PAC Final Four Girls Basketball Preview: Methacton-Spring-Ford, Pope John Paul II-Perkiomen Valley

The Pioneer Athletic Conference girls basketball postseason continues Saturday afternoon at Spring-Ford.

In the opener, Liberty division champion and No. 1 seed Methacton faces four-time reigning champion No. 5 Spring-Ford at 1 p.m. followed by Frontier champ and No. 2 seed Pope John Paul II battling No. 3 Perkiomen Valley at 2:30 p.m.

The four teams are playing for a spot in the championship game, which will take place at Spring-Ford on Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m.

Methacton (1) vs. Spring-Ford (5)

Records >> Methacton: 9-1 PAC Liberty, 12-1 PAC, 20-2 overall, No. 3 in District 1-6A rankings; Spring-Ford: 7-3 PAC Liberty, 10-3 PAC, 17-5 overall, No. 10 in District 1-6A rankings.

Head-to-head >> Methacton won both regular season meetings, 70-59 at home on Jan. 11 and 47-44 at Spring-Ford on Feb. 1.

Playoff history >> Methacton has reached the PAC final seven times, including the last two contested (2018-19, 2019-20), but has been denied the title on all seven occasions. Its six finals appearances in the past decade is best in the PAC, equaled by Spring-Ford … Spring-Ford are 10-time PAC champions and the winners of the last four titles in a row. The Rams won the pandemic-altered 2020-21 title by going 14-0 in the league season and defeated Methacton in the previous two playoff finals.

On Methacton >> Head coach Craig Kaminski’s Warriors have lived up to their billing as preseason PAC favorite by claiming the tournament’s top seed, losing just once in league play and running out to a 20-2 record. A shooting star throughout her scholastic career, senior guard Nicole Timko is averaging 19.1 points per game (48 3-pointers). Timko (1,625 career points) is within striking distance of Methacton’s scoring record held by 2008 graduate Renee Womack (1,682 points). TImko has an excellent partnership with junior point guard Cassidy Kropp. The sure-handed guard with ability to get to the basket is averaging 11.2 points per game. Junior forward Mairi Smith (7.5 ppg) is a consistent presence in the paint and senior Tori Bockrath (7.8 ppg) does it all for the Warriors. Senior Kayla Kaufman rounds out the starting lineup while junior Reana Torres and freshman Abby Arnold figure into the Warriors’ rotation.

On Spring-Ford >> The four-time defending PAC champions opened their PAC tournament by cruising past upstart Upper Perkiomen in the opening round, 66-47, on Thursday. The No. 5 seeds are rounding into form at the right time with three dominant wins in a row after their Feb. 1 loss to the Warriors. Sophomore point guard Anna Azzara (15.2 ppg) is a reliable ballhandler and consistent scorer. Azzara was automatic in the opening round win, scoring 16 of her 20 points in the first half. Classmate Mac Pettinelli (7.7 ppg) and senior Kam Pufko were the only other returning rotational pieces from last year’s team that won the District 1 crown and reached the PIAA 6A title game. Sophomores Katie Tiffan (7.2 ppg) and Siena Miller (6.3 ppg) have capably joined the starting lineup and sophomore Aaliyah Solliday and junior Meg Robbins are the first options off the bench for the Rams. Spring-Ford carries a threat from 3-point range: it knocked down 14 in their regular season finale against Bishop Shanahan and seven against Upper Perk.

