On both sides, girls and boys, Lewisburg’s basketball players would say their season ended much too early as both failed to reach the PIAA Tournament.

That’s not to say the seasons were entertaining and worthwhile. Both featured outstanding players, plays, and games that would have highlighted any high school team’s season. Most teams won’t be happy the way the season ended, simply because there are only so many state champions.

Both Nate Liscum and Bethany Rippon had something to prove at the annual Northumberland All-Star Basketball games at Shikellamy High School. It was the final game of the season for the basketball players, and they delivered.

Liscum finished with 19 points. That also included the final four points of the game as the Surrounding All-Stars knocked off the Northumberland All-Stars, 91-85. Liscum lead a strong second half for the boys, scoring 14 of his game-high 19 points over the final 20 minutes.

“My season was a little disappointing, it ended early,” Liscum said. “Just to come out here one last time and play with kids I respect talent wise is great. Shooting my free throw at the end, I started to smile thinking about everything that has happened. It’s just so good they put this on.”

Rippon was just as good throughout the North vs. South girls’ portion of the night to honor area basketball players.
Rippon missed her first shot of the night, but then hit her second and got to the line on a driving layup. She hit the front end of the two free throws and connected on two of her next three shots from the floor.

In all, the girls representing the South All-Stars pulled away after just one point separated them at halftime. The South won 73-51 over the North.

“I was just trying to have fun,” Rippon said. “It was a lot less stressful, and that was helping a lot. I just tried not to think about it too much and just play.”

It all seemed to click after a tense start to the game. Both teams, boys, and girls, started off tight. The rim looked small, and shots were not being put up with much confidence.

Those struggles ended after the second set of substitutions. On the girl’s side, Rippon immediately looked comfortable. She scored points, found open shooters, and collected rebounds. She also helped her team earn a one-point advantage at the close of the first half.

“I don’t know when it shifted, but around the second time I went in it felt so much easier,” Rippon said. “It was just a lot of fun. I just wouldn’t want to end the season any other way.”

Rippon finished the first half with seven points but led all scorers in the second half with 12 points. She opened the second half with two free throws, then hit a two-pointer from the floor before draining her first three of the game.

Rippon was outstanding in the second half, displaying exactly what type of skills got her to the game in the first place. Rippon drove to the basketball near the end and drew a foul while making her shot. She completed the three-point play with a make at the line, putting her stamp on the game to close out the season.

For Liscum, the game was much closer as both sides received outstanding performances from the guys. Milton’s Alex Garcia and Tony Manzano scored 13 apiece for the Northumberland squad, but it wouldn’t be enough as Liscum was perfect from the line down the stretch.

“I thought it was awesome,” Liscum said of the game. “Everybody has talent. Everyone just used what they had in their arsenal and just brought it all together. It was nice.”

South 73, North 51
South (73)
Hannah Miller 2 1-2 5; Baily Little 0 0-0 0; Emilee Wasilewski 0 0-0 0; Keyona Snoff 4 4-5 14; Bethany Rippon 7 4-5 19; Maura Lundy 0 1-2 1; Lacey Snyder 0 1-4 1; Nicole Varano 3 0-0 7; Abigail Aurand 6 0-0 13; Kara Bonshock 1 1-1 3; Maryssa Erdman 1 0-2 2; Myia Miriello 2 0-0 4; Kamilyah Nazih 1 0-2 2. Totals 27 12-23 73.
North (51)
Madison Klock 30-0 7; Alexis Lincoln 0 0-0 0; Cortini Hamm 1 0-0 2; Mary Komara 0 0-0 0; Megan Zimmerman 2 1-2 5; Hannah Swineford 0 0-0 0; Selina Alberts 3 0-0 9; Jessica Milewski 1 0-0 2; Rachel Teats 1 0-0 3; Riley Barrett 0 0-0 0; Abigail Walters 3 3-6 9; Chloe Perrin 0 0-0 0; Aby Hager 5 3-4 15. Totals 19 7-12 51.
South 30 43–73
North 29 22-51
3–Point Goals: South 5 (Snoff 2, Rippon, Varano, Aurand). North 6 (Klock, Albert 3, Teats, Hager).

Surrounding Counties 91, Northumberland 85
Northumberland (85)
Lenny Kreski 0 0-0 0; Evan Scandle 2 0-0 5; Montana Sprenkle 0 0-0 0; Gage Bowers 1 0-2 2; Brett Szuler 4 0-0 9; Anthony Moser 1 0-0 3; Steve Schroth 1 0-0 2; Gabe Tilford 0 1-2 1; Austyn Bilger 1 0-0 2; Elijah Dobson 6 0-0 13; Collin Erb 3 0-0 9; Alex Garcia 4 0-0 13; Hunter Dodge 1 0-0 2; Tony Manzano 5 0-0 13; Evan Salamone 2 0-0 4. Totals 34 1-4 85.
Surrounding (91)
Jordan Bickhart 5 0-0 12; Jordan Tyson 0 2-2 2; Tanner Stoltfus 4 0-0 8; Thomas Kerstetter 7 0-0 14; James Birrane 3 0-0 7; Logan Klinger 4 0-0 8; Aaron Hoover 2 0-0 5; Tony Dressler 4 5-6 16; Nate Liscum 6 6-6 19. Totals 35 13-14 91
3–Point Goals: Northumberland 13 (Kreski, Scandle, Szuler, Moser, Dobson, Erb, Garcia 3, Manzano 3). Surrounding 8 (Bickhart 2, Birrane, Hoover, Dressler 3).