Northampton, Freedom meet again after January nail-biter
DISTRICT 11 CLASS 6A CHAMPIONSHIP Matchup: No. 1 seed Northampton Konkrete Kids vs. No. 2 Freedom Patriots.
When/Where: 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Easton Middle School following 6 p.m. third-place game between Nazareth and Parkland.
What’s next: PIAA first round playoffs on March 8: District 11 champion vs. District 1 No. 11; No. 2 vs. District 1 No. 6.; No. 3 vs. District 1 No. 4; No. 4 vs. District 1 No. 3. FREEDOM (22-4, 13-3) All-time District 11 record: 23-17 in
21st appearance; 3-1 in finals. Head-to-head: Northampton beat Freedom 58-57 on Jan. 8 and has won 10 of the last 12 after Freedom won 11 straight over the K-Kids. The Patriots are 3-0 vs. K-Kids in district play including last year’s quarterfinal win when Freedom outscored Northampton 16-0 in overtime.
Coach: Dean Reiman (104-110, ninth season overall; 65-36 in four seasons at Freedom; District 11 playoffs 6-3, 1 championship).
Projected starters: 5-10 Jr. F Jen Kokolus (15.2 ppg), 5-2 So. G Corrine Gill (6.7 ppg), 5-7 So. G Brenna Ortwein (9.0 ppg), 5-7 Fr. G Kailey Turpening (9.1 ppg), 5-5 So. G Jewel Levy.
About the Patriots: Have won 14 of last 15 with only loss to Bethlehem Catholic, 44-39, in EPC semifinals. …Terrific comeback after nine straight non-winning seasons ended in 2017 and needs one more win to tie school record for most wins in back-to-back seasons. … Both seniors on opening day roster, a starter and first player off the bench, were no longer with team as of the district playoffs. … The No. 2 seed has won 14 of the previous 47 titles including Freedom last season.
Did you know?: Kokolus’ mother, Ann, scored 562 points for Northampton from 1982-1986 playing under coach Mike Schneider. … Reiman is 13 wins away from being Freedom’s all-time leader in girls basketball coaching victories. NORTHAMPTON (23-4, 14-2) All-time District 11 record: 37-24 in
27th appearance, 4-5 in finals. Coach: Jeff Jacksits 249-146, 15th season; District 11 playoffs 19-11 in 12th appearances, 2 championships). Projected starters: 6-0 Sr. F Jenna Rogers (15.1 ppg), 5-10 Sr. C Gabby Demchak, 5-7 Sr. G Victoria Keenan (19.3 ppg, 66 3s, 238 3s), 5-7 So. G Morgan Sterner (12.1 ppg, 21 3s), 5-8 Fr. G Kylie Gillard (5.4 ppg). About the Konkrete Kids: Just the third time they’ve been a No. 1 seed, won in 1995 and lost in 1996, both to Central Catholic in the title game. … Keenan’s 32 points in the semifinal win over Parkland are the most for a K-Kid girl in district competition since Laura Newhard (2,236 career points) tallied 33 in a 68-41 win over Central Catholic in the 1995 title game.
Did you know?: The No. 1 seed has won 17 of the 47 titles in the highest class but none since Pleasant Valley won its only championship, 37-29, over No. 6 Easton in 2003. … No. 1 has won 12 of its 19 title-game meetings against the No. 2 seed.
Tom Mugavero’s prediction: If it’s anything like the regular-season matchup then we’re in for a doozy. Gotta love the way Freedom utilizes its selfless and efficient motion offense while K-Kid all-state guard Keenan, one of the flashiest players to ever grace a Lehigh Valley basketball court, is just fun to watch. Freshmen will play big roles for both teams. … Freedom 55-54.