North Schuylkill senior center Hannah Kane

FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — A quick start and a strong finish allowed the North Schuylkill girls to stay unbeaten Friday night.

Gianna Capone and Hannah Kane combined for 31 points as the Spartans outlasted Blue Mountain 46-35 in a Schuylkill League Division I game at the Cesari-Hope Gymnasium.

A rematch of last year’s Schuylkill League championship game, Friday’s game saw the Spartans break out to a 12-3 lead after one period. Capone had seven of her game-high 16 points, while Kane had five of her 15.

Blue Mountain didn’t go quietly, slicing the deficit to 19-14 at halftime and 28-25 after three periods. Hailey Place had eight of her team-high 13 points in the middle frames, while Ruby Henninger and Cameryn Campbell each tallied five.

The Spartans, however, picked up the pace in the fourth to clinch the win. Kane scored eight of her points in the 18-10, game-closing spurt.

The win improves North Schuylkill to 5-0 overall and 5-0 in Division I play. The Eagles drop to 3-5, 2-3.

BLUE MOUNTAIN (35) — Henninger 3 0-0 8, Fleagle 1 0-0 3, Canfield 0 1-2 1, Place 6 1-2 13, Peel 0 0-0 0, Campbell 2 3-8 7, Keck 1 1-4 3. Totals 13 6-16 35.

NORTH SCHUYLKILL (46) — Conti 3 0-0 6, Monahan 2 2-4 6, Capone 6 2-2 16, Ja. Stitzer 0 0-0 0, Kane 7 0-2 15, Selgrade 1 0-0 2, Balicki 0 1-2 1. Totals 19 5-10 46.

BM (3-5, 2-3)       3 … 11 … 11 … 10 — 35

NS (5-0, 5-0)        12 … 7 … 9 … 18 — 46

3-point FGs: Henninger 2, Fleagle, Capone 2, Kane

JV Score: North Schuylkill 37-34

Officials: Groody, Gerchak

Pine Grove 40, Pottsville 37

POTTSVILLE — Callee Leffler and Hollyn Sampson each tallied four points in a game-opening, 13-2 run as the Cardinals fended off the Tide at Martz Hall.

Alya Schneck-Haines and Sampson each finished with 10 points to lead Pine Grove’s balanced offense. The Cards led 26-14 at halftime before Pottsville made a spirited second-half charge.

Jo Barnhart led all scorers with 16 points for Pottsville.

PINE GROVE (40) — Leffler 2 2-3 6, Umbenhauer 3 0-0 7, Heming 0 0-2 0, Zimmerman 1 2-2 5, Leininger 1 0-0 2, Schneck-Haines 4 2-3 10, Fidler 0 0-0 0, Sampson 4 2-3 10. Totals 15 8-13 40.

POTTSVILLE (37) — Fegley 3 0-0 6, Barnhart 6 2-3 16, Siminitus 3 0-0 6, Jones 2 0-4 6, Goodman 0 0-0 0, Brennan 1 1-2 3, Davis 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 3-9 37.

PG (5-2, 3-2)        13 … 13 … 7 … 7 — 40

Potts (0-7, 0-5)  2 … 12 … 14 … 9 — 37

3-point FGs: Umbenhauer, Zimmerman, Barnhart 2, Jones 2

JV Score: Pine Grove 42-40

Lincoln Leadership 58, Nativity 0

ALLENTOWN — The Golden Girls were held without a point in suffering a non-league defeat to the Lions (3-2). Nativity (0-7) has scored just 52 points in seven games.

Games Postponed

The following Schuylkill League girls’ basketball games were postponed due to inclement weather:

Schuylkill Haven at Panther Valley (Jan. 15), Tamaqua at Minersville (TBA), Lourdes at Weatherly (TBA), Tri-Valley at Marian (Dec. 23). The Weatherly at Bethlehem Christian boys’ game was also postponed.

Boys’ Basketball

Lincoln Leadership 79, Nativity 73

ALLENTOWN — Trey Keating scored a team-high 31 points but the Hilltoppers dropped a non-league shootout with Lincoln Leadership in a matchup of District 11 Class A title contenders.

Dwight Prud’homme, a 6-foot-7 center, led all scorers with 35 points for Lincoln Leadership, one of four players in double figures. He scored 21 of his points in the second half, including 11 in the fourth quarter. Robert Baker added 14 for the Lions, while Isaiah Medina and Brandon Young each had 12.

Nativity also had four players reach double figures, as Jake Bowman and Sam Walborn each netted 11 and Noah Dolbin chipped in 10.

NATIVITY (73) — Kreitzer 0 0-0 0, Bowman 4 1-2 11, Walborn 3 3-4 11, Dolbin 3 4-5 10, Pasker 4 0-0 8, Clarke 1 0-0 2, Keating 11 5-6 31. Totals 26 13-17 31.

LINCOLN LEADERSHIP (79) — Velez 1 0-0 2, Baker 5 1-2 14, I. Medina 4 4-6 12, Rodriguez 2 0-0 4, J. Medina 0 0-2 0, Parker 0 0-0 0, Prud’homme 16 3-7 35, Young 6 0-1 12. Totals 34 8-18 79.

Nat (4-3)                  20 … 16 … 18 … 19 — 73

LLA (7-2)                  18 … 20 … 18 … 23 — 79

3-point FGs: Baker 3

JV Score: No game