Playoff basketball - where everyone in the Northeast plays on the same days! Decent amount of games on the slate today, just in preparation for a wild weekend. Let's check what's on the schedule for tonight.
In Section 2, the home base of Takeover, Bs and Cs run the boys' games. All 4 B quarterfinals are taking place, along with a pair of Cs, split between Hudson Valley CC and Shenendehowa HS. Those include:
- Schalmont (led by standout 6'4" junior Zac O'Dell) taking on a senior-heavy Cohoes team, led by KoK alum Brandon LaForest, who's been on a tear since returning from a leg injury suffered during football.
- Oppenheim-Ephratah-St. Johnsville (regardless of what some of the peanut gallery likes to think, led far and away by standout junior and KoK alum Dylan Klock), taking the court against Lake George. Klock has over 1,100 points for his varsity career thus far - Lake George's leader, senior Joel Wincowski (UMBC commit), just became Section 2's all-time leading scorer with over 2,400 points.
- Voorheesville takes on Broadalbin-Perth in a rematch of last year's Class B final in Section 2. B-P has been the better team this season - both teams are balanced with mainly seniors running the show, but one underclassman on each side can play. B-P has a heady starting point guard in sophomore Preston Taylor, and Voorheesville has been getting big numbers from a sophomore I haven't seen yet in Sean Nolan.
- After picking up an upset win, #13 seed Ravena gets another underdog setting against Mekeel Christian Academy. Ravena has a couple interesting underclassmen in junior Michael Babcock and sophomore Sky Rebeor behind senior David Warnken. Mekeel is loaded with non-senior talent, led by this season's WAC Most Valuable Player, junior Scott Voelker and 6'5" junior Damonte White (may be looking into prep next year). Keeping an eye out for the future, they have two freshmen in Deonte Holder and Carter Stewart that would be starting on many varsity teams this year.
- Upset-minded Schuylerville takes on top-seeded Hoosick Falls in a Class B quarter. Schuylerville's a one-man wrecking crew in senior Dante Langley, who I missed out on watching last year. HF is a balanced crew, led by KoK alum senior Andrew Hoag, one of the better true point guards in the area. Their leading scorer and rebounder is a junior, though. Though undersized, Connor McCart makes up for it in strength, desire, and athleticism.
- The nightcap at Shen is Middleburgh/Hoosic Valley. Both teams led by seniors, namely John Rooney for HV. No underclassmen of interest.
On the girls end, we've got 8 games. Both Class A and C quarterfinals will be handled by the end of the night. Two games each in Troy, Averill Park, Hoosic Valley, and Greenwich.
- Scotia takes on Amsterdam to start off the night in Troy - game 3 for them, with both going ever-so-slightly in Amsterdam's favor in the regular season. Amsterdam is led by standout sophomore Nina Fedullo, who put up a ridiculous stat line in the 2nd game against the Tartans.. 35 points, 18 boards sounds about right. There's hoops in her bloodline, and the 5'11" tweener is the next in line. Scotia has their own little dynamic duo - senior Nicole Conley in the paint, and the perimeter is run by junior standout Caitlin Estes, who is one of the most consistent players in the section.
- In the nightcap, Holy Names (led by 6'0" junior standout De'ja Deas and aided in the blocks by 6'3" freshman Olivia Owens, who will be a stud) takes on the top-seeded Troy Flying Horses. Senior Kiana Patterson, a CCSU commit, runs the show for them, but they have a couple solid sophomores I've yet to talk to in Sabrina Wolfe and Shalie Frierson.
- You'll catch me at Averill Park tonight for at least the first game, but probably both. Another Foothills Council battle starts it off, with Hudson Falls taking on Glens Falls. Hudson Falls is an unknown for me - haven't watched them yet. I know they're a balanced group, but I also don't know grade levels of any of the girls. Glens Falls is no mystery, though. Bad Boy might have preferred Benjamin, but out here, it's all about the Tougases, baby. Their leading scorer is 5'11" 8th grader Sophie Tougas - at last check, she was averaging around 15 points, 10 boards, and 4 blocks per game, and she's more of a guard. Her older sister, sophomore Lucy Tougas, is right behind her in scoring. The 5'9" point guard is impressive, more specifically because she can score 20-30 on you, but is more of a pass-first player.
- The nightcap at AP: Mohonasen taking on 2nd seeded Averill Park. Mohon is led by sophomore standout Saeeda Abdul-Aziz, who averages around 50% of her team's points. I've already watched Mohon enough, but I'm drawn to stick around this one to watch and perhaps finally talk to Averill Park junior Samantha Laranjo. She has flashes of really strong play on a balanced squad.
- Another great one to watch for my purposes would be the opener at Greenwich, where Lake George girls take on Maple Hill. I haven't been able to catch LG yet, but I'm fully aware of what I've been meaning to catch, and that's the Bennett sisters. Junior Mackenzie Bennett has been on the radar for a while, and her younger sister, 6' 8th grader Graceann, has jumped on the scene as well. Maple Hill's led by a senior in Lindsey Mannion, but they have bodies in the post that can do damage as well. Last time I watched them, I think it was Courtney Unser that stood out to me. Although an underclassman, I passed at the moment because the opponent was awful. Would love to get a look against better competition.
