Garnet Valley’s Possenti saves best shot for last
CONCORD — Ava Possenti’s only basket of the night happened to be the biggest of her young high school career.
The Garnet Valley sophomore’s initial shot in the final seconds of the fourth quarter Saturday was blocked by Haverford’s Addison Brodnik. The ball deflected back into the waiting arms of Possenti, who didn’t move an inch from where she stood on the right wing.
She promptly swished a 15-foot jumper with seven seconds to play, providing the final points in the Jaguars’ 35-34 victory.
“I was actually really nervous because I wasn’t shooting too well in the game,” said Possenti, who provided valuable minutes off the bench for the Jaguars (8-1, 4-1 Central League.).
She went 0-for-5 from the floor with one point before her clutch basket in waning seconds. Despite her offensive struggles, Possenti played well on defense, coming away with three steals.
“I was hoping she wouldn’t block it again, but I just shot it and it went in,” she said. “It was a pretty good feeling.”
The win marked the fifth in a row for Garnet Valley, the reigning Central League and District 1 Class 6A champion. The new-look Jaguars, who boast five first-year starting players, suffered their first conference defeat in nearly two years Dec. 13 against Ridley.
On the opposite bench Saturday was a Haverford High team that also includes five first-year starters. Two of their players, junior forward/guard Brodnik and junior guard Chiara MacGillivray, were outstanding, particularly in the second half. MacGillivray banked four shots from beyond the arc and tallied nine of her game-high 17 points in the final period. Brodnik netted nine of her 15 points in the last quarter to go with four steals, three rebounds and one assist.
Ultimately this was a gut-check type of win for the Jags, who saw their 28-16 lead after the third quarter vanish thanks to a spirited comeback by the visiting Fords (5-4, 3-2).
“After they came back and scored to go up on us, we said that we need to stay together,” said senior guard and co-captain Abbey Anderson, who had six points, three rebounds and one steal. “We just had to look for the right shot and get the ball to the person who is open first.”
Haverford went on a 16-3 run in the fourth quarter to take its first lead at 34-31 with less than two minutes to play. MacGillivray drilled back-to-back 3-pointers, one to tie and another to put the Fords in front.
Junior center Liesl Dentinger made a pair of free throws to trim GV’s deficit to 34-33. After Brodnik missed the front end of a 1-and-1, Mikayla Anderson corralled a rebound and was fouled immediately. With the Fords in the penalty, Anderson headed to the free-throw line for two shots, but couldn’t hit on either. Luckily for the Jags, they maintained possession and enabled Possenti to come through with the winning bucket. A last-second half-court heave by Haverford’s Katie Redding was off the mark.
Possenti’s contributions were fitting. This Garnet Valley team doesn’t have the star power it had when enjoyed its stellar run of success over the prior four seasons. To have a chance to compete against some of the top teams in the Central League and throughout District 1 Class 6A, they must take an all-hands-on-deck approach to every game.
Possenti’s time to shine was Saturday night.
“She does so much for us coming off the bench,” said junior guard Kendall DiCamillo. She can relate to Possenti’s role on the team.
Known for her defensive prowess, DiCamillo was one of the top reserve players during the Jags’ run to the state final last winter. DiCamillo and Dentinger (10 rebounds) each scored a team-high 11 points Saturday.
“She makes the biggest plays when we need her the most, and she did it again tonight,” DiCamillo added.
Elsewhere in the Central League:
Radnor 53, Strath Haven 43 >> Senior forward Ellie Mueller carried the Raiders (6-1, 4-1) with 25 points, 13 rebounds and four steals. Junior guard Brienne Williams tossed in 11 points and seven assists.
Danielle McNeely (15 points), Faith Raymond (13) and Cayden Frazier (13) all reached double figures in scoring for the Panthers.
Springfield 46, Penncrest 19 >> Alexa Abbonizio tallied 14 of her game-high 20 points in the second quarter. The junior guard grabbed eight rebounds and had five steals.
Nine players scored at least two points for the Cougars (5-4, 5-0), who compiled 14 steals and outscored the Lions after the opening quarter, 40-13.
Alexis Calloway paced the Lions with eight points.
Ridley 66, Lower Merion 28 >> The Green Raiders (9-1, 6-0) rolled to their eighth consecutive win to remain in a first-place tie with Springfield.
Shannen Hinchey was on fire, scoring 17 of her 19 points in the first half. Dakota McCaughan sank four 3-point field goals and finished with 14 points.
Upper Darby 44, Conestoga 36 >> The visiting Royals blanked the Pioneers in the overtime session, 8-0. Aubrey Ennis had three points in the extra stanza, while Jasmine Forrester was 3-for-4 at the foul line. The senior guard led the way with 17 points and Ennis finished with 12.
In the Catholic Academies League:
Villa Joseph Marie 56, Sacred Heart 43 >> Kayleigh Doyle set a career high with 18 points, but Lions fell. Doyle also had five steals and four assists, while Carina Fichera pitched in 12 points.
In nonleague action:
Notre Dame 57, Sidwell Friends 54 >> Buoyed by sophomore Maeve McErlane, the Irish overcame a five-point deficit at halftime to earn the victory.
McErlane poured in 22 points and Allie Lynch chipped in with 17. Julia Dever and Katie Halligan both added seven points in the win.
