NEPA Sports Nation

Cougars, Spartanettes reach final

Pictured above: Molly Murphy

Molly Murphy’s fast start toward a 21-point night got host Valley View out to a comfortable lead early on the way to a 53-37 victory over Lakeland Monday night in one of two opening round games of the Lou Camoni Memorial Girls Basketball Tournament.

Mid Valley defeated Carbondale, 51-25, in the opener and will face Valley View in Wednesday’s 6:30 final.

Lakeland and Carbondale will meet Wednesday at 5 to decide third place.

Murphy opened the scoring with a 3-pointer, hit another on her next attempt, then added a putback as she scored the first eight Valley View points.

The Cougars ran off an early streak of nine points to go up 12-2 on a floater in the lane by Ella Cooper and a post move by Alexa Evangelista.

Murphy closed the first-quarter scoring with another 3-pointer for a 15-4 lead. She was 4-for-5 from the floor, with three 3-pointers, for 11 points in the quarter.

The Cougars did not stop there.

Murphy and Lucy Loftus each scored a basket and grabbed an offensive rebound that they used to assist a teammate’s basket during an 8-2 start of the second quarter to open a 23-6 lead.

Cooper’s 3-pointer extended the lead to 28-10 and Valley View carried that margin into the half at 30-12.

Murphy made one of two free throws to open the second half for the game’s biggest lead.

Kaylyn Davis made five second-half 3-pointers while scoring all of her 16 points for Lakeland to cut into the deficit.

Davis had 10 points in less than 5 minutes to open the half, pulling the Lady Chiefs within 35-22. Her 3-pointer to begin the fourth quarter made it 41-30, but Lakeland could not get any closer.

Giada Costa, who finished with 11 points for Valley View, made four straight free throws and Evangelista kicked a rebound out to Murphy for her final 3-pointer in a 7-0 run that restored Valley View’s biggest lead at 51-32 with 2:49 left.

Evangelista chipped in eight points and Cooper seven for Valley View (5-3).

Elizabeth Pittsman had seven points and Alexia Bauer six for Lakeland (2-4).

Mid Valley 51, Carbondale 25

Krista Cortazar scored 11 points to lead a balanced attack that carried Mid Valley past Carbondale in the Camoni Memorial opener at Valley View.

Emily Tomsak added 10 points, Abbie Larson 9 and Natalie Barrett 8.

Caitlyn Burns scored seven points and Ashley Escott had six for Carbondale.

Cortazar hit the game’s only 3-pointer and scored five points while five teammates got involved in the scoring early during a 16-7 first quarter by the Spartanettes (2-4).

Tomsak had six points in the third quarter when Carbondale extended a 24-15 halftime lead to 37-20.

Cortazar had four more points and Mid Valley again got baskets from six different players during the fourth quarter.

Carbondale fell to 1-4.

MORE MONDAY NIGHT BASKETBALL COVERAGE

Honesdale Jaycees Girls Tournament: ‘Paupack to meet host Honesdale in final of Jaycees girls tournament – NEPA Sports Nation.

Taylor Lions Girls Tournament: Abington Heights, Riverside girls reach Taylor Lions championship – NEPA Sports Nation.

Honesdale Jaycees Boys Tournament: ‘Paupack boys make Jaycees final – NEPA Sports Nation.

Northwest-Tunkhannock boys game: Rangers halt Tigers’ streak, 58-54 – NEPA Sports Nation.

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