Gianna Delfino produced the first triple-double by a Misericordia University women’s basketball player since 2013 as part of an award-winning opening week of the season.
Delfino, a 5-foot-11 senior forward/guard from Dunmore, was honored Monday as the first Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom Player of the Week for her play in the team’s first two wins. She then helped Misericordia improve to 3-0 Tuesday.
Misericordia won its two opening-week games with fourth-quarter comebacks, then ran away with a 70-36 victory over Keystone Tuesday night.
Through three games, Delfino is leading Misericordia in nearly every statistical category, including playing 91 minutes.
Delfino is the top scorer (17.7 points per game) and rebounder (11.7). She is the most accurate 3-point shooter at 4-for-9 (44.4 percent) and free throw shooter at 13-for-14 (92.9 percent) while also attempting and making the most free throws. She leads in rebounds on each end of the floor with 17 on offense and 18 on defense. Delfino also leads the Cougars with 17 steals, 13 blocked shots and 11 assists.
Morgan Haefele, a 5-4 senior guard from Mid Valley, has also started all three games.
Skylar Bianchi, a 6-foot senior forward from Valley View, came off the bench in two of the three wins.
Misericordia opened Nov. 8 with a 61-56 win over Lebanon Valley in which it used a 20-10 fourth quarter to reverse a five-point deficit.
Delfino had 16 points, 11 rebounds and 7 blocked shots.
Haefele contributed five points, five rebounds and four assists. Bianchi grabbed seven rebounds in just eight minutes.
The Cougars won at SUNY New Paltz Saturday, beating a team that had been 2-0 by coming from 13 down in the third quarter for a 65-60 win.
Misericordia outscored New Paltz, 20-8, in the fourth quarter.
Haefele hit a 3-pointer in a 9-0 run that started the comeback.
The Cougars were still down seven before Delfino opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer.
Delfino had 12 points in the fourth quarter while finishing off her triple-double of 25 points, 13 rebounds and 11 steals. She also had five assists and four blocked shots.
The game was tied, 60-60, until Delfino hit the game-winning layup, made a steal and added another.
In Tuesday’s win over Keystone, Delfino had 12 points, 11 reobunds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocked shots.