Matchup and prediction >> It’s quite a marquee semifinal to have the PAC’s two most successful programs of the last decade meeting at this stage. History may be all in the past, but that past entirely favors Spring-Ford when these teams meet in the postseason. The Jan. 11 meeting was an entertaining game with tons of shot-making namely by Timko (36 points) and Bockrath (19). Three weeks later, the Warriors’ 47-44 win at Spring-Ford was considerably tighter (not just on the scoreboard) with fewer defensive gaps and lapses, each basket harder earned. Bockrath missed that game due to injury so the Warriors will be boosted by her presence. Methacton’s defensive length – their five starters range between 5-8 and 6-2 – troubles Spring-Ford, which could not get to the rim on either occasion. The Rams were better prepared in the Feb. 1 meeting on the defensive end but weren’t ready for the big moments late on offense. That said, the Rams consistently created open looks from 3-point range, they just didn’t fall on that day. On their home floor again for Saturday’s semifinal and running well from distance especially in the last week and a half, there’s something in the air … which just might be a high volume of 3s going through the net for Spring-Ford and another disappointing day against the Rams for Methacton … Spring-Ford 59, Methacton 55

Pope John Paul II (2) vs. Perkiomen Valley (3)

Records >> Pope John Paul II: 9-1 PAC Frontier, 10-3 PAC, 11-8 overall, No. 5 in District 1-4A rankings; Perkiomen Valley: 8-2 PAC Liberty, 11-2 PAC, 18-4 overall, No. 7 in District 1-6A rankings

Head-to-head >> The two teams have not met this season. Their most recent meeting was on Jan. 25, 2021, a 44-30 PJP victory.

Playoff history >> PV returns to the PAC playoffs for the first time since 2017-18 when it was a finalist, falling to Spring-Ford. The Vikings’ first-round win was the first for any current PV player. Perk Valley won its lone PAC championship in 2015-16. … Pope John Paul II is the PAC Frontier’s most consistent playoff entrant, qualifying nine of the last 10 tournaments. The Golden Panthers made the semifinals in 2018 and 2019.

On Perkiomen Valley >> After routing Owen J. Roberts in their regular season meetings, PV had a tougher – but maybe ultimately m

ore satisfying – time dispatching the Wildcats in the first round, a come-from-behind 51-42 win thanks in part to leading scorer Jen Beattie getting hot from outside in the 3rd quarter and scoring 23 points. Beattie has a PAC-best 55 3s and is averaging 13.7 points per game. She’s the leader, but PV can score one through five with senior Emma Miley (9.8 ppg) and the freshmen trio of forward Quinn Boettinger (10.6 ppg) and guards Grace Miley (7.3 ppg) and Bella Bacani (3.3 ppg). Bacani impressed in the opening round scoring eight points (4-for-5 at the FT line) and having the ball primarily in her hands during crunch time. Coach John Russo’s rotation also features junior Ella Stein and freshmen Julia Smith and Lena Stein.

On Pope John Paul II >> The Golden Panthers were favored to finish atop the PAC Frontier in coach Jack Flanagan’s first year thanks in large part to having two four-year starters in Tess Crossan and Amelia Kennedy. While PJP did win the division, it hasn’t been the easiest run with Kennedy and Crossan each missing time. Kennedy is averaging 17.7 ppg (4th in PAC) in 12 games since recovering from an early-season illness; meanwhile Crossan was averaging 16.0 ppg but has missed the last six games with an ankle injury. PJP is hopeful Crossan can return to the lineup Saturday but she will be a game-time decision. A silver lining in the availability issues is that sophomore Katie Nilles has taken a step forward offensively, as have fellow starters Bella Tammaro and Nadia Platt, both sophomores. Sophomore Elena Colliluori and junior Sarah Bell also see time for PJP.

Matchup and prediction >> There’s similarity in the roster compositions for the Vikings and Golden Panthers, both with prominent senior duos (Beattie and Miley for PV, Crossan and Kennedy for PJP) who are trying to break through their first PAC finals with otherwise youthful complementary pieces. After going 8-7 in 2020-21, the Vikings have been the PACs overachievers this winter. The talented freshmen class has created a near-complete puzzle for PV, which has a roster that can hit you in different ways. Better yet, the Vikings have had continuity all year, which PJP has had very little of. Even at full strength, PV has too many options for PJP to match … Perkiomen Valley 50, Pope John Paul II 38