Blue Team all-stars fall to Red Team

BY SHANE HENNIGAN
Times Shamrock Writer

They didn’t have time to practice together, but that didn’t really matter to the Lackawanna League girls basketball all-stars.

Thursday’s annual all-star game was all about having fun and playing one last game. The win that came with it would just be an added bonus.

West Scranton’s Nina Hodanich scored a game-high 14 points to lead the Red Team to a 57-39 victory over the Blue Team at Forest City Regional High School.

“It was great,” said Abington Heights’ Catie Nealon, who scored six points, grabbed five rebounds and was named Red Team MVP. “We were laughing right from the beginning. It was so fun to play with these seniors for the last time.

“It was great just to play after having a few weeks off. It was a great way to end my senior year.”

The Red Team controlled the game from the start. After falling behind, 2-0, the team went on an 11-0 run and didn’t look back, building its lead to 19-11 after the first quarter.

Forest City’s Carly Erdmann opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer to get the Blue Team within 19-14. But like the first quarter, the Red Team went on another big run, finishing the half on a 16-2 run to give it a 35-16 halftime lead.

“We just came in and winged it,” Nealon said. “(But) I think we played really well as a team despite playing against each other all year.”

Scranton’s Katie Hart scored 10 points and grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds for the Red Team. West Scranton’s Marissa Pazzaglia added nine points and eight boards and Nealon’s Abington Heights’ teammate Breanna Toro scored six points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

The Blue Team was led by Old Forge’s Taylor Nemetz, who scored a team-high eight points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Montrose’s Myra Lattimore scored five points, had six rebounds and was named team MVP.

“I’ve come to know that I really do enjoy all-star games,” Lattimore said. “I get to play one more time (with my teammates), and I also get to play with people that I’ve played against for the past four years. It’s great to just come together around the sport of basketball.”

Old Forge’s Lauren Carey and Forest City’s Cassandra Bendyk each scored six points. Erdmann and Carey’s teammate, Rhyan Barnic, each added four points for the Blue Team.

Red Team (57) – Nina Hodanich 5 2-4 14, Katie Hart 5 0-1 10, Marissa Pazzaglia 4 1-4 9, Catie Nealon 2 0-0 6, Breanna Toro 3 0-0 6, Madison Haduck 2 1-2 5, Breann Clauss-Walton 2 0-1 4, Blayse Cholish 1 1-2 3. Totals: 24 5-14 57.
Blue Team (39) – Taylor Nemetz 3 0-0 8, Cassandra Bendyk 3 0-0 6, Lauren Carey 2 2-4 6, Myra Lattimore 2 0-0 5, Rhyan Barnic 2 0-0 4, Carly Erdmann 1 1-2 4, Megan Getz 1 0-0 2, Nicki Lewis 1 0-0 2, Mashawna Hargett 0 2-2 2, Megan Connors 0 0-0 0, Teri Vieria 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 5-8 39.
3-point goals: Red 4 (Hodanich 2, Nealon 2), Blue 4 (Nemetz 2, Lattimore 1, Erdmann 1). Rebounds: Red 63 (Hart 15), Blue 55 (Nemetz 10)