The Universal Audenried Charter girls’ basketball team entered the Public League semifinals Thursday night as three-time reigning champions, but the journey for its fourth title looks different.
Guard Shayla Smith led the Rockets the last four seasons and became Philadelphia’s all-time leading scorer, but she graduated and moved on to Penn State.
Against Abraham Lincoln, Audenried showed it still can win. Behind junior forward Nasiaah Russell and senior guard Heaven Reese, the Rockets are heading to their fourth straight Public League title game after beating Lincoln, 67-28, at La Salle’s John Glaser Arena. Audenried will face Imhotep on Sunday.
After a sluggish first four minutes, Audenried dominated the rest of the way. The Rockets outscored Lincoln by 19 points in the second half by forcing turnovers and scoring in transition. Four players scored in double figures, led by Reese’s 16 points and sophomore guard Chloe Kham’s 15 off the bench.
“Us making it back to the championship after Shayla leaving is huge for me,” said Audenried coach Kevin Slaughter. “A lot of people were saying once Shayla left, we were done, and to get back is big for us.”
Audenried found stability behind Reese, who has been part of the winning culture at Audenried and knows what it takes to bring home a Public League crown.
The experience of Reese, a Coppin State commit; Russell, who’s committed to St. John’s; and guard Aniyah Cheeseboro made overcoming the loss of Smith easier.
“The last three years, we have all been behind Shayla and the other seniors,” Reese said. “So for us to [go win without her], it just means a lot.”
The Rockets ended the first quarter on a 16-1 run to take a 12-point lead. Kham hit back-to-back threes early in the second to push Audenried’s lead to 16. The sophomore was a significant factor for Audenried with her deep shooting and layups in transition.
“Chloe has been a person who’s been struggling a bit this season … and I think it was her first high school experience because she didn’t really play at Neumann Goretti last year,” Slaughter said. “So for her to come out and have 15 points is huge for us.”
Audenried took a 40-18 halftime lead with another championship appearance in sight. Lincoln scored the first three points of the second half before the Rockets put the game away.
They scored 27 straight points to enter the final eight minutes with a 67-21 lead. Reese and Russell led the charge with 12 during the run.
Audenried girls’ basketball will have a rematch with Imhotep in the Public League title game on Sunday.
The championship game will pit Audenried against Imhotep for a fourth straight year. The Rockets won, 65-52, last year behind 35 points from Smith. They may not have Smith, but their confidence in winning a fourth straight Public League title remains high.
“Me personally, I always thought we were going to get back here,” Slaughter said. “Because a lot of the kids who were ninth and 10th graders when Shayla was there, they got to see it. … They have been in these wars.”
The Finneran Pavilion was the loudest it had been all season for Villanova women’s basketball as the Wildcats hosted No. 1 UConn on Wednesday night.
The energy in the packed arena intensified at halftime when the unexpected happened: Villanova led the undefeated Huskies by three points. It was the first time all season that UConn trailed at the half.
“The atmosphere that was created was tremendous,” said Villanova coach Denise Dillon. “I loved hearing [the fans]. They were here for us. That was the difference, and you felt it from the beginning of the game and carrying through.”
The magic of Villanova’s first half eventually wore off, as UConn pulled away in the third quarter. The Huskies then held a double-digit lead to secure an 83-69 win. Villanova will be back in the Finneran Pavilion on Sunday to host Marquette, which stands fourth in the Big East (3:30 p.m., Peacock).
However, Villanova’s tough stance against the nation’s top team was enough to remind the 41-year UConn coach Geno Auriemma of what he called the “old-school Big East.”
The conference rivalry, which has dissipated since the advent of the NIL and transfer portal era, seemed to have been revived — at least for the moment.
Looking back
Auriemma reflected on the rivalry between Villanova and UConn over the years. Although UConn owns the all-time record 49-7, the longtime coach, who grew up in Norristown, suggested the competition intensified since UConn rejoined the Big East in 2000 after a seven-year stint in the American Confernce.
