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  • South Jersey’s Isabeau Levito finishes 12th, fellow American Alysa Liu claims gold medal at Olympics

    South Jersey’s Isabeau Levito finishes 12th, fellow American Alysa Liu claims gold medal at Olympics

    MILAN, Italy — In her first Olympics, in her mother’s hometown and very close to where her grandmother still lives, South Jersey figure skater Isabeau Levito earned a score of 131.96 in the free skate, or long program on Thursday.

    The 18-year-old wound up in eighth place in the short program after a score of 70.84 and 13th in the free skate. But scores, rather than placements are what count, so she wound up in 12th place with a 202.80.

    In the end, her teammate, friend, and fellow Blade Angel, Alysa Liu, won her second Olympic gold, after helping win the team event last week.

    Liu, 20, scored 150.20 to win the free skate. She was the only skater to have positive grades of execution on all elements. She was third in Tuesday’s short program.

    Liu also is the reigning world champion.

    Two Japanese skaters earned silver and bronze.

    Kaori Sakamoto, the favorite entering the Olympics, earned the silver after winning bronze at the 2022 Games. She was second in both the short and free programs.

    Ami Nakai, 17, who won the short program, was ninth in the free skate despite landing one of only two triple Axels on Thursday night. She had won the short program. She earned the bronze medal.

    Alysa Liu is the Olympic women’s figure skating champion.

    Levito entered the day in eighth place and was in sixth after that skate, with seven more skaters to go.

    She had an uncharacteristic fall on her opening triple flip, which was supposed to be in combination, but skated with her usual elegant spins and footwork to “Cinema Paradiso” by Ennio Morricone, Italian music for the occasion. Levito was born in Philadelphia, grew up in Mount Holly, and now lives closer to where she trains, in Mount Laurel.

    “I did my best” after the fall, Levito said in the mixed zone following her performance. “I just went on autopilot, and the rest went how it usually goes.”

    Despite the fall and placement, Levito said she felt better at this competition than at the World Figure Skating Championships, U.S. Figure Skating Championships, or other competitions.

    “Honestly, I felt like I had more energy,” she said. “And I don’t know if it’s because consciously I know I’m at the Olympics, or if it’s the crowd. The crowd is very, very energetic and supportive here.”

    This is the moment 18-year-old South Jersey figure skater Isabeau Levito has been waiting for: The Olympics

    Levito skated in the second-to-last group (the free skate goes in reverse placement order from the short program). She wore a light blue, sparkly dress for the occasion.

    After Tuesday’s nearly clean short program, many on social media felt that Levito had been underscored. Some felt that after the free skate as well.

    At 18, South Jersey figure skater Isabeau Levito is heading to the Olympics: ‘I feel like I really achieved my dream life’

    She is the reigning U.S. bronze medalist and was the U.S. champion in 2023 and the world silver medalist in 2024 in women’s singles.

    In the previous group, Levito’s fellow Blade Angel, Amber Glenn, skated a far better program than she had in the team event (where she was part of the gold-medal win) or Tuesday’s short program.

    Competitors are not always rivals. Just ask Isabeau Levito and Amber Glenn. | from 2024

    She was third in the free skate and fifth overall after finishing 13th in an error-filled short program.

    Glenn, the reigning and three-time U.S. champion, opened the free skate with her trademark triple Axel, landing it strongly, and knocked off element after element, only putting a hand down on her triple loop. She earned a season-best score of 147.52, for a total of 214.91.

    Glenn gave Levito a standing ovation from the leader’s chair near the kiss-and-cry area.

    Adeliia Petrosian, a Russian skater competing under a neutral flag, was seen as a potential medalist as well. She was the only woman to attempt a quadruple jump. She opened her free skate with the quad toe loop but fell on it. She wound up fifth in both the short and free skate and sixth overall.

  • Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola chooses Philabundance as the recipient of a $25,000 grant

    Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola chooses Philabundance as the recipient of a $25,000 grant

    After being named the 2025 Philanthropist of the Year by the Major League Baseball Players Trust, Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola earned a $25,000 grant to donate to a charity of his choice. On Wednesday, he selected Philabundance, the largest food bank in the Greater Philadelphia region, as the recipient.

    “Aaron Nola has been helping Philabundance strike out hunger for five years,” said Loree D. Jones Brown, the chief executive officer of Philabundance. “We are deeply grateful for his generosity and partnership. Delivering food, hope, and stability to those of our neighbors who need it most is a collective effort, and we could not fulfill our mission without the crucial, consistent support of donors — and friends — like Aaron.”

    The Phillies’ Trea Turner was still the fastest man in the league at 32. And it’s not due just to ‘genetics.’

    Nola has been working with Philabundance since 2019, joining its efforts to battle food insecurity across two states in nine counties. Their partnership will continue into 2026 with Philabundance as one of the beneficiaries for Nola’s charity poker tournament on April 16 at Citizens Bank Park.

    “Aaron embodies the Players Trust’s goal of making a positive impact in the world and has demonstrated an extraordinary personal commitment to philanthropic endeavors,” said Amy Hever the executive director of the Players Trust. “Our goal is to amplify the good the Players do in their community, and we hope this grant will help Philabundance reach even more people and families experiencing food insecurity.”

    Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola was named the 2025 Philanthropist of the Year by the MLBPA.

    Nola was named the Philanthropist of the Year for all his work giving back to the community, working with Philabundance, Team Red, White and Blue — an organization for veterans and service members seeking improved physical or mental health — and ALS research.

    Although Nola was unable to attend Wednesday’s Playmakers Classic, the Players Trust’s annual fundraising and awareness event, the 11-year veteran left an important message.

    “This award means a lot to me, because giving back has always been a core part of who I am and what I believe in,” said Nola in a video message.

    “Baseball has given me so many opportunities, mentors, and teammates who feel like family, and I’ve always felt a responsibility to use that platform to make a positive impact — whether it’s supporting ALS, veterans, kids and families, or doing whatever I can to strengthen communities and help make the world a little bit better. … This is truly an honor, and it motivates me to keep doing more, both on and off the field.”

  • ‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: J.T. Realmuto on thinking he might leave, Nick Castellanos’ exit, and more

    ‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: J.T. Realmuto on thinking he might leave, Nick Castellanos’ exit, and more

    CLEARWATER, Fla. — J.T. Realmuto is in spring training with the Phillies for the eighth consecutive year.

    But for a week in January, he wasn’t sure he’d be back.

    Realmuto sat down last week with Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast, to talk about his start-and-stop contract talks, which included a call in which president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told the star catcher’s agent that the team was heading in a different direction.

    In addition, Realmuto discussed the Phillies’ decision to release Nick Castellanos, offered his outlook for the starting rotation in 2026, and more.

    Watch the full interview below and subscribe to the Phillies Extra podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

    Q: Take me back to that week in January and how seriously you began thinking that you might be somewhere else this year.

    A: It was definitely a pretty hectic maybe 48 hours for us. Obviously there were the rumblings about the [Bo] Bichette stuff going on, and then, we were kind of at a standstill with the Phillies for quite a while. It had been all the way dating back to December at that point where there was no momentum. We had many conversations. There was just no momentum on the deal moving anywhere. So, yeah, I got a little stressful there for a couple days where we weren’t sure what was going to happen. Started kind of thinking about our other options and putting the logistics together of what it might be like to go somewhere else. And thankfully it didn’t come to that, because as we’ve stated all along, this is where we wanted to be. So, we’re happy we didn’t have to up and move and go somewhere else.

    J.T. Realmuto ‘never felt like a Plan B’ for Phillies while continuing fight to boost pay scale for catchers
    Q: How much confidence do you have in this starting rotation, and how do you feel about how that group shapes up again going into 2026?

    A: I love it. I don’t think there’s any secret that this starting pitching is one of the main strengths of our team. And it’s going to be what gets us to where we want to go. Similar to last year, we were so good in the regular season because of our starting pitching, and they’re going to be the horses we ride again all year long.

    It’s obviously not ideal. Losing Ranger [Suárez to the Red Sox] is going to be tough. But also [Zack] Wheeler starting on the IL most likely, it’s tough to replace those type of innings. But we have the depth, and we have the guys back there to do it. You got [Andrew] Painter coming back after being healthy for a full season, coming off that injury. I think he’s going to be big for us this year. [Jesús] Luzardo, [Cristopher] Sánchez, [Aaron] Nola, those guys, Taijuan [Walker] is throwing the ball great for us. So we just have to lean on those guys. And the Phillies are going to go how those guys go. And it’s a really good group to ride with.

    Q: There are people back in Philly who are saying the Phillies are running it back, and it’s been the same core for the last four or five years. How do you avoid it becoming kind of a stale feeling in the clubhouse?

    A: I understand the narrative that comes from the fans, the media, just the fact that it’s largely the same team. But as far as staleness goes, inside the clubhouse, we don’t feel any. We’re still as hungry as we’ve ever been, because we haven’t been able to finish the job. Obviously, we’ve been a very good regular season team the last few years, had a couple pretty good postseason runs, but we just haven’t been able to get over that hump and win the World Series. We’re still very hungry for that. So, there’s definitely no sense of staleness in the clubhouse. We still really enjoy each other. We love to hang out. We get along together well.

    With free agency looming next year, Alec Bohm is prepared to bat cleanup (again) for Kyle Schwarber or Bryce Harper

    So, the recipe is there. We have the pieces to win a championship. We all know that. I think the fans and the media know that as well. It’s just a matter of putting it together and playing our best baseball at the right time. Last year … I know we lost [in the NLDS to the Dodgers], 3-1, but the series was very close. Every game was very close, one play here and there changes that whole series, so we didn’t feel overmatched. If we play our best brand of baseball, we feel like we can beat anybody. And obviously the Dodgers are the team to chase down right now because they won two in a row, and they even got better this offseason. So, I feel like we have as good a chance as anybody to take them down. They’re going to be the favorites. But in my opinion, the Phillies are right up there with them, and we have as good a chance as anybody to beat them.