- Canajoharie, led by senior twins Ariannah and Jordyn Logan, try their hand at Greenwich in that nightcap, led far and away by senior Alexis Case. She only dropped 54 last game, so have fun there! Greenwich also has a sophomore in Sabrina Whitehouse that I've heard good things about, so hopefully I'll be able to catch them. Maybe I can get lucky and have a Lake George/Greenwich final?
- Finally, Hoosic Valley's doubleheader. Mekeel and Greenville take the court to start, and both teams are led by senior guards, but have solid underclassman talent. Mekeel's got 1,000+ point scorer Macie Holmes running the show, but freshman Rebekkah Dean is impressive. At 5'9", she was their starting point guard last season while Holmes was out with a torn ACL. This year, they had to throw her in the blocks because of their lack of size. No matter where you put her, she's effective and looks like she belongs at that spot. She's a natural. Greenville's led by standout senior Carly Johnson, but they have a freshman as well that impresses in Ava Fitzmaurice. She's more of a shooter right now than anything, but the rest will come along fine, and she can shoot the cheddar. Averages double digits, went 4/5 from deep in the game I watched with a couple coming from 23-25 feet. They're led down low by junior Kaitlyn Krasney, a strong 5'10" that is great positioning herself and is a double-double danger.
- The nightcap there is Middleburgh/Hoosic Valley. HV is the top seed, led by senior Alyssa Paul and their defense, but not anything on their team I'm looking at as far as underclassmen go. Middleburgh has a trio of guards to look out for - 2 seniors in Kiera Morgan and Carley Ryan, and a sophomore southpaw in Lyndsey McCoy that has skills that translate directly to success against better competition.
Lighter night in Central NY's Section 3, but they're already at semifinals. The Class B and C girls semis take place at Onondaga CC tonight.
- Westhill girls, fresh off upsetting Bishop Grimes who was arguably the best team in the state in Class B all season, get Skaneateles next. It's been underclassmen all the way for the Warriors - they're led in scoring by junior Delaney Martin, and followed up by fellow junior Mary Kate Washburn. Look out for the future, too. My buddy that used to be on the Westhill coaching staff was telling me about Delaney's little sister last year.. that little sister, 8th grader Mackenzie, is 3rd on the team in scoring. Skaneateles is led by senior Elizabeth Lane, a 1,000+ point scorer, but a couple underclassmen follow her up. Olivia Dobrovosky, an 8th grader, and junior Shannon Foehl both average double digits. Basketball's in the bloodline for Olivia - her sister's a freshman at LeMoyne.
- In the other B semi, Hannibal battles perennial power South Jefferson. Hannibal's led by a sophomore in Sydney Alton and freshman McKenzie Mattison, both averaging double digits. I remember watching Sydney last year when I wasn't doing a girls league and thinking 'yeah, she'll end up being good'. South Jeff doesn't seem to be as strong as usual - that being said, they're 18-2 and winning on the defensive end as usual. Junior Quincey Zimmerman gives them contributions, along with seniors Clarissa Perry and Marisa Clark.
- We've got a juicy C semi starting us off! Pulaski takes on Cooperstown, led by exactly what I love to see on the court - standout non-seniors. I've even talked to Cooperstown's already, in Division I caliber point guard Liz Millea. Her game has elevated drastically each year since a freshman, where she was an animal defensively with an offensive game that was a definite work in progress. Her weakness then (jump shot) has become a clear strength (50 threes this year), and she surpassed 1,000 points this season while also breaking the school record with 46 points in a single game (against St. Bonaventure commit Danielle Migliore and Frankfort-Schuyler). Pulaski's got their own standout junior in Morgan Jordal. Unlike Millea, she controls the blocks. The 6 footer, if the Post-Standard career stats are correct, will probably score her 1,000th point in this game. At this rate, there's an outside chance that she'll finish her varsity career approaching 1,500 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 300 blocks. Jeez.
- The other C semi pits top-seeded Weedsport (led by way over 1,000 point scoring senior Abby Marsden) and West Canada Valley (balanced squad led by senior Carissa Tasovac). Not much doing her for underclassmen, as far as I'm concerned.
Section 4 (NY's Southern Tier) has some action going on tonight too. Why not run through that quickly?
- AA semifinals will be a girls/boys home doubleheader for Horseheads. Their girls take on Corning - not sure what they have out there besides Horseheads having a senior that's a Canisius commit. On the boys' end, KoK alum Jelani Fontanez and Ithaca's Little Red come to town vs. Horseheads boys, led far & away by fellow KoK alum, senior Foster Clark.