Now, UConn (28-0, 17-0 Big East) and Villanova (21-6, 14-4) hold the top two places in the conference standings. But the gap between the two programs remains wide.
Villanova’s Jasmine Bascoe finished wih 26 points in a loss to UConn on Wednesday.
“Every mistake we made in the first half [tonight], we paid for it,” Auriemma said. “The crowd was great. The two best teams in the league are playing, it’s a great atmosphere. I love the way Denise does things with her team. As much as I enjoy coming [to Villanova] because a lot of friends and family are down here, I didn’t really miss it those seven years.”
Wednesday’s game was a much different contest than the last time the two teams faced off just over a month ago. The Huskies bulldozed their way to a 99-50 victory on Jan. 15 on their home court.
“It honestly was a train wreck at their place,” Dillon said. “So the growth from a month ago is fantastic. That’s what you want, especially when you have younger players and [Jasmine Bascoe] leading the way, directing out there on the floor.”
After being limited to just eight points in January’s matchup against UConn, sophomore guard Jasmine Bascoe was all over the court on Wednesday night. Bascoe scored 18 of her 26 points in the first half. She also added nine rebounds and seven assists, while playing the full 40 minutes.
Carter’s veteran view
In each of Denae Carter’s three seasons at Villanova, a win over UConn was out of sight. UConn recorded 100 points against Villanova for the first time last season and went on to win the national championship. The Huskies were one point away from repeating that in January.
Carter, a graduate forward who joined the Wildcats in 2023-24 as a Mississippi State transfer, is one of Villanova’s few veteran players.
Against UConn, she recorded a career-high 21 points, shooting 8-for-9 from the field and 3-for-3 on three-pointers. She also notched three steals and three blocks while being matched up with Sarah Strong, the Big East’s top scorer.
Villanova’s Denae Carter (left) scored a career-high 21 points agains UConn on Wednesday.
“[Strong] is a great player, and our focus really was just stopping everybody and helping each other,” Carter said. “I think we did a really good job in the first half, and we just have to sustain that.”
With two regular-season games remaining of her college career, Carter is a player the program will continue to lean on.
“I think that maturity came through tonight and she’s tough to take off the floor at any point,” Dillon said. “We’re going to keep [Carter] out there longer as she finishes her career.”
What was once an intense rivalry between UConn and Villanova may not be achievable in the current college sports landscape. But Villanova’s unprecedented first half on Wednesday showed that the program is hungry to change that.
“We have such a great connection,” Carter said. “On the court, we’re able to display that a lot. We have fun together. We’re playing all five out there, and I think Sunday is just going to be a really great opportunity for us to get that one back.”
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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+).
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.”
— Archbishop Carroll Girls Basketball (@Carroll_GBball) February 12, 2026
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.
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.
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.
“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.”
scoop it. score it.@Denaeca25 is having a dayyy🙂↕️
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.”
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.
It’s Huskies week in Philly
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.
The Villanova women’s basketball team has many reasons to feel confident entering the final three games of the regular season.
The Wildcats (21-5, 14-3 Big East) are riding a six-game winning streak and have a solid grasp on second place in the Big East standings. During last week’s road trips, they took care of Xavier on Wednesday, 78-38, and Creighton on Sunday, 74-64.
And back on its home floor on Wednesday night, Villanova will face No. 1 Connecticut for the second time this season (7 p.m., Peacock).
The Huskies (27-0, 16-0), coached by Norristown-raised Geno Auriemma, continue to loom over the conference and the nation. For Villanova coach Denise Dillon, Wednesday’s matchup will be a chance for the team to show how it has progressed this season. Most of all, it will be a mental test for the Wildcats as much as a competitive one against the nation’s top program.
“I always say, ‘If you want to be the best, you got to play the best,’” Dillon said. “And we have them here in our conference in UConn. … With UConn, there is no room for error. You have to be sharp, focused, and ready to battle.”
