Pictured above: Chrissy Jacklinski passes to Cora Castellani during Friday’s win by the NEPA Elite 14U Clark team. (Tom Robinson Photo)

By Tom Robinson, NEPASportsNation.com

EAST STROUDSBURG – The NEPA Elite 14U Clark team and 15U Scoblick team combined to force 60 turnovers while winning their openers Friday night at The Hoop Group’s Girls PA Jam Fest.

With the unbeaten Clark team again playing above its age group, both teams are entered in the 15U Stroudsburg Division.

NEPA Elite teams went 2-1 on the first of three days in the event at East Stroudsburg University.

A recap of the first night’s action:

NEPA Elite 14U Clark

NEPA Elite overcame early shooting difficulties with its defense.

Zya Small finished with nine steals and Chrissy Jacklinski made all six of her’s in the first half as the team forced 34 turnovers in a 41-25 victory over the Albany Capitals 15U HGSL team in a Pool A game.

Small also had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Cora Castellani matched her for team scoring honors with 13 points to go along with 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.

8NEPA Elite failed to convert on seven layups and two other shots inside five feet, but still led 14-4 after three minutes. It forced 21 first-half turnovers, including 7 while allowing just a single shot in the first 4:34.

After building a 19-7 halftime advantage, the lead reached as high as 36-19 with five minutes left on back-to-back baskets by Small.

Jacklinski also grabbed seven rebounds.

Ella Clementoni added seven points and three assists.

Small and Jacklinski are from Scranton. Castellani is from Valley View and Clementoni from North Pocono.

NEPA Elite 15U Scoblick

Natalie Goldstein scored 14 points while Jackie Brown produced a double-double while being among the team’s defensive leaders in a 57-50 victory over 2026 XGen Elite Premier in the Pool B game.

Goldstein also had five rebounds and three assists.

Brown scored 13 points and grabbed 8 of her 12 rebounds on the offensive end while leading the team’s 46-23 advantage on the boards.

NEPA Elite grabbed 20 of the game’s first 24 rebounds and allowed XGen Elite only two offensive rebounds, both of which came in the second half.

Brown joined Addison Kilmer and Lily Scoblick with three steals each. Kilmer also blocked two shots.

XGen Elite led by as much as 10-4 early, but NEPA Elite answered with a 15-3 run that included six points by Goldstein.

That run created the only lead change of the first half as NEPA Elite opened a 29-19 lead on the way to a 30-26 advantage at the break.

The teams then traded the lead four times and were tied once midway through the second half. Both times NEPA Elite fell behind by a point, Goldstein answered as part of a stretch in which she scored three of her team’s baskets in succession.

Maeve Haggerty added eight points and seven rebounds.

Karsyn Kromko shared the assist lead of three with Goldstein.

Goldstein and Kromko are from Honesdale. Brown is from Dunmore while Kilmer is from Mountain View, Scoblick from Abington Heights and Haggerty from Scranton Prep.

NEPA Elite 17U Macciocco

Long Island Lightning 17U HGSL controlled the game early and late on the way to a 50-40 victory over NEPA Elite in the 17U Stroudsburg Division championship bracket.

The Lightning scored the game’s first nine points. Long Island then ran off 10 straight points midway through the second half to break the last tie and take a 38-28 lead. NEPA Elite did not get closer than seven the rest of the way.

NEPA Elite used a 16-2 run from the 10-minute mark of the first half down to four minutes remaining to take an 18-13 lead.

Mackenzie Perluke scored three times in the lane during the run while Jewlya McCullon, Frankie Martinelli and Ella Cooper each provided 3-pointers.

Perluke led the way with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 4 steals in the loss.

McCullon made three 3-pointers while adding 11 points.

Cooper dished out a team-high three assists.

Perluke is from Wyoming Valley West, McCullon from Old Forge, Martinelli from Marian Catholic and Cooper from Valley View.