Kristin Curley helps Neshaminy girls gain a share of the SOL National Conference title
Neshaminy's win over William Tennent means it has won or shared the last three National Conference championships and six of the last eight under head coach Joe Lally.
The seniors on the Neshaminy girls’ basketball team have known nothing but success since coming to Langhorne as freshmen in 2016.
That success continued at William Tennent on Friday night.
The Redskins used a 28-point effort from senior point guard Kristin Curley and downed the Panthers, 67-20, to clinch a share of the Suburban One National Conference title. They have won or shared the last three National Conference championships and six of the last eight under head coach Joe Lally.
"We knew going in that this was a championship game for us," Curley said. "It confirmed that we at least share the SOL title with Pennsbury right now. So now, if we win against Pennsbury, it's solely ours. But if we lose, then we share it with them.
"We've been thinking about it since Wednesday, thinking this is a championship game for us, we have to play like it. At the start of the season, we said that was one of our goals and this kind of solidified it."
The Redskins jumped out to a 15-0 lead in the first quarter, then shot 8-for-10 from the field in the second quarter to take a 34-9 lead by halftime.
Tennent (7-12 overall, 2-8 SOL National) could not stop the Neshaminy onslaught in the third quarter, and the mercy rule went into effect after a Taylor Gurysh layup off a steal gave the Redskins a 49-9 advantage. Curley scored half of her points in the third quarter.
Not to be overlooked was the Neshaminy man-to-man defense. The Redskins held the Panthers to just six baskets on 27 shots (22.2 percent) while converting 30-of-48 shots (62.5 percent) themselves. Tennent (7-12 overall, 2-8 SOL National) also turned the ball over 19 times.
"It's something we focus on at least for 45 minutes to an hour every single day at practice," Curley said of the defense. "Our coaches tell us that's what wins championships and we have bought into that."
Seeing is believing, and Neshaminy believes.
Neshaminy 15 19 22 11 -- 67
William Tennent 3 6 3 8 -- 20
N: Kristin Curley 28, Kelli Kowalick 11, Emily Tantala 9, Olivia Scotti 6, Taylor Gurysh 4, Kacie Sienko 3, Sydney Tryon 3, Devon Roskos 3.
WT: Olivia Kaczmarek 7, Hannah Reimel 6, Kirsten Scott 5, Chase Dubzak 1, Kailyn Hansen 1.