Springfield-Montco 47, Imhotep Charter 37

After her team got blitzed by St. Pius X in Friday's PIAA District 1 Class AA championship game, Springfield (Montco) coach Sarah Gibbs must have quietly wondered about the squad's confidence going into last night's play-in game for the state tournament.

The Spartans looked shaky in the early going of both the first and third quarters against Imhotep Charter, but answered the bell when it counted most and fought past the Panthers, 47-37, at High School of the Future.

The difference between last night and Friday, when Springfield committed 25 turnovers and bowed to the Winged Lions, 73-49, at Villanova?

"We played all four quarters," Gibbs said. "And when Imhotep came out with their press, we broke it right away."

With the hard-earned victory over the Panthers, third-place finishers in District 12, the Spartans (11-15) earned a first-round date in states against Lancaster Mennonite (25-3). They will take on District 3's runner-up at 6 p.m. Friday at Hempfield High, in Landisville.

Sophomore guard-forward Annie Crudele, nursing an injury to her left wrist suffered against St. Pius X, keyed last night's victory with a game-high 18 points, eight rebounds, and three steals. Junior guard-forward Briana Scafidi chipped in 13 points and seven rebounds.

Behind eight first-half points from sophomore point guard Elise DiFilippo and seven from Scafidi, Springfield led, 23-18, at intermission. In the third quarter, when the Spartans went more than six minutes without scoring, they nearly gave the game away.

Imhotep Charter (16-8) started the third quarter with a 9-0 run. A three-pointer by junior guard Lakeisha Thomas capped the spurt and made it 27-23.

The teams traded buckets for the first four minutes of the final quarter. With 2 minutes, 8 seconds remaining, a follow-up shot by Crudele, after a missed free throw by junior guard-forward Morgan Smith, put Springfield in front, 41-37.

Crudele produced 10 of her 18 points in the last eight minutes. Her clutch effort down the stretch helped the Spartans overcome seven third-quarter turnovers.

In talking to her players following the 24-point defeat against St. Pius X, which claimed its seventh straight district crown, Gibbs said she focused on the positives.

"I told them, 'You should be so proud that you made it that far and you got to play a team like that,' " Gibbs said. "We talked about that we were still alive and about getting ready to play our next game."

Imhotep Charter committed 16 turnovers in the second half and 22 overall. The District 12 representative shot a dismal 15 for 72 from the field.

Alleshia Hall, a senior point guard, paced the Panthers with 14 points. Senior forward Darlene Morgan grabbed 14 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive end.

Springfield (M) 9 14 8 16 - 47

Imhotep Charter 6 12 11 8 - 37

S: Elise DiFilippo 8, Annie Crudele 18, Morgan Smith 6, Briana Scafidi 13, Taylor Koroncai 2.

IC: Darlene Morgan 4, Alleshia Hall 14, Emily Dash 6, Khalisha Royal 2, Lakeisha Thomas 9, Shakira Goodman 2.