Imhotep is back in the Public League girls’ basketball final after beating Central
Imhotep will play Audenried in the Public League final for the fourth consecutive year. "Sunday’s matchup — we anticipate it to be a classic," said Imhotep coach David Hargrove.
Anai Kenyatta (center) and the Imhotep girls' basketball team celebrate after beating Central in the PPL semifinal at La Salle's Glaser Arena on Thursday.Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
by Conor Smith
Published
Business as usual.
For the 14th year in a row, Imhotep Charter is headed back to the Public League championship. In Thursday’s semifinal, the Panthers eked out a 52-45 win against Central at La Salle’s John Glaser Arena. Imhotep led for the entire game, but Central kept it close until the final whistle. Taylor Linton’s team-high 17 points lifted the Panthers back to the final.
Advertisement
“Out of all the teams throughout Imhotep history that have contributed to the streak, the commonality between all of those teams is that everybody is pushing,” said Imhotep coach David Hargrove. “Pushing to be better — number one. But then, pushing to be better teammates — number two. That allows us to keep that standard of competitiveness and championship-quality basketball.”
Late in the fourth quarter, down by six, Central sophomore guard Ava Yancey stole the ball and passed to junior point guard Stevie Hall, who was fouled and sent to the line. She made both free throws.
But Imhotep kept on pushing.
Panthers junior guard McKenna Alston responded with a lay-in of her own to quiet Central’s fans. Alston then stole the ball on the next two Lancers possessions to swing the momentum back to the Panthers.
“We challenge our kids about making connecting plays. A lot of people think that’s [just on offense]. But for us … it’s on defense too,” Hargrove said. “We were able to put pressure to the ball, be in passing lanes, and be active.”
Linton added: “[The end] was very intense. I think what was important is that we kept our poise … and we stayed connected.”
(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
Imhotep senior point guard Anai Kenyatta controlled the pace for the Panthers. Whenever the Lancers gained momentum, Kenyatta answered the call, finishing with 13 points. Senior forward Crystal Hawthorne added 11.
For Central, sophomore forward Janai Bellinger led with a game-high 18 points. After Imhotep took a quick nine-point lead behind a 7-2 run to start the second half, Bellinger kept her team within striking distance until the final whistle.
Audenried trounced Lincoln 67-28 earlier Thursday, meaning Imhotep will meet Audenried in the Public League championship for the fourth year in a row on Sunday. The Panthers lost to the Shayla Smith-led Rockets in the championship the past three matchups. With Smith now at Penn State, Sunday’s results could look different from previous years.
“Sunday’s matchup — we anticipate it to be a classic. It’s what has become an Imhotep-Audenried matchup, which is always going to be a back-and-forth, competitive game,” said Hargrove. “Some players are going to step up, some might step down, but it’s going to be a competitive game, and our kids have really been building for this moment all season.”
Before Imhotep prepares for Audenried, the Panthers celebrated in the locker room after Thursday’s win.
“It was quiet at first when we all walked in because it was like, ‘Dang,’” Linton said. “And then the coaches started coming in, and it was like, ‘OK, we going to the chip.’ It was real. Everybody was cheering and everyone was really, really happy.”