- All of the Class C & D girls quarterfinals are tonight, I'll skip the small talk though and mention the only team out of those 16 I've seen so far. South Kortright girls have a home game against area foe Schenevus - SK, a D, would beat the vast majority of C schools in the state, along with plenty of Bs and the occasional AA or A. They're good. Most impressive when I watched was junior standout Tori Rockefeller, along with tough sophomores Lexi DuBois and Breanna Laing.
Even the northeastern edge of NY (Section 7) has some semifinals going off tonight. Only a couple teams I've seen - Ticonderoga boys take on Seton Catholic of Plattsburgh, who's led by a senior KoK alum, heady 6'1" point guard Kaden Baugh. On the girls' end, Beekmantown (boasting a very intriguing prospect in 6'2" sophomore Brooke Bjelko) takes on Northeastern Clinton.
I'll do the same thing in western Massachusetts, where there are 16 girls games going on - quickly mentioning the ones I've seen.
- Westfield girls take the trip into central MA to play Shepherd Hill in quarterfinals. Westfield is a balanced team with no real standouts, but they have a solid prospect in 6'1"-6'2" junior Alexa Morin. Alexa is a true post player, doing her work 12 feet and in, and she runs the floor very well for a big. Add good rebounding/shot blocking ability and a couple refined post moves, and you see why she's an intriguing watch.
- Chicopee Comp heads up 91 a short ways to take on Northampton. Also caught Chicopee Comp recently, a very guard-heavy group. Perhaps their best player is junior Alyssa Stefanelli, whose contributions may not always stand out in the scorebook, but it becomes clear in the stat line. The point guard is a stat stuffer, with quick hands on defense, great rebounding ability for a guard, being able to score when necessary but playing more of a pass-first point guard role. Their leading scorer is sophomore Ashley Rouleau, a shooter first whose game seems to be rounding out nicely.
- Pittsfield hosts central MA's North Middlesex in Division II quarterfinals, and everyone knows what the home team throws at you - Peyton Steinman. The standout sophomore does it all for the Generals, scoring around 20 points per game while getting everyone involved. She's one of the top guards in the area and perhaps the best in Berkshire County that doesn't go to prep, and she shows why time and time again.
- The reason I say arguably is because of another standout sophomore. Hoosac Valley, currently ranked as the top team in western MA, takes a home game against a Wahconah team that gave them a hell of a battle recently. HV is led by 1,000 point scoring senior Emily Rosse, but sophomore guard Fallon Field has staked her claim as one of the best players in the area, as well. Unlike many girls' basketball players, she seems to thrive off contact and loves to get to the line, but has a smooth jumper from distance as well and plays tough D. Speaking of a smooth jumper, that's what Hoosac Valley junior Madi Ryan brings you every night out. She's really come on more as the season progressed - also averaging double digits, she's proven to be one of the most lethal 3-point shooters in the area. There's a lot of underclassmen on the other side, as well. A couple of them are borderline as to whether I'd want to talk to them or not, such as Lily Pudlo, but the one that impressed me enough was sophomore Ashley Zink. At 5'2", she's probably in the bottom 5 of everyone I talked to so far in the height game, but she makes up for that with a knockdown jumper, crafty floater and runner game, and overall intelligence on the court.
- Another tough Division III game tonight as well, with Hampshire hosting South Hadley. Haven't got to talk to South Hadley sophomore standout Sophie Gatzounas yet - hopefully soon. She's one of the leading scorers in western MA. Hampshire has a couple underclassmen, along with senior Lauren Aldrich, running the show. Junior point guard Chelsea Moussette may be the shortest of them all (maybe 5'0"?) but was the best player on the floor for long stretches when I watched them. Very fast, but uses change of speed/change of direction very well. She can shoot, handle the ball, and is a great passer while being pesky on the ball defensively. They also have a sophomore standout in the blocks in Katie O'Connor. Out of everyone I've seen this season, I don't think there's been one person that's wanted rebounds as much as her... so she gets them. Even with her consistently scoring double digits, rebounding in and out of her area was her most impressive asset. She had 24 boards in the game I watched, against post players that were 6'0" and 6'3".
- Another solid post player (and young) over in Great Barrington, and her (also young) Monument Mountain squad hits the road in Division III quarters to take on Granby. 6'0" freshman Sarah Sullivan is impressive. She's averaging double digits scoring along with 8-9 rebounds, a couple steals, and a couple blocks per game, and she has the look of a basketball player. Their other leading scorer is freshman Anika Helmke, so there's a bright future for MM.
Time for some action! Good luck to everyone!
Friday, February 27, 2015
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
How About Another Recap? February 17
Boys
- Albany Academy picked up a heck of a win over Guilderland behind their typical style - balance and defense. 4 finished in double digits in their 76-51 beatdown - three of them underclassmen, and I've talked to a pair of them in Steve Low (12) and Hameir Wright (11). Low's had 5 straight games in double digits, and the 6'4" junior is all over the Division III radar. Wright's successes are well-chronicled - the 6'7" standout sophomore has offers from James Madison, Albany, and Vermont already. He's finished with double digits in every game except a pair (where he had 9 in each) and he averages 14.3 per game while being a menace on the defensive end.
