Audenried will defend its Public League girls’ basketball title after blowout win over Lincoln
Four Rockets scored in double figures, led by Heaven Reese's 16 points. Next up is a rematch from last year's Public League title game with Imhotep on Sunday.
Audenried's Aniyah Cheeseboro (left) goes up for a layup during a blowout win over Lincoln on Thursday night.Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
by Colin Schofield
Published
The Universal Audenried Charter girls’ basketball team entered the Public League semifinals Thursday night as three-time reigning champions, but the journey for its fourth title looks different.
Guard Shayla Smith led the Rockets the last four seasons and became Philadelphia’s all-time leading scorer, but she graduated and moved on to Penn State.
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Against Abraham Lincoln, Audenried showed it still can win. Behind junior forward Nasiaah Russell and senior guard Heaven Reese, the Rockets are heading to their fourth straight Public League title game after beating Lincoln, 67-28, at La Salle’s John Glaser Arena. Audenried will face Imhotep on Sunday.
After a sluggish first four minutes, Audenried dominated the rest of the way. The Rockets outscored Lincoln by 19 points in the second half by forcing turnovers and scoring in transition. Four players scored in double figures, led by Reese’s 16 points and sophomore guard Chloe Kham’s 15 off the bench.
“Us making it back to the championship after Shayla leaving is huge for me,” said Audenried coach Kevin Slaughter. “A lot of people were saying once Shayla left, we were done, and to get back is big for us.”
Audenried found stability behind Reese, who has been part of the winning culture at Audenried and knows what it takes to bring home a Public League crown.
(L-R) Abraham Lincoln’s # 25 Saliah Allen-Wright, Audenried’s # 11 Naseeh Russell and Lincoln’s # 13 Mackenzie King pursue a loose ball during the Public League girls' basketball semifinal, between Universal Audenried H.S. and Abraham Lincoln H.S., at La Salle’s John E. Glaser Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Imhotep’s # 5 Jayla Willis dribbles around Central’s # 12 Lucy Shaw during the Public League girls' basketball semifinal, between Imhotep Charter H.S. and Central H.S., at La Salle’s John E. Glaser Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Imhotep’s # 15 Crystal Hawthorne blocks a shot by Central’s # 2 Janai Bellinger during the Public League girls' basketball semifinal, between Imhotep Charter H.S. and Central H.S., at La Salle’s John E. Glaser Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
The Imhotep girls, including # 0 Anai Kenyatta, only celebrated briefly after winning the Public League girls' basketball semifinal, between Imhotep Charter H.S. and Central H.S., at La Salle’s John E. Glaser Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Imhotep’s # 1 Taylor Linton and Central’s # 12 Lucy Shaw get tangled up in the fourth quarter of the Public League girls' basketball semifinal, between Imhotep Charter H.S. and Central H.S., at La Salle’s John E. Glaser Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Central’s # 11 Adrienne Rashad and Imhotep’s # 5 Jayla Willis fight for a rebound during the Public League girls' basketball semifinal, between Imhotep Charter H.S. and Central H.S., at La Salle’s John E. Glaser Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Audenried’s # 23 Ashley Boykin and #3 Aniyah Cheeseboro try to block a pass by Abraham Lincoln’s # 11 Asia Isaac during the Public League girls' basketball semifinal, between Universal Audenried H.S. and Abraham Lincoln H.S., at La Salle’s John E. Glaser Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
(L-R) Audenried’s # 3 Aniyah Cheeseboro and # 12 Heaven Reese battle Abraham Lincoln’s # 2 Ilisah Butler and # 11 Asia Isaac for a rebound during the Public League girls' basketball semifinal, between Universal Audenried H.S. and Abraham Lincoln H.S., at La Salle’s John E. Glaser Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Audenried’s # 2 Iyanna Ellison is about to grab the rebound despite efforts by Lincoln’s # 25 Saliah Allen-Wright, # 12 Madisson Washington, # 2 Ilisah Butler and Audenried’s # 1 Chloe Kham during the Public League girls' basketball semifinal, between Universal Audenried H.S. and Abraham Lincoln H.S., at La Salle’s John E. Glaser Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Audenried’s # 3 Aniyah Cheeseboro goes for a layup as Abraham Lincoln’s # 21 Haja Lewis pursues during the Public League girls' basketball semifinal, between Universal Audenried H.S. and Abraham Lincoln H.S., at La Salle’s John E. Glaser Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Imhotep’s # 0 Anai Kenyatta goes to the net as Central’s # 2 Janai Bellinger defends during the Public League girls' basketball semifinal, between Imhotep Charter H.S. and Central H.S., at La Salle’s John E. Glaser Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Abraham Lincoln’s # 21 Haja Lewis (left) watches as the jump shot by Audenried’s # 12 Heaven Reese (right) lands for two points during the Public League girls' basketball semifinal, between Universal Audenried H.S. and Abraham Lincoln H.S., at La Salle’s John E. Glaser Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Imhotep’s # 1 Taylor Linton makes a three point basket in the second half of the Public League girls' basketball semifinal, between Imhotep Charter H.S. and Central H.S., at La Salle’s John E. Glaser Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Central’s # 2 Janai Bellinger (left) and Imhotep’s # 10 Ava Hargrove race to a loose ball during the Public League girls' basketball semifinal, between Imhotep Charter H.S. and Central H.S., at La Salle’s John E. Glaser Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
The experience of Reese, a Coppin State commit; Russell, who’s committed to St. John’s; and guard Aniyah Cheeseboro made overcoming the loss of Smith easier.
“The last three years, we have all been behind Shayla and the other seniors,” Reese said. “So for us to [go win without her], it just means a lot.”
The Rockets ended the first quarter on a 16-1 run to take a 12-point lead. Kham hit back-to-back threes early in the second to push Audenried’s lead to 16. The sophomore was a significant factor for Audenried with her deep shooting and layups in transition.
“Chloe has been a person who’s been struggling a bit this season … and I think it was her first high school experience because she didn’t really play at Neumann Goretti last year,” Slaughter said. “So for her to come out and have 15 points is huge for us.”
Audenried took a 40-18 halftime lead with another championship appearance in sight. Lincoln scored the first three points of the second half before the Rockets put the game away.
They scored 27 straight points to enter the final eight minutes with a 67-21 lead. Reese and Russell led the charge with 12 during the run.
The championship game will pit Audenried against Imhotep for a fourth straight year. The Rockets won, 65-52, last year behind 35 points from Smith. They may not have Smith, but their confidence in winning a fourth straight Public League title remains high.
“Me personally, I always thought we were going to get back here,” Slaughter said. “Because a lot of the kids who were ninth and 10th graders when Shayla was there, they got to see it. … They have been in these wars.”
