Womhoops Guru

Mel Greenberg covered college and professional women’s basketball for the Philadelphia Inquirer, where he worked for 40 plus years. Greenberg pioneered national coverage of the game, including the original Top 25 women's college poll. His knowledge has earned him nicknames such as "The Guru" and "The Godfather," as well as induction into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Philly Summer League: Fairbanks' 35 Points Keeps Hunter Green in the Mix

By Mel Greenberg

Saint Joseph's junior Sarah Fairbanks scored a league-season-best 35 points Thursday night to spur Hunter Green to a 78-62 win over Orange to remain in the upper half of the Philadelphia/Suburban Women's NCAA Summer Basketball League standings.

The five teams that completed their eighth night of competition at Kelly Bolish Gym, home of the AAU Renegades in Hatboro, Pa., in lower Bucks County reached the three-quarter mark on the 12-game schedule whi8le the other eight will get to that point after Tuesday's action.

Two other players hit the 20 or more points in nightly individual achievement milestones.

Division II West Chester star senior Mariah Powell scored 26 for the White squad in a lopsided 102-62 win over Red while former Division II Holy Family star Meghan Gibson out of Archbishop Ryan scored 25 for the first-place and still unbeaten Gold squad which despite having only six players available still pulled out an 83-62 win over Navy Blue as the first four teams all held their spots with wins.

The performancs of the three mentioned players are among the top six in the competition, which is held at the complex that is part of Willow Grove Industrial Commons by the Pennsylvania Tunrpike.

The Guru was not on the scene, having flown here to Phoenix for Saturday's WNBA All-Star game but will return on a red-eye early Monday morning and will be back for Tuesday night's action as well as Thursday this week.

That is one of several reasons for a delay in the report, written from the Arizona desert, but it was sustainable considering there is a long break from Thursday until the league plays again on Tuesday.

There was not much movement in the standings, there is still a clear break after the eighth position that would determine all the playoff squads if the season ended right now, which it doesn't.

So winless Royal Blue (0-7), which was idle, still has a chance, though trailing No. 8 Orange (3-4) by 3.5 games with five games left on Royal's schedule.

When it returns to action, Royal on Tuesday night meets Purple ((3-5) on Court 1 in one of the three opening games among the nightly trio of doubleheaders.

Out of the mix right now but still in playoff contention are 12th-place Red, which is 1.5 games behind Orange, the 10th place duo of Kelly Green and Navy Blue, which are a game back, and No. 9 Purple, which is just a half-game back.

Sewing the Seeds

Here's how the standings shape up right now in determining seed positions, especially off breaking ties.

Gold (7-0), White (6-1), Maroon (6-2), and Hunter Green (5-3) hold the first four slots uncontested.

Sky Blue (4-3) and Black (4-3) are tied for fifth but because the two have yet to meet head-to-head, Sky Blue gets the fifth slot because of a better quality win, having beaten third-place Maroon.

Pink is alone in seventh at 4-4 while Orange barely holds on to the eighth spot at 3-4.

Purple is alone in ninth at 3-5, while Kelly Green wins the 10th-place tiebreaker with Navy Blue because of a head-to-head win, which occurred in overtime.

Red and Royal Blue bring up the rear with uncontested poitions at 12th and 13th.

A Life in Stripes

In a note to the Guru from co-director Steve Michielli, who has been filling in for Commissioner David Kessler during the commissioner's rehab from hip replacement surgery, Michielli says this is his 50th year as a referee -- he also works games in the league.

Michielli said he started when the women played the old six-player system under which only two players called rovers could cross the half-court while among the remaining four, two played offense and two played defense.

They could only dribble the ball three times or it was a violation.

"They've come a long way," Michielli said.

He also worked one of WNBA All-Star Elena Delle Donne's early high school games involving Ursuline Academy when she scored 42 points and has been following her career ever since.

Delle Donne was rookie of the year in 2013 coming out of her collegiate life as an All-American at Delaware but the Chicago Sky center has been sidelned in recent weeks becuse of a recurrence of Lyme Disease.

Thursday's Recaps

White 102, Red 62 --
In this blowout by the Division II West Chester squad after Powell's 25 points noted in the opening segment, four other Golden Rams also scored in double figures for White (6-1).