- In the same game, Guilderland standout junior Andrew Platek had 13 in the loss. This is the 2nd lowest scoring output for him this year - the 6'4" guard averages 24 a game, still boasts the previously mentioned offers from Fairfield, Yale, and Albany, and finishes the regular season at 1,022 career points.
- Troy junior standout Dyaire Holt finished with 16 in a massive 102-53 smacking of Bishop Maginn. He's had an offer from Siena for what feels like forever. The 6'0" guard, headed to prep next year, averages 19.6 per game.
- Catholic Central's Anthony Mack led the way with 24 in their 61-52 W over Shaker. The 6'5" junior 2 guard recently picked up an offer from Iona to go along with the previously existing one from Albany. Arguably the best prospect in Section 2 and certainly the one with the most college-ready body and skill set, he averages over 26 per game for his Crusader squad.
- Little Falls sophomore point guard Todd Hubbell chipped in 10 points to the cause in their 64-34 playdown sectional win over Mt. Markham. He's averaging 11.4 per game, and he's scored double digits in 6 of the last 8 after an inconsistent stretch.
- A pair of Red Hook juniors combined for 53 points in a blowout W on the road. 6'3" off-guard Dennis Hare dropped 28, and 5'9" point guard Nick Michitsch, normally a pass-first PG, poured in 25 of his own in their 92-65 W at FDR.
- Pine Plains sophomore Henry Roemer had a big game in a losing effort. The crafty guard dropped a career high 33, but couldn't get any help in a 68-55 L to Onteora.
- Coleman Catholic junior guard Jason Shepherd matched that number in a better result. His game-high 33 (5 threes) propelled his squad to a 79-69 W over Ellenville, locking up their Mid-Hudson Athletic League division title.
- Saugerties junior Shawn Jansen was one of very few to get anything going in their struggle of a W. The 6'1" junior 2 guard finished with 14 points in their 41-34 victory over Highland.
- The two standout juniors did it again for Rice (Burlington, VT) in a 54-47 W over rival Burlington in a packed gym. This time, it was Ben Shungu's time to shine. The strong point guard had 23 of his 25 in the 2nd half, and Kendrick Gray added 12 and a highlight banger to give Rice the lead with 2 minutes to play, along with the following bucket to put them up 3. Gray, a 6'6" wing, has offers from Vermont and St. Bonaventure in his pocket with plenty of interest coming from plenty of others. Shungu has some Division I interest, and him picking up an offer soon certainly wouldn't surprise me.
- Mount Anthony Union (Bennington, VT) junior Damon Burgess led the way with 21 for his squad in a tough 54-47 L to Rutland, a team that beat them by 38 a week ago. 5 treys for the strong wing - one of the better pure strokes I've seen on the recruiting trail this winter.
- Putnam (Springfield, MA), one of the top boys teams in the state of Massachusetts, dropped Pingree School 65-43 behind the efforts of a highly touted junior. Tyonne Malone led the way with 17 points and 9 rebounds - the 6'5" wing has been boasting offers from St. Peter's, Manhattan, UMass, Boston U, and Sacred Heart for a while now.
- Lenox (MA) junior Bailey Patella had a team-high 22 points in their 71-69 L to Hoosac Valley. The 6'3" guard averages 19.3 per game, with 10 games scoring 20+ and 2 of them being 30+.
Girls
- Scotia junior Caitlin Estes chipped in 13 points in their 43-30 W over Mohonasen. She's scored double digits in every single game this season, and she averages 16.1 per game, boasting a season high of 27.
- In the same game, Mohonasen sophomore Saeeda Abdul-Aziz fought off a rough shooting night to finish with 15 of her team's 30. She's averaging 18.4 per game, with 8 games scoring over 20. Parents at the game were yelling up a storm about the amount of shots she took - my complaint, after watching them, is that she doesn't shoot enough. Besides her, they have nothing. Numerous nice passes either dropped or finishing with missed layups.
- Shaker sophomore CeCe Mayo finished with 18 points in their 64-50 victory over CCHS. The 5'10" tweener averages 14.6 per game with a season high of 24. Junior point guard Audrey Martino chipped in with 7 points.
- In the same game, CCHS junior Emilie Benton led her squad with 14 in the loss. The 5'10" shooter hit a couple treys to boost her total to 35 on the season - 75% of her points this season have come from beyond the arc. Fellow junior Abby Fountain hit a pair of treys as well and finished with 12. She's averaging 9.4 per game this season with 30 treys (50% of her points coming from beyond the arc), and her scoring output in 2015 has boosted to 11.3 per game. Sophomore guard Taylor Engster, known more as a solid perimeter defender, chipped in 7.
- Mekeel freshman Rebekkah Dean chipped in 15 points and 8 rebounds in their 48-41 W over Canajoharie in the WAC Cup final. The 5'9" natural slasher-turned-post has scored 10+ in 5 straight games and 11 out of the last 12, and she's good for 2nd on the team with 11.8 points per game.