    J.T. Realmuto said Nick Castellanos (right) “was always a great teammate to me.”
    Q: How difficult was last year for Nick Castellanos, and what were you guys trying to do to make sure that you could try to keep Nick in the right frame of mind?

    A: Yeah, I’m sure it was tough on him, just coming from the career he’s had, and just being an everyday player, getting everyday at-bats his whole career, being able to have the transition into that role of playing less. That can’t be easy for anybody. And everybody knows Nick. Sometimes he’s going to say what’s on his mind, and that rubs some people wrong, and others love him for it. So, that’s just who he is, and he’s always going to be that way.

    So, I’m sure it’s not easy going through what he went through. But to be honest, now that he’s going to be moving on [to the Padres] and hopefully get another good opportunity for himself, I think he would say the same — that it’s best for both parties, just based off of everything that went on last year. And we obviously wish him the best. Our clubhouse loves Nick. I know that some people have feelings about him, but Nick was always a great teammate to me. I love that guy, and I wish him the best moving forward.

    A beer in the dugout, a benching, and a rift with his manager: Inside the final Phillies season for Nick Castellanos
    Q: What does it do for a team when you can inject some youth like Justin Crawford, Andrew Painter and Aidan Miller into a roster?

    A: It’s awesome. I think it’s just a spark for our team, especially our team where everybody talks about how old we are. So, it’s nice that [we’re] finally getting some young pups in the mix. What was our last youth wave — [Bryson] Stott, [Alec] Bohm, those guys. Bringing those guys up and being able to kind of take them under our wings and show them how to be big leaguers, that stuff is fun for us, for the older guys, and really being able to teach them how to win and show them what matters in this game. Our minor league system does a good job of having guys prepared when they come up, how to act like professionals, and how to play winning baseball. So, it’s always fun for us to get them in the clubhouse and make them feel like part of the team.

  • Longtime coach Carl Arrigale leads Neumann Goretti back to the Catholic League final

    Longtime coach Carl Arrigale leads Neumann Goretti back to the Catholic League final

    Neumann Goretti’s Deshawn Yates knew the Catholic League boys’ basketball semifinal game was in his team’s favor at halftime Wednesday night, even though the Saints trailed Bonner-Prendergast by four points.

    “[At] halftime Coach was talking to us like, ‘Stay together. It’s a two-possession game,’” Yates said. “So just Coach telling us, keeping us together.”

    The Saints took their first lead of the game with six minutes to play when Yates made a jump shot and went on to defeat Bonner-Prendie, 64-60, inside a roaring Palestra crowd of 9,000 fans. Yates and teammate Marquis Newson finished with 19 points apiece.

    Neumann Goretti will return to the Catholic League championship for the first time since 2023. The Saints will face Father Judge, the defending PCL champion, on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

    Neumann Goretti’s Marquis Newson dunks during the final minutes against Bonner-Prendie during the Catholic League boys’ basketball semifinals on Wednesday.

    While Bonner-Prendie led for almost three quarters, it could not separate itself from Neumann Goretti by more than five points. Newson scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, which included a wide-open statement dunk with 30 seconds left to give Neumann Goretti a 62-57 lead.

    However, the lead changed five times before that. Bonner’s Korey Francis, the league MVP, tied the score at 53 with a pair of free throws with 3 minutes, 56 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Neumann Goretti then went on a 7-0 run to take command.

    Critical charge

    Bonner-Prendie made four free throws to make it a three-point game with over a minute left. Neumann Goretti led, 60-57.

    Francis, who finished with 18 points, recorded a steal at halfcourt and drove to the basket. As he finished the layup, it was waved off. Francis was given an offensive foul for a charge.

    The Bonner fans erupted in disagreement with the call.

    Bonner & Prendie’s Jakeem Caroll (4) huddles the team against Neumann Goretti on Wednesday.

    “I would say we were really excited,” Newson said when asked about the charging call. “That’s something we practice a lot. Just taking charges. We have a whole drill for that. Knowing that what we practice works in the game, it was just a great feeling.”

    Yates added that the team thought it was going to be a foul.

    Father Judge overcomes early deficit to beat Archbishop Wood, earns spot in boys’ Catholic League final

    Two free throws from Stephon Ashley-Wright put the Saints up, 64-60, and sealed the game with 0.9 seconds remaining.

    “I would say I was just worried about the game, getting the win,” Yates said. “It was more so getting to the next round.”

    Arrigale looks to add to his title count

    Neumann Goretti coach Carl Arrigale has the opportunity to extend his all-time PCL title record to 13. He has led the Saints to 19 PCL final appearances since taking the helm in 1999.

    “People ask me about, ‘You’re going back to the Palestra. You’re going back to the Palestra,’ Arrigale said. “This never was about me. It’s never been about me, honestly — I want to do it for these guys to get back. I mean, Deshawn [Yates] played a couple years ago, and we were just banged up beyond belief. One of the worst losses in our history. … I just wanted to have a chance to come back and do it all over again.”

    Neumann Goretti coach Carl Arrigale has made 19 PCL final appearances at the helm.
  • Eagles star tackle Lane Johnson will return to team in 2026

    Eagles star tackle Lane Johnson will return to team in 2026

    Lane Johnson is officially returning for a 14th season with the Eagles.

