The Schuylkill Valley girls basketball team saw its season end with a 63-41 loss to Bishop McDevitt in a District 3 Class 4A consolation semifinal and state qualifier Tuesday at Leesport.
The fourth-seeded Panthers (20-4) dug themselves an early hole against the ninth-seeded Crusaders (12-6) and were not able to make a comeback to earn a PIAA Tournament berth.
Bishop McDevitt scored the game’s first eight points to get an early jump on Schuylkill Valley. Kennedy O’Brien had six points for the Crusaders during the run.
Poor passing and sloppy ballhandling forced the Panthers to commit a handful of turnovers in the first quarter.
“We started off sloppy,” Schuylkill Valley coach Jason Bagenstose said. “We had plays that we were trying to work, but then we just got caught on turnovers. I think we had like seven or eight turnovers early in the first three or four minutes; a lot of dropping the ball. Then it seemed like the mistakes multiplied and you dig yourself a hole.”
Schuylkill Valley did not get a meaningful field goal attempt until Madison Ziska scored on a floater almost five minutes into the game. Bishop McDevitt closed the first quarter on an 11-1 run that ended on a deep Sophia Formica 3-pointer as time expired to give the Crusaders a 19-5 lead.
O’Brien had 10 first-quarter points and she finished with a game-high 25.
The offensive problems carried over for Schuylkill Valley in the second quarter as turnovers continued to be costly. The Crusaders made three consecutive 3-pointers to extend their lead to 36-15 at halftime.
“We knew at halftime we shouldn’t be down 20,” Bagenstose said. “Then the second half came and it was an even half. We struggled with consistency quarter to quarter, especially near the end of the year. My girls work hard all the time and they play hard. Sometimes we just make mistakes throughout the course of a game and then we look like world beaters for another couple minutes, so it’s been an up-and-down thing.”
Schuylkill Valley started to use the end-to-end play of Ziska to their advantage in the second half. The Panthers were able to get defensive rebounds and Ziska scored several layups using her speed to drive the basket.
Ziska had 12 second-half points.
The Panthers defense could not find an answer for O’Brien in the second half. O’Brien scored 14 second-half points and the Crusaders shot 9-of-11 from the foul line.
Even though the offense picked up for Schuylkill Valley, Bishop McDevitt still outscored the Panthers 27-26 in the second half.
Ziska finished with a team-high 19 points for Schuylkill Valley. She also had nine rebounds. Jadyn Heck-Hoppes, Lekaiah Soloman and Natane White each finished with six points for the Panthers.
Five seniors — Heck-Hoppes, Ziska, Solomon, Sarah Gilbert and Reese Camlin — played their last game for Schuylkill Valley and after the game Bagenstose reflected on the season and what those seniors have meant to the team.
“We all were emotional in there for the seniors’ last game,” Bagenstose said. “There wasn’t a dry eye in the team room and you kind of know at the end of a season if there’s not a dry eye in the place they’ve done something right. Their impact will be felt for years to come and I’m proud of them for that.”
The Panthers had an impressive regular season, finishing undefeated in league play and winning the Berks III title. Looking ahead to next season, Bagenstose said he knows his team will need to put the work in if they’re going to fill the shoes of the departing seniors.
“We always have a very active offseason,” Bagenstose said. “Some players know they need to step up next season, and we have some very talented younger players. Their time will come and you hope the next person steps up when it’s their turn. They’re going to start putting the time in and we’ll work with them. If you have your program where you want it to be you have to have that mentality of, ‘Well, now its your turn.’ ”
Source: Berkshire mont