- Shiane Irwin outscored the other team, and she finished below her average. That kind of night. Poland had a brutally easy time in their sectional playdown game tonight, a 73-8 lashing of Cincinnatus, and the sophomore guard finished with 14. She's turning into one of the premier scorers in the Utica area, averaging 20.1 per game, but with a 44-0 halftime lead... they didn't exactly need the big guns to unload.
- Life is good if you're a Frankfort Danielle tonight. Danielle squared combined for a whopping 61 points in their 85-65 sectional win over Fabius-Pompey. The sophomore, Caivana, hit 6 treys and finished with 31 to go with 7 boards and 3 steals. Not bad for barely over 5'. She's averaging 14.2 per game, and the long-ball count has jumped to 48 on the season. Not to be outdone, the junior, St. Bonaventure commit Danielle Migliore, torched the Falcons with 30 of her own with 7 boards, 5 assists, and 5 steals. Section III's leading scorer at 27.3 per game (already over 500 over points on the season and 1,269 for her career), her game just keeps getting better.
- Cooperstown's Liz Millea led the way with 17 points in their easy 49-31 sectional W over Cato-Meridian. The standout junior point guard added 5 assists and 6 steals. The growth in her game has been well-noted, and Division I programs are noticing. She's typical Liz on the defensive end, where she's been a pest for years, but a vastly improved jumper to go with her ability off the dribble has helped turn her into a 23 PPG scorer. 46 of her 69 varsity treys have come this season, and she's now up around 1,100 career points.
- Madison standout junior Lexi Tubbs proved human, finishing with 15 points in their 49-40 sectional loss at Hamilton. This marks the end of a big breakout year for her - she averaged 22.5 per game, finishing with double digits in every outing including a couple 35 point performances.
- Pine Plains 6'1" sophomore Ashley Starzyk dropped 26 big ones in a solid 71-40 W over Onteora. Tall, lanky, and coming into her own very quickly, she's one who will pop on people's radars very soon if it hasn't happened already.
- Marlboro had Wallkill on the ropes, but they became another victim as Wallkill won their 13th in a row by the score of 58-48. Marlboro was led by junior wing Julia Rusk in the L, who went 8/10 from the line and finished with 14 points.
- Sophomore Fallon Field chipped in 14 points and junior Madi Ryan added 10 more to the cause for Hoosac Valley (MA) in their 79-33 beatdown over Amesbury. The top ranked team in western Massachusetts came back with a vengeance after taking a rare loss the day before.
- Hampshire (MA) sophomore Katie O'Connor had a game high 22 points, and I'm assuming her typical million rebounds, in their 66-45 W over Ursuline Academy. Her scoring output has dropped a bit of late, so this is a nice rebound game for her. Hampshire crafty junior point guard Chelsea Moussette added 9 points and 10 dimes, and she was named to the Foxboro Winter Classic all-tournament team.
- Pittsfield (MA) sophomore standout Peyton Steinman chipped in 13 points in their easy 69-38 beatdown of East Longmeadow. She's actually in the middle of what she would consider a scoring slump - 4 straight games scoring less than 20 makes it the longest streak like that of the season. However, she's still averaging 18.8 per game with 7 20+ point games and a season high of 29.
Sorry if I missed you!
- Albany Academy picked up a heck of a win over Guilderland behind their typical style - balance and defense. 4 finished in double digits in their 76-51 beatdown - three of them underclassmen, and I've talked to a pair of them in Steve Low (12) and Hameir Wright (11). Low's had 5 straight games in double digits, and the 6'4" junior is all over the Division III radar. Wright's successes are well-chronicled - the 6'7" standout sophomore has offers from James Madison, Albany, and Vermont already. He's finished with double digits in every game except a pair (where he had 9 in each) and he averages 14.3 per game while being a menace on the defensive end.
- In the same game, Guilderland standout junior Andrew Platek had 13 in the loss. This is the 2nd lowest scoring output for him this year - the 6'4" guard averages 24 a game, still boasts the previously mentioned offers from Fairfield, Yale, and Albany, and finishes the regular season at 1,022 career points.
- Troy junior standout Dyaire Holt finished with 16 in a massive 102-53 smacking of Bishop Maginn. He's had an offer from Siena for what feels like forever. The 6'0" guard, headed to prep next year, averages 19.6 per game.
- Catholic Central's Anthony Mack led the way with 24 in their 61-52 W over Shaker. The 6'5" junior 2 guard recently picked up an offer from Iona to go along with the previously existing one from Albany. Arguably the best prospect in Section 2 and certainly the one with the most college-ready body and skill set, he averages over 26 per game for his Crusader squad.
- Little Falls sophomore point guard Todd Hubbell chipped in 10 points to the cause in their 64-34 playdown sectional win over Mt. Markham. He's averaging 11.4 per game, and he's scored double digits in 6 of the last 8 after an inconsistent stretch.
- A pair of Red Hook juniors combined for 53 points in a blowout W on the road. 6'3" off-guard Dennis Hare dropped 28, and 5'9" point guard Nick Michitsch, normally a pass-first PG, poured in 25 of his own in their 92-65 W at FDR.
