Cecelia Collins made the all-tournament team for her efforts Saturday and Sunday when the Bucknell University women’s basketball team captured the TD Bank Classic Championship in Burlington, Vt.
Tournament Most Valuable Player Taylor O’Brien and Collins, a freshman from Scranton Prep and the NEPA Elite Clark 17U AAU team, led the way as the Bison shot 54.9 percent in Sunday’s 68-53 championship game victory over host Vermont.
O’Brien made all four of her 3-point attempts while scoring 24 points. Collins was 6-for-9 from the floor, including 2-for-3 on 3-pointers, while adding 15 points.
The weekend victories gave Bucknell (4-2) a three-game winning streak going into Wednesday’s 6 p.m. home opener against St. Francis University of Pennsylvania.
“I thought it was the most cohesive offense we’ve run all year,” Bucknell coach Trevor Woodruff, who previously coached locally, including at the University of Scranton, said, according to a story on the school’s website. “The ball was popping, cuts were sharp, and shots finally started to fall.
“I think six road games to start the year has had an effect. We haven’t gotten into a good rhythm shooting. Sometimes, when you get into those home games it can help you.”
Collins had 13 points, 5 rebounds and a steal in Saturday’s 64-59, first-round victory over North Dakota.
Vermont scored on the first shot of Sunday’s final.
Collins then did all the scoring in a 10-2 run to put Bucknell ahead to stay, 10-4. She made her first four shots, including two 3-pointers, in the first 3:19.
The Bison led, 25-12, after one quarter.
Collins finished with two rebounds, two assists, a blocked shot and a steal.
The 6-foot guard has 44 points, at least 13 in each game, during the three-game winning streak. Collins is averaging 11.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.5 blocked shots and 0.3 steals. She is shooting 24-for-48 (50.0 percent) from the floor, 9-for-21 (42.9 percent) on 3-pointers and 11-for-13 (84.6) from the foul line.