UConn coach Geno Auriemma, who grew up near Philadelphia, brings an undefeated team into Finneran Pavilion on Wednesday.
Seeking improvement
The last time the top two teams in the Big East faced off, the Huskies sent the Wildcats home with a 99-50 loss on Jan. 15. According to Dillon, the humbling defeat was a dent in the team’s confidence. An upset loss to St. John’s followed two games later, forcing the team to reevaluate its standards.
“[The team] didn’t like how they handled [the loss to UConn],” Dillon said. “They didn’t like how the game went for us and didn’t even like how we responded thereafter. We got some wins after, but we weren’t playing very good basketball, and we weren’t where we needed to be. So I think that lesson was certainly felt and learned, and now here’s another opportunity to see how much we have grown.”
Dillon also was pleased with the team’s mental composure in its most recent win at Creighton. Despite trailing by three at halftime, Villanova’s offense surged in the second half for a double-digit win. Sophomore guard Jasmine Bascoe led the way with 21 points, and freshman guard Kennedy Henry had 17.
“It was a huge win for us,” Dillon said. “The first half was a little shaky because it was three-point game, and in that second half, we settled in, played our game, and took care of business. … I think Jasmine did a great job in the second half of just directing, of settling in the team, and making plays for others.”
Bascoe’s leadership will continue anchoring the team on Wednesday night. Dillon also has high expectations for Henry, who led Villanova with 12 points at UConn.
“Kennedy’s a stat-filler,” Dillon said. “She’s doing it on both ends of the floor. I think she impacts the game immensely. She’s smart enough to know that [UConn is aware] what she did the first time, so they’re going to do what they can to counter it. And that’s the beauty of the game, you want to find different ways that you can impact, and I know Kennedy is going to be on point to do that.”
Villanova guard Kennedy Henry (22) was the team’s leading scorer in the first matchup vs. UConn.
Stopping Strong
The Huskies are led by 6-foot-2 sophomore forward Sarah Strong, who averages 19.2 points and 7.5 rebounds. Strong dropped 24 points in the January matchup.
Strong has been a force for the Huskies against Big East and national opponents, leading the conference in scoring and field-goal percentage. Alongside Strong, the Huskies are stacked with versatile players, including second-leading scorer Azzi Fudd (17.8 points per game) and assists leader KK Arnold (4.6 assists per game).
UConn forward Sarah Strong (21), driving against Villanova’s Denae Carter on Jan. 15, is the Big East’s leading scorer.
“It’s a big task when all [of UConn’s] players are a threat, an option out on the floor,” Dillon said. “[Strong] is getting a touch every possession, so it’s just recognizing where her spots are, where she wants to get these looks, and trying to force her to catch a little bit farther out. So it’s not just a clean shot or burying us in the paint, just being more active with where those looks are coming.”
While Villanova will aim to limit Strong’s shooting, generating offense against UConn’s signature full-court press also will be a challenge. UConn allows just 50.5 points per game, the lowest average in the nation.
MILAN, Italy — South Jersey figure skater Isabeau Levito, 18, landed in eighth place in Tuesday’s short program at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Competing in her mother’s hometown, just minutes from where her grandmother still lives, Levito, who lives and trains in Mount Laurel, started her short program a little tight but landed all of her elements.
“I feel very good,” Levito told NBC after she skated. “I feel like I skated with the elegance I wanted to skate with. And I’m very glad my Olympic debut looked like that. I feel very confident and just very happy with myself right now.”
Levito’s program, to a compilation of sassy songs from Sophia Loren movies, opened with a triple flip-triple toe loop combination. Then she moved on to a double Axel and a flying camel, which got a Level 4, the highest. Her first three elements got positive grades of execution.
Next came her triple loop, which was judged to be a quarter-rotation short. Five of the nine judges gave her a minus-1 grade of execution and one gave her a minus-2.
