It was only for a few minutes, but it was the most gratifying playing time for Emily Shaud.

Marian’s senior standout has been shelved since last summer after incurring a knee injury. Her return Saturday evening was anticipated since the start of winter practices for the Fillies.

Although Shaud was shuffled in and out by her coach Paul Brutto, it was a big relief for one of the area’s best players. She didn’t set the gym on fire, but her presence in the Fillies’ 43-24 win over Schuylkill League Division III rival Weatherly still spoke volumes.

“Emily means a lot in terms of her experience and what she can do for us overall,” said Brutto who has developed many a standout player, including hordes of all-state players during his five decades of coaching.

“It was such a relief, and I was just so happy to get to play,” Shaud said. “I’ve been waiting to get in a game and just get back to playing.”

Brutto wasn’t relying on her to be a difference-maker in her return to the court; instead he was just testing the waters with a dip here and a dip there.

“We didn’t want to push her,” Brutto said. “It’s different than practice; it’s getting your entire game back.”

There was 4:02 on the clock in the first quarter when Shaud was ushered in with her team leading 7-0. The Fillies were being paced by senior Macey Alansky in the early getaway. Alansky drained a pair of bombs for triples and scored all of her game-high 14 points in the first half.

While Shaud was getting the attention and brining hope for a big second half of the season for the Fillies, Brutto was more emphatic about how his team still isn’t putting it all together.

“Too many inconsistencies,” he said. “Our (second) quarter was very good, we shot well and we moved the ball to create good open looks. But in the other quarters, we just aren’t where we should be.”

Meanwhile, the Wreckers weren’t able to take advantage of some opportunities to stay close. Weatherly’s shooting was way off (9-for-40 for 23 percent), a stat that wasn’t lost on coach Brian Billig.

“That has hurt us all season,” said the first-year coach of the Wreckers. “We do a good job of rebounding, but when you play a quality team like Marian, you need to be more consistent shooting.”

Weatherly’s top scorer, Ashley James (nine points), couldn’t do it all by herself. Though the Wreckers got a putback basket from Miller to open the second quarter and pull to within 13-8, the Fillies revved up the engine and scored 15 unanswered points. Therein lies the shining moment Brutto touched upon.

Abbey Digris started the fire, followed by Ashley Pleban’s deuce, Alansky’s triple, another Digris fielder, and when she sank her third bucket in the run, Marian was cruising to a 29-8 lead.

The Wreckers were never able to make a serious run that threatened The Fillies after that.

RECORDS ... The Fillies are now 4-5 overall and 2-0 in the division — just a half game behind rival Mahanoy Area (7-1, 3-0). The Wreckers fall to 2-8 overall and 0-2 in the league.

GETTING BACK … Shaud’s return will be a big impact, but the lack of size for the Fillies is still a grave concern. Shaud finished with five points, and showed no ill effects from her injury as she also pulled down seven rebounds.

BY THE NUMBERS … Shooting wasn’t a strength for either team. The Fillies went 16-for-62 (26 percent). Marian out-rebounded 42-41, led by Shaud and Julia Kreisl, each with seven. Miller hauled in 12, and teammate Emma Kane nine for the Wreckers.

UP NEXT … The Fillies get a big road test with Nativity on Tuesday.

WEATHERY

James 3-3-4-9, Miller 3-0-0-6, Kislan 2-0-0-4, Kane 1-2-3-4, Lowman 0-0-0-0, von Frisch 0-1-2-1, Cichon 0-0-0-0, Fewins 0-0-0-0, Paisley 0-0-0-0, Maiello 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 9-6-10-24.

MARIAN

Alansky 6-0-0-14, Pleban 2-4-4-9, A. Digris 3-0-3-6, Shaud 2-0-0-5, Kreisl 0-3-4-3, Nemeth 1-0-0-2, Possessky 1-0-3-2, Reinoehl 1-0-0-2, Walsh 0-0-0-0, K. Digris 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 16-7-15-43.

Weatherly 6 6 7 5 - 24

Marian 11 18 5 9 - 43

Three-pointers: W - None; M - Alansky 2, Pleban 1, Shaud 1.