Mastery North to take on reigning champion Audenried in Public League girls’ semifinals

The top four Public League girls’ basketball squads head to St. Joseph’s City Campus on Wednesday for the semifinals. Just like the boys, the top four teams in the A Division advanced, with last year’s champion and runner-up still alive on opposite sides of the bracket.

Defending champion Audenried and Mastery North will tip off at 4 p.m., followed by Imhotep Charter and Freire Charter at 6 p.m.

Here’s a look at those matchups:

Audenried ran the table with a 10-0 record in the Public League A Division, looking untouchable until fellow semifinalists Imhotep and Freire Charter played them in close wins in the regular season. Mastery North fell in the quarterfinals a season ago, but the Pumas were in the title game in 2022 and last won the league crown in 2020, so it’s no surprise they’ve found their way back.

Audenried junior guard Shayla Smith became the program’s all-time scoring leader in a 21-point outing against Northeast in the quarterfinals. The Division I recruit is complemented by junior guard Senaya Parker and senior forward Aniyah Howard. With freshman forward Nasiaah Russell injured, sophomore wing Heaven Reese has upped her game on the glass and in the scoring department. Senior guard Sakina Nelson is the only other senior in the rotation besides Howard, and sophomore Aniyah Cheeseboro also was part of last season’s championship team.

Mastery North challenged itself late in January against teams from District 1 and the Catholic League. The result was a four-game slide, but the Pumas ended the regular season with a two-point win over Central and handed Palumbo its first loss since Jan. 5 to reach the semifinals. Senior guard Zaakirah Edwards is the team’s leading scorer and has had a few big outings recently, but no one is averaging double figures. Senior guard Kyjane Cooper, who attended Imhotep last season, junior guard Jordyn Searles, and senior forward Leilany Ayala also could play key roles in the Pumas’ upset bid.

While the Panthers are frequent attendees and the Dragons are a little newer to the party, both squads were in the semifinals last season. They earned top seeds after tying Mastery North at 6-2 in the A Division.

Imhotep is two years removed from a Public League title. The Panthers fell to Audenried in the title game last season. They’ve reached the championship game for 10 years straight, winning seven times. The Panthers have most of the pieces back from last season’s runner-up squad. Senior guard Asia Taylor, junior forward Anise Geiger, and junior wing Sabria Mann are some of the standouts. Senior Aubrey Wroten is another experienced player, and junior Kayla Thompson and sophomores Anai Kenyatta and Geren Hawthorne add depth to the rotation, which has been the Panthers’ strength during its run.

Freire Charter is back in the semifinals for the second straight year, falling to Audenried a season ago. The Dragons have three players listed at 5-foot-10 in the lineup in senior wing Kylah Hargrove and junior forwards Aliyah and Anesah Cruz. Senior guard Wyiana Bronson and junior guard Destiny Davis are the other starters. Hargrove is a returning All-Public League selection, but it has been a balanced attack this season, with all five starters having led the team in scoring in multiple games. Freshman guard Sanai Wilkins and junior 6-2 center Makhaya Dawkins provide solid minutes off the bench.

This story was produced as part of a partnership between The Inquirer and City of Basketball Love, a nonprofit news organization that covers high school and college basketball in the Philadelphia area while also helping mentor the next generation of sportswriters. This collaboration will help boost coverage of the city’s vibrant amateur basketball scene, from the high school ranks up through the Big 5 and beyond.