    The right tackle told The Inquirer on Thursday that he will be back in 2026 after a month of uncertainty about his future following a season-ending injury and significant change in the Eagles’ coaching staff, most notably the departure of offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland.

    Johnson said he would address Stoutland’s sudden resignation and the new staff, led by offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, at his next media availability. But he met with Mannion and new O-line coach Chris Kuper recently and is excited about turning the offense around, sources close to the situation said.

    The return of Johnson, who turns 36 in May, will be key to coach Nick Sirianni’s expressed desire to “evolve” an offense that regressed significantly following a Super Bowl title just a season ago. Mannion is expected to bring with him the “Shanahan” system he both played and coached under as a quarterback and quarterbacks coach.

    There will likely be changes to the Eagles’ blocking schemes, especially in the running game. Stoutland left when it was apparent he would no longer have responsibilities as run game coordinator. Sirianni did want him to return as O-line coach, however, sources told The Inquirer.

    A six-time Pro Bowl player, Johnson was having another strong season until he suffered a Lisfranc foot fracture in Week 11. He had missed parts of other games with various setbacks, but the foot injury shelved him for the final eight games, including the wild-card playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

    Johnson avoided surgery on his foot, but the injury never healed enough for him to return last season. He has continued to rehab and is expected to be at full strength in the near future.

    The Eagles have been a decidedly different team when Johnson is in the lineup vs. when he isn’t over his 13-year career. They are 110-57-1 when he plays and 18-27 when he doesn’t.

    Center Cam Jurgens, (center) and guard Landon Dickerson (right) are among the other Eagles who were banged up this past season.

    Johnson wasn’t the only offensive lineman who was banged up this past season. Left guard Landon Dickerson missed just two games, but he underwent knee surgery in August and played with multiple injuries throughout the campaign.

    Dickerson, 27, expressed some doubt about his future immediately after the 49ers defeat. He has yet to publicly address his plans, but there have been concerns inside the Eagles organization about his health.

    Recent indications are that Dickerson will return for his sixth season. The Eagles will likely have a clearer understanding of his plans ahead of next week’s NFL combine, when Sirianni and general manager Howie Roseman are expected to be available to reporters in Indianapolis.

    Center Cam Jurgens wasn’t 100% following offseason back surgery, especially early last season. He struggled to return to form, although he was the lone Eagles offensive lineman voted to the Pro Bowl in 2025. Jurgens recently traveled to Colombia for stem cell treatment on his back.

    “I’m excited to get healthy and get ready for this next season, so that’s why I’m down here,” he posted on Instagram, referring to the country in South America.

    Left tackle Jordan Mailata and right guard Tyler Steen didn’t miss time to injury, but the unit was clearly affected by the tenuous health of the O-line, particularly in the running game. The Eagles again had one of the better pass-blocking units, according to most metrics.

  • Temple is sliding in the American standings after its third consecutive loss

    Temple is sliding in the American standings after its third consecutive loss

    About a week ago, Temple was in contention for the No. 2 seed in the American Conference. Now, the Owls are on a downward spiral following a 76-71 loss to Alabama-Birmingham Wednesday night at the Liacouras Center.

    Temple (15-11, 7-6) has lost three straight games and is tied for sixth place in the conference standings. The win moved the Blazers (17-10, 8-6) ahead of Temple in the standings.

    Turnovers, missed free throws cost Temple in 65-62 loss to North Texas

    Temple coach Adam Fisher noted he was disappointed with the Owls’ execution.

    “Proud of the effort, not the result,” Fisher said. “Effort doesn’t always get it done. You got to execute. Got to be better at home. You see zone for most of the game, you can’t shoot 1-for-15 [from three-point range] at home. Another game with a free throw line [deficiency]. We got to get better there. We got to do some small things.”

    Statistical leaders

    Temple ended the game winning the rebounding battle 37-31 against the second-best rebounding team in the conference. Guards Jordan Mason (18 points) and Derrian Ford (17) led the team in points, while forward Jami Felt had eight points and 10 boards.

    Temple’s Jordan Mason finished with 18 points on Wednesday night.

    The Owls had just five turnovers, following 16 in their last outing against North Texas, but struggled shooting the ball. In addition to their 1-for-15 three-point performance referenced by Fisher, they went 12-for-19 from the free throw line.

    Guard Chance Westry led the Blazers with 24 points and eight assists.

    What we saw

    Temple pushed the pace on the Blazers’ defense for easy points inside the paint.

    Mason, Ford, and Felt got the Owls out to an early 20-16 lead before UAB woke up. The Blazers snatched a 39-33 lead at the half. Temple continued to get points in the paint, but struggled without any points from the perimeter.

    Chance Westry led UAB with 24 points on Wednesday.

    Temple made just one three-pointer the entire game. Westry, however, got hot and scored 17 second-half points.

    “We tried to be in gaps and constructed it a little bit,” Fisher said. “But [Westry] had a really good night.”

