HS Girls’ Basketball: Up-tempo Golden Bears knock off Marian
Mahanoy Area head coach Tom Scheeler and his staff talk to the Golden Bears during Friday's Schuylkill League Division II clash at Marian. Mahanoy Area won 49-33 (Photo by Leroy Boyer).
HOMETOWN — Ella Connolly doesn’t LIKE to run the floor.
The Mahanoy Area center LOVES to run the floor.
Connolly was the focal point of the Golden Bears’ up-tempo attack Friday night, sparking unbeaten Mahanoy Area to a 49-33 victory over Marian in a Schuylkill League Division II showdown at the Jack Malarkey Gymnasium.
The 5-foot-11 junior scored 13 of her 17 points in the first half, nearly all of them on layups in transition, as the Golden Bears pushed the ball up the floor early and often.
Connolly added 11 rebounds to finish with a double-double, Felicia Bro led all scorers with 18 points and Naomi Kowalick pitched in 10 points and seven boards as Mahanoy Area improved to 4-0 overall and 3-0 in Schuylkill League Division II play.
“We want to run,” Mahanoy Area head coach Scheeler said. “One of our strengths is our big girls run the floor well and we want to push it as much as possible.”
The Golden Bears’ intention to push the tempo and run the floor was evident from the opening tip. Connolly had nine of her points in the first quarter as Mahanoy Area led 15-7 after one frame.
She was also aggressive and physical in the paint, drawing two quick fouls on Marian sophomore standout Addy Marek that forced her to the bench with 3:57 left in the first quarter. The Bears went on a 12-2 run shortly thereafter, with Connolly scoring eight in the outburst.
The run gave Mahanoy Area a 17-7 lead early in the second quarter. The Golden Bears led the rest of the way.
“It’s very important that we run the floor,” Connolly said. “We stress that at practice every day. I just love doing it. It makes it more entertaining and fun when we do that.”
Without Marek in the game, Marian struggled. The Fillies (2-3, 2-1 D-II) committed 11 turnovers in the first half and shot 2-for-14 from 3-point range.
Marek returned in the second quarter and scored four points but Mahanoy Area’s defense shut her down for most of the game. Marek finished with just eight points and had 13 rebounds. Deanna Pugh led the way for Marian with 17 points.
Jeanette Shafer Barron’s squad starts an entirely unclassman lineup of two juniors (Pugh, Brooke Hannis-Miskar), Marek and freshmen Haley Minzola and Katie Knock.
For the Fillies to be successful, they’re going to need more scoring than just Pugh and Marek.
“Honestly, we need one more person to step up and points in the basket,” Barron said. “It’s always (Marek) and (Pugh). And they give everything they have.”
Another key for Mahanoy Area was the play of Kowalick, who does a little bit of everything for the Golden Bears.
A key trigger on outlet passes up the floor, the junior scored six straight points in a 10-0 run that put Mahanoy Area ahead 29-14 right before halftime. She also guarded Marek defensively until picking up three fouls late in the first half.
“She’s our energy,” Scheeler said of Kowalick. “She’s the voice of the team. She keeps everybody up, everybody together all the time. Talking to each other, talking out on the court.
“That’s the kind of things that goes unseen, but we know what’s going on. She’s the one that keeps everybody going.”
Mahanoy Area led by double digits the entire second half, slowing things down in the fourth quarter and forcing Marian to foul.
The free-throw line is where Bro thrives, shooting 8-of-9 from the stripe in the second half to help Mahanoy Area ice it.
The senior guard, who scored her 1,000th point last week and was the T102 Sports Now Fanelli, Evans & Patel Athlete of the Week, is the straw that stirs the drink for Mahanoy Area.
She’s been the leader of this group of Bears for several seasons and knows that for Mahanoy Area to climb into the upper echelon of the Schuylkill League and reach the league playoffs, beating teams like Lourdes, Williams Valley and Marian will be necessary.
Cross Marian off the list.
“It was great to beat Marian this year because they’ve been beating us the last couple of years,” Bro said. “It’s a great win.”
“This is huge,” Connolly chimed in. “We have a good thing going right now.”
Game Summary
MAHANOY AREA (49) — Wonsock 2 0-1 4, Bro 5 8-9 18, Carl 0 0-0 0, Kowalick 5 0-0 10, Connolly 8 1-4 17, Haughney 0 0-0 0, Christian 0 0-0 0, Manley 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 9-13 49.
MARIAN (33) — Pugh 5 6-7 17, Minzola 0 0-0 0, Hannis-Miskar 2 0-0 6, Knock 0 0-0 0, Marek 3 2-2 8, Decosmo 1 0-0 2. Totals 11 8-9 33.
| Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | Final |
| Mah (4-0, 3-0) | 15 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 49 |
| Mar (2-3, 2-1) | 7 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 33 |
