SCRANTON — The District 2 Class 5A semifinal showcased some of District 2’s top young girls basketball talent in a matchup that may be repeated in the years ahead.
When it came time to separate the two teams, however, it was Scranton’s seniors who decided Friday night’s game with visiting Crestwood.
Finley Bittenbender kept the Knights close early, Canyah Randle came off the bench to fix a key deficiency and Kamryn Alers supplied the plays that finally put Scranton ahead to stay in a 55-45 victory.
“Seniors showed up tonight,” Scranton coach P.J. Hughes said. “Finley early in the game, then Kamryn late in the game. Those two and Canyah Randle playing a big role of us inside.
“The seniors really got us to the arena. They played great.”
Scranton (22-2) will meet Abington Heights (18-6) 6 p.m. Thursday at 6 at Mohegan Sun Arena for the district title. Those two teams will also advance into the PIAA state tournament while Crestwood gets another chance.
The Comets (16-8) will go to Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 champion Dallas (19-7) Wednesday night to determine the district’s third berth in the state Class 5A tournament. Dallas fell in overtime to Abington Heights 48-46.
Crestwood freshman Charlie Hiller, with help from junior Kate Gallagher, limited Lackawanna League Division 1 scoring leader Zya Small, a freshman with major NCAA Division I scholarship offers, to two points through three quarters.
Small finished big, despite foul trouble, but the Knights needed and got help elsewhere.
Bittenbender, Maggie O’Shea and freshman Chrissy Jacklinski all scored 12 points. Alers had eight points to match Small and joined her in producing in the fourth quarter.
Small, who finished with eight points and nine rebounds, had six points, five rebounds, three steals, a block and a key assist in the fourth quarter despite sitting out more than three minutes with foul trouble.
Crestwood led much of the first half and moved back in front when Keira Dougherty scored the first five points of the second half.
The Comets stuck with the Knights and forced the last tie at 38-38 on freshman Cameron Vieney’s 3-pointer with 3:55 left.
Alers put Scranton ahead with two big plays over the next 28 seconds, then Small and Jacklinski keyed a clinching 9-1 run.
After Vieney tied the game, Alers answered with a 3-pointer that led to a Crestwood timeout. Coming out of the timeout, Alers made a steal in the backcourt and fed Jacklinski for a three-point play and six-point lead.
“That was big, but I also think their defense kind of frazzled us a little bit,” Crestwood coach Mary Mushock-Namey said. “Our guards aren’t used to seeing man-to-man up in their face like that. I think we only got played man three times this year. We get a lot of zone because of our size.
“The pressure that they gave our guards was a little bit more than we could handle. We couldn’t get an offense going.”
In turn, Crestwood created some problems for Scranton with its size.
With the Comets controlling the boards early, Randle was called on and contributed seven rebounds and a three-point play in a little under 15 minutes. The teams wound up with 32 rebounds each.
Hiller led Crestwood with 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Dougherty had 10 of her 11 points in the second half. Kate Gallagher grabbed nine rebounds and Jackie Gallagher eight.
District 2 Class 5A Semifinals
Scranton 55, Crestwood 45
CRESTWOOD (45) — Hiller 6 2-3 15, Petrosky 1 4-6 6, J. Gallagher 2 0-0 5, K. Gallagher 1 1-2 3, Dougherty 4 2-6 11, Andrews 1 0-2 2, Vieney 1 0-0 3. Totals 16 9-19 45.
SCRANTON (55) — Jacklinski 4 4-6 12, F. Bittenbender 4 2-3 12, Alers 3 0-0 8, Small 3 2-4 8, Mag. O’Shea 2 6-6 12, K. Bittenbender 0 0-0 0, Randle 1 1-1 3, Mad. O’Shea 0 0-0 0, Smith 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 15-20 55.
Crestwood`10`9`12`14 — 45
Scranton`10`12`10`23 — 55
Three-point goals – CRE 4 (Hiller, J. Gallagher, Dougherty, Vieney); SCR 6 (F. Bittenbender, Alers, Mag. O’Shea)