South Jersey’s Isabeau Levito placed eighth in women’s short program.
The second half of Levito’s program included a step sequence, which was called at a Level 3 rather than the Level 4 she usually has received.
She then skated combination spin that received a Level 4 and grades of execution up to plus-5, the highest available. She wrapped up with a layback spin into a Biellmann that received a Level 4 and plus-3 and plus-4 grades of execution.
South Jersey’s Isabeau Levito receives her scores following the short program accompanied by her coaches, Yulia Kuznetsova (left) and Slava Kuznetsov.
Her score was a 70.84, nearly three points lower than her season’s best, which she skated at the Grand Prix of France.
However, Levito’s program components (or artistic mark) was the fourth-highest of the night. Only Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto and Mone Chibe and American Alysa Liu placed higher.
Many on social media thought Levito was underscored.
On the technical side, Levito was not alone in the small mistakes. Most of the women had some rotation issues, although most skated fairly clean.
Ami Nakai of Japan won the women’s short program figure skating at the Winter Olympics.
Japan’s Ami Nakai, the youngest skater in the competition at age 17 (which now is the youngest age allowed in international figure skating at the senior level), won the short program. She opened with a clean triple Axel, and she received positive grades of execution on all of her elements, making her the only woman with a clean score sheet. Her step sequence and spins received Level 4 grades of execution. She earned a season-best 78.71.
Sakamoto has been the sentimental favorite this year after placing third in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing (and notably being the only happy one on the medal stand, after much drama with the Russian women over doping allegations and placements). Sakamoto also has won the World Championships three times after being displaced last year by Liu. She helped lead Japan to a silver medal in the Olympic team event for the second time in a row last week.
Sakamoto has said this will be her last year competing, and her short program is to “Time To Say Goodbye,” by Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli.
Kaori Sakamoto of Japan competes is in second after women’s short program figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy.
She received an exclamation mark on her opening triple Lutz, meaning it was not clear whether she took off on the required outside edge or had shifted to an inside edge. Her triple flip-triple toe loop combination also was called a quarter of a rotation short.
She is less than a point behind Nakai, earning 77.23 for her short program.
The highest-placing American woman of the night was Liu, who wound up in third place. She repeated last year’s winning short program, to “Promise,” by Laufey. After she skated, she said she was unconcerned with placements but was more excited to have people see her work and to have her siblings and friends in the audience, most of whom had never seen her compete.
Liu received all positive grades of execution, mostly plus-3 to plus-5, except for her triple Lutz-triple loop combination (a particularly difficult one, therefore worth more points), which was called a quarter short. Her score was 76.59.
Amber Glenn, the three-time U.S. champion, started her program (to Madonna’s “Like a Prayer”) strong with a triple Axel that received up to plus-3 grades of execution. (She and Nakai were the only women of the night to attempt the jump.)
Her triple flip-triple toe loop combination was called a quarter short. But she made a big mistake in the middle of the program when she doubled her intended triple loop. A solo triple jump is a required element in the short program, so the double loop received no points. She finished strong with a Level 4 step sequence and two Level 4 spins, but Liu, watching on a monitor in the mixed zone, wondered if Glenn had changed the program on the fly after a mistake.
Glenn’s score was 67.39, well below her season’s best of 75.72, and she was in 13th after the short program.
The short program also included the return of two Russian women, skating under a neutral flag. Viktoriia Safonova was the first to skate and was not among the top 24 (of 29) skaters who qualified for Thursday’s free skate.
The other Russian woman, Adeliia Petrosian, skated second and has been considered a medal contender. She scored a strong 72.89, which would not be topped until the 18th skater performed. That was by Nakai, the eventual winner.
Levito, Liu, and Glenn call themselves the Blade Angels, modeled somewhat on women’s Olympic gymnastics teams, which give themselves names, and somewhat on Charlie’s Angels.
