Jaylah Robinson powers Mastery Charter North past Imhotep to the Public League girls’ basketball title
Robinson scored 12 points and earned Most Valuable Player honors as Mastery Charter North beat Imhotep Charter, 49-44.
Sophomore Jaylah Robinson scored 12 points and earned Most Valuable Player honors as Mastery Charter North beat Imhotep Charter, 49-44, Saturday night in the girls’ Philadelphia Public League championship game.
Senior Angela Sanders added 11 with five rebounds and three assists for Mastery North Charter (19-7) in the first game of a championship doubleheader at the Liacouras Center at Temple University.
“Imhotep Charter has been the dominant team in Public League girls’ basketball for the last 10 years,” Mastery Charter North coach Brandon Millwood said. “But this shows how our hard work is paying off.”
Sophomore Janai Smith scored 16 points, and junior Ayasha Thomas lifted six steals for Imhotep Charter (14-12), which had won the previous two Public League titles.
Imhotep Charter beat Mastery Charter North, 59-50, in a regular-season game on Jan. 22.
“Our energy was so much better this time,” Robinson said. “We were much more disciplined.”
Robinson had four rebounds and three assists and excelled as a ball-handler against Imhotep Charter’s pressure defense. She made three foul shots in the fourth quarter as the Lady Pumas held off the Panthers’ late rally.
“We’ve been working for this the entire season,” Robinson said. “It means everything.”
Millwood said the 5-foot-10 Robinson’s emergence as a dominant player has been a key to Mastery Charter North’s development into the league’s top team.
“She’s growing up before our eyes,” Millwood said.
Mastery Charter North 11 14 14 10 -- 49
Imhotep Charter 8 16 10 10 -- 44
MCN: Jaylah Robinson 12, Astan Kane 8, Ahjae Henderson 7, Brooke Thompson 4, Angela Sanders 11, Ayanna Eldridge 7.
IC: Janai Smith 16, Zamara Haynes 8, Ayasha Thomas 6, Alyssa Herder 2, Taniyah Finley 2, Monesjia Harvey 8, Samaja Stevens 2.