Local hoopsters come together on Ursinus squad

Posted 6/24/13

Recent GA graduate and Erdenheim native Angela Upright (right), who is playing for Ursinus College in the Malvern Summer Basketball League, gets acquainted with Immaculata’s Emily Bell as the two …

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Local hoopsters come together on Ursinus squad

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Recent GA graduate and Erdenheim native Angela Upright (right), who is playing for Ursinus College in the Malvern Summer Basketball League, gets acquainted with Immaculata’s Emily Bell as the two players eye up a rebound.                                               (Photo by Tom Utescher)[/caption]

by Tom Utescher

When 2012 Springside Chestnut Hill Academy graduate Elana Roadcloud decided to join the basketball program at Ursinus College, she didn’t realize she was starting a trend for local hoopsters.

Now, not only is former SCH teammate Gianna Pownall joining her in Collegeville, but also three other 2013 grads; Angela Upright from Germantown Academy, and Adrienne Cellucci and Meg Geatens from Mount St. Joseph Academy. All five are currently playing summer ball with the Bears in the Malvern League, which is largely made up of NCAA Division III schools, along with a smattering of club teams.

Upright is a 6’2” post player and Roadcloud is a six-foot forward, while Geatens plays small forward and Cellucci and Pownall are guards.

Their coach at Ursinus, Jim Buckley, headed the girls basketball program at Germantown Academy in the 1980’s and 90’s, guiding the Patriots to 10 Inter-Ac League championships.

Although previously slated to be based elsewhere this summer, the Malvern League wound up back at its familiar venue in Dixon Center on the campus of Cabrini College, where Chestnut Hill College played summer ball back before the Griffins moved up to NCAA Division II.

In their 2013 summer season debut last Tuesday, the Ursinus outfit posted a 45-38 victory over a team that combines players from Neumann University and Eastern University.

Performing without Geatens two nights later, the summer Bears took on another combo squad, this one blending athletes from Immaculata University and Albright College. By halftime, Ursinus had built up a double-digit lead, 25-15.

Immaculata/Albright made a few runs at the lead in the second half, but Ursinus remained ahead throughout the period. Over the first dozen minutes, former Mountie Cellucci scored directly off a steal, then tossed in a three-pointer and two shorter jumpers.

The opposition approached within four points with five minutes to play (42-38), but following a time-out, a baseline jumper by Upright and a score in transition by Pownall spread the score to 46-38. The gap was still eight points at the final horn.

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