Garnet Valley has no answers for No. 1 North Penn

Garnet Valley ran into another buzzsaw in the District 1 Class 6A girls basketball tournament. This time it was top-seeded North Penn that got the better of the fourth-seeded Jaguars.

The Knights used smothering defense and solid shooting to down the Jaguars, 53-25, in the play-back round Wednesday night.

University of the Sciences Jess Huber poured in recruit 24 points to lead North Penn (21-4), which will host second-seeded Boyertown in the fifth-place game Friday night.

“They just wore us down,” Garnet Valley coach Joe Woods said. “They’re a very good defensive team with a lot of shooters. They forced a lot of turnovers and made their shots.”

North Penn jumped out to a 17-6 lead in the first quarter, but Garnet Valley (22-4) managed to cut that deficit to 19-10 at halftime. The Knights, though, took the third quarter, 20-3, to spoil any thought the Jaguars had of making a comeback.

“They’re good,” Wood said of the Knights. “Don’t count them out. They’re going to make a run.”

Emily McAteer led Garnet Valley with 10 points. The Jaguars host 11th-seeded Council Rock North, a 40-38 loser to No. 2 Boyertown, in the seventh-place game Friday night.

District 12 Class 5A

Nearly a week off did not bother Archbishop Carroll.

The Patriots bounced back from last week’s loss to Archbishop Wood in the Catholic League semifinals with a 74-34 romp over Palumbo in the District 12 Class 5A third-place game at Archbishop Carroll.

Maggie Pina led a balanced attack for Carroll with 12 points. Theresa Kearney and Erin Sweeney pitched in with 10 points each. The Patriots scored 31 points in the first quarter to take control of the game from the start.

Carroll will face the loser of the District 1 Class 5A championship game between Springfield and Bishop Shanahan in the opening round of the PIAA Tournament Saturday, March 11.