TOWANDA'S MANCHESTER THE BRADFORD COUNTY ALL-STARS POY (2021-03-28)

Northern Tier Sports Report
It was a year to remember for Bradford County girls’ basketball teams. Despite Covid-19 lurking around, threatening to shut everything down, and a flurry of snowstorms cancelling games, local teams were able to get their seasons in.

And at the end of it everybody was looking up at Towanda, who went undefeated in the NTL to win their second straight Division-I title.

6-foot point guard Paige Manchester was a big reason for that, averaging 16.5 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game, 5.0 assists per game and 4.1 steals per game. Most teams had no answer for her, as she was a big reason the Knights made it to the District IV semifinals.

That makes her the Bradford County All-Stars Player of the Year.

Her partner in crime atop their vaunted press was Porschia Bennett. The long and athletic Bennett was one of the area’s most feared defenders with the ability to snipe passes while also holding down other team’s top scorers 1-on-1.

She is the Defensive Player of the Year.

NEB’s Maisie Neuber was already a top defensive player coming into the season, but improved her offense greatly in the off-season. She upped her scoring average to 20 points per game while hitting 36% of her 3-pointers, earning her the Offensive Player of the Year.

Athens wasn’t able to win any titles but went toe to toe with both Towanda and NEB during the season, while also making the district semifinals.

One big reason was the play of Karlee Bartlow, who stepped up to fill that third role in their offense. That makes her the Newcomer of the Year.

And coach Brian Miller did his best to squeeze everything out of the team that he could, while also battling cancer during the season. He was able to pick up his 300th career win, as well.

He is the Coach of the Year.

The first team consists of Manchester, Bennett, Neuber, Athens’ Caydence Macik and Kayleigh Miller, Wyalusing’s Callie Bennett and NEB’s Lauryn Jones.

On the second team are Troy’s Sydney Taylor and Rachel Kingsley, Towanda’s Erin Barrett, NEB’s Kayleigh Thoman and Alena Beebe and Wyalusing’s Catherine Brown and Madison Putnam.