Pennsville girls get a feel for the NBA on the Sixers’ floor at Wells Fargo Center, includes scores and highlights from Tuesday night’s Salem County basketball schedule
| GIRLS GAMES | BOYS GAMES |
| Clayton 56, Pennsville 38 (WFC) | Penns Grove 70, Pennsville 37 |
| Woodstown 68, Schalick 15 | Woodstown 65, Schalick 39 |
| Salem 63, Gloucester Cath. 51 |
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PHILADELPHIA – All the times Nora Ausland would watch the 76ers play, whether it be one of the rare times in person or on TV, she always thought the NBA 3-point line was way out there.
Then she actually got on the floor and saw it from a player’s perspective and her suspicions were confirmed. The line was way, way out there.
But that didn’t keep her or her Pennsville teammates from trying their hand at shooting from out there. The Eagles made seven 3s from the NBA line Tuesday afternoon, with Ausland and Taylor Bass each hitting three, in a 57-38 loss to Clayton in the Wells Fargo Center that was more about the experience than the result.
“I just wanted to hit some NBA 3s and I did do it,” Ausland said. “I’m impressed because it’s really far.
“I always thought it looked far. When I was walking down on to the floor I’m like it’s not really that far, and then my first shot completely air-balled it; it was pretty far. It makes my perception really off, so I was glad I was able to make a few.”
Ausland wasn’t the only one drawn by the NBA 3-point line. Marley Wood also kept an eye on the arc. She only took a few shots from out there during the game, but finally hit one in the fourth quarter to cross that off her basketball bucket list.
“Being able to shoot from the NBA 3-point line was something really cool, being able to score from there,” she said. “It bounced off the rim a couple times and then went in, but it felt really cool to be able to make it from there.”
“I thought it was a great opportunity for them to have that experience,” Pennsville coach Steve Merritt said. “I’m really happy for them.”
Ausland had hit 37 3s this season, 77 in her two seasons at Pennsville and 139 in her career from the high school line, but when you get the chance to shoot on an NBA floor, that line is a challenge no one could resist. The extra four feet from the NBA line, when the shots started going in, made her feel a little like Caitlin Clark, a little like Steph Curry.
Shooting into the abyss that would be filled with fans watching the Sixers lose to Toronto later that evening, many of the Eagles’ shots from behind the arc during warmups hit nothing but … air. Undeterred, Ausland hit three of the next five attempts – all from the wing. She also made a layup and finished with 11 points.
“I got the hang of it,” she said. “Just being able to make those shots is what I’ll remember.”
That’s what Merritt was hoping they’d all remember, the experience of the day. All 11 Eagles who made the trip got in the game and can say they held court in an NBA arena. And they all got shots up.
“That was the whole thing,” he said. “Prior to the start of the game I called them all together, they were trying to acclimated to the depth perception, so I said, ‘Look, you know how I feel about competition and my desire to win – I don’t like not winning — but today, when are we ever going to get an opportunity to play basketball on an NBA court, when am I going to get a chance to coach on an NBA court, we’re just here to have some fun.
“Our position in the division is set. As far as the tournaments are concerned, that’s already locked, too. So, there’s nothing to be gained by winning this game so let’s just go out and have fun. Go out and enjoy yourself.”
It was a quick game and had to be. The teams had an hour to play while workers set up for the NBA game that followed and they didn’t have all the customary amenities that come with a regular game. It may have been a rushed experience, but one they wouldn’t trade for anything.
“It was really cool,” Ausland said. “Just thinking about the fact that all these famous players like Kobe (Bryant), people I looked up to, were playing on the same court I just played on was really cool.”
CLAYTON 56, PENNSVILLE 38
CLAYTON (16-7): India Bryant 4 0-3 9, Deondria Simon 7 2-2 17, Rosa Pereira 0 0-0 0, Ava Delaney 4 1-4 9, Janice Blair 0 2-2 2, Rainelle Blocker 7 5-6 19, India Williams 0 0-0 0, Lenita Bessex 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 10-17 56.
