It\u2019s been nearly a month since Bethlehem Catholic\u2019s heartbreaking 35-34 loss to Easton in the EPC championship game, which also marks the last time the Golden Hawks played a competitive game after a pair of blowouts clinched the District 11 5A Tournament.<\/p>\n
There could\u2019ve been concern about starting a PIAA Tournament filled with talented teams, but coach Arnold Alleyne\u2019s continued to cruise with a dominant 52-19 victory over Bishop Shanahan (12-14) in Saturday afternoon\u2019s PIAA 5A first round contest at Bethlehem Catholic High School. The Golden Hawks (24-4) will move on to Wednesday\u2019s Round of 16 matchup with Archbishop Ryan (19-6) on Wednesday night at a site and time to be determined.<\/p>\n
In the final home game of their careers, all five Bethlehem Catholic seniors \u2013 Leah Ault, Aliyah Brame, Brooklyn Lewis, Kendall Nickisher and Mariyah Arroyo \u2013 made it onto the scoresheet.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was really nice,\u201d Lewis said. \u201cIt was a good way to end our last home game I would say. We had a lot of fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was a balanced effort that helped make their final home game enjoyable, but Ault\u2019s 3-point takeover in the second quarter put the game away early. The ever-reliable guard scored the first nine points of the second quarter for the Golden Hawks and scored or assisted on all but two points as part of a team-high 17-point effort.<\/p>\n
The team\u2019s leading 3-point shooter on the season was starting to lose confidence in her jumper of late, but a revitalized mentality led to one of her strongest showings of the season as she matched a season-high with five triples.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the beginning of the season, I was shooting the ball well and then in the middle of the season, I was on and off,\u201d Ault said. \u201cI was like, \u2018this is states now. I\u2019ve got to fix this.\u2019 My teammates were able to take all that pressure and get me those open shots, so credit to them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was staying after practice just trying to fix it, and it paid off.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of those players who was consistently setting her up was Nickisher who posted a team-high five assists to go with five points as a spark plug off the bench. The four-year contributor has played in many different roles for the Golden Hawks and continues to flourish as the team\u2019s sixth man.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s really just our team play. We\u2019re really good with sharing the ball, connecting with each other and we always say the ball finds energy,\u201d Nickisher said. \u201cSo, even when you\u2019re not on the court, you\u2019re still supporting your teammates and once you get on, you\u2019re already hyped and ready.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nickisher stepped onto the court and into a 3-pointer immediately, which was part of a 15-0 first quarter run that put the Golden Hawks ahead 22-3 after one. The pass-first point guard proceeded to tally three assists in the second to pad the early lead and make it 37-8 heading into halftime.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think either way, either starting or coming off the bench, I don\u2019t really feel like it affects me that much,\u201d Nickisher said. \u201cI still want to be able to contribute, so even though I\u2019m not getting as many minutes or I\u2019m not starting, I still am making sure that I play my role.\u201d<\/p>\n
A quick layup by Brame, on an outstanding outlet pass by Nickisher, triggered the mercy rule early in the third to all but seal Becahi\u2019s first round victory and help a prolific senior class leave their home gym on a positive note.<\/p>\n
\u201cI played freshman ball too, so two years of that, four years in high school, six years of playing here,\u201d Nickisher said. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of like my second home, really just practicing here and playing here almost every single day. It\u2019s bittersweet, definitely, but being able to go out with a win is definitely a good feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lewis racked up nine points, eight rebounds and three assists for the Golden Hawks while freshman star Kamryn Gallis added seven points in her first career state playoff game. Brame and freshman Ayva Radande contributed six points apiece to round out the bulk of the scoring.<\/p>\n
Bishop Shanahan was held to just 3 for 25 shooting for the game with more turnovers (20) than points (19).<\/p>\n
That kind of suffocating defensive effort and efficient shooting from beyond the arc (8-18) could carry Bethlehem Catholic through another deep run in the PIAA Tournament as it hopes to add a third state championship to the rafters later this month.<\/p>\n
\u201cStaying in our standard,\u201d Ault said on what it will take to do that. \u201cWe\u2019re not playing against them. We\u2019re playing against us and our standard. We need to make sure we get to our standard and our potential and reach that and not sink below that no matter who we play.\u201d<\/p>\n
Derek Bast is a freelance reporter who can be found on Twitter\/X at @derek_bast or reached by email at derekbast11@gmail.com.<\/p>\n
Bishop Shanahan 19, Bethlehem Catholic 52<\/p>\n
Bishop Shanahan 3 \u2013 5 \u2013 7 \u2013 4 \u2014 19<\/p>\n
Bethlehem Catholic 22 \u2013 15 \u2013 11 \u2013 4 \u2014 52<\/p>\n
BISHOP SHANAHAN (19)<\/p>\n
Ambrose 2-11 6-10 11, Foster 1-6 0-0 3, Bollenbach 0-2 3-4 3, Udo 0-1 2-2 2, Garrity 0-5 0-0 0, Schmid 0-0 0-0 0, Seeker 0-0 0-0 0, Billie 0-0 0-0 0, Cline 0-0 0-0 0, Boland 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 3-25 11-16 19.<\/p>\n
BETHLEHEM CATHOLIC (52)<\/p>\n
Ault 5-13 2-2 17, Lewis 4-7 0-0 9, Gallis 3-10 0-0 7, Brame 2-4 2-2 6, Radande 3-4 0-0 6, Nickisher 2-4 0-0 5, Arroyo 1-1 0-0 2, Gordon 0-2 0-0 0, Davis 0-1 0-0 0, Borsuk 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-46 4-4 52.<\/p>\n
3-pointers: Bishop Shanahan (2-12) Foster, Ambrose. Becahi (8-18) Ault 5, Gallis, Nickisher, Lewis.<\/p>\n
Rebounds: Bishop Shanahan 15. Becahi 24 (Lewis 8).<\/p>\n
Assists: Bishop Shanahan 3. Becahi 13 (Nickisher 5)<\/p>\n
Turnovers: Bishop Shanahan 20. Becahi 9.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
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