- Pine Plains sophomore Henry Roemer had a big game in a losing effort. The crafty guard dropped a career high 33, but couldn't get any help in a 68-55 L to Onteora.
- Coleman Catholic junior guard Jason Shepherd matched that number in a better result. His game-high 33 (5 threes) propelled his squad to a 79-69 W over Ellenville, locking up their Mid-Hudson Athletic League division title.
- Saugerties junior Shawn Jansen was one of very few to get anything going in their struggle of a W. The 6'1" junior 2 guard finished with 14 points in their 41-34 victory over Highland.
- The two standout juniors did it again for Rice (Burlington, VT) in a 54-47 W over rival Burlington in a packed gym. This time, it was Ben Shungu's time to shine. The strong point guard had 23 of his 25 in the 2nd half, and Kendrick Gray added 12 and a highlight banger to give Rice the lead with 2 minutes to play, along with the following bucket to put them up 3. Gray, a 6'6" wing, has offers from Vermont and St. Bonaventure in his pocket with plenty of interest coming from plenty of others. Shungu has some Division I interest, and him picking up an offer soon certainly wouldn't surprise me.
- Mount Anthony Union (Bennington, VT) junior Damon Burgess led the way with 21 for his squad in a tough 54-47 L to Rutland, a team that beat them by 38 a week ago. 5 treys for the strong wing - one of the better pure strokes I've seen on the recruiting trail this winter.
- Putnam (Springfield, MA), one of the top boys teams in the state of Massachusetts, dropped Pingree School 65-43 behind the efforts of a highly touted junior. Tyonne Malone led the way with 17 points and 9 rebounds - the 6'5" wing has been boasting offers from St. Peter's, Manhattan, UMass, Boston U, and Sacred Heart for a while now.
- Lenox (MA) junior Bailey Patella had a team-high 22 points in their 71-69 L to Hoosac Valley. The 6'3" guard averages 19.3 per game, with 10 games scoring 20+ and 2 of them being 30+.
Girls
- Scotia junior Caitlin Estes chipped in 13 points in their 43-30 W over Mohonasen. She's scored double digits in every single game this season, and she averages 16.1 per game, boasting a season high of 27.
- In the same game, Mohonasen sophomore Saeeda Abdul-Aziz fought off a rough shooting night to finish with 15 of her team's 30. She's averaging 18.4 per game, with 8 games scoring over 20. Parents at the game were yelling up a storm about the amount of shots she took - my complaint, after watching them, is that she doesn't shoot enough. Besides her, they have nothing. Numerous nice passes either dropped or finishing with missed layups.
- Shaker sophomore CeCe Mayo finished with 18 points in their 64-50 victory over CCHS. The 5'10" tweener averages 14.6 per game with a season high of 24. Junior point guard Audrey Martino chipped in with 7 points.
- In the same game, CCHS junior Emilie Benton led her squad with 14 in the loss. The 5'10" shooter hit a couple treys to boost her total to 35 on the season - 75% of her points this season have come from beyond the arc. Fellow junior Abby Fountain hit a pair of treys as well and finished with 12. She's averaging 9.4 per game this season with 30 treys (50% of her points coming from beyond the arc), and her scoring output in 2015 has boosted to 11.3 per game. Sophomore guard Taylor Engster, known more as a solid perimeter defender, chipped in 7.
- Mekeel freshman Rebekkah Dean chipped in 15 points and 8 rebounds in their 48-41 W over Canajoharie in the WAC Cup final. The 5'9" natural slasher-turned-post has scored 10+ in 5 straight games and 11 out of the last 12, and she's good for 2nd on the team with 11.8 points per game.
- Shiane Irwin outscored the other team, and she finished below her average. That kind of night. Poland had a brutally easy time in their sectional playdown game tonight, a 73-8 lashing of Cincinnatus, and the sophomore guard finished with 14. She's turning into one of the premier scorers in the Utica area, averaging 20.1 per game, but with a 44-0 halftime lead... they didn't exactly need the big guns to unload.
- Life is good if you're a Frankfort Danielle tonight. Danielle squared combined for a whopping 61 points in their 85-65 sectional win over Fabius-Pompey. The sophomore, Caivana, hit 6 treys and finished with 31 to go with 7 boards and 3 steals. Not bad for barely over 5'. She's averaging 14.2 per game, and the long-ball count has jumped to 48 on the season. Not to be outdone, the junior, St. Bonaventure commit Danielle Migliore, torched the Falcons with 30 of her own with 7 boards, 5 assists, and 5 steals. Section III's leading scorer at 27.3 per game (already over 500 over points on the season and 1,269 for her career), her game just keeps getting better.
- Cooperstown's Liz Millea led the way with 17 points in their easy 49-31 sectional W over Cato-Meridian. The standout junior point guard added 5 assists and 6 steals. The growth in her game has been well-noted, and Division I programs are noticing. She's typical Liz on the defensive end, where she's been a pest for years, but a vastly improved jumper to go with her ability off the dribble has helped turn her into a 23 PPG scorer. 46 of her 69 varsity treys have come this season, and she's now up around 1,100 career points.
