NTL GIRLS' BASKETBALL: BEEBE LEADS NEB PAST SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT (January 11, 2026)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
ROME — NEB coach Ben Beebe was glad to see his team finish off a busy week strong as they defeated South Williamsport, 48-37, during non-league girls’ hoops action Saturday.

The game was their fourth one this week, and it was their sixth straight win.

“It’s been a long week, so to have a winning week is great for these girls,” Beebe said.

The Panthers led the whole way, though South never let them get comfortable, even cutting it to an eight point game with 2:44 left to play.

Still, NEB hammered the boards, and shared the ball well, assisting on 12 of their 17 made baskets.

Leah Beebe led the way with 14 points, seven assists, seven boards, and six steals as she was the straw that stirred the offense.

“Leah even says she likes to pass,” coach Beebe said. “Not only can she score, but she is a great passer, and she likes doing it.”

He was particularly pleased with how their crunch time offense went. They entered the fourth up 10, and led by double digits most of the way, extending the lead to 14 before a late South 3-ball made it an 11-point game.

“We took care of the basketball in the fourth quarter, a lot better,” Beebe said. “We shared the ball, we got to the open spot, and got to the foul line, and actually made some.”

They went 6-for-7 from the charity stripe in the final 1:38 of the game.

Mallorie Maynard had 10 points, nine boards, and three steals for NEB, as Aurelia Kolesar notched nine points, nine rebounds, and four steals.

Katrina Russell, and Kara Dughi had six points apiece, with Dughi getting five boards, and three assists, while Russell grabbed four boards.

Izzy Kapr came off the bench to add three points.

Maynard opened the game with back to back 3-balls for a 6-0 NEB lead, but a South 3-ball cut the lead in half.

Beebe then found Maynard, and Russell for buckets to make it 10-3.

Late in the frame, though, South cut it to 10-8.

Early in the second Beebe would find Dughi for back to back buckets to make it 14-8.

The two teams traded buckets, followed by a South 3-ball to cut it to 16-13.

A Russell lay-up, followed by a Kolesar free throw extended NEB’s lead to 19-13.

After South missed a pair of free throws Dughi, and Kolesar got baskets off Beebe assists to make it a 10-point ball game.

The Panthers extended the lead to as big as 11, but a 4-0 run to end the half by South made it 25-18 at the break.

Beebe opened the second half with a lay-up, followed by back to back baskets by South for a 27-22 score.

Kolesar, and Beebe had field goals to push the lead back to nine points, then Beebe hit a 3-ball for a 34-24 lead.

She followed that up with another bomb to push the advantage to 12 points late in the quarter.

South rallied with a 5-0 run, but a Kolesar free throw, followed by a Kapr bucket off a Sarah Gray assist gave NEB the 40-30 lead going into the final frame.

A Kolesar bucket made it 42-30, but a pair of Mountie free throws, followed by a lay-up gave them new life.

However, they just couldn’t get a stop at the other end, as two NEB misses turned into two offensive rebounds. 

Russell was eventually fouled, going 2-for-2, to make it 44-34 with 1:38 left.

That kick started a 6-0 Panther’s run to secure the win.

NEB (7-2) has a big showdown with Muncy at home on Monday with a 7:30 p.m.

The past two years they’ve beaten the Indians in the regular season only for Muncy to turn around and best them in the district finals.

“Like I just told my girls, I hate to do it, but you get tomorrow off because we’ve been going like crazy,” Beebe said. “We’re just looking forward to playing some good teams.”

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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING

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