BETHLEHEM – Neumann-Goretti scored the first 10 points of the fourth quarter March 15 to break away from a one-point game while eliminating Scranton Prep from the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 4A girls basketball tournament with a 59-48, state quarterfinal victory at Liberty High School.
The Lackawanna League Division 1 and District 2 Class 4A champion Classics, who played in the state final a year ago, were unbeaten in Pennsylvania until running into the eventual state champions in the third round. They finished 25-2 overall.
The game was the closest test for Neumann-Goretti, which went unbeaten in the Philadelphia Catholic League, on its way to playing in Hershey where it won the title for the fifth time in the last 10 completed state tournaments.
Reginna Baker and Amya Scott did all the scoring in the 10-0 run to start the fourth. Baker hit her first three shots of the quarter and Scott added a four-point play for a 49-38 lead.
Baker went 8-for-13 while scoring 18 points.
After Baker scored to complete the streak, the Saints remained in front by at least seven the rest of the way.
Scott went 6-for-6 from the line and Carryn Easley made both her attempts in the final 1:36.
“Once we got the lead, we knew they were very good team and they were capable of making shots and scoring,” said Easley, who finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. “We just wanted to burn time off the clock, defend them, protect the ball and trust each other.”
Maya Jenkins made three 3-pointers, scored 22 points and dished out three assist for Scranton Prep in the loss. She was 6-for-8 in the second half before fouling out.
Foul trouble also limited the playing time of 6-foot-1 freshman center Chloe Mamera, who was a major factor coming off the bench and had set herself up to be in the game more if not for the fouls.
Mamera had 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists, helping Scranton Prep outscore Neumann-Goretti 36-29 in the 20:07 that she played. Mamera was called for three fouls in less than five minutes during the second quarter, then a fourth foul in the third quarter.
Scranton Prep 74, Allentown Central Catholic 36
Jenkins led four double-figures scorers with 16 points for Scranton Prep, which pulled away from what was a two-point game after one quarter in the March 12 second-round game at Stroudsburg.
Mamera came off the bench to join Jenna Hillebrand with 15 points each.
Scranton Prep 56, Delone Catholic 34
Maya Jenkins converted a rebound of her own miss into the 1,000th point of her Scranton Prep career March 8 when the Classics opened state play with the home-court win.
Bella Dennebaum hit four 3-pointers while scoring 14 points in the win and Jenkins got the 11 she needed to reach the milestone.
Jenkins dribbled in from the left wing to try a pull-up jumper from about 10 feet in the lane. She got the rebound and banked in the second attempt for a 52-28 lead with 3:09 remaining.
