Pa. high school player has a knack for threes

When Kathleen Fitzpatrick tied the Notre Dame record for three-pointers in a game with seven in a 71-63 loss to Cheltenham on Friday, that was just the end of a three-day hot streak that the junior had in the Spring-Ford tournament.

The 5-foot-8 Fitzpatrick made five threes in the Irish's 64-60 win over the host school to open the tourney, then followed that with five more treys in a 49-47 loss to Central Bucks South, ranked seventh in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer.

The seven against the sixth-ranked Panthers made her 17 for 37 from three-point range for the tournament, 46 percent.

Fitzpatrick is 30 for 86 (35 percent) on three-point shots this season for the 5-4 Irish. She is averaging 16.3 points. Teammate Megan McGurk, another adept three-point shooter, is scoring 15 a game.

Fitzpatrick credits her mother for her shooting touch from beyond the arc. Ellen (Shields) Fitzpatrick was a good long-range shooter for St. Joseph's University after playing for West Catholic. A 1990 graduate of St. Joe's, she was at West before the three-point shot became part of the game.

"My mom taught me to shoot, probably starting when I was in about third grade," Kathleen Fitzpatrick said. "We often go out and shoot around."

"We usually go to St. Joe's, Manoa Elementary School, or the Healthplex in Springfield," chimed in Ellen, who favored Finnegan Playground in Southwest Philadelphia when she was growing up.

Kathleen Fitzpatrick estimates that she takes 2,000 to 3,000 shots a week, all types, during her workouts.

Kyle Cain was the first to hit seven three-pointers in a game for Notre Dame. She did it in the 1996-97 season. Susan Welsh matched that effort in 2001-02.

Knauer gets 1,000. North Penn's Steph Knauer needed just six points to reach 1,000 for her career entering Tuesday night's Suburban One League Continental Conference game against Central Bucks West.

Knauer reached 1,000 points by sinking two free throws early in the fourth quarter. With her team trailing by six with 1 minute, 50 seconds to go, she turned her attention to scoring points to win the game.

Her two free throws tied the score at 42 at the end of regulation. Teammate Brenda McDermott scored five points in the overtime as the Maidens went on to win, 53-44.

"It was a tough game," said Knauer who went 6 for 6 from the foul line. "They certainly didn't want me to get my 1,000th point." She finished with 10 points and seven rebounds.

Knauer is the first North Penn player, boy or girl, to reach the 1,000 milestone since 2003.

Wheatley sets mark. Council Rock South's Alex Wheatley is a member of two elite clubs: She has become the first Golden Hawks player, boy or girl, to reach 1,000 career rebounds. Last season, she reached the 1,000 mark in points.

The Princeton-bound Wheatley passed the 1,000 mark in rebounds as South captured the championship of the Diamond State Cup 2 Classic at St. Elizabeth's in Wilmington on Friday night.

In addition to scoring 15 points, the 6-2 Wheatley pulled down seven rebounds in South's 44-39 victory. After Tuesday night's 42-24 Suburban One League National Division win over Neshaminy, Wheatley has 1,362 points and 1,014 rebounds.

"I feel rebounds are as equally beneficial as points," Wheatley said. "I get a rebound, I enjoy it."

She will have to be at her rebounding best Friday, when South visits Abington in a big conference meeting.

"She's such a hard worker, so things pay off for her," Golden Hawks coach Monica Stolic said. "She's just a great basketball player and a great kid.

"I gave the team the day off Saturday. She asked them if they wanted to volunteer to run with her in an event. She's just so coachable."

Team Record

Records are through Tuesday.

Previous rankings in parentheses.

1. Archbishop Carroll (2) 6-1

2. Prep Charter (4) 6-1

3. Cardinal O'Hara (5) 5-1

4. Council Rock South (6) 8-0

5. Mount St. Joseph (8) 9-0

6. Cheltenham (9) 8-0

7. Central Bucks S. (NR) 7-2

8. Villa Maria Acad. (NR) 7-1

9. Archbishop Wood (1) 3-3

10. Germantown Acad. (3) 6-5

Under consideration (listed alphabetically): Abington (6-3), Council Rock North (5-3), Haverford (7-1), Spring-Ford (7-2), Upper Dublin (8-1).

- Don Beideman
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