GIRLS’ BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Chiefs reach final
The SJIBT championship is set and two of the top three teams in Courier-Post Mean 15 will do battle.
With No. 3 Cherokee’s 37-18 victory over seventh-ranked Sterling on Friday, the Chiefs advanced to play No. 1 Gloucester Catholic at 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Eastern High School.
The Silver Knights (18-3) held the lead for much of the first quarter, but their inability to hit shots haunted them throughout the rest of the contest.
Sterling suffered a 14-minute scoring drought following their basket in the final minute of the first quarter. The Silver Knights didn’t make a field goal until the 2:38 mark of the third. They scored only five more points.
The Chiefs (18-3) took advantage and carried a 15-11 lead into halftime. The lead grew in the third period as Cherokee leading scorer Isabella Therien took over.
The junior scored 12 points in the stanza and finished the contest with a game-high 19 points. Jordan Wallace and Ke’alohilani Naone-Carter chipped in seven points apiece to lead the Knights.
• Cinnaminson 60, Haddon Heights 58: The Pirates used a solid first half and got 18 points from Marisa DiLeo in a consolaiton win.
The Pirates pulled out the narrow victory with help from Maddie Ogden and Fiona Flynn, who picked up 17 points apiece. Cinnaminson held a 34-30 advantage at the intermission. Ashley Reynolds scored a game-high 27 points to go with 13 rebounds for the Garnets and Jynazha Davis tallied 18 points.
BURLCO
• Riverside 31, Maple Shade 27: Seven different players fueled the Rams’ victory, led by Alexis Davis with six points. Brianna Fritz, Sammy Jalkowski and Hannah Russell kicked in with five points apiece for the winners. Alicea Medina and Taylor Marton topped the Wildcats with eight points each.
• Burlington City 51, Medford Tech 43: The Blue Devils posted a 13-4 run in the second quarter to pave the way as Alex Sams scored 19 points and Akira Young added 18. Julia Bachman tossed in 14 points and set a school record by recording her 42nd career 3-pointer for the Jaguars.
• Pemberton 56, Westampton Tech 46: Lexus Phillips and Gabby Smalls tallied 15 points apiece as the Hornets (9-10) held off a late charge by the Panthers. Smalls added 24 rebounds and seven blocked shots. Breanna Phillips-Taylor picked up 10 for the winners. Kylan Watkins topped Westampton Tech with 14 and Ayarna Lewis added 12.
CAPE-ATLANTIC
• Absegami 57, Vineland 44: Kiyanna Thomas picked up a game-high 24 points and 16 rebounds as the Braves bolted out to a 10-point lead after one period. Arielle Schafer contributed 11 points and 20 boards in the win. For the Fighting Clan, Destiny Esquilin had 17 points and Nosaja Echevarria added nine.
• Mainland 42, Millville 18: Gabby Boggs scored 10 points as the Mustangs (14-5), No. 13 in the Courier-Post Mean 15, used an 18-8 halftime advantage to secure the win. Alexis Harrison led the Thunderbolts with 14.
• ACIT 60, Buena 21: Kayla Sykes chalked up 17 points to spark the winning Red Hawks. Tamia Taylor added 12. Brittany Gilliano and Aysiah Cintron scored five points each for the Chiefs.
• Cedar Creek 46, St. Joseph 29: Jazzy Duverglas netted 15 points and Erika Tanko tallied 14 as the Pirates rallied in the second half for the win. Kelsey Kruger added 13 for the winners, while Marykate McLaughlin topped the Wildcats with 13.