SCRANTON – Both Scranton Prep teams split games during the Lynett Memorial Basketball Tournament, leaving the Classics second in the girls event and the Cavaliers third in the boys event Dec. 27 and 29 at the Lackawanna College Student Union Center.
Jenna Hillebrand made the all-tournament team for Scranton Prep after it beat Dunmore 52-35 in the semifinal then lost 65-54 to Scranton, the only unbeaten girls team in District 2.
The Classics are 5-4 overall, but had been 4-0 within District 2 before losing to the Lady Knights, the top threat to their hold on the Lackawanna League Division 1 title. Scranton Prep has won six straight titles and 80 straight games within the division.
Brycen Martin was the all-tournament selection for Scranton Prep following a 55-53 loss to eventual champion Scranton and a 72-36 rout of Dunmore in the boys third-place game.
The Cavaliers, who broke a four-game losing streak in the romp over Dunmore, are 4-5. Similar to the girls team, which has played a demanding schedule of teams from outside the area, the Scranton Prep boys are 3-1 within District 2.
Zya Small, Scranton’s 6-foot-1 freshman with multiple major National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I scholarship offers, was named tournament Most Valuable Player. She went 10-for-10 in the semifinal, then had 16 points, eight rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots against Scranton Prep in the final.
Hillebrand was 18-for-31 from the floor, 4-for-10 on 3-pointers and 6-for-6 from the line in the tournament. She had 21 points, eight rebounds, four steals and three assists against Dunmore before putting up 25 points in the final.
The Classics broke a tie, then scored the last 16 points of the third quarter in the semifinal.
Isabella Dennebaum had 11 points and eight rebounds in the semifinal.
Claire McGrath had eight points and four assists in the semifinal, then 11 points and four steals in the final.
The boys semifinal against Scranton featured six ties and six lead changes.
Tournament MVP Oliver Almonte led Scranton with 22 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots.
Daniel Santaniello led Scranton Prep with 15 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
Martin had nine points and two steals in the semifinal. He led the Cavaliers to 12-for-24 shooting from beyond the arc in the consolation game by going 6-for-8 on 3-pointers to finish with 18 points and four assists.
Packy Doherty went 2-for-3 on 3-pointers while scoring 10 points in 11:42 coming off the bench.
Scranton Prep built leads of 20-8 after one quarter, 46-20 at halftime and a high of 65-29 late in the third quarter.
