Taking care of business.

Fresh off its Schuylkill League and District 11 championships, the Jim Thorpe girls basketball team rolled past Freire Charter High School of Philadelphia, 48-23 in a PIAA State tournament first round game on Wednesday.

After the Dragons’ Taniyah Mason scored on a layup to tie the score 2-2, the Olympians turned up their “White Freeze” full court pressure defense that led to a 20-0 run.

Olivia Smelas began the blitz with a layup. Skyler Searfoss then promptly stole the inbounds pass, and her three-point layup and free throw jumped Thorpe’s lead to 7-2. Mackenzie Yuhas joined the scoring party with two straight buckets, followed by two layups from Leah Snisky that lifted the margin to 15-2.

The run was capped off by another Yuhas layup, and put backs by Searfoss and Smelas.

Ahead 25-4 after the first quarter, the Olympians caused several turnovers in the second period. Leila Hurley got into the score book with a three-pointer and a driving layup.

Balanced scoring has been a significant strength of Thorpe this season, as rarely does any one starter score three consecutive baskets.

Instead, they all take high percentage shots, and all can score with a variety of moves to and around the basket.

Coach Nadia Gauronsky began to substitute freely with the score at 37-10 late in the second and throughout the second half. Her team’s shooting percentage fell off, though the large lead was never in jeopardy.

“Putting them away early was a credit to our efforts on defense, but we really didn’t shoot as well as I wanted after the first period,” Gauronsky said. “And we didn’t box out too well either, giving them too many second chances.”

Gauronsky said that her team would have to do better at both ends of the floor if it wants to go deep into the state tournament.

“The competition is all good from here out,” said Gauronsky, “but I’m happy for our seniors to win their last home game ever in this gym.”

Searfoss directed an efficient offense, and contributed to the transition game with several steals. She, along with Snisky, led Thorpe in scoring with 11 points apiece. Hurley followed with 10.

Danaijah Wise paced the Lady Dragons with seven points.

CLOSE QUARTERS ... In the first quarter, the Olympians scored all their points at the basket. Nine layups and two put backs contributed to 22 of their 25 points.

WEATHER OR NOT ... The snow, which was still falling at game time, did not keep the hometown fans from coming to watch their team win its 26th game of the season.

NEXT UP ... Thorpe will next play the winner of the Berks Catholic-Lake Lehman game that was postponed until tonight. Earlier in the season, the Olympians defeated Lehman - one of only three losses suffered by the Knights this year.

FREIRE CHARTER

Wise 3-1-2-7, Hargrove 3-0-0-6, Davis 3-0-0-6, Mason 2-0-0-4, Bridgeford 0-0-0-0, Whitaker 0-0-0-0, Stanley 0-0-0-0, Walker 0-0-0-0, Williams 0-0-0-0, Edwards 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 11-1-6-23.

JIM THORPE

Searfoss 4-3-5-11, L. Snisky 5-1-2-11, O. Smelas 5-0-1-10, Hurley 3-1-1-8, Yuhas 3-0-0-6, Cinicola 1-0-0-2, Hartman 0-0-0-0, B. Snisky 0-0-0-0, Ginopolas 0-0-0-0, H. Smelas 0-0-0-0, Wainwright 0-0-0-0, Robinson 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 21-5-12-48.

Freire Charter 4 6 4 9 - 23

Jim Thorpe 25 12 11 0 - 48

Three-pointers: Freire Charter - None; Jim Thorpe - Hurley 1.