Tournament Superstars! These basketball players, wrestlers ushered in the new year in style
Out with the old, in with the new? Well, these student-athletes made sure that their final performances of 2023 would be long-remembered.
Check out the players who stood out the most in last week's holiday tournaments. And be sure to vote the final Boys Athlete of the Week and Girls Athletes of the Week for 2023! This week's polls will run from 7 p.m. Tuesday until 8 p.m. Thursday.
Top Performances in Girls Basketball
Amber Howard, Bensalem
The senior nearly willed her team to a comeback win, scoring 11 of her game-high 20 points in the fourth quarter at the Holiday ESCIT Tournament. The Owls fell 46-43 after trailing 36-20 in the third quarter. But it was a different story on Thursday, when she again scored 20 points to lead the Owls to a victory over Notre Dame.
Grace McShane, Bensalem
The sophomore has made the most of her increased minutes, scoring a career-high 10 points in the Owls first game at the Holiday ESCIT Tournament, then topping that with 11 points in their second game, a win over Notre Dame.
Caleigh Sperling, North Penn
Sperling scored 15 points in an abbreviated outing as the Knights won big in the Ridley Holiday Tournament, defeating the host team 44-21. She followed with 26 points to lead the Knights to a 70-54 victory in the championship game. The senior has scored 12 or more points in all eight games this season.
Ava Gumienny, Villa Joseph Marie
She scored a game-high 22 points against Garnet Valley in the Garnet Valley Holiday Tournament.
Jules Tropea, CB South
She scored eight of her 11 points in the fourth quarter to help the Titans top Great Valley 35-33 in the Garnet Valley Holiday Tournament.
Lola Ibarrondo, Neshaminy
The senior had three of her highest-scoring games of the season at the Tampa Bay Invitational, scoring a season-high 20 points in a win against Farragut (TN), and she tallied 15 points, six assists, four steals and five rebounds against Venice (FL). She had 16 points in the finale, a 49-36 victory.
Jess Lockwood, CB East
The junior erupted for 24 points to lead the Patriots to a 63-47 win at the Tampa Bay Invitational.
Anna Barry, CB East
She drained seven 3-pointers, finishing with a game-high 29 points, to lead the Patriots to a 59-44 win against Western (FL) at the Tampa Bay Invitational. In their bracket’s championship game, she scored 16 points to lead the Patriots to a 53-48 win against 13-1 Sefner Christian (FL), a team led by Division 1 recruits, and was named MVP.
Ava Renninger, Archbishop Wood
Renninger scored 21 points to lead the Vikings to a huge win over McDonogh, ranked 19th in the nation by ESPN. She also contributed five rebounds and four assists in the 46-44 victory at the Viking Invitational in Wilmington.
Lauren Greer, Archbishop Wood
Greer hit the game-winning shot to give the Vikings a huge 46-44 win against national-power McDonough at the Viking Invitational. She finished with eight points.
Emilia Coleman, Gwynedd Mercy
The sophomore erupted for 23 points in a standout performance against Wyoming Valley West in a 64-40 win at the Akens Holiday Tournament. She led the Monarchs with 11 points in a 40-39 victory in the championship game, earning MVP honors.
Avery Kocur, William Tennent
The sophomore had a pair of dominant offensive performances to lead the Panthers to the Upper Merion Holiday Tournament championship. She had 23 points in the opening round and 24 points in the championship game, a 59-28 win over Upper Merion.
Aubrey Lynch, William Tennent
The freshman made the most of her increased minutes at the Upper Merion Holiday Tournament. She provided a defensive spark in the Panthers’ 60-38 win over Sun Valley and she scored seven points off the bench in a victory against Upper Merion.
Brianna Jackson, Conwell-Egan
The freshman led the Eagles in scoring with 12 points against undefeated Conestoga, and she had eight points, six assists and four steals in a win over Methacton at the Wildwood Boardwalk Classic.
Nadia Yemola, Lansdale Catholic
The junior poured in 25 points to lead the Crusaders to a win at the New Year’s Eve Ball in Brooklyn.
Girls Basketball: Who are the top scorers in the Bucks County area?
Top Performances in Boys Basketball:
Roman Kulsea, CB West
Kulsea led the Bucks with 14 points, including four 3-pointers, in a 57-44 win at the Modie Risher Holiday Tournament, and he had 10 points in their second-round win over Collins Hill (GA), followed by 14 points in 56-51 win in the tournament championship game.
Antwone George, Conwell-Egan
His dominant performance – 25 points and 19 rebounds – led the Eagles to a win over WC Rustin in the Marple Newtown Holiday Tournament.
Josh Reed, Archbishop Wood
He had a huge 38-point outing, along with 13 rebounds, to lead the Vikings to an 89-82 win over Benton at the King Colton Classic. He had another double-double against Booker T. Washington, tallying 22 points and 11 rebounds.
Imad Abunima, William Tennent
In the final seconds of the game, Abunima secured a rebound and then hit a foul shot to clinch a 51-47 win over Neshaminy. He finished with a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Charlie Rising, Pennridge
He scored a game-high 21 points to lead the Rams over Palmerton in the Allentown Central Catholic Christmas Tournament.
Tyler Deandrea, CB East
He had scored a game-high 16 points in a win over Walkersville (MD) in the opening round of the Governor's Challenge Tournament. He contributed 10 points in the tournament final, a loss to CH Flowers.
Alex Shah, CB South
The sophomore scored a season-high 8 points and also had his strongest defensive game of the season in a 59-32 win over Frankford in the Bill Osborn Memorial Bracket at the Boardwalk Classic.
