcome Thru Forfeit

 

AQ 7-0 W-RC; W-PU; Bye; W-SU; W-BS; W-CO; W-EP; W-EG; vs. JA

BS 6-1 W-JA; W-EP; W-RC; W-PH; L-AQ; W-SU; Bye; W-CO; vs. EG

EG 4-3 L-EP; Bye; WF- PH; W-JA; W-SU; L-RC; W- CO; L-AQ; vs. BS

PH 4-3 W-CO; L-AQ; vs. LF-EG; L-BS; W-JA; W-EP; 4- RC; Bye; vs. SU

EP 4-3 W-EG; L-BS; W-JA; Bye; W-RC; L-PH; L-AQ; W-SU; vs. CO

JA 3-4 L-BS; W-CO; vs. L-EP; L-EG; L-PH; Bye; W-SU; W-RC; vs. AQ

CO 2-5 L-PH; L-JA; W-SU; W-RC; Bye; L-AQ; L-EG; L-BS; vs. EP

SU 1-6 Bye; W-RC; L-CO; L- AQ; L-EG; L-BS; L-JA; L-EP; vs. PH

RC 1-7 L-AQ; L-SU; L-BS; L-CO; L-EP; W-EG; L-PH; L-JA; Bye