PENNSVILLE (14-6): Taylor Bass 5 2-2 15, Marley Wood 2 0-0 5, Nora Ausland 4 0-0 11, Izzy Saulin 0 1-2 1, Jaida Burns 2 0-0 4, Sofia Belitsas 0 0-0 0, Ashlyn Fredo 0 0-0 0, Calli Ausland 0 0-0 0, Kylie Weist 0 0-0 0, Kylie Harris 1 0-0 2, Tatiana DePina 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 3-4 38.
| Clayton | 12 | 15 | 8 | 21- | 56 |
| Pennsville | 7 | 11 | 10 | 10- | 38 |
WOODSTOWN 68, SCHALICK 15
WOODSTOWN (15-5): Talia Battavio 7 1-1 18, Megan Donelson 4 2-2 13, Gianna Maiorini 2 0-0 4, Lauren Hengel 5 3-4 15, Kyia Leyman 2 0-0 4, Kendall Young 2 0-0 4, Jala Thomas 1 0-0 2, Lizzy Daly 0 1-2 1, Kailyn Kennedy 1 0-0 2, Ava White 1 0-0 3, Brynley Egret 2 0-0 4. Totals 27 7-9 68.
SCHALICK (4-16): Abby Willoughby 0 2-2 2, Olivia Vanacker 1 0-0 2, Navaeh Robinson 2 3-4 8, Cali Fisler 0 1-2 1, Willow Davis 1 0-0 2. Totals 4 6-8 15.
| Woodstown | 21 | 22 | 15 | 10- | 68 |
| Schalick | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5- | 15 |
Boys games
PENNS GROVE 70, PENNSVILLE 37
PENNSVILLE (2-21): Aiden Alleyne 3-0-7, Mason O’Brien 3-2-10, Cole Johnston 3-0-8, Daniel Knight 1-0-2, Logan Hitt 1-0-2, J.P. Laughrey 1-0-3, Gavin Spears 2-0-4. Totals 14-2-36.
PENNS GROVE (11-10): B.J. Robbins 1-0-2, Roman Gipson 1-1-3, Karon Ceaser 3-1-7, Antoine Robinson 2-0-5, Jameel Horace 5-2-13, Will Roy 2-2-6, Luis Colon 1-0-2, Caleb Fowler 3-0-8, Mishawn Brantley 2-1-5, Jeremy Costacamps 3-1-7, Geonni Conrad 3-0-7, Carson Pearsall 1-1-3. Totals 27-9-68.
| Pennsville | 9 | 14 | 6 | 8- | 37 |
| Penns Grove | 17 | 23 | 14 | 14- | 70 |
WOODSTOWN 65, SCHALICK 39
SCHALICK (6-17): Reggie Allen 5 1-4 11, Nylan Sutton 6 0-5 12, Jase Volovar 2 0-0 6, Jamari Whitley 0 3-4 3, Sherrod Jones 2 1-1 5, Justin Iacona 1 0-0 2. Totals 16 5-14 39.
WOODSTOWN (13-8): Lucas Fulmer 2 0-0 4, Elijah Caesar 1 0-0 2, John Hood-McGinley 2 0-0 5, Garrett Leyman 1 1-1 3, Andrew White 2 0-0 4, Sid Leevi 1 2-3 4, Rocco String 6 2-3 14, Blake Bialecki 2 0-0 5, Trey Markward 0 1-2 1, Alejandro Vazquez 2 0-0 4, M.J. Hall 6 5-7 19. Totals 25 11-16 65.
| Schalick | 5 | 8 | 11 | 15- | 39 |
| Woodstown | 21 | 19 | 10 | 15- | 65 |
SALEM 63, GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 51
SALEM (10-14): Xavier McGriff 2 1-2 9, Neziah Spence 5 6-6 18, Tymear Lecator 1 2-4 4, Deshaan Williams 2 11-14 15, Darrelle Johnson 2 1-2 5, Antwan Rogers 4 0-2 8, Joe Tunis 1 1-2 3, Azhone Burden 0 1-2 1. Totals 18 23-34 63.
GLOUCESTER (9-13): Carlos Mendez 6 1-1 15, Jack Mustaro 7 1-1 19, Gary Connelly 0 3-4 3, Ben Cook 1 0-0 2, Danny Zellner 1 1-2 3, Ehthan Dugue 2 2-2 6, Kimani Pyram 1 0-0 3. Totals 18 8-11 51.
| Salem | 17 | 13 | 10 | 23- | 63 |
| Gloucester Cath. | 15 | 19 | 11 | 6- | 51 |
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