Junior Dallas Ely snd senior Kendall Benovy each scored 14 points -- Ely also zipped three 3-pointers through the nets -- while junior Brittany Sicinski out of Downingtown West and sophomore Emily Torrance of Henderson High each scored 3 points.

Red (2-6) got 15 points from Oneonta State sophomore Brianna Spector, who also starred at Upper Dublin, while Calypso Carty, a Utica College sophomore out of Central Bucks West scored 13 points. Ely also knocked down a pair of 3-pointers.

Black 56, Purple 39 -- The winners, who are also Division II Phildelphia University, got 18 points, including a pair of treys, from senior Najah Jacobs, a former Central star, to lead Black (4-3), while sophomore Mary Newell and Rams sophomore Kelsey Jones out of Mount St. Joseph's each scored nine points with all of Jones' points courtesy of hitting on a trio of 3-point attempts.

Purple (3-5) got 12 points all courtesy of four treys from Division Three Scranton senior Lia DiScasciascio who played at Archbishop Ryan, while Jaclyn Gantz, a Scranton sophomore out of Haverford High, scored 11 points.

Hunter Green 78, Orange 62 -- Besides Fairbanks' big game with 35 for Hunter Green (5-3), Taylor Walker, an incoming Holy Family freshman from Delsea Regional in South Jersey, scored 14 points with a pair of treys, and Holy Family junior Erin Fenningham out of St. Basil scored 1 points, including one 3-pointer.

Orange (3-4), which struggled to make shots, was paced by 17 points from Kelsey Watson, a Division II Kutzteown sophomore out of Methacton High, while Amanda Fioravanti, a Saint Joseph's sophomore scored 14 points.

The Bonenberger sisters, who went to Northampton High, also scored in double figures for Orange as Penn senior Kara collected 11 points and Alyssa of Kutztown scored 10 points.

Gold 83, Navy Blue 62 -- Holding firm behind Gibson's 25 points mentioned in the open passage of information, Gold (7-0) also got 16 points from Jasmine Elum, a Bethune-Cookman graduate out of Bodine High, while Stephanie Leone, a University of Delaware sophomore,scored 15 points, and Darby Festa, a Division III Haverford sophomore out of Cherry Hill East.

Lauren Gold, a Shippensburg sophmore out of Abington Friends, scored 11 points and hit three 3-pointers for Navy Blue (2-5) and Saint Joseph's sophomore Kathleen Fitzpatrick had nine points off three 3-pointers.

Maroon 55, Pink 36 -- Division III Delaware Valley junior Brittany Wood out of Archbishop Ryan, scored 14 points and knocked down four treys while Molly Rubin, a Kenyon College junior out of Princeton Day School scored nine points for Maroon (6-2), and Ryann Fiascki, an East Stroudsburg senior out of Archbishop Carroll, scored eight points.

Pink (4-4), which is also Division II University of the Sciences of Philadelphia, got 13 points and three threes from 2020-targeted senior Sarah Abbonizio of Episcopal Academy, a total matched by Devils teammate and sophomore Brianne Traub.

From the enhanced report of the game from USP's Bob Heller, Pink had juat one field goal in the second half when Maroon used a 14-1 run to pull away.

Sky Blue 70, Kelly Green 55 -- Megan Gallagher, a recent DeSales graduate who also played at St. Basil, scored 13 points for Sky Blue (4-3), which pulled into a fifth place tie, while teammate Jenna Swope, a Division III Gettysburg senior out of Archbishop Wood matched the total.

Brittany Keyes, a Gettysburg senior also out of Archbishop Wood, added 11 points and made three treys for Sky Blue.

Kelly Louin, a Villanova incoming freshman from Mount St. Joseph's, scored 17 points with a pair of treys for Kelly Green (2-5), which is mired near the bottom of the standings, while Villanova sophomore Megan Quinn from Episcopal, scored 13 points.

Newly acquired Vickie Tumasz, a North Penn recent graduate who is heading for Shippensburg, had six points off a pair of 3-pointers.

