Bob Beviglia is not about to claim that he planned to take his Scranton Prep girls basketball team to its first state championship game appearance during March, but the Classics will go into next season ready to take their best shot at improving on a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association runner-up finish.
Following the 56-44 loss to Blackhawk in the state final March 23, reflected back to four days earlier when the Classics secured a first-ever accomplishment for the program by routing Universal Audenried from Philadelphia 83-50 in the semfinals.
“I said it when we won (March 19) that it’s beyond my wildest dreams that we’re here,” Beviglia said. “And, with the exception of one kid, they’re all back next year, so we’ll take another run at it.”
The Classics started five juniors – four of them 5-foot-8 and another 5-9 – and had just one senior on the entire roster.
“We’ll get going over the summer and try to put the pieces back together again and see what it looks like,” Beviglia said. “These kids, they don’t put basketballs down ever. … I’m thrilled for them that they had the opportunity to play in this game and I’m thrilled with everything they did for our school.”
The PIAA final appearance, the first by a Scranton Prep basketball team, boys or girls, was the result of four straight wins in the state tournament by a total of 106 points.
Jenna Hillebrand led the way. She was the top scorer in all five state tournament games, twice setting new career-highs for points, while averaging 22.2 points and 3.6 3-pointers and hitting 88.2 percent from the line during that time.
Scranton Prep 83, Universal Audenried 50
Hillebrand made six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 30 points in the semifinal rout.
Hillebrand and Maya Jenkins hit 3-pointers in the last 34 seconds of the first quarter, then Bella Dennebaum and Jayna McIntyre led the second-quarter surge that broke the game open.
The Classics scored 20 of the first 22 points of the second quarter to complete a 31-5 run from a one-point game to a 46-19 lead late in the half.
Dennebaum scored 10 of her 19 points in the second quarter, McIntyre came off the bench to score all seven of her points and Jenkins had six of her 17.
Scranton Prep finished with 15 made 3-pointers in the game.
Scranton Prep 46, Central Columbia 25
HAZLE TWP. – Scranton Prep got its most significant offensive work done early, then relied on its defense to maintain control of the March 16 quarterfinal game at Hazleton Area.
Jenkins, Ashlyn Moore and Dennebaum each connected as Scranton Prep went 3-for-3 from 3-point range in the first 2:15 and never trailed on the way to a second straight semifinal appearance.
The early 3-pointers were part of a 16-4 start by Scranton Prep.
“When the first few went down, it just gave us confidence to keep shooting and hit shots,” Jenkins said.
Central Columbia got within eight points once in the low-scoring second quarter and the lead was in double figures throughout the entire second half.
“It definitely takes some pressure of us when the girls are hitting their shots right off,” Jenna Hillebrand said.
Hillebrand led the Classics with 19 points, 12 of which came in a span of 3:15 during the third quarter when the Classics ran away.
Jenkins added 16 points on 4-for-8 shooting from 3-point range and 6-for-11 overall.
Dennebaum had seven points and eight rebounds; Moore had six rebounds and three assists; and Claire McGrath had five rebounds and four assists.
The Classics followed up the fast start offensively by holding the Blue Jays to three points each in the second and fourth quarters.
Madelyn Blake led District 4 champion Central Columbia (27-3) with 12 points and six rebounds.
Scranton Prep 58, Villa Joseph Marie 39
Hillebrand poured in 28 points during the March 13 second round-game at Easton Middle School.
Scranton Prep 55, North Schuylkill 22
Scranton Prep held visiting North Schuylkill scoreless in the second quarter of the tournament opener March 9 to build a 22-7 halftime lead.
Hillebrand led the way with 18 points and Jenkins added 13.9 th of about 15 Abington Journal sports items
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