    Game changing play

    Felt delivered a dunk to give the Owls a one-point edge with seven minutes remaining. Then, 20 seconds later, he went to the line to give them a chance at a three-point lead.

    Instead, his shot bounced off the rim, and UAB went back to work.

    Temple’s Jamai Felt secures a rebound against UAB on Wednesday.

    Westry capitalized 24 seconds later by drilling a three-pointer to snatch the lead right back for the Blazers. Felt had another chance to tie the game with more free throws, but both missed. Mason also missed a critical three-pointer.

    UAB knocked down five of its last six shots to seal the victory.

    Up next

    Temple will visit Wichita State (17-10, 9-5) on Saturday (ESPN2, 6 p.m.).

  • The Union won their season opener in a blowout, but Bradley Carnell won a gamble in it

    The Union won their season opener in a blowout, but Bradley Carnell won a gamble in it

    When the Union kicked off their season on Wednesday night, they were the fourth MLS team to take the field in this year’s Concacaf Champions Cup.

    The previous three — San Diego, Nashville, and Los Angeles FC — outscored their opponents by a combined 12-3 over four games.

    LAFC accounted for six of those goals, with star forward Dénis Bouanga scoring three and superstar Son Heung-min tallying one and three assists. San Diego’s biggest name, last year’s MLS Newcomer of the Year Anders Dreyer, led his team to an outstanding 4-2 aggregate win over Mexico’s Pumas UNAM.

    You needn’t have walked through much slush around Philadelphia this week to wonder which MLS team would be first to fall. But surely it wouldn’t be the Union, with such a talent advantage over Trinidad’s Defence Force FC.

    Frankie Westfield (right) defending Defence Force’s Levi Garcia.

    Then the Union’s starting lineup was revealed, and the mood turned to shock. Manager Bradley Carnell chose to start Stas Korzeniowski at forward, Alejandro Bedoya at right attacking midfield, Nathan Harriel at centerback, Andrew Rick in goal, and most surprising, attacking midfielder Jeremy Rafanello at right back.

    Bruno Damiani, Indiana Vassilev, Japhet Sery Larsen, and Andre Blake were all on the bench. Geiner Martínez and Olivier Mbaizo weren’t on the game squad in the first place. Nor was Jovan Lukić, though at least Carnell had signaled that was coming due to an injury.

    Union open 2026 season with 5-0 rout of Trinidad’s Defence Force in the Champions Cup

    Right after kickoff, Concacaf’s world feed broadcast hinted at another unusual circumstance. Jesús Bueno had issues getting a visa to enter Trinidad. He spent Tuesday night in nearby Antigua, got the visa Wednesday morning, and only arrived in Port-of-Spain at lunchtime Wednesday.

    Later in the game, a source with knowledge of the matter told The Inquirer that Martínez also had a visa issue. That helped clarify things a little more.

    Jeremy Rafanello was a surprising starter at right back on Wednesday.

    But it was still a surprise to see this lineup. Was Carnell taking the opponent lightly? He spoke repeatedly after the game about his respect for Defence Force, but his lineup choices also said something.

    Some watchers recalled that another of Bedoya’s teams made choices in Trinidad in 2017, 20 miles down the road in Couva. He was stuck on the bench for the U.S. men’s team’s infamous loss to Trinidad & Tobago that knocked the Americans out of the 2018 World Cup.

    An analysis of the Union’s roster at the start of the season, with many new players in the mix

    At the final whistle, all those thoughts were long gone. The Union won in a 5-0 rout, with Milan Iloski’s 29th-minute free kick opening the floodgates. Ezekiel Alladoh scored his first goal for the Union off a superb Frankie Westfield cross, Olwethu Makhanya slammed in a header off an Iloski corner, and Bruno Damiani scored twice as a substitute.

    Cavan Sullivan also made his first goal contribution for the Union’s first team, with a terrific assist on Damiani’s first goal. The 16-year-old had multiple nifty moments on the ball in his 25-minute run as a substitute, one of which earned a penalty kick after a nice combination play with Westfield. Damiani stepped up to score it.

    On the same night that Westfield’s brother Rocco led Father Judge to a second straight Catholic League boys’ basketball final at the Palestra, Frankie was a strong nominee for the Union’s player of the game. He recorded 39-of-46 passing, five scoring chances created, four clearances, one block, and seven duels won of the 12 contested.

    That was almost all overshadowed in the 70th minute, when the cameras showed Westfield holding his right hamstring. With Harriel off the field, the only other left back option available was midfielder Ben Bender on the bench.

    Cavan Sullivan looks ahead to what should be his biggest year yet with the Union

    Westfield shook off the pain for a while, but he exited in the 84th minute for Vassilev. That meant both outside backs were attacking midfielders. At least at that point it didn’t matter anymore.

    “Rafa’s a guy who is very versatile, he can play anywhere,” Carnell said afterward. “This was just more by need, and we knew he could do the job. We just needed positive guys to give energy, [to] want to do what’s best for the team, and that’s what Jeremy is.”

    The gamble paid off, and with some style in the end. Carnell was rightly pleased at the final whistle, praising his team for surviving Defence Force’s early-game surge before imposing its will.

