WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Crestwood took the suspense out of the District 2 Class 5A girls basketball title game quickly Saturday night. Senior Guard Keira Dougherty played a big reason.
Dougherty scored a game-high 18 points, including the 1,000th of her career, as the Comets routed North Pocono 57-32 at Mohegan Arena.
“It’s awesome,” Crestwood coach Mary Mushock-Namey said. “It’s such a good feeling. I teared up when she scored her 1,000th because it’s such a special moment. And the fact she got it on this court winning a district championship makes it more special.”
Dougherty scored her 1,000th point on a 3-pointer that gave Crestwood a 19-6 lead at halftime.
“It’s always been a goal of mine,” Dougherty said. “Ever since I was a freshman, I’ve been telling everybody I’m going to have my name up on that banner. It was difficult to get here, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates and everybody surrounding me.”
Crestwood (23-3) won its second consecutive championship, but it was the first with Dougherty in uniform. She missed her junior year with an injury.
“Even though I was down on the floor, I didn’t get to play on it,” Dougherty said. “Usually, I’m not nervous for games, but I did have some jitters since I had to get used to the court.”
Up next for Crestwood will be District 3 fourth seed Cocalico (17-9) in the first round of the PIAA state playoffs on Saturday. North Pocono (20-6) gets District 1 third seed Gwynedd Mercy (16-9) on Saturday.
Dougherty opened the game with a 3-pointer as Crestwood led wire-to-wire. Jackie Gallagher scored 15 of her 17 in the second half where the Comets came within three points of the 30-point mercy rule. Charlie Hiller had a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds.
North Pocono also had a player reach 1,000 points. Junior Ella Clementoni needed eight points and scored seven, her last two on a spin move to the rim with 4:30 left in the game.
The Comets limited North Pocono’s shots and forced 11 turnovers in the first half. That was needed because Crestwood’s offense was sluggish at times in the first 16 minutes.
Gallagher and Hiller picked up the scoring in the third quarter as Crestwood scored 24 points. The defense wasn’t as stout in the third quarter, but the Comets had already built an insurmountable lead.
District 2 Class 5A championship
Crestwood 57, North Pocono 32
NORTH POCONO (32) — Ella Clementoni 3 3-4 9, Julia Biko 2 2-2 8, Aleah Quinn 0 0-0 0, Celia DeCesare 1 0-1 2, Anna Clementoni 3 5-6 11, Trinity Litts 0 0-0 0, Alexis Silva 1 0-0 2, Cameron Forgione 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 10-13 32.
CRESTWOOD (57) — Cameron Vieney 0 1-2 1, Jackie Gallagher 6 4-4 17, Charlie Hiller 6 1-2 14, Jordan Andrews 2 2-2 7, Keira Dougherty 6 3-4 18, Norah Sklarosky 0 0-0 0, Addison Korpusik 0 0-0 0, Lia Lapsansky 0 0-0 0, Lillie Nealon o 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 11-14 57.
North Pocono`2`4`17`9 — 32
Crestwood`11`8`24`14 — 57
Three-pooint goals: NP 2 (Biko 2). CRE 6 (Gallagher, Hiller, Andrews, Dougherty 3).