City of Basketball Love

Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue)
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LANSDALE — This time in seasons past, the North Penn girls basketball team was already looking toward “next year."

While seniors Caleigh Sperling and Liv Stone checked in to see how their AAU teammates were doing or which teams were winning, the focus was how they could be playing themselves the following March.

The hard work paid off Friday night as the Knights played the program’s first PIAA Class 6A tournament game since 2020 in front of a lively home crowd — and it was everything they hoped for.

North Penn, the District 1 four seed, bounced back from a pair of district tournament losses with a convincing 48-34 victory over District 11 two seed Emmaus for the program’s first state playoff win since 2017.

“It was so fun,” Stone said. “All the little kids in the stands, all the students in the stands, all the parents in the stands, it was so fun. 

“We’ve been building this culture forever, and I think you could see that on the floor and in the building.”

Sperling, a Jefferson University commit, poured in 22 points to lead the effort for the Knights (24-5), who had their 2022 season end Feb. 11 when they missed the district playoffs and Feb. 25 last season when they were bounced in the district playback bracket.

Junior Cassie Doemling had nine points and 10 boards for Emmaus (17-11).

With no “next year” to prepare for, North Penn’s seniors are focused on how far they can go, continuing Tuesday against District 7 runner-up North Allegheny.

“It feels really good to keep going because this is what we’ve been working for,” Sperling said. “I know it can be hard having such a long season, but I think the energy we bring at practice is how it was the first day of the season.”

Sperling had eight in the first quarter to spot the Knights a 14-10 lead, while freshman Lily Brown scored eight of her 12 in the second to help push the North Penn lead to 24-14 at the break.

Emmaus cut the deficit to seven a few minutes into the third period on a 3-pointer by sophomore Gabby Devita. North Penn answered with five in a row. Sperling had nine in the third as the Knights went back up 37-26 entering the fourth. They led by as many as 15 in the final period and by double digits the rest of the way.

“I think our school showed really good support for us today, all coming out, and it was a really good atmosphere to play in, especially have the home court advantage,” Sperling said. 

North Penn’s offense was good. It’s defense may have been great, particularly in the second quarter when the Knights held Emmaus to just four points. 

The Knights’ zone frustrated Emmaus and so did its press. Sperling tallied a pair of steals, while Stone, a Cincinnati soccer recruit, used her length to pick up four steals to go along with her eight points and two assists.

“I think we just talked a lot, which was big for us,” Stone said. “I think we stopped talking a little bit for the last couple games, so we’ve been working on that in practice. I think the communication is a very big part for us.”

North Penn will get a true state playoff experience outside of its home venue when it travels to face North Allegheny in the second round at a neutral site that will probably be at least a two-hour trek from Lansdale.

The Knights are preparing to charter a bus for the long trip. Stone said Sperling will likely be on the auxillary cord for the ride. She hadn’t thought about snacks but is hopeful a stop at Everything Bagel Cafe might be in the cards before they hit the road Tuesday.

“I’m really excited,” Stone said. “I like to play new competition, and they said we’re getting a nice bus, which we’re all really excited about.”

Stone, Sperling and fellow seniors Olivia Stevens and Kelly Donnelly, who unfortunately is out for the final run with an injury, aren’t taking the extra games this season for granted, and they’re hoping the playoff journey will trigger plenty of March basketball to come for the program.

“Some of my AAU teammates who didn’t win have been done for like a month,” Stone said. “It’s crazy to be like that was us a year ago. That was us two years ago. We’re still playing. It’s really exciting, but it’s crazy.”

“It feels really good to bring that culture back to North Penn, especially after not going to states for four years,” Sperling said. “It feels really good to influence the younger girls too.”

By Quarter

Emmaus  10 | 4 | 12 | 8 || 34
North Penn  14 | 10 | 13 | 11 || 48

Scoring

Emmaus: Cassie Doemling 9, Mya Cooper 9, Gabby DeVita  5, Kayla Snyder 4, Taylor Griffith 3, Sofie Laird 2, Sylvia Sokolfski 2.

North Penn: Caleigh Sperling 22, Lily Brown 12, Liv Stone 8, Leah Mikulski 4, Cameron Crowley 2.

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PIAA 6A Girls (local games)

First Round (Fri., March 8)
1-5 Haverford 66, 12-3 Dobbins Tech 28
12-2 Cardinal O’Hara 49, 1-8 Upper Dublin 17
12-1 Archbishop Carroll 58, 1-11 West Chester Henderson 37
1-1 Perkiomen Valley 78, 3-6 Manheim Township 33
2-1 Hazleton Area 63, 1-9 Pennsbury 48
11-1 Parkland 41, 1-10 Downingtown East 34
3-2 Dallastown 43, 1-7 Central Bucks East 36
1-3 Conestoga 45, 3-4 Wilson 29
3-1 Central Dauphin 41, 1-12 Kennett 23
1-6 Garnet Valley 58, 11-2 Easton 50 (OT)
1-4 North Penn 48, 11-3 Emmaus 34
1-2 Spring-Ford 71, 3-5 Northeastern 37

Second Round (Tue., March 12)
1-1 Perkiomen Valley vs. 1-5 Haverford
12-2 Cardinal O’Hara vs. 2-1 Hazleton Area
1-3 Conestoga vs. 12-1 Archbishop Carroll
3-1 Central Dauphin vs. 1-6 Garnet Valley
1-4 North Penn vs. 7-2 North Allegheny
7-3 Peters Township vs. 1-2 Spring-Ford