Radnor uses its time off wisely and rolls past PJP II
ROYERSFORD » In its final game of their Central League season, the Radnor girls basketball team allowed a season-high 75 points in an embarrassing 32-point loss to league champion Springfield. Following that game, the Raiders had 10 days to stew before beginning district play Tuesday night against Pope John Paul II.
It was clear from the get-go that Radnor spent that time working on that defense.
Despite being on the road, the ninth-seeded Raiders jumped out to an early 16-point lead and never looked back in a 6245 victory over the eighth-seeded Golden Panthers in the opening round of the District 1 Class 5A girls basketball tournament.
Radnor’s reward is a date with top-seeded and undefeated Henderson (25-0) Friday night in the quarterfinals. The winner advances to the PIAA tournament while the loser heads to the playback round for one of the two remaining spots out of District 1.
If Radnor can duplicate Tuesday’s complete performance, it may be Henderson with its hands full. Offensively, the Raiders shot 68 percent (17-for25) from the foul line and registered assists on 15 of their 22 field goals.
Defensively, the Raiders were dominant early and often, forcing nine first-quarter turnovers and running out to an early 18-2 lead on the strength of 10 points from sophomore Ellie Mueller. Starting center Holly Holtsberg added an early putback and shut down PJP’s inside game with three blocks and several rebounds.
“Defense was a huge emphasis,” said Mueller. “We had time to work, time to prepare and really study our opponents. We switched from man to zone and back to man, and I think that allowed us to create some of the turnovers.”
The second quarter was more of the same. After Grace Cobaugh’s three-point play gave the Panthers life in the early going, Radnor went on another 10-2 run, taking a 32-11 lead into the break. By the end of the half, Radnor had limited the Panthers to four field goals and frustrated PJP into 15 turnovers.
“We saw they were quick, we wanted to get out on their shooters,” said Radnor coach Mark Jordan. “Springfield hit 13 threes on us last game — can’t have that happen again. We didn’t let their shooters get many good looks tonight.”
The Panthers showed life in third quarter, cutting Radnor’s lead as low as 14 behind 10 points from Kayla Mesaros, but the Raiders would again turn to their suffocating defense to put the game away in the fourth quarter.
Mueller would finish with 20 points, establishing herself as the team’s go-to finisher on the inside and outside. Her eight field goals included the Raiders’ only 3-pointer of the night.
“Last year, as a freshman I was more focused on rebounding, playing in the paint,” she said. “This year, I’ve expanded my game a bit to play on the outside.”
Sydney D’Entremont and freshman Brienne Williams both had career nights with 15 points each to give the Raiders five wins in their last six games heading into Friday’s showdown with Henderson.
“We know we’ve got our hands full,” said Jordan. “But if we get the kind of play we got tonight— on both ends—I’m confident that we can play with anybody.”