Individual Scoring Performances
(20 or more points)

35 pts. -- Sarah Fairbanks, Hunt. Grn(W) vs. Orange, July 17
31 pts. -- Jasmine Elum, Gold (W) vs. Maroon, July 1
27 pts. -- Samantha Stipa, Purple (W) vs. H.G., June 26
26 pts. -- Mariah Powell, White (W) vs. Red, July 17
26 pts. -- Courtney Brown, Maroon (W) vs. R. Blue, July 2
25 pts. -- Meghan Gibson, Gold (W) vs. Navy Blue, July 17
24 pts. -- Jasmine Elum, Gold (W) vs Hunter Green, June 24
24 pts. -- Erin Fenningham, Hunt. Green (W) vs. N.B., July 1
24 pts. -- Alexis Smith, Gold (W) vs. Maroon, July 1
24 pts. -- Brianne Traub, Pink (W) vs. Royal Blue, July 10
23 pts. -- Lexi Scrivano, Kelly Green (L) vs. White, June 24
22 pts. -- Mariah Powell, White (W) vs. Kelly Green, June 24
22 pts. -- Alex Smith, Gold (W) vs. Orange, June 26
22 pts. -- Brianne Traub, Pink (L) vs. Sky Blue, July 1
21 pts. -- Alex Smith, Gold (W) vs. Hunter Green, June 24.
21 pts. -- Jasmine Elum, Gold (W) vs. Orange, June 26
21 pts. -- Chelsea Woods,Nav Blu (L-OT),vs.Kelly Grn, July 8
21 pts. -- Amanda Fioravanti, Orange (L) vs. Maroon,July 10
21 pts. -- Natalie Stella, Pink (W) vs. Royal Blue, July 10
21 pts. -- Sarah Fairbanks, Hunt Grn (L) vs. White, July 14
21 pts. -- Ciara Andrews, Royal Blue (L) vs. Gold, July 14
20 pts. -- Brittany Sicinski, White (W), vs. R.B., June 26
20 pts. -- Lauren Crisler, Gold (W), vs. White, July 10
20 pts. -- Natasha Cloud, Gold (W), vs. Royal Blue, July 14

Running Tracker for Playoff Seeds and Tiebreakers
Placements now reflect seeds for most teams but not all if the season ended today, which it doesn't

Gold (7-0): H.G. (W), Orange (W), Maroon (W), Purple (W), White (W), R.B. (W), N.B. (W)
White (6-1): K.G.(W), R.B. (W), Purple (W), S.B.(W), Gold (L), H.G.(W), Red (W),
Maroon (6-2): Red (W), K.G. (W-F), Gold (L), R.B. (W), S.B. (L), Orange (W), N.B. (W), Pink (W)
Hunter Green (5-3) Gold (L), Purp. (L), N.B. (W), Pink (W), Red (W), vs. Black (W), White (L), Orange (W)
Sky Blue: (4-3) R.B.(W), Pink (L), White (L), Maroon(W), Purple (W), Orange (L), K.G. (W)
Black (4-3): Pink (L), Red (L), Orange (W), K.G. (W-F), R.B. (W), H.G. (L), Purple (W)
Pink (4-4): Black (W), N.B. (L), S.B. (W), H.G. (L), Orng (L ), R.B. (W), Red (W-OT), Maroon (L)
Orange (3-4): Gold (L), Black (L), Purple (W-F), Pink (W), Maroon (L), S.B. (W), H.G. (L)
Purple (3-5): N.B.(W), H.G.(W),White (L), Orange (L-F), Gold (L), S.B. (L), K.G. (W), Black (L)
Kelly Green (2-5): White (L), Maroon (L-F), Black (L-F), N.B. (W-OT), Red (W), Purple (L), S.B. (L)
Navy Blue (2-5): Purple (L), Pink (W),H.G.(L), Red (W), K.G. (L-OT), Maroon (L), Gold (L)
Red (2-6) Maroon (L), Black (W), R.B.(W), N.B. (L), H.G. (L), KG (L), Pink (L-OT), Gold (L)
Royal Blue (0-7): S.B. (L), White (L), Red (L), Maroon (L), BLack (L), Pink (L), Gold (L).

Standings (Thru Monday, July 21)

Team, W-L, Pct., G.B., Pts., Opp Pts.

