North Pocono’s Ella Clementoni shoots during the basketball game at Scranton High School on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton’s Chrissy Jacklinski grabs a rebound during the basketball game against North Pocono at Scranton High School on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton’s Chrissy Jacklinski and North Pocono’s Celia DeCesare compete for the ball during the basketball game at Scranton High School on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton’s Kori Ortiz tries to block North Pocono’s Anna Clementoni’s shot during the basketball game at Scranton High School on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton’s Chrissy Jacklinski moves the ball during the basketball game against North Pocono at Scranton High School on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton’s Jaelyn Alers directs her teammates during the basketball game against North Pocono at Scranton High School on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton’s head coach P.J. Hughes talks to his players between quarters during the basketball game against North Pocono at Scranton High School on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
North Pocono’s head coach Joe Ferguson calls out to his players during the basketball game at Scranton High School on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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North Pocono’s Ella Clementoni shoots during the basketball game at Scranton High School on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
SCRANTON — With the score tied early in the fourth quarter, North Pocono coach Joe Ferguson yelled out the same play from the sidelines on four consecutive possessions.
It worked each time.
Sisters Ella and Anna Clementoni teamed up on the four baskets that broke the tie and enabled the No. 1-ranked Lady Trojans to grind out a 39-33 victory over No. 10 Scranton in the Lackawanna League Division I girls basketball opener Thursday night at Scranton High School.
“We saved one in our back pocket,” Ferguson said. “All credit to the kids. The two best players come through when you need them.”
Anna Clementoni, a sophomore, finished with 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting, while Ella Clementoni, a junior, added 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and one block for North Pocono (1-0 league, 5-1 overall).
Chrissy Jacklinski led Scranton (0-1, 1-5) with 12 points. Rhylee Bell chipped in nine points.
North Pocono took a 28-26 lead into the fourth quarter, but two free throws by Scranton’s Abigail Stalica 17 seconds in tied the score.
That’s when the Clementoni sister act went to work.
Ella Clementoni drove the lane and fed Anna Clementoni, who laid the ball in off the glass to put the Lady Trojans in front, 30-28. Following a turnover on the ensuing Scranton possession, Ella Clementoni drove again. This time, she kept the ball and scored on a layup to make it 32-28. The Lady Knights failed to score on their next two possessions, and Ella Clementoni drove-and-dished to Anna Clementoni for two more baskets that gave North Pocono a 36-28 lead with 4:18 to play.
“Good thing they didn’t catch on,” Anna Clementoni said. “They were trying to switch the back screens. We just have great chemistry because we’ve been playing together since we were little in the backyard or wherever. She just knows where I am all the time.”
Scranton coach P.J. Hughes credited Anna Clementoni for hitting those shots.
“She controlled the paint in that fourth quarter and made some big, contested baskets,” Hughes said. “She battled all night long.”
Jacklinski hit a foul-line jumper to stop the run and cut the deficit to 36-30. Following a North Pocono turnover, Scranton had a chance to inch closer. But a clutch steal-and-layup by Trinity Litts put the Lady Trojans back in front by eight with 2:53 left.
Jaelyn Alers hit a 3-pointer with 1:47 to play to make it a 38-35 game. But North Pocono milked the clock and Anna Clementoni hit one of two free throws with six seconds left to seal the win.
“I told our kids we were going to be in for a battle,” Ferguson said. “We were ready for it and fortunately we came out on top. But kudos to Scranton. They’re going to be a challenge in Division I.”
Despite Jacklinski sitting out the final 6:21 of the first half, Scranton led at halftime, 17-13, in part because of the scrappy play of Stalica, a junior who finished with seven points and eight rebounds — five of which came on the offensive glass. She had three points in the second quarter, including a basket off a nifty feed from Bianca Perez that just beat the buzzer.
“Abby has bought in and taken on the role as a girl who is going to play and play hard every play,” Hughes said. “Dive for loose balls and keep rebounds alive for us. That’s something we didn’t have last year. All the credit to her. The player she is from Nov. 3 to now is unbelievable. She’s been working real hard.”
Not happy about Stalica’s layup right before the buzzer, Ferguson challenged his team at halftime and it responded in the second half.
“He got a little in our faces,” Anna Clementoni said. “But he still said he believed in us, which we all knew. We all need that sometimes. We need that little kick in the butt.”
Hughes lamented the fact that Scranton missed too many shots. The Lady Knights were 13 for 42 from the field, including 4 of 20 from 3-point range.
“I thought we played equal with them and the effort was there all night, but we missed too many open looks tonight,” Hughes said. “You’ve got to hit shots. You can’t score 33 points and try to beat a team like North Pocono.”