Allentown runs past Westampton Tech

ALLENTOWN » Tempo is a tremendous part of what has made the Allentown High girls basketball team so strong this season, not only because of the tight defense coach Linda Weise’s team plays, but also because of the players’ ability for widespread scoring.

When both those factors are working well, the Redbirds can be unstoppable.

Such was the case Wednesday when seventh-seeded Westampton Tech visited second-seeded Allentown in NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III Tournament action.

When the Panthers responded to the home team’s opening surge, the Redbirds did them one better, erupting for a 36-point first quarter which spurred A’town on to an 83-47 win.

“We were all asking, ‘What just happened?’” Redbirds 5-foot-11 freshman Maddie McCrea said. “We were just amazed!”

Not nearly as amazed as the West Tech players, who had shook off Allentown’s 6-0 start to pull within, 10-8. When Ryan Weise hit the first of her three 3-point field goals in the game, the Panthers’ Taylor Warner came off the bench and hit a jump shot in the lane to make it 13-10 with 4:45 left in the quarter.

Then it happened. Beginning with an over-the-defense layup to Hadley Borkowski, the Redbirds went on a 23-3 closing run for the remainder of the quarter. By the time Weise hit her second trey, then came up with a steal and assist to Lauren Coiante, A’town had a 22-12 lead with 3:20 remaining.

The scoring did not stop there as the Redbirds added 14 more points to one (a late free throw by Ayda Washington) by the Panthers to propel Allentown to a 3613 lead by the time the first eight minutes ended.

Six players scored for the home team during that surge. Five of them had at least four points.

“Linda has a group of disciplined young ladies,” said Westampton Tech head coach Darrell White, who used to coach at McCorristin and Rancocas Valley Highs. “I have four seniors, but most of our players coming in were freshmen and sophomores.”

With 6-foot-2 sophomore Ciara Brannon sidelined with a knee injury, the Panthers could not contain all of A’town’s options.

Besides senior guard Ryan Weise, who just missed out on a triple-double in three quarters of play with a game-high 25 points, 10 assists and eight steals, McCrea had her best game of the season with 20 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three steals and a blocked shot.

“We just got to run and do what we love this game,” McCrea said. “I’m happy we get to redeem ourselves in the state tournament (after losing in the semifinals of the Mercer County Tournament). We have four seniors who are just fabulous. I will do whatever I can to help them win this.”

The uptempo style was equally appreciated by Coiante, a junior guard who scored 14 points, while senior forward Katie White contributed nine points.

West Tech was led by Kyla Watkins’ 15 points, but it was not enough to keep the visitors in step with an Allentown team which had 27 steals and 37 field goals in the game to set up Friday’s 5:30 p.m. home CJ III semifinal showdown with third-seeded Steinert (21-6), which defeated sixthseeded Neptune, 68-29.

SiSmith 2-3-7, KWatkins 6-3-15, Gyamfi 3-0-6, TayWarner 2-0-5, Washington 2-2-7, Caggiano 0-0-0, Price 0-1-1, London 1-1-3, Sutphin 1-0-3, Howell 0-0-0.

17-10-47.

Totals —

Weise 10-2-25, Borkowski 3-0-6, KWhite 4-1-9, Hartshorn 1-2-4, Coiante 7-0-14, Carotenuto 0-1-1, McCrea 10-0-20, Dona 0-0-0, O’Keefe 0-0-0, Conti 0-0-0, MForman 2-0-4, Leach 0-0-0, Borgese 0-0-0.

Totals —

37-6-83.

Westmptn(17-7) 13 Allentown(23-3) 36 3-point goals — 10 20 9 14 15 — 13 — 47 83

TayWarner, Washington, Sutphin (WT), Weise 3 (A).