Liu and Glenn shared in last week’s Olympic gold medal in the team event. Only up to two skaters from each team could be chosen for the women’s section. Levito, who has said she has flown somewhat under the radar since suffering an injury last year and missing part of the season (but came back to place fourth at the world championships in Boston), was not selected to compete. Only those who skate share in the medal.
Breaking down Isabeau Levito’s figure skating costumes over the years
Since 2022, South Jersey’s Isabeau Levito has been one of figure skating’s biggest stars. Ahead of her Olympic debut Thursday in the women’s short program, we took a look back at her costumes since she burst onto the scene at 14 years old.
Isabeau Levito competes during the women’s free skating competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
A star is born
Isabeau Levito, of Mount Holly, competes in the short program at the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Nashville. Levito went on to win the bronze medal, but at 14, she is too young to make the Winter Olympics team.
Levito made her senior debut during the 2021-22 season at age 14. She skated her short program to “The Swan,” by Camille Saint-Saëns, performed by Joshua Bell.
Isabeau Levito was too young for the Olympics in 2022, but she won the bronze medal at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in this dress, made in Russia. She was also named to the World Junior Championships, where she skated to the “Russian Dance” from Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky, and won.
Isabeau Levito competes in the women’s free skate program during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Isabeau Levito wore a Spanish-inspired dress for her short program in the 2022-23 season. She skated to “Una noche más” by Yasmin Levy.
Isabeau Levito performs during the women’s short program at the U.S. figure skating championships in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Josie Lepe)
National champion
Isabeau Levito reacts after her performance during the women’s free skate at the U.S. figure skating championships in San Jose, Calif., Friday, Jan. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Josie Lepe)
In January 2023, Levito won the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in San Jose, Calif. She went on to place fourth at the World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan.
Reputation era
21 September 2023, Bavaria, Oberstdorf: Figure Skating: Challenger Series – Nebelhorn Trophy, Individual, Ladies, Short Program. Isabeau Levito from the USA on the ice. Photo by: Angelika Warmuth/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
Early in the 2023-24 season, Levito wore a dress with a snake wrapped around her neck and the head on her arm. Ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates had a snake program a few years before, and Chock advised Levito on this program.
Switching gears
COLUMBUS, OHIO – JANUARY 25: Isabeau Levito skates in the Women’s Short Program Dance during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Nationwide Arena on January 25, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Levito changed her short program midseason in 2023-24. Because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Levito stopped getting dresses made in Russia. This one was made by Josiane Lamond in Canada.
Levito wore this layered black, white, and gray dress the first part of the 2023-24 season for her long program, skating to “The White Crow,” by Lisa Batiashvili. After placing third in the short program at Skate America that season, she finished second in the free skate to end in second overall.
Isabeau Levito, of the United States, competes in the women’s free skate program during the Grand Prix Skate America Series in Allen, Texas, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
Silver star
Isabeau Levito, of the United States, poses with her silver medal at the world figure skating championships Friday, March 22, 2024, in Montreal. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)
Levito won the silver medal at the 2024 world championships in Montreal with this dress by Canada’s Lamond.
Road to Milan
Isabeau Levito of the United States skates in the Women’s Short Program in the 2025 Skate Canada International event in Saskatoon, on Friday, October 31, 2025. (Matt Smith/The Canadian Press via AP)
Levito is wearing this red dress by Lisa McKinnon for her short program this Olympic season. She is skating to a compilation of sassy songs from Sophia Loren movies. At Skate Canada, a Grand Prix event, she placed second with this routine.
Ticket punched
Isabeau Levito performs during the women’s free skating competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis. She won the bronze medal.
Levito is wearing this blue dress by McKinnon for her free skate (or long program) this season, and skates to “Cinema Paradiso” by Ennio Morricone. She won bronze at January’s U.S. Figure Skating Championships to earn the trip to Milan.
A throwback
South Jersey figure skater Isabeau Levito was announced as an Olympian on Sunday. She skated during the “Making Team USA” performance following the announcement.