    “I think we did have a challenge for sure, and I think through the second half performance of our guys — give them credit,” he said. “We showed a real professional performance in the second half.”

    But he had still gambled, and it’s a good thing he won.

  • St. Joe’s women are on a hot streak and could earn a double bye in the Atlantic 10 tournament

    St. Joe’s women are on a hot streak and could earn a double bye in the Atlantic 10 tournament

    Through 20 minutes on Wednesday night at Hagan Arena, St. Joseph’s was in a defensive battle with Duquesne. The Hawks jumped out to a nine-point lead in the game’s first 2½ minutes, but the Dukes’ defense clamped down. By the 8-minute, 3-second mark of the second quarter, that lead was one.

    The Hawks recovered, and behind strong free throw shooting and an 11-2 run, they held a eight-point halftime lead. St. Joe’s pushed its lead into double figures early in the third quarter and never looked back in a 61-46 win.

    “I’m really pleased with the grit and determination that our team came out with today,” Hawks coach Cindy Griffin said. “I thought the beginning of the first and third quarters really set the tone, and it starts with our defense.”

    St. Joe’s coach Cindy Griffin said her team showed “grit and determination” against Duquesne on Wednesday.

    St. Joe’s (18-8, 9-6 Atlantic 10) is riding a three-game winning streak and still competing for a double bye in the A-10 tournament. With three games left in the regular season, the Hawks are tied with Davidson for fourth place, which is the last spot for a double bye.

    Statistical leaders

    Guard Gabby Casey guided the Hawks with 19 points on 7 of 12 shooting along with nine rebounds. Forward Faith Stinson also had a strong performance with 13 points, nine rebounds, and three assists. She was key a factor on defense against the Dukes’ taller frontcourt.

    “I really just took what we have been working on in practice, like slowing down and assessing what the defense is giving me,” Stinson said. “Then, using my multiple post moves to get around the defender and score from the easiest angle.”

    Faith Stinson finished with 13 points and was a key factor on defense Wednesday night.

    The Hawks weren’t efficient — they were 20-for-54 from the field — but made 7 of 18 three-point attempts. Their defense stepped up and held Duquesne (9-17, 2-13) to 31% from the field and forced 13 turnovers. Guard Mackenzie Blackford led the Dukes with 16 points.

    Coasting in the second half

    St. Joe’s made four of its first five shots in its game-opening 9-0 run. But offense became hard to come by after that, opening the door for the Dukes. St. Joe’s struggled to get open looks went more than six minutes without a point, which allowed Duquesne to take a 16-15 lead at the 8:03 mark of the second quarter.

    The Hawks regained control, and Casey scored seven points in the 11-2 run to close the half. St. Joe’s entered the locker room with a 29-21 advantage, extended its lead to 37-27 midway through the third quarter, and never allowed Duquesne back within single digits, largely thanks to sharp free-throw shooting an timely threes.

    Gabby Casey throws the ball towards the net. St. Joe’s made 7 of 18 three-pointers on Wednesday.

    “Nobody really panics,” Griffin said. “I think they trust each other. They trust what we’re doing as a team, and they know that if we just persevere and if we are relentless about what we’re doing on both ends of the floor and stay connected, we know that we’re going to come out of those slumps a little bit.”

    Strong free-throw shooting

    The teams had nearly identical shooting splits from the field and at the three-point line in the first half, but the Hawks held a halftime advantage because they shot 7-for-8 on free throws, while the Dukes did not make a free throw in the first 20 minutes. Overall, St. Joe’s went 14-for-16 on free throws and Duquesne was 3-for-5.

    Aleah Snead gets ready to shoot a free throw against Duquesne on Wednesday.

    “When you’re talking about a low-scoring game and the shooting percentage wasn’t great, you have to find different ways to score,” Griffin said. “Getting to the free-throw line and making free throws, we talked about it all year, layups and free throws.”

    Up next

    St. Joe’s will visit St. Louis (11-17, 5-10 A-10) on Saturday (3 p.m., ESPN+).

  • Before Alexis Eberz begins her journey at Villanova, she has unfinished business with Archbishop Carroll

    Before Alexis Eberz begins her journey at Villanova, she has unfinished business with Archbishop Carroll

    Alexis Eberz knew she wanted play in the Big East. So when it came down to deciding between Maruqette or Villanova, the Archbishop Carroll senior guard did what most high schoolers do: she asked for her mother’s advice.

    “I just told her to pray on it,” said Michelle Eberz, Alexis’ mother.

    Her advice came at the perfect time. It was the end of Eberz’s junior year, and she was about to embark on a religious retreat called “Kairos,” which was hosted by Carroll. It was a four-day, three-night retreat at the Malvern Retreat House with no cell phones. It was the perfect opportunity for Eberz to reflect on where she wanted to play college basketball.

    “I said, ‘Alexis, listen to me. Go to Kairos and pray on it. You will find your answer,’” Michele said. “And, honestly, it was almost like the pressure melted off her.”

    Eberz decided on Villanova and signed with the team in November. Besides getting to play in the Big East, Villanova has always felt like home, which stems for her parents. Michele and her husband, Eric, played basketball on the Main Line and exposed their daughter to the school at a young age.

