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WILKES-BARRE — At the very end of her most painful girls basketball season, Jordan Reilly got a chance to play for the first time all year.

Ellie Bartoli got in a girls basketball game for the second time in her career.

And from opposite sides of the Holy Redeemer court, both players making the most of their final high school opportunities Friday, helped turn the Wyoming Valley Conference Senior All Star Classic and Team Healey’s 76-71 victory over Team Ferenchick/Lojewski into a feel-good affair.

“Nobody really thinks about winning,” said Pittston Area coach Kathy Healey, who guided the winning team, “just offense, and have some fun. We took them out for pizza, everyone was having a good time. The other team seemed like they were having a good time.

“That’s what it’s all about.”

Pittston Area’s Bartoli had a blast as she stole the show the end.

The 5-foot guard, who has Down syndrome and spent most of her basketball career serving as the Patriots’ team manager, scored 12 points in two minutes to match Holy Redeemer’s Talia Kosierowski as Team Healey’s leading scorers and turn a four-point deficit when she entered into a six-point lead when she left with little more than a minute to play.

“It was amazing, being a part of it,” said Bartoli, whose only other action came in a game against Coughlin near the end of the regular season. “I’ve been playing since I was three years old. And I’ve been practicing ever since.”

Along the way, Bartoli earned the game’s Sportsmanship Award — and a sharp, shiny plaque that left her grinning from ear to ear.

“It felt great,” Bartoli said.”

Coughlin’s Claire Curtis, who scored six points in the second quarter, was named Team Healey’s most valuable player, while Wyoming Valley West standout Erin Gibbons was chosen MVP of Team Ferenchick/Lojewski after scoring a game-high 13 points — including a 40-foot 3-pointer from just inside midcourt.

A familiar name to Holy Redeemer fans won the halftime 3-point shooting contest, as Royals guard Kosierowski — a big part of two straight District 2 championships and runs to the PIAA quarterfinals — swished 8 of her 15 attempts and edged Crestwood’s Kate Snipas.

Just getting on the floor again helped Reilly take the edge off.

Wyoming Valley West’s 5-11 post player and two-year starter was forced to spend her last high school season watching as her teammates captured the WVC Division 1 and the school’s first-ever state playoff victory after a broken collarbone sidelined her just before the opener.

The Spartans initially figured she’d miss a few weeks, then hoped to have her for the second half of the season, then targeted her return for the postseason.

It never came, as Reilly spent a few games late in the year tossing passes to teammates during pre-game warmups, but never received medical clearance.

“I was hoping to come back,” Reilly said. “When I realized it was more of a permanent thing, I definitely wanted to be there for my teammates.”

It turns out, those teammates were there for her in the end.

When Reilly was cleared by doctors for basketball action Wednesday, Valley West senior center Colleen Cwalina volunteered to relinquish her spot on the All-Star team to Reilly.

“Colleen offered to give up her position so I could play with my teammates one more time,” Reilly said. “I told her it was crazy, she earned that spot.”

It never came to that, as the game’s organizers allowed both girls to play.

And Reilly didn’t take long to make an impact.

She entered the game in the first quarter, immediately made a steal, then fed Wyoming Area’s Lydia Edwards for a 3-point goal.

“We knew Jordan would have been a big part of our team this year,” said Wyoming Valley West coach Gary Ferenchick, who coached the game with Wyoming Area coach Chad Lojewski. “It just shows the character of this team, with Colleen offering to give up her spot in the game. Thanks to the people in charge. They allowed Colleen to come in and Jordan to play.”

Ferenchick put Valley West starters Gabby Smicherko, Natalie Gruver and Gibbons on the floor with Reilly and Nanticoke Area’s Kayla Aufiero down the stretch, and Reilly turned back the clock a bit.

She scored her first point of the season from the foul line, then hit her only bucket with 1:50 to play.

“It meant everything to me,” Reilly said. “One of the best things I could have asked for.”

Nobody asked Team Ferenchick/Lojewski to play along when Bartoli entered the game, but everyone did so with wide smiles.

Taking the floor with Taryn Ashby and Kirsten Durling, her two closest friends at Pittston Area, Bartoli left her mark by hitting the mark.

