Hot summer hoops in cool gym: Undefeated teams clash | The Chestnut Hill Local
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Hot summer hoops in cool gym: Undefeated teams clash
by Tom Utescher
Posted 7/9/26
Last week, women’s basketball players who had participated in the college summer league in the past were particularly grateful that the league has now relocated to Plymouth Whitemarsh High School
The former facility used by the league had no air conditioning, but on June 30 and July 1, players and spectators walked through the doors to PW’s West Gym and were greeted by a welcome wave of cool air
Two teams were undefeated heading into the action, and they went head-to-head on July 1. The teams named Aquatic and Blackstar are mostly composed of players from NCAA Division II rivals …
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Hot summer hoops in cool gym: Undefeated teams clash
Leaping up to fight for a rebound are Lena Stein of Purple Haze (left) and Emily Spratt of Blackstar.
Photo by Tom Utescher
Taking a shot for summer team Purple Haze is Bry Hicks, who’ll be a senior at Chestnut Hill College.
Photo by Tom Utescher
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Posted
Thursday,July 9, 202612:00 am
by Tom Utescher
Last week, women’s basketball players who had participated in the college summer league in the past were particularly grateful that the league has now relocated to Plymouth Whitemarsh High School
The former facility used by the league had no air conditioning, but on June 30 and July 1, players and spectators walked through the doors to PW’s West Gym and were greeted by a welcome wave of cool air
Two teams were undefeated heading into the action, and they went head-to-head on July 1. The teams named Aquatic and Blackstar are mostly composed of players from NCAA Division II rivals Holy Family University and Jefferson University, respectively
This contest was not as close as expected, as Aquatic jumped out to a 9-0 lead and kept on going to a 68-50 victory. On June 30, Aquatic (4-0) had won 75-40 over Sunburst (made up of Division III players from Ursinus College), while Blackstar topped Purple Haze (with its core of DII West Chester University athletes), 83-68
Blackstar received a game-high 21 points from rising senior Emily Spratt and got 17 from Morgan Sconza, one of two players from Georgian Court University (from the same college conference as Jefferson) that have been added to Jefferson/Blackstar
Making her first appearance this summer for Purple Haze was West Chester alumna Anna McTamney (’25), who’d been on a trip to Ireland. Also a graduate of Plymouth Whitemarsh, McTamney scored 12 points against Blackstar to share the team high with Daniella MacDonald, from Pennsbury High School and Wheaton College (’28) in Massachusetts
In other June 30 contests, Electric Green (mostly Gwynedd Mercy University) got past Jade (a mixture of Division III players), 60-57. The Green got four points from Germantown Academy alum Gabby Bowes (Millersville U. ’29). Citrine Orange, which had none of its three GA alums on hand, won 80-71 over Royal Crown, which received two points from 2026 GA grad Jennifer Fox
Usually, two Jefferson players are chosen on a rotating basis to sit out each game. For the July 1 showdown with Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference foe Aquatic (Holy Family), Blackstar performed without June 30’s high scorer, Spratt, and also without senior forward Gabby Recinto. Combined, the two had scored 28 points against Purple Haze
Aquatic started the July 1 contest with a layup and then a three-pointer by rising junior Camryn Gregory. A made free throw and a trey by sophomore Ella Brown made it 9-0 before Blackstar got on the board with a 15-foot jumper by junior Ana Pellecchia. After that, Blackstar kept pace until the first quarter ended with a 24-17 lead for Aquatic
The Jefferson group had trouble finding the basket in the second stanza, only scoring four points. In addition, Aquatic hustled to win almost every 50/50 loose ball. They led 38-21 at halftime, getting eight points from the only non-Division II player in the lineup, recent Gwynedd Mercy Academy graduate Brooke Evans (Stevens Institute of Technology)
Two field goals at the start of the third quarter briefly pushed Aquatic’s lead over 20 points, at 42-21. Blackstar responded and ended up outscoring its rival for the period, but only 20-19. Helping the Jefferson cause were frequent trips to the foul line, where the summer Lady Rams shot 10-for-11
Still, Aquatic didn’t need to do much more than maintain the status quo, and they edged Blackstar, 11-9, in the fourth round to render the 68-50 final score. Junior point guard Amy Ngo (Upper Dublin H.S.) rang up a game-high 14 points, netting four three-pointers and then finishing up with a nifty reverse layup. Brown also reached double figures, with 11 points
Blackstar point guard Tori Nigro, a rising senior, scored all of her 12 points from the paint or the free-throw line. Sconza had 11 points for Blackstar, and sophomore forward Caleigh Sperling’s 10-point total included four-for-four foul-shooting
Missing 2026 GA grad Sylvie Harrington, Electric Pink (3-1) squeaked past Royal Crown (0-5), 59-58, thanks to 18 points apiece from two University of Scranton athletes, Marisa Francione (Conestoga H.S.) and Bridget Malloy (Archmere Academy). Royal, which includes Harrington’s GA classmate Fox, received a team-high 14 points from Liliana Metrick (Council Rock South/Widener U. ’29)
Another GA grad, Bowes, scored 10 points for the Electric Green ball club (3-1), but they lost to Sunburst (1-3) despite 16 points from Gwynedd Mercy University’s Brianna McFadden. Sunburst, with many current Ursinus College players, picked up its first win as junior Ruth O’Keefe (Council Rock North) hit five of six free throws and totaled 17 points
Arcadia U. junior Taylor Koenig bagged six threes and scored 22 points, but her team, Jade (1-4), succumbed 72-63 to Purple Haze (2-3). PW alum McTamney had 11 points for the victors and Chestnut Hill College senior Bry Hicks added four
