Staff Report
The Hammonton High girls basketball team lives to fight another day after a 60-54 win over Timber Creek in the South Jersey Group 3 state playoffs. The Blue Devils, the No. 9 seed, knocked off the No. 8 Chargers thanks in large part to junior guard Kiley Kozlowski, who hit four 3-pointers and went 5-of-6 from the free-throw line to notch a career-high 27 points. Her previous career high came earlier this month when she scored 24 in a 58-55 loss to Lower Cape May.
Timber Creek jumped out to what seemed like a commanding 17-4 first-quarter lead, but the Blue Devils shaved that down to 10, 25-15, by halftime, then blitzed the Chargers with a 28-point fourth quarter. Hammonton also got 14 points from Jenna Vivadelli and 10 points, four rebounds and four assists from Angelina Virelli. She also had six of Hammonton’s 19 steals. The Chargers put three players in double figures, including Samiyah Puckett (16 points), Asha Gray (14) and Nicholle Green (13).
Hammonton advances to play No. 1 Mainland on Tuesday. There were no other upsets in the bracket, as the quarterfinals feature No. 5 Westampton Tech at No. 4 Cherry Hill West, No. 6 Absegami at No. 3 Clearview and No. 7 Highland visiting No. 2 Moorestown.
South Jersey Group 4: There was only one upset in the opening round, as No. 12 GCIT upended No. 5 Washington Township, 29-28. The Cheetahs move on to face No. 4 Egg Harbor Township on Monday night. The other quarterfinals feature No. 9 Toms River East at No. 1 Williamstown, No. 6 Shawnee at No. 3 Cherokee, and No. 7 Southern Regional at No. 2 Lenape.
South Jersey Group 2: It was all chalk in this bracket as the top eight seeds all advanced. Here are the quarterfinal matchups on Monday: No. 8 Sterling at No. 1 Cinnaminson, No. 5 Haddon Township at No. 4 Haddonfield, No. 6 Lower Cape May at No. 3 Manchester, and No. 7 Haddon Heights at No. 2 Middle Township.
South Jersey Group 1: There was just one opening-round upset and it came in the — you guessed it — 12/5 matchup. No. 12 Penns Grove knocked off No. 5 Palmyra, 48-37, to advance to take on No. 4 Woodstown. The other quarterfinals feature No. 8 Pennsville at No. 1 Woodbury, No. 6 Audubon at No. 3 Maple Shade and No. 7 Glassboro at No. 2 Wildwood.
Non-Publics: The parochial brackets kick off today. In Non-Public A, No. 13 Camden Catholic travels to No. 4 St. John Vianney; No. 10 Immaculata visits No. 7 Paul VI; and in one game that was played already, OLMA took care of Union Catholic, 68-42. During that win, senior guard Maddie Bernhardt became the school’s all-time leading scorer. In Non-Public B, No. 8 Bishop Eustace hosts No. 9 Timothy Christian; No. 12 Moorestown Friends visits No. 5 Trenton Catholic; No. 4 Gloucester Catholic hosts No. 13 Calvary Christian of Old Bridge; No. 6 Holy Spirit hosts No. 11 Koinonia; No. 10 Holy Cross travels to No. 7 Ranney, and No. 2 Wildwood Catholic has a bye into next week’s quarterfinals.
