LEHMAN TWP. — Lake-Lehman’s three-season reign as divisional champion all but came to an end Monday. The Black Knights, though, went down battling to the end.
The difference was two runs Holy Redeemer had in the second half. The first extended the lead to double digits. The second closed out a 60-49 victory in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 girls basketball game.
Redeemer improved to 8-0 in the division and 13-4 overall. Lehman fell to 4-3 in the division and 9-7 overall.
While Redeemer still has four divisional games to play, its lead over the rest of the division appears comfortable considering the remaining opponents.
“It’s pretty much wrapped up for us,” Redeemer coach John Jezorwski said. “We have a two-game lead and everybody else has at least two losses. We still have two tough games left. We have Nanticoke and we have Sem to come.”
Lehman’s focus now turns to seeding in the District 2 Class 3A playoffs and fighting for second place in the division. The top-two teams in each division will play in the WVC playoff scheduled for Feb. 13-17.
“We’re playing for district seed and an outside chance of making the conference playoffs as the two team,” Lehman coach Charlie Levan said. “We have to win out. But credit to Redeemer. They’re a very good basketball team. They’re deep, they’re quick, they’re well coached.”
Lehman was down by as much as 10 in the third quarter when Ella Wilson brought the Black Knights back into the game. Her basket off a steal with 1:53 left in the period cut Redeemer’s lead to 29-26. Redeemer then took advantage of a series of miscues to score eight consecutive points in a 32-second span.
“We had a point where we cut into the lead really good,” Levan said. “Then turnovers, telegraphed passes, this and that. And right back to digging out of a hole again. Twice we dug out of a hole and then we went right back in it.”
Wilson then continued her 32-point, 12-rebound night into the fourth quarter as Lehman made one final push. A 3-pointer by Olivia Oliver — the only Lehman basket not scored by Wilson or Brenna Hunt — moved the Black Knights within 49-44 with 2:11 remaining.
Redeemer, though, kept attack. Bella Boylan took a fullcourt pass in stride, breaking the press to finish off a layup. Her corner 3-pointer with 1:14 left pretty much ended any comeback hopes by Lehman.
Redeemer had three players finish in double figures. Brooke Kroptavich had 15 along with eight rebounds. Boylan scored 13 and McKenzie Chimoch had 12.
Hunt had 13 for Lehman as she and Wilson combined for all but four of the Black Knights’ points.
Holy Redeemer 60, Lake-Lehman 49
HOLY REDEEMER (60) — Bella Boylan 6 0-0 13, Brooke Kroptavich 7 1-2 15, Lucie Racicky 0 1-2 1, Angelina Corridoni 3 0-0 6, McKenzie Chimoch 4 4-5 12, Gillian Parsons 3 1-2 7, Megan Albrecht 2 1-3 6. Totals 25 8-14 60.
LAKE-LEHMAN (49) — Delcia Biscotto 0 0-0 0, Brenna Hunt 4 5-9 13, Ella Wilson 11 9-10 32, Molly Jenkins 0 1-2 1, Kathryn Morgan 0 0-0 0, Olivia Oliver 1 0-0 3. Totals 16 16-21 49.
Holy Redeemer`8`15`15`22 — 60
Lake-Lehman`4`8`15`22 — 49
Three-point goals — HR 2 (Boylan, Albrecht). LL 2 (Wilson, Oliver).
