Plymouth Whitemarsh girls clinch share of conference title

Plymouth Whitemarsh’s Anna McTamney was so locked in to the next play, the next basket and winning the game in front of her, that clinching a share of the Suburban One American Conference girls’ basketball title with Upper Dublin was not even on her radar on Tuesday night.

As far as the junior cocaptain is concerned, the real deal happens on Thursday when a win over Hatboro-Horsham will give the Colonials the conference title outright.

But clinch a share they did when they held off feisty Upper Moreland, 46-35, at Plymouth Whitemarsh. It gives the Colonials (19-2, 12-1 conference) their third title in the last four years.

“I thought we were playing for a league championship after our game on Thursday,” McTamney said with a shocked look on her face. “Oh, well, that’s nice. I feel great, I guess. I didn’t even know. We always have to focus on our game before we focus on the next.”

PW, which holds the top seed in the upcoming PIAA District One Class 6A tournament, was locked in early against the Golden Bears (11-10, 7-6), taking a 12-0 lead. The Colonials struggled shooting the ball in the first half but still led by 25-16 at the break.

In the second half, Bean Hughes heated up for Upper Moreland and put a bit of a scare into PW. Hughes scored seven of her game-high 23 points in the third quarter to help the Bears pull to within 31-25.

But freshman forward Erin Daley scored four of her eight points and McTamney added six of her team-high 11 points to hold off Upper Moreland.

“They were finally able to put the ball in the basket for us,” Colonials coach Dan Dougherty said.

Now McTamney and her teammates can concentrate on winning a title outright on Thursday.

Upper Moreland: 6 10 9 10 - 35

Plymouth Whitemarsh 15 10 6 15 - 46

UM: Bean Hughes 23, EmmyFaith Wood 9, Hannah Finn 2, Kaitie Opferman 1.

PW: Anna McTamney 11, Kaitlyn Flanagan 8, Erin Daley 8, Gabby Cooper 8, Abby Sharpe 7, Jordyn Thomas 4.