“When she first came to us, she was a little shy,” Healey said of Bartoli. “She’s not shy anymore, not at all.

“Both teams were amazing,” Healey continued. “The other team was just incredible. It says a lot about their character.”

Team Healey 76, Team Ferenchick/Lojewski 71

TEAM HEALEY (76) — Kendra Pfeil 2 0-0 5, Kirsten Durling 4 0-0 8, Kate Snipas 2 2-2 6, Talia Kosierowski 4 4-4 12, Taryn Ashby 1 0-0 2, Maya Kornfeld 2 3-4 7, Claire Curtis 3 0-0 6, Sydney Faux 2 0-0 5, Gia Skaff 2 0-0 6, Randie Kuhar 1 0-0 3, Cierra Taylor 0 2-2 2, Emily Cicon 0 0-0 0, Devon Keiper 0 0-0 0, Megan Trivelpiee 0 0-0 0, Josie Frisco 1 0-0 2, Ellie Bartoli 6 0-0 12. Totals 30 11-12 76.

TEAM FERENCHICK/LOJEWSKI (71) — Erin Gibbons 5 0-0 13, Sara Lojewski 1 0-0 2, Kayla Aufiero 0 1-2 1, Katie Wolfgang 1 2-2 5, Gabby Smicherko 2 0-0 4, Riley Klepadlo 1 0-0 3, Lydia Edwards 3 0-0 9, Tori Talanca 3 2-2 8, Natalie Gruver 0 0-0 0, Alexis Pyzia 1 0-0 2, Maddie Kelley 3 0-0 8, Mikayla Davis 1 0-0 2, Maria Bednar 3 0-0 7, Colleen Cwalina 2 0-0 4, Janelle Cawley 0 0-0 0, Jordan Reilly 1 1-2 3. Totals 27 6-8 71.

Team Healey`10`22`18`26`—`76

Team Ferenchick/Lojewski`21`16`16`18`—`71

Three-point goals — HEA 5 (Skaff 2, Faux, Kuhar, Pfeil); FER 11 (Gibbons 3, Edwards 3, Kelley 2, Klepadlo, Wolfgang, Bednar).

Berwick’s Tori Talanca goes up for a basket against Pittston Area’s Taryn Ashby during the WVC Girls Senior All-Star Basketball Classic at Holy Redeemer High School on Friday.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TTL040117GBBAllStarGame1.jpg.optimal.jpgBerwick’s Tori Talanca goes up for a basket against Pittston Area’s Taryn Ashby during the WVC Girls Senior All-Star Basketball Classic at Holy Redeemer High School on Friday. Sean McKeag | Times Leader

Wyoming Area’s Katie Wolfgang shoots against Pittston Area’s Taryn Ashby.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TTL040117GBBAllStarGame2.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Area’s Katie Wolfgang shoots against Pittston Area’s Taryn Ashby. Sean McKeag | Times Leader

Holy Redeemer’s Talia Kosierowski, center, drives to the hoop through Valley West’s Gabby Smicherko, left, and Wyoming Area’s Katie Wolfgang.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TTL040117GBBAllStarGame3.jpg.optimal.jpgHoly Redeemer’s Talia Kosierowski, center, drives to the hoop through Valley West’s Gabby Smicherko, left, and Wyoming Area’s Katie Wolfgang. Sean McKeag | Times Leader

Pittston Area’s Ellie Bartoli, center, makes a basket as opponent Kayla Aufiero from Nanticoke Area watches with glee during the WVC Girls Senior All-Star Classic at Holy Redeemer High School in Wilkes-Barre on Friday.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TTL040117GBBAllStarGame4.jpg.optimal.jpgPittston Area’s Ellie Bartoli, center, makes a basket as opponent Kayla Aufiero from Nanticoke Area watches with glee during the WVC Girls Senior All-Star Classic at Holy Redeemer High School in Wilkes-Barre on Friday. Sean McKeag | Times Leader

By Paul Sokoloski

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Reach Paul Sokoloski at 570-991-6392 or on Twitter @TLPaulSokoloski