Levito was injured for a chunk of 2024-25 season, so she did not compete at the U.S. championships, but came back to place fourth at worlds. She wore this dress from that year’s program for the exhibition after making the Olympic team.
Flying high
Red Bull commissioned this dress for Isabeau Levito from dressmaker Lisa McKinnon, who made costumes for all three American women in 2026, as well as many of the international competitors. It was featured in an amusing campaign on social media.
Red Bull commissioned this dress for Levito from McKinnon, who made costumes for all three American women in 2026, as well as many of the international competitors. It was featured in an amusing campaign on social media.
The Eberz sisters know they can count on each other to pick another up.
Alexis and Kayla Eberz, two of three sisters on the Archbishop Carroll girls’ basketball team, leaned on another to earn a 50-38 win over Archbishop Wood in a Catholic League girls’ basketball semifinal.
The two combined for 36 of Carroll’s 50 points; sophomore Kayla scored 24 and senior Alexis added 12.
“I definitely look up to Lex a lot,” Kayla Eberz said. “I’m so proud of everything she does, [and] I think we work together really well. So if one’s not doing so [we’re going to] pick the other one up.”
Archbishop Carroll’s Kayla Eberz finished with a team-high 24 points against Archbishop Wood on Monday.
Now, Carroll finds itself in a familiar position: the PCL final. This marks the Patriots’ third straight PCL final appearance.
Last season, Carroll lost to Neumann Goretti, and in 2024, it lost to Wood. The Patriots haven’t won a PCL title since 2019.
This time around, Carroll, which will face Cardinal O’Hara Sunday at the Palestra, believes it’s in a better spot to come out victorious.
“I think our mindset [has changed],” Alexis Eberz said. “We haven’t gotten the outcome we wanted the past two times, but we are using that as motivation this year. … We’re a special team. Staying together, staying composed, having discipline — I think we got it.”
Road to victory
But the Patriots’ semifinal win at Finneran Pavilion — the future home of Alexis Eberz, a Villanova signee — did not come easy.
The Vikings built a 10-point lead about six minutes into the game. Carroll responded with back-to-back three-pointers to cut its deficit and end the first quarter down by two points.
Wood senior forward Colleen Besachio, a Rider signee, was the difference-maker for the Vikings, scoring a team high 15 points. Wood trailed, 21-20, at halftime.
Archbishop Carroll’s Alexis Eberz drives to the basket against Archbishop Wood High’s Colleen Besachio in the third quarter on Monday.
But once the Eberz sisters started to connect in the third quarter, the tempo shifted.
Kayla started the run with a bucket that gave Carroll 31–28 lead, then followed it up with a massive block. On the Patriots’ next possession, Alexis found Kayla for a three-pointer, followed by a Kayla dish to Alexis for an easy layup to make it 36–28.
“Basketball is a game of runs,” Kayla said. “They had their run at first; we had ours. And then we just had to stay on top of it.”
Carroll held an eight-point lead entering the final 10 minutes and extended that advantage to a comfortable 12 points by the final buzzer.
“We just had to [take it one] possession at a time,” Carroll coach Renie Shields said. “When we dug in, took one possession defensively, and offensively got going, I felt more comfortable that we got into a swing of things.”
Back to the Palestra
Carroll has an 11-0 league record. The team is full of chemistry and experience.
The Patriots hope that will help them write a new story and bring home a PCL crown on Sunday afternoon.
“We’re all such good friends. It helps,” said senior forward Bridget Grant, who’s committed to Ursinus. “When one of us is down, another person picks [them up]. If someone takes a bad shot, you can let them know. That’s not us getting mad; it’s just trying to help the team. It really just shows how well we play with each other, that we all love each other.”
Members of the Archbishop Carroll team celebrate after beating Archbishop Wood in the Catholic League girls’ basketball semifinals on Monday.