    However, Alexis has forged her own connection to the program and is ready to take her game to the next level. But first, the senior has some unfinished business to take care of at Carroll.

    Alexis and Kayla Eberz ‘work together’ to guide Archbishop Carroll back to the Palestra

    This season, Eberz is averaging 17.5 points and was named Catholic League MVP. The Patriots will face Cardinal O’Hara on Sunday at the Palestra in the Catholic League final, marking their third consecutive appearance. The last time Carroll won a PCL title was in 2019.

    No stranger to ’Nova

    Long before she picked up a basketball, Villanova has been part of Eberz’s life.

    “It’s a parent’s dream that she’s actually not only at [our] alma mater, but so close to home,” Michele said. “So many people know her already before she even steps on campus.”

    Alexis Eberz added: “I’m really close with Maddy Siegrist. I would shoot with her and do workouts with her [and former coach] Harry Perretta.”

    Learning from Siegrist, Villanova’s all-time leading scorer for men and women, contributed to Eberz wanting to play for Villanova. But it wasn’t the only factor.

    “I was around Villanova at such a young age,” Eberz said. “And then I never really went away from it. You’re never going to get that tight-knit community anywhere else. It’s awesome. The players, the coaching staff, everyone’s so nice. That really stuck out to me.”

    Plus, Villanova coach Denise Dillon viewed Eberz as an elite addition to the roster.

    “I think [what stood out to us] was a combination of the tangibles and intangibles,” Dillon said. “The tangibles being her ability to make shots. She’s a great shooter, great passer, moves well without the ball. The intangibles [being] her toughness. I just think she is a competitor. She doesn’t care who it is: post player, perimeter player, she’s going to battle.”

    Megan Rullo’s 22 points powers Cardinal O’Hara to Catholic League final

    It also doesn’t hurt that Dillon has been longtime friends and former teammates with Michele.

    Their time also overlapped at Villanova from 1993 to 1995. During Michele’s senior season, the Wildcats went 19-9 overall and 13-5 in the Big East.

    “The years I played with Denise, we really grew as a team and friends,” Michele said.

    Alexis Eberz was named Catholic League MVP this season.

    The two even are in a group chat with old teammates.

    But Michele and Eric were careful to stay out of their daughter’s recruiting process. They wanted their daughter to make the decision for herself, even if they were rooting for her to be a Wildcat.

    “A coach is going to be hard on you on the basketball court, but [Villanova] also cares a lot about developing players into a young woman or becoming successful in school,” said Eric, who played at Villanova from 1992 to 1996. “You know that your coach’s job is to help kids find their path in life, too, and I think Denise does a great job at that.”

    ‘A really good teammate’

    Alexis Eberz has had quite an accomplished career with the Patriots.

    During her junior year, she averaged 17.6 points and earned first-team All-State honors. She also was named first-team All-Philadelphia Catholic League, first-team All-Delaware County, and scored her 1,000th career point.

    “When [Alexis] was a freshman, she was a very good shooter and had a great IQ for the game,” Archbishop Carroll coach Renie Shields said. “What she’s progressed into was a really good teammate [who] understands more about the game, and that’s just what her continual growth has been: increasing her skill set, shooting, ballhandling, and then now it’s movement without the ball and how to find openings for herself and her teammates.”

    The Eberz sisters make up 60% of Archbishop Carroll’s starting five. For them, basketball is a family tradition.

    She’s one of the senior leaders this season, alongside Ursinus pledge Bridget Grant, who happens to be Dillon’s niece and Eberz’s best friend. Also on the roster are Eberz’s younger twin sisters, Kelsey and Kayla, who are sophomores.

    “It’s awesome,” Eberz said. “It’s been surreal. It’s so special getting the chance to play with my sisters. I’m also really blessed, because some people don’t get a chance to play with their younger sisters, so I’ve been really grateful to have that chance.”

    With Grant and her sisters, Eberz is leading Carroll to a memorable season, as the team is 19-5 entering Sunday’s matchup. While the Palestra is an arena filled with history and tradition, for Eberz, it represents redemption.

    Archbishop Carroll will face Cardinal O’Hara in the Catholic League girls’ basketball final on Sunday.

    The Patriots have been to the PCL final the past two seasons, but lost both years.

    “There’s no other option,” Eberz said. “I have to win.”

    With one final shot at a PCL title, Eberz is looking to rewrite her team’s story.

    “Obviously we have a target on our back, being undefeated. … but I think that also gives us more of a reason to want it more,” she said. “It’s just the fact that we played so hard all season, and we beat all the teams so that we can get to this point. I think it just makes us want it more.”

  • What did Villanova learn in its loss to No. 1 UConn? The game truly is ‘four quarters.’

    What did Villanova learn in its loss to No. 1 UConn? The game truly is ‘four quarters.’

    It would be unfair to call Wednesday night’s Big East clash between Villanova and No. 1 Connecticut anything other than what it ultimately was: a litmus test for the Wildcats.