- Madison standout junior Lexi Tubbs proved human, finishing with 15 points in their 49-40 sectional loss at Hamilton. This marks the end of a big breakout year for her - she averaged 22.5 per game, finishing with double digits in every outing including a couple 35 point performances.
- Pine Plains 6'1" sophomore Ashley Starzyk dropped 26 big ones in a solid 71-40 W over Onteora. Tall, lanky, and coming into her own very quickly, she's one who will pop on people's radars very soon if it hasn't happened already.
- Marlboro had Wallkill on the ropes, but they became another victim as Wallkill won their 13th in a row by the score of 58-48. Marlboro was led by junior wing Julia Rusk in the L, who went 8/10 from the line and finished with 14 points.
- Sophomore Fallon Field chipped in 14 points and junior Madi Ryan added 10 more to the cause for Hoosac Valley (MA) in their 79-33 beatdown over Amesbury. The top ranked team in western Massachusetts came back with a vengeance after taking a rare loss the day before.
- Hampshire (MA) sophomore Katie O'Connor had a game high 22 points, and I'm assuming her typical million rebounds, in their 66-45 W over Ursuline Academy. Her scoring output has dropped a bit of late, so this is a nice rebound game for her. Hampshire crafty junior point guard Chelsea Moussette added 9 points and 10 dimes, and she was named to the Foxboro Winter Classic all-tournament team.
- Pittsfield (MA) sophomore standout Peyton Steinman chipped in 13 points in their easy 69-38 beatdown of East Longmeadow. She's actually in the middle of what she would consider a scoring slump - 4 straight games scoring less than 20 makes it the longest streak like that of the season. However, she's still averaging 18.8 per game with 7 20+ point games and a season high of 29.
Sorry if I missed you!
Monday, February 9, 2015
The Weekend Recap
Boys
- Cobleskill junior Keenan Loder battled off some undisclosed head issues for a good portion of the game, finishing with 10 points against a steady box & 1 before sitting the last 12 minutes of the game in their 51-46 W over Tamarac. The 6'4" tweener was averaging 20 per game coming in.
- Institute of Technology (Syracuse) junior James Walker led the charge with 21 points in a 64-59 road win at Mekeel that will most likely catapult them into the Class B state rankings. He impacted the game heavily at both ends, adding 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks along the way. He's averaging 16.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game.
- In the same game, Mekeel junior Scott Voelker tied for the team high with 14 points in the loss. With a team full of specialists, he was arguably the most well-rounded player on his team, making an impact on the game in numerous ways.
- After managing just 10 points in the first half, Albany Academy came charging back for a 55-52 W over Cherry Hill West (NJ). Hameir Wright led that charge. The 6'7" standout sophomore has an offensive game perhaps growing by the day, catching up to his defensive impact. He scored a game high 21 points, including 4 threes, all in the 3rd quarter. This also tied a season high for him. He's averaging 14.4 points per game, and already boasts scholarship offers from James Madison and Vermont. Sal Arena, a crafty 6'3" lefty guard, added 9 points. The junior averages 8.6 per game for a very good, very balanced Cadet team. Their last guy off the bench would start at the majority of Section 2 schools.
- Mechanicville junior Evan Dunn had another big game, finishing with a game high 24 in their 59-51 W over Granville. He's averaging 19.4 points per game, and it appears he's worked his way out of a mid-season slump. After going 7 straight games without scoring 20 (they went 2-5), he's scored 20+ in 4 of the last 6 games (they've won all 4).
- Catskill sophomore standout Justyn Lacy led 4 in double digits with 18 in their 58-53 W over rival Hudson Saturday. The 6'1" guard is averaging 17.9 per game, and he's done it off the dribble around the rim, from the perimeter (28 threes), and by getting to the line and converting (76%).
- In the same game, Hudson junior Daniel Folds chipped in 13 points in the loss. He's averaging just under 9 per game, but has the skill to do much more. Sophomore guard Mike Alert was held to a season low 4 points - he's averaging 10 per game.
- New York Mills junior Terry Nichols had a game high 20 in their 71-31 thrashing of Otselic Valley. That's right at his average, which stands at 19.9 per game. As mentioned before, if not for blowouts, his average in many statistical categories could be higher.
Girls
- Greenville got double digit production from a pair of underclassmen in a blowout. 5'10" junior Kaitlyn Krasney (10.3 ppg) finished with 13, and freshman Ava Fitzmaurice (12.3 ppg, 42 threes) added 12 for the 16-0 Spartans in their 72-23 W over Berne-Knox-Westerlo.
- Catholic Central turned an ugly start into a pretty end result, beating a very tough Jamesville-Dewitt squad 45-36. Their 2nd half production was the driving force, which was powered by underclassmen. Junior Abby Fountain (9.3 ppg, 28 threes) and sophomore Taylor Engster (8.1 ppg) had 8 apiece to lead the Crusaders, and 5'11" junior guard Emilie Benton hit a pair of 2nd half threes to boost her season's total to 33.