Gold, 7-0, 1.000, --, 556 426
White, 6-1, .857, 1.0, 534 364
fw-Maroon, 6-2, .750, 1.5, 439 281
Hunter Green, 5-3, .625, 2.5, 490 524
Sky Blue, 4-3, .571, 3.0, 450 372
w-Black, 4-3, .571, 3.0, 320 298
Pink, 4-4, .500, 3.5, 430 436
Orange, 3-4, .429, 4.0, 340 385
fl-Purple, 3-5, .375, 4.5, 388 401
fl(2)-Kelly Green, 2-5, .286, 5.0, 291 360
Navy Blue, 2-5, .286, 5.0, 436 462
Red, 2-6, .333, 5.5, 444 537
Royal Blue, 0-7, .000, 7.0, 377 552

fw -- includes forfeit win, fl -- includes forfeit loss

Past Results

Thursday (July 17) Results

White (D2-West Chester) 102, Eed 62
Black (D2-Phila. U.) 56, Purple 39
Hunter Green 78. Orange 62
Gold 83, Navy Blue 83-62
Maroon 55, Pink (D2-USP) 36
Sky Blue 70, Kelly Green 55
Bye: Royal Blue

Tueaday (July 14) Results

White (D2-West Chester) 89, Hunter Green 37
Gold 79, Royal Blue 64
Pink (D2-USP) 64, Red 59, ovt.
Purple 62, Kelly Green 59
Orange 73, Sky Blue 72
Maroon 68, Navy Blue 61

Black (D2-Phila. U.), Bye

Thursday (July 10) Results

Maroon 53, Orange 47
Sky Blue 59, Purple 36
Kelly Green 59, Red 45
Gold 69, White(D2-West Chester) 47
Hunter Green 51, Black (D2-Phila. U) 43
Pink (D2-USP) 70, Royal Blue 50

Tuesday (July 8) Results

Black (D2-Phila. U.) 58, Royal Blue 56
Kelly Green 74, Navy Blue 70, ovt.
Orange 50, Pink (D2-USP) 49
Sky Blue 52, Maroon 47
Hunter Green 75, Red 60
Gold 77, Purple 57

Wednesday (July 2) Results

Hunter Green 51, Pink 47
Maroon 98, Royal Blue 48
White (D2-West Chester) 59, Sky Blue 48
Navy Blue 78, Red 52
Black 2, Kelly Green 0, forfeit
Orange 2, Purple 0, forfeit

Tuesday (July 1) Results

Hunter Green 69, Navy Blue 59
White (West Chester) 54, Purple 45
Gold 85, Maroon 68
Black (Phila. U.) 54, Orange 38
Pink (USP) 59, Sky Blue 56
Red 70, Royal Blue 57

Thursday (June 26) Results

Red 55, Black 54
White 84, Royal Blue 59
Gold 79, Orange 68
Purple 80, Hunter Green 50
Navy Blue 62, Pink 46
Maroon 2, Kelly Green 0 (forfeit)
Bye: Sky Blue

Tuesday (June 24) Results

Purple 69, Navy Blue 44
Maroon 48, Red 42
Sky Blue 93, Royal Blue 43
White (West Chester) 99, Kelly Green 44
Pink (USP) 59, Black (Phila. U.) 53
Gold 84, Hunter Green 59
Bye: Orange

Upcoming Schedule

Tuesday, July 22

7 pm.

Royal Blue (0-7) vs. Purple (3-5), Court 1
Navy Blue (2-5) vs. Black (4-3), Court 2
Gold (7-0) vs. Sky Blue (4-3), Court 3

8:15 p.m.

White (6-1) vs. Orange (3-4), Court 1
Hunter Green (5-3) vs. Maroon (6-2), Court 2
Pink (4-4) vs. Kelly Green (2-5), Court 3

Bye: Red

Thursday, July 24

7 p.m.

Kelly Green vs. Gold, Court 1
Maroon vs. Black, Court 2
Orange vs. Royal Blue, Court 3

8:15 p.m.

Sky Blue vs. Hunter Green, Court 1
Navy Blue vs. White, Court 2
Purple vs. Red, Court 3

Tuesday, July 29

7 p.m.

Red vs. Orange, Court 1
White vs. Maroon, Court 2
Hunter Green vs. Kelly Green, Court 3

8:15 p.m.

Royal Blue vs. Navy Blue, Court 1
Black vs. Sky Blue, Court Court 2
Gold vs. Pink, Court 3

Bye: Purple

That's it for this report.

-- Mel


- Posted using BlogPress from the Guru's iPad

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