Tag Archives: Ben O’Brien

Toomey is force in middle for Dunmore Lady Bucks

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victoria-toomey-picBy Steve Svetovich

Every good basketball team needs a force in the middle.

And sophomore Victoria Toomey has been that as the starting center for the Dunmore Lady Bucks.

Undefeated with a 13-0 record at press time under veteran coach Ben O’Brien, the Lady Bucks are relying on Victoria to be an integral part of the team’s inside game.

Daughter of Pat and Carrie Toomey, Dunmore, she is in the top 10 in Lackawanna League Division III in scoring at 10.5 points per game and in rebounding at close to eight boards per contest.

This is Victoria’s second season on the Dunmore basketball team.

She is also a member of the Spanish Club, Earth Club and Health Careers Club at Dunmore High School. Victoria has an impressive 96.4 academic average. Her favorite subject is history.

Victoria was interviewed by The Dunmorean following her team’s 61-46 win over Lakeland. Victoria scored 11 points as Dunmore extended its record to 13-0.

She also helped her team win the Lynett Tournament.

“I have to attribute our success thus far to team chemistry,” she said. “We pass the ball and look for the open shot. We play together as a team.”

The scholar-athlete said she learned a lot from coach O’Brien. “He tells us to find the open player, make the extra pass and be unselfish on the court. “

Victoria said her parents have been a big help. “I have really learned a lot from my parents. My mom coached me from the time I was a little kid. My parents always tell me to not be afraid to make a mistake. They tell me to go for it.”

The sophomore stalwart talked about what it takes to be a good center.

“You need to play smart and take your time with the ball before making a move. You need to know where the defense is.”

Victoria, who enjoys listening to Beyoncé, said her hobbies include reading and painting.

Her favorite basketball players are Brianna Stewart and Katie Samuelson of the University of Connecticut. Her favorite college team is Syracuse.

Victoria said she hopes to study architecture and play college basketball.

In the meantime, she loves Dunmore.

“Dunmore is a great community. It is a tight knit community. It’s a fun place to play basketball. Everybody comes out to watch us play.

“I love being here. It’s a great place to play and go to school.”

Dunmore Lady Bucks advance to state semifinal before loss to Neumann-Goretti

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The 2015-2016 Lady Bucks Basketball Team. Photo Credit: Rich Banick Photography

By Steve Svetovich

It was another basketball season to remember.

A season ending loss, but a lot to be proud of.

The Dunmore Lady Bucks advanced all the way to the PIAA Class AA semifinal losing to Neumann-Goretti, 52-26, Tuesday, March 15, at Bethlehem Freedom High School.

It was the third straight season Neumann-Goretti eliminated the Lady Bucks in the playoffs.

Dunmore finished the season 27-3, a magnificent showing under veteran coach Ben O’Brien.

The Lady Bucks won the Lackawanna League Division III title in a season that featured a 20-game winning streak.

Dunmore lost to Neumann-Goretti, 64-61, in the quarterfinals last season. The Lady Bucks lost, 55-30, to Neumann-Goretti in the semifinals in 2014.

In the state semifinal this year, Syracuse-commit Alisha Kebbe led Neumann-Goretti with 16 points. Morgan Lenahan scored 13 and Chyna Nixon added 12.

Dunmore had only nine field goals on 28 attempts against a tight Neumann-Goretti defense. Dunmore senior Izzy Cooper hit on four of her eight shots from the paint to lead the Lady Bucks with eight points.

The Lady Bucks did not score in the fourth quarter. Neumann-Goretti scored 14 in the final quarter to close the win.

Megan Hartshorn

Dunmore senior Megan Hartshorn, April 2016 Athlete of the Month. Photo Credit: Rich Banick Photography

The Lady Bucks came close in the third quarter when senior Megan Hartshorn, Maddie Martin and Erika Bistran each hit 3-pointers. Dunmore was able to close the gap to 33-24 after Bistran hit her 3-pointer.

Emily Sheehan scored on a hoop with 30 seconds left in the third quarter as Dunmore was down, 38-26.

However, Dunmore did not score again.

The Lady Bucks defeated Imhotep Charter, 45-44, in the PIAA Class AA quarterfinal game, Friday, March 11, at Bethlehem Freedom High School.

Dunmore star junior guard Maddie Martin led the team with 13 points in the contest. She scored Dunmore’s first points of the game to go up, 3-2.

Bistran scored nine, Hartshorn eight, Sheehan seven and Cooper six to aide a balanced Dunmore scoring attack.

The clutch Martin hit a third-quarter lay-in to put the Lady Bucks up, 22-21.

Bistran and Hartshorn hit on back-to-back 3-pointers in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter.

A Hartshorn hoop and two Martin free throws put Dunmore up by five late in the contest.

The Lady Bucks, led by Martin’s superb ball handling, held onto the ball in the final minutes before Sheehan hit on two free throws and Martin on one to give Dunmore a 45-41 lead.

Imhotep’s Shadera Jenkins hit on a 3-pointer with a half second left, but Dunmore sealed the win, 45-44.

Bistran hit on three 3-pointers in the win. Cooper hauled down seven important rebounds.

Beginning a stretch in 2005-06 that includes six straight District 2 Class AA titles and nine total, the Lady Bucks have been in the state playoffs in each of the past 11 years. In that time, Dunmore has a record of 276-47, including 20-11 in the state playoffs.

Dunmore finished 25-4 under coach O’Brien last season. The Lady Bucks graduate six seniors this year.

Lady Bucks clinch first half behind spark of Maddie Martin

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Photo Credit: Rich Banick/Rich Banick Photography

By Steve Svetovich

Maddie Martin put on a show in the second quarter of the Dunmore Lady Bucks 63-38 win over Riverside Wednesday, Jan. 20, to help her team clinch the first half title in the Lackawanna League Division III girls basketball.

The win stretched the Dunmore Lady Bucks record to 15-0 at press time.

Martin, a junior guard, scored all 16 of her points, hauled down four rebounds, had three steals and three of her nine assists during an eight-minute stretch that helped Dunmore to the division first half title.

The spark provided by the scrappy guard helped Dunmore to a 24-2 run and commanding 42-13 lead.

Martin’s magnificent second quarter began when she assisted Erika Bistran for a 3-pointer.

Megan Hartshorn’s steal led to Bistran setting up Martin for a score.

Another key play came when Martin went through the defense for a three-point play to give the Lady Bucks a 26–11 lead.

After a Riverside bucket, Martin then scored on a drive. She then buried a 20-foot. shot, hit on a 3-pointer from the wing and fired an assist to Emily Sheehan for a 3-pointer..

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Photo Credit: Rich Banick/Rich Banick Photography

Martin later hit on a three-pointer off a Hartshorn nice pass. She found Sheehan along the baseline for a strong 42-13 halftime lead.

Sheehan finished with 11 points in the win. Izzy Cooper scored 10 points. Bistran added nine points.

Jess Millan led Riverside with 12 points. Bistran led the Lady Bucks with seven rebounds. Sheehan had four steals.

Martin is third in Lackawanna League Division III scoring with an average of 15.7 points per game at press time. She is third in 3-point shooting averaging 2.5 per game.

Bistran is fifth in the league in free throw percentage hitting on 80 percent at press time. Martin is tied for 10th with a .667 percentage.

Bistran and Hartshorn are tied for fourth in 3-point shooting both averaging 1.5 per game at press time.

The Lady Bucks are coached by the veteran Ben O’Brien.

Riverside dropped to 11-4 overall with the loss.The Lady Vikings dropped to 4-2 in league play.