BETHLEHEM – Before one of the most successful girls basketball seasons in Lake-Lehman history came to an end Wednesday night with a 54-34 loss to Monsignor Bonner-Archibishop Prendergast from Philadelphia at Freedom High School, the Lady Knights completed a steady climb.
Seniors Madison Borum, Savannah Purdy and Corinna Scoblick were there each step of the way as Lake-Lehman rose through the ranks of the Wyoming Valley Conference and District 2 before posting just the second state tournament win in program history and the first in 35 years.
“Naturally, you always want to move on but for this group of kids, I’m so satisfied,” Lake-Lehman coach Charlie Lavan said. “They started out as sophomores and they had seven wins. Their junior year, they had 13. Their senior year, they had 20.
“If they learned anything, it’s that hard work and persistence definitely pays off. I’m very satisfied with this team.”
Lake-Lehman opened the season by beating eventual WVC Division 1 and District 2-4 Class 6A Subregional champion Hazleton Area, another team that went to the second round of the state tournament. The Lady Knights went 14-3 in the WVC to tie for second in Division 2. They advanced to the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza for the first time and had the lead on Lackawanna League Division 1 champion Scranton Prep in the final minute before falling just short of a district title.
The final loss was less suspenseful.
Lake-Lehman held its only leads Wednesday at 2-0 and 4-3. It was tied for the last time at 7-7 before Bonner-Prendergast closed the first quarter with an 11-2 run.
The Pandas shot 7-for-17 from 3-point range, with four different players making them.
Lake-Lehman pounded the offensive boards for nine of its first 16 points. But after Borum had six offensive rebounds in the first half and Sarah Salus had five, the Lady Knights did not get another until the subs were on the floor finishing out the game in the final 2:32.
While the Pandas got the most out of their advantages – perimeter ball handling and shooting – their defense collapsed and eliminated the Lady Knights’ inside edge.
Lavan credited the effectiveness of the Bonner-Prendergast’s double teams.
Borum, who finished with 10 rebounds, and Salus, who had nine rebounds, shared the team scoring lead with eight points. Purdy had seven points while leading the team with three assists and matching Scoblick for the lead in steals with two.
“I thought we did a great job on the offensive boards in the first half,” Lavan said. “They kind of took that away in the second half.”
Borum, who had 35 points, including the 1,000th of her high school career in the first-round state win, got inside help from Salus. It was putbacks by Salus that produced the game’s first points and its final tie.
“Sarah did a nice job on the offensive boards,” Lavan said. “She’s been doing that all year for us.”
