CNB Bank cashes in on 3-peat in Alumni Division final
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HOLLIDAYSBURG -- The list of three-peat winners in women's basketball -- college and professional -- is a very short one.
Though, it's not in the same ranking, many of the players on the CNB Bank team of the Blair Regional YMCA Women's Summer League either play or played in the collegiate ranks.
It's no wonder with that experience that CNB, the second seed, was able to capture its third straight Alumni Division championship with a 41-31 victory over top-seeded Mid-Atlantic Sports on Thursday night.
"We talk about how we are here to socialize, but we're also here to win," CNB de facto coach Rachelle Hopsicker said. "So, we know when to hold them and when to fold them, if you will."
Mid-Atlantic put together a second-half rally only to have CNB lock down on defense and reel off 14 of the final 20 points of the contest.
After holding a three-point edge at the half, CNB reeled off the first five of the second half behind a putback from Darby Lee and one off her own miss by Rachel Gehret, who got fouled in the process and was able to complete the old fashioned three-point play.
The mini-run put CNB Bank up 25-17, but Mid-Atlantic Sports made a run of its own as Clare Padamonsky recorded three points, while Makenna Weimert and Sydney Lear delivered two apiece in a 7-2 spurt that allowed them to pull within 27-24.
A timeout by CNB bank helped it right the ship as Lee converted a driving, spinning layup to get the game-ending burst of 14-6 going.
On the ensuing trip down the floor, Gehret caught the ball on the baseline, drove inside and hit a hook shot in the lane to push the lead back up to seven (31-14).
"We have a big team that can shoot and play inside," Lee said. "That definitely bodes well for us because if we're not hitting outside, we go inside. If we're not hitting inside, we go outside."
Mid-Atlantic wasn't going away yet as Ayla Hileman grabbed her own offensive rebound and dribbled out beyond the 3-point line where she drilled a triple to make it 31-27.
However, back-to-back treys by CNB's Megan Smith and Kristi Kaack gave the champs a double-digit advantage (37-27) for the first time.
CNB Bank got up by as many as 12 (41-29) when Lee, who tied for game-high honors with Hileman by totaling 10 points, made a pair of free throws.
Weimert made a layup for Mid-Atlantic to set the final tally.
"It definitely is a fun summer. That's the whole reason why we do this -- win or lose," Lee said. "This is an excellent group of girls as we stay close throughout the entire year. We're just all so competitive, and this is a reason to keep that competitive spirit alive with the friendship behind it."
The two teams began the game by exchanging the lead seven times with CNB grabbing the upper hand for good on a Kaack drive for two and free throw on the foul call to go up 11-9.
Kaack showed off her speed again on a driving layup to extend the lead to four at 13-9.
However, Ali Hatajik buried a triple from the top to get Mid-Atlantic back within one, but CNB's Darcy Gressler's 3-pointer was followed by a pair of free throws from Lee, her sister, to make it 18-12.
"They (Mid-Atlantic Sports) have been tough all season. We've been tough all season," Lee said. "We knew they were going to be tough coming in as they are tough defenders, great shooters and they're fast."
Mid-Atlantic closed the opening half with five of the final seven points, with a 3 from Taylor Lane and floater by Hileman, to make the score 18-17.
However, Gressler's bucket before the half made it a three-point contest (20-17) at the break.
"We support each other -- and it's year-round," Hopsicker said. "You can tell when we play that we just love each other. It's just great to be a part of it."
CNB BANK (41): Gehret 3 2-2 8, L. Wilt 2 2-6 6, Lee 3 4-6 10, Gressler 2 0-0 5, Smith 2 1-2 6, Lantzy 0 0-0 0, Kaack 2 1-1 6, McDowell 0 0-0 0, Nardozza 0 0-0 0, Wagner 0 0-0 0, Hopsicker 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 14 10-17 41.
MID-ATLANTIC SPORTS (31): Lane 1 0-0 3, Barron 3 0-2 6, Hileman 4 0-0 10, Hatajik 1 0-0 3, Lear 0 2-2 2, Weimert 2 0-2 4, DiPangrazio 0 0-0 0, Padamonsky 1 1-2 3. Totals -- 12 3-8 31.
Halftime--CNB Bank, 20-17. 3-point field goals--CNB Bank 3 (Gressler, Smith, Kaack); Mid-Atlantic Sports 4 (Hileman 2, Lane, Hatajik).