    Villanova may sit in second place in a demanding Big East, but in Wednesday’s game against UConn, the Wildcats once were again looking up at a Geno Auriemma-coached Huskies program, which entered Finneran Pavilion undefeated with 27 wins.

    Technically, make that 43 regular-season games, if you consider the Huskies haven’t lost since last February when, as the No. 1 team in the land, they suffered a four-point upset against then-No. 19 Tennessee.

    Is Tyler Perkins Villanova’s new Josh Hart? He might be close enough.

    A perennial power team in a power conference, Villanova wasn’t just playing the women wearing the Huskies’ deep blue on the other side of the floor; it was playing to prove itself against UConn’s stature, its reputation.

    And, if we’re being honest, the result of UConn’s tens of millions in NIL funding, ready for distribution.

    Villanova coach Denise Dillon approaches UConn coach Geno Auriemma following Wednesday’s game between the two at Finneran Pavilion.

    In her six years as head coach, Denise Dillon has never made concessions for her team after it came up short against UConn, time and time again.

    But if she wants this year’s Wildcats to dance far into March, their performance has to match what was on display in the first half on Wednesday night. And look a heck of a lot better than a second-half fallout that resulted in an 83-69 loss.

    “Honestly, give them credit. [UConn] stuck to their game plan,” Dillon said. “I think we let up on what we needed to do … miss a possession here or there, they’re going to take advantage.

    “And that’s what happened.”

    Villanova’s Ryanne Allen (left) is held back by UConn’s Sarah Strong during their game on Wednesday. Strong finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds.

    Don’t sleep on the Wildcats

    Villanova (21-6, 14-4 Big East) looked like a true contender in the first eight minutes. The Wildcats held a one-point lead at the first television timeout with 4 minutes, 38 seconds remaining and went into halftime up three.

    It marked the only time UConn (28-0, 17-0) has trailed at halftime this season and one of its longest deficits, with the Wildcats ahead for 16:10 of the first half, compared to just 2:09 for the Huskies.

    “How we started the game was unacceptable,” said UConn guard Azzi Fudd, who finished with a team-high 25 points. “We need to be able to start the game strong, play the full 40, and not take the game or a team for granted. I think they proved we cannot overlook anyone.”

    One player UConn certainly couldn’t overlook was Jasmine Bascoe, who had a game-high 26 points and was a rebound shy of a double-double. She got help from Denae Carter (21 points) and freshman Kennedy Henry, who finished with nine, but played one of her best games of the season.

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    “If it weren’t for my two girls [Fudd and forward Sarah Strong], she’d be the best player in the Big East, hands down,” said Auriemma, who lauded Bascoe’s performance. “Just an amazing talent, and she made it really tough for us tonight.”

    Villanova’s Jasmine Bascoe signals one of her four made three-pointers in Wednesday’s game against UConn.

    Lessons learned

    The reason UConn is No. 1 — besides having one of the most dominant players in women’s college basketball in Strong — is an ability to grind out wins.

    Speaking of Strong, while she finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds, the Wildcats frustrated the sophomore enough that by the third quarter, she was in danger of fouling out. She kept her composure and aided the Huskies in outscoring Villanova, 46-29, in the second half.

    Strong and Fudd did what they do, but in the end, turnovers were the Wildcats’ undoing; UConn scored 28 points off 26 Villanova turnovers.

    Villanova’s Denae Carter has her shot blocked from behind by UConn’s Serah Williams.

    “We talked about it, even at the end of the first quarter,” Dillon said. “I said, ‘Imagine if we’d got 8-10 more shots off in that period, what a difference it could make.’ We just have to focus our attention on taking care of the basketball.”

    Before the game, ESPN bracketologists had Villanova as a bubble team, projected as the No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Judging by last night’s performance, it feels like a pretty fair assessment.

    “The goal is to get to the [Big East] championship game and [get into] March Madness,” Dillon said. “We’re preparing for that every day. We talk to our players about our practice plan, which is to prepare to face a UConn; and if they train that way, you’re going to have a lot of success along the way.”

    On Wednesday night, the Wildcats came close to the type of success that could have landed them in Top 25 polls this time next week.

    That didn’t happen.

    Villanova honors alumni and coach Harry Perretta during its win over Georgetown

    But the consolation? They did more than enough to impress a storied coach who has firsthand experience of what success looks like.

    “They’re a team that will be in the tournament, I think,” Auriemma said. “They’re really well coached. Denise [Dillon] does a tremendous job. You know, this felt like one of those old-school Big East games tonight where you have to grind it out, and that’s usually what it’s like when you play here.”

    Up next

    Villanova will remain in town in preparation for Marquette at the Finn on Sunday (3:30 p.m., Peacock). The Golden Eagles (16-10, 10-7) are coming off a 71-56 Valentine’s Day loss to UConn and will look to snap a three-game losing streak.

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    On Saturday, Villanova’s men host No. 5 UConn (24-3, 14-2) at Xfinity Mobile Arena (5:30 p.m., TNT). The Wildcats (21-5, 12-3 Big East) are on a six-game winning streak and are looking to avenge a 75-67 overtime loss against then-No. 2 UConn on Jan. 24.

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