In the Zone Platinum finishes second in national AAU tourneyThe In The Zone 2022 Platinum Team of Bath, which included student-athletes from Jim Thorpe and Lehighton, finished second in the nation after a strong performance in a recent AAU Tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. Competing in the 8th Grade, Division 1, AAU National Basketball Championships, ITZ Platinum battled through two days of pool play and two days of bracket play to reach the championship game, where it fell to a team from Minnesota. It earned its spot at Nationals by winning the AAU Mid-Atlantic qualifier earlier this summer. Team members were, front row from left, assistant coach Mike Leszcynski, Kylie Gilliard (Northampton), Kelly Leszcynski (Nazareth), Skyler Searfoss (Jim Thorpe), Leila Hurley (Jim Thorpe) and assistant coach John Searfoss; back row, Madeline Ahern (Nazareth), Kailey Turpening (Freedom), Olivia Smelas (Jim Thorpe), Zoe Wilkinson (Parkland), Hailey Miller (Lehighton) and head coach Steve Turpening. Also on the team was Carisa Fogt (Parkland). CONTRIBUTED PHOTO