It's pretty much the way Jordyn Turner dreamed of ending her high school basketball career at Shipley.
After claiming their second consecutive Friends Schools League championship, Turner and the Gators made history Saturday by earning the program's first Pennsylvania Independent Schools Tournament crown.
With Turner showing her usual grit and leadership, Shipley, a distant runner-up last season, fought past Hill School, 59-52, at Penn State-Brandywine.
The 5-foot-11 captain collected nine rebounds, including seven on the offensive end, and scored six points in the triumph.
"This is the best feeling," she said. "I'm going to remember this forever. We're the first team from the school to win a state basketball title."
Turner, a 17-year-old from Plymouth Meeting, is the only senior among the squad's top seven players.
"She's just so tough," Shipley coach Sean Costello said. "Defensively, I ask so much from her. She's such a good example of what you can do if you work hard."
Aja Ellison, a 6-3 sophomore forward and the daughter of former Louisville and NBA center Pervis Ellison, spurred Shipley with 12 points, eight rebounds (four on offense), and four blocked shots. Six of her points came in the fourth quarter.
Tamesha "Sox" Alexander, Shipley's sophomore floor general, missed much of the second half after picking up her fourth foul with 2 minutes, 36 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Freshman reserve guard Nia Holland came up big in her absence, hitting 7 of 12 free throws en route to 11 points. She added three assists and two offensive rebounds.
"That's my baby girl," Turner said. "After the game, I asked her, 'Where's that kind of play been all season?' She was phenomenal."
Alexander notched nine points, four boards, and three assists in 21 minutes. Colleen Walsh and Asia Baker, Shipley's other sophomore starters, scored 10 and nine points, respectively.
Late in the third quarter, Walsh's three-pointer gave the Gators (24-7) a 37-29 advantage. Hill (18-7) rallied in the fourth, closing the gap to 51-50 on Taylor Silar's right-wing try with 1:07 remaining.
"Our girls gave a strong effort," Blues coach Grey Simpson said. "They're much bigger than we are. That puts us at a disadvantage."
Senior Claire Marie O'Brien (19 points) and junior Deanna Mayza (18) paced Hill, which forced 21 turnovers.
The Gators escaped by draining 6 of 8 free throws over the last minute. In the fourth quarter, they were 10 for 17 from the line.
Shipley 18 9 14 18 – 59
Hill School 11 11 11 19 – 52
S: Colleen Walsh 10, Jordyn Turner 6, Martine Fortune 2, Aja Ellison 12, Asia Baker 9, Sox Alexander 9, Nia Holland 11.
H: Claire Maree O'Bryan 19, Taylor Silar 9, Monica Patel 2, Deanna Mayza 18, Julia Sottosanti 2, Shannon Ruane 2.
Contact staff writer Rick O'Brien at 610-313-8019, robrien@phillynews.com, or @ozoneinq on Twitter. Read his blog, "The O'Zone," at www.philly.com/ozone