Amir Drummond, Bensalem
With 12 seconds remaining in OT and the Owls down by a point, Drummond scored the game-winner to give the Owls the 89-88 victory over Lincoln in the Dick Dougherty Memorial championship game. He finished with 13 points, with four coming in OT.
Antonio Morris, Bensalem
Morris poured in 30 points in the Owls’ 89-88 OT win over Lincoln in the Dick Dougherty Memorial Tournament championship game and was named MVP. He had 14 points in a 100-80 win over Norristown in the tournament opener. It is believed to be the first time that the Owls reached 100 points in team history.
Adul Diallo, Harry S. Truman
The freshman had a huge game in his first-ever varsity start, tallying nine points, six rebounds and three assists to help the Tigers secure their first win of the season at the John Molinelli Holiday Tournament.
Aaron Nathan, Harry S. Truman
The senior posted 11 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Tigers to their first win of the season, a 52-45 triumph over Ocean Township at the John Molinelli Holiday Tournament.
Jaden Luchansky, Harry S. Truman
The sophomore, who was voted team captain in his first varsity season, scored nine points and had three steals in the Tigers win over Ocean Township, their first victory of the season.
Timmy Rahill, Council Rock South
The senior led the way with 24 points, including 10 in the first quarter, in a 50-39 win over Atlantic Christian in the Ray Martin Memorial at the Boardwalk Classic.
Bryce Rollerson, Germantown Academy
The junior led the way with 23 points, including six points in the fourth quarter, in a 72-66 win over Boys Latin.
Top Performances in Girls Wrestling:
*Rankings are by PA-Wrestling.com. Girls’ district rankings combine Districts 1 and 12.
MacKenna Atkinson, Souderton
Atkinson went 3-0 and won the Bishop McCort Tournament, pinning a defending state finalist in the title match. The freshman added another tournament title at Governor Mifflin, going 3-0 with two pins in under one minute. She improved to 9-0 and is ranked second in the state at 235 pounds.
Kayla Husti-Luca, Souderton
The junior returned to the mat in the Governor Mifflin Tournament after missing her entire sophomore season due to injury. She went 4-0 with three wins by technical fall and one by fall in the 130-pound bracket.
Payton Hinkle, Bensalem
The sophomore won the 100-pound title at Bedlam for the Belt, winning all three matches by fall and improving to 10-2 on the season. She secured the top spot in the district rankings, and is second in the state at 100 pounds.
Valerie Sanchez, Harry S. Truman
The junior won the 106-pound title at the Ralph Wetzel Classic, pinning her opponent in 1:36 in the finals match, and 0:31 in the semifinals.
Julia Horger, Conwell-Egan
The sophomore improved to 9-0 on the season after winning the 106-pound title at Bedlam for the Belt. Seven of her wins this season are by fall, and she is ranked No. 2 in the state and No. 1 in the district at 106 pounds.
Savannah Witt, Palisades
She went 3-0 with three pins to win the 118-pound title at Bedlam for the Belt. The junior is an impressive 11-0 on the season and ranked No. 1 in the state at 124-pounds.
Top Performances in Boys Wrestling:
Chris Staub, Hatboro-Horsham
The senior won the 145-pound title in front of the home crowd at the Ralph Wetzel Classic at Hatboro-Horsham.
Dominick Morrison, Hatboro-Horsham
The freshman went 4-0 on his way to winning the 107-pound championship at the Ralph Wetzel Classic. He pinned his opponent in 1:47 in the title match.
Ben Primich, Pennsbury
The Falcons’ football star won the 189-pound title at the Ralph Wetzel Classic, earning three of his four wins by fall.
John Luchansky, Pennsbury
He went 4-0 with three pins to win the 127-pound title at the Ralph Wetzel Classic.
Chris Dennis, CB West
The sophomore won the 133-pound title at the Ralph Wetzel Classic, improving to 12-0 on the season and fourth in the PA-Wrestling.com District One rankings.
Patrick Kelly, CB West
The junior won the 139-pound title at the Ralph Wetzel Classic, earning two pins and a technical fall en route to the final.
Reagan McCullough, CB East
He went 4-0 with one pin and three technical falls to win the 215-pound championship at the Ralph Wetzel Classic.
Joe Collins, CB East
The senior went 4-0 with three pins and a technical fall to win the 285-pound championship at the Ralph Wetzel Classic, improving to 10-0 on the season.
Justin Farnsworth, Germantown Academy
The freshman won the 107-pound title at the Jim Thorpe Holiday Tournament, pinning his opponent in 1:02 in the championship match.
Robert Leeds, Germantown Academy
Leeds won the 133-pound championship at the Jim Thorpe Holiday Tournament, going 5-0 with all his wins by pin.
Mason Ziegler, Quakertown
The senior won the 127-pound title at the Bethlehem Holiday Classic, going 5-0 and holding his No. 1 spot in the district rankings.
Collin Gaj, Quakertown
The top-ranked wrestler in District One in his weight class, Gaj added another title to his resume, winning the 152-pound championship at the Bethlehem Holiday Classic.
Anthony Mutarelli, Council Rock South
The junior went 5-0 with two pins and three technical falls en route to winning the 133-pound title at the Bethlehem Holiday Classic.
Gavin Cole, Council Rock South
The junior won the 160-pound title at the Bethlehem Holiday Classic, pinning his opponent in 1:26 in the championship match.
Boys Basketball: Top 4 in big-school boys basketball rankings stay same, followed by numerous changes
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: High School Sports: Holiday Tournament top performances in basketball
