Lake-Lehman’s Claire Dougherty celebrates scoring her 1000th career Monday night against Nanticoke Area with teammates Brenna Hunt (12), Lia Keefe (15) and Hailey Kline.
John Erzar | Times Leader
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LEHMAN TWP. — The Lake-Lehman girls basketball team took care of some unfinished business Monday night.
First, there was the matter of the Black Knights avenging their only Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2. They did that with a 63-39 rout of Nanticoke Area. That led to another problem all but solved — winning the division title.
Then there was the personal matter of senior Claire Dougherty getting her 1,000th career point. She needed 27 and surpassed the milestone with a season-high 29. She also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds as the Black Knights dominated the boards.
“I knew I was close,” Dougherty said, “but I also knew it was going to be a really good game and wasn’t about to force anything. It was just the win first.”
Dougherty scored her 1,000th point with 2:37 remaining. By that time, Lehman (9-1 Div. 2, 14-3 overall) had the game in hand. The Black Knights also all but sewed up the divisional championship. They need to win their two remaining games — Wednesday against Seminary, who they defeated by 41 the first time, or Friday against Wyoming Area, who they defeated by 20.
Holy Redeemer (9-2 Div. 2, 12-8) is the only team that can catch Lehman. The Royals wrap up divisional play Wednesday vs. winless MMI Prep. In the event of a tie, there will be a special playoff for the divisional championship.
Dougherty’s grandfather on her mother’s side of the family is on Pennsylvania’s all-time leading high school scorers list. The late Ray Holup finished his high school career at Swoyersville in 1965 with 2,223 points.
“Tremendous, tremendous job,” Lehman coach Charlie Lavan said of Dougherty. “We told her we needed a big one and she certainly provided that. “
The only negative was the absence of leading scorer Chase Purdy, who was lost for the season three games ago with a knee injury.
“Chase is a dynamic player and these kids knew when she went out we had to step up,” Lavan said. “She put so much time into this we wanted to get the division title and get in the conference playoffs for Chase.”
Lehman ran into a dynamic player the last time the teams played on Jan. 18. Guard Riley Baird torched the Black Knights for 42 points — most in a game this season by a WVC player either girl or boy — as Nanticoke Area won 70-58.
Baird hit her first 3-pointer Monday night for Nanticoke Area’s first points. She got off only three more attempts from behind the arc in the first half, including a desperation 3-pointer from the other side of midcourt as the buzzer sounded.
Lehman concentrated on not losing Baird, something that happened several times in the first meeting as she nailed eight 3-pointers. She hit three Monday, including one from about six feet behind the line.
Lehman’s size was also a factor. Besides Dougherty’s 10 rebounds, Lia Keefe, Hailey Kline and Ella Wilson all had seven rebounds each. Brenna Hunt finished with 14 points and did a solid job cutting off passing lanes in the backcourt.
Kline’s rebound basket late in the first quarter gave Lehman a 11-9 lead it held the rest of the way.
“The first time we played them we took care of the ball a little better,” said Nanticoke Area coach Ed Grant Jr., whose team fell to 7-4 in the division and 11-9 overall. “We rebounded a little better in the second half last time. Riley made her shots before that and the team made a good run.
“Tonight, we were a little indecisive with things and that was because of the initial pressure.”
Lake-Lehman 63, Nanticoke Area 39
NANTICOKE AREA (39) — Alivia Evans 0 0-0 0, Grace Reed 1 0-0 3, Caitlyn Majiros 0 0-0 0, Brooklyn Biehl 0 1-2 1, Claire Aufiero 3 1-2 10, Shaylee Heffron 4 0-0 11, Riley Baird 4 3-3 14, Kylie Albert 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 5-7 39.
LAKE-LEHMAN (63) —Hailey Kline 3 0-0 7, Brenna Hunt 7 0-0 14, Claire Dougherty 12 4-6 29, Ella Wilson 3 1-1 7, Lia Keefe 3 0-0 6, Molly Jenkins 0 0-0 0, Melanie Selner 0 0-0 0, Krista Scoblick 0 0-0 0. Totals 28 5-7 63.
Nanticoke Area`9`6`11`13 — 39
Lake-Lehman`13`15`17`18 — 63
Three-point goals — NA 8 (Reed, Aufiero, Heffron 3, Baird 3). LL 2 (Kline, Dougherty).
