The District 3-A girls’ basketball tournament is tucked away neatly in the books, and a familiar team walked out of the Giant Center with the gold trophy.
Steel-High successfully defended its crown, and won its fourth championship in the last five years — as the Rollers made their fifth trip to the finals in a row.
To put a bow on the tournament, here’s our all-star list, with an MVP plus five players who also enjoyed a standout two-week stretch …
DISTRICT 3-A TOURNAMENT MVP
Kylee Sorichetti, senior, Halifax
The Wildcats didn’t win gold, but Sorichetti and Halifax put together another solid run to face Steel-High in the title game for the second year in a row.
And this time, despite the loss, the Wildcats played the Rollers a lot tougher; Steel-High won 76-27 a year ago. This time around: 57-49, and Halifax had a second-half lead.
Sorichetti, a slasher and dribble-driver who can beat you with a nice midrange game and especially in the key off the bounce or with stick-backs, pumped in 21 points in a 71-20 quarterfinal romp over New Hope Academy.
In the semifinals, she bucketed 22 points and yanked down 19 rebounds — while dealing with foul issues — in a 62-34 win over Tri-Valley League rival Upper Dauphin.
Sorichetti had 13 points and had another Yeoman’s effort on the glass battling Steel-High’s bigs in the title game.
That’s 18.7 points per game while helping her team to back to the title game for the second year in a row — and into the state playoffs, where Sorichetti and the Wildcats get Philadelphia’s Math, Civics & Sciences Charter on Saturday at 6 p.m. at CD East.
DISTRICT 3-A ALL-STARS
Ceani Beaden, senior, Steel-High — How balanced were the Rollers during their run to the title? Beaden was one of just two players that scored in double figures in more than one game in the tournament. She scored 11 points in the first round against Antietam and put up 11 points in the championship tilt vs. Halifax. Beaden averaged 9.3 in the tourney, and she was an absolute rock on the boards.
Katie Bechtel, senior, Harrisburg Christian — In the Knights’ biggest game this season — in the semifinals, as the No. 1 seed, against reigning champ Steel-High — Bechtel delivered, splashing three 3s and scoring a game-high 25 points. Rollers won the game 67-57, but Harrisburg Christian more than hung tough. Bechtel averaged 14.0 points in three tournament games for the Knights, who have a CCAC gold trophy and a District 3-A third-place finish to their credit.
Taylor Brown, junior, Upper Dauphin — Trojans’ sniper helped Upper Dauphin to a fourth-place finish and into the PIAA playoffs. She popped in 17 points in a 38-33 quarterfinal win over No. 2 Lancaster County Christian. Then Brown had back-to-back 10-point outings, in a setback to Halifax in the semifinals and to Harrisburg Christian in the third-place game. She averaged 12.3 points with three 3s in the tourney, as the Trojans now prep for undefeated District 4 champ Millville in a first-round state playoffs game on Saturday at Danville at 6 p.m.
Joslyn Hill, senior, Steel-High — Hill was the other Rollers’ player who scored in double figures in more than one game during Steel-High’s ride to back-to-back titles. She popped in 12 points in the first round against Antietam and had 12 points and a pair of 3s in the clutch semifinal win over No. 1 Harrisburg Christian. Hill averaged 7.8 points in four games and, like Beaden, she did a lot of dirty work in the paint. Next up for Beaden, Hill and the Rollers: District 4 runner-up St. John Neumann in a PIAA first-rounder Saturday at 6 p.m. at Northern York.
Creslyn Van Dyck, senior, Harrisburg Christian — Knights’ catalyst steered Harrisburg Christian to the CCAC title and the No. 1 seed — and to that semifinal showdown against Steel-High. She popped in 11 points vs. the Rollers, and had 14 points and a pair of 3s in the quarters vs. Greenwood. While she averaged 10.3 points in three games, with Van Dyck it’s so much more than just scoring points. She makes the Knights tick. Next stop, PIAA playoffs, where Harrisburg Christian gets District 2 champ Old Forge in a first-round game on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Scranton.