Wright, Novotni lead Sun Valley past Phoenixville

Brielle Wright and the Sun Valley girls basketball team pulled out an improbable 73-68 victory over Phoenixville Saturday.

The Vanguards trailed by 16 points at halftime, but they never quit. SV outscored the visiting Phantoms 23-4 in the third quarter thanks in part to 11 consecutive points by Nora Novotni.

Sun Valley (7-8) fended off a relentless full-court press by Phoenixville (10-6) in the fourth quarter. The visiting Phantoms were two days removed from an 84-42 win against Methacton.

“(We) trailed 21-16 after the first period. I told them we could not play at this pace today,” Sun Valley coach Tony Zambino said “Oh how wrong I was.”

Wright made four 3-point field goals on the way to a 25-point performance. She hit a buzzer-beating trey to give SV a 47-44 lead after three periods. Novotni supplied 18 points and Alison Riley accumulated 10 points, five assists and four steals. Samantha Baron scored five of her career-high nine points in the fourth, while Luci Damico chipped in with nine points and nine rebounds.

In other nonleague action: SACRED HEART 47, UPPER DARBY 39 » Keara McCaffrey tallied 11 of her 17 points after halftime for the Lions, who shot 17-for-28 from the free-throw line.

Maya Walker, who tallied seven of her nine in the fourth quarter, hit a big 3-pointer to give SH the lead with 3:20 to go. The Lions went 7-for-7 at the line to seal the victory.

Megan Donahue tallied 12 of her 13 points in the second half for SH. Upper Darby was carried by Mia Wilson, who finished with 17 points. BONNER & PRENDERGAST 49, PERKIOMEN SCHOOL 42 » Riley Donahue scored six of her game-high 20 points in overtime for the Pandas. Emily Riehl hit a clutch 3-pointer in the extra session.

Taylor Eagan compiled 11 points, six rebounds and five steals. Leah Walker added 10 points. PENNCREST 59, OWEN J. ROBERTS 33

» Bailey Garrison (13 points), Lila Curci (12), Kathryn Harding (12) and Emily Huggins (11) all reached double figures in scoring for the Lions. Curci played an exceptional defense.

LOWER MERION 50, ACADEMY PARK

44 » Emani Banks led the Knights with 12 points. Kiala Bright had 11.

Morgan Walters had a gamehigh 19 points for the Aces.

In the Central League: RIDLEY 50, MARPLE NEWTOWN 36 » Kyla Carney poured in 27 points (and hit five 3-pointers) and Kailyn Bell added 10 for the Green Raiders, who won their fifth straight game.

Ellie Dibona scored a team-high 13 points for the Tigers.

In the Inter-Ac League: GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 63, AGNES IRWIN 43 » Simone Harvey drilled four 3s and ended with 14 points, but the Owls fell to the Patriots.

Boys

Blaise Eldridge poured in 22 points to lead Sun Valley past Ridley, 62-60, in nonleague action.

Kaiden Robinson and Marvin Freeman had 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Vanguards. Luke Showalter paced the Green Raiders with 16 points.

CHESTER 64, WILLIAM PENN 54 » On the day Barclay Street in Chester was renamed Cliff Wilson Way in honor of the first coach to lead the program to a state championship, Dom Toy scored a career-high 19 points for the sizzling Clippers (131). Jaseir Thompson tossed in 10 points.