- Mekeel freshman Rebekkah Dean had an impressive 14 points in their 54-36 W over Bishop Maginn. Many of them came while battling a bigger, stronger defender in Shayla Lyons in the blocks. Though she looks more like a natural guard, she showed a couple surprising post moves, including connecting on a pair of lefty jump hooks. Dean's averaging 11.3 per game on the season, finishing in double digits in 9 out of the last 10 games.
- Cobleskill junior Maya Nicholas finished with 10 points in their 48-37 L to Tamarac. She's averaging 10.4 on the season, and impacts the game in many ways - defense, rebounding at both ends, and court vision while playing basically a point forward at times. She's the type of player I'd like to see on a better team, as I think she'd really shine.
- Schalmont sophomore Sydnee Metzold tied her older sister with a game high 15 points in the Sabres' easy 50-23 W over Ravena. The 5'7" guard is averaging a touch over 9 points per game, and has picked it up of late, averaging 12.5 over the last 6.
- It was another cakewalk W for Mechanicville on Saturday, meaning they didn't need loads of production from Julia Amodeo. The sophomore finished with 8 points in their 60-28 victory over Granville. Her production in the scorebook has dropped significantly of late (10+ points twice in the last 8 games), but she's still averaging 11.3 points per game and has the skill set to fill it up.
- West Canada Valley was the first team in a month to limit Poland sophomore guard Shiane Irwin, and also became the team to do the best job of it all year. She was held to a season-low 10 points in a 67-46 L. She came in enjoying a stretch of 23 points per game over the previous 7 games. Still, she's one of the leading scorers in the Utica area, averaging 20.2 points per game with 41 treys and counting.
- Pittsfield (MA) sophomore standout Peyton Steinman chipped in 15 points in their 53-29 W over Auburn. This was actually her lowest scoring output since the last time she scored 15 on January 13, and she's only scored less than 15 once this season. One of the best players in western Massachusetts, she's averaging 20.1 points per game with 29 threes, along with making around 5 free throws per game. Even with the scoring average, the most impressive part of her game may be her passing ability - get her on a team with scorers, and she's a 10+ assist near-guarantee.
- Hampshire (MA) standout sophomore Katie O'Connor led her team with 17 points in a 66-51 L to South Hadley. The 3rd year varsity player is averaging over 16 per game and is an absolute animal on the boards. I didn't see rebound statistics, but she (quite literally) grabs them by the dozens. She had 25 in the game I watched.
- Monument Mountain (MA) freshman Sarah Sullivan chipped in 9 points in a balanced attack, resulting in a 49-38 W over Drury. The 6'1" post has enjoyed a solid first varsity season, averaging 10.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2 steals per game. She adds a nice shooting touch extending to the 3 point line and solid 1-2 dribble moves countering the shot along with her post game.
- Cobleskill junior Keenan Loder battled off some undisclosed head issues for a good portion of the game, finishing with 10 points against a steady box & 1 before sitting the last 12 minutes of the game in their 51-46 W over Tamarac. The 6'4" tweener was averaging 20 per game coming in.
- Institute of Technology (Syracuse) junior James Walker led the charge with 21 points in a 64-59 road win at Mekeel that will most likely catapult them into the Class B state rankings. He impacted the game heavily at both ends, adding 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks along the way. He's averaging 16.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game.
- In the same game, Mekeel junior Scott Voelker tied for the team high with 14 points in the loss. With a team full of specialists, he was arguably the most well-rounded player on his team, making an impact on the game in numerous ways.
- After managing just 10 points in the first half, Albany Academy came charging back for a 55-52 W over Cherry Hill West (NJ). Hameir Wright led that charge. The 6'7" standout sophomore has an offensive game perhaps growing by the day, catching up to his defensive impact. He scored a game high 21 points, including 4 threes, all in the 3rd quarter. This also tied a season high for him. He's averaging 14.4 points per game, and already boasts scholarship offers from James Madison and Vermont. Sal Arena, a crafty 6'3" lefty guard, added 9 points. The junior averages 8.6 per game for a very good, very balanced Cadet team. Their last guy off the bench would start at the majority of Section 2 schools.
- Mechanicville junior Evan Dunn had another big game, finishing with a game high 24 in their 59-51 W over Granville. He's averaging 19.4 points per game, and it appears he's worked his way out of a mid-season slump. After going 7 straight games without scoring 20 (they went 2-5), he's scored 20+ in 4 of the last 6 games (they've won all 4).
- Catskill sophomore standout Justyn Lacy led 4 in double digits with 18 in their 58-53 W over rival Hudson Saturday. The 6'1" guard is averaging 17.9 per game, and he's done it off the dribble around the rim, from the perimeter (28 threes), and by getting to the line and converting (76%).
- In the same game, Hudson junior Daniel Folds chipped in 13 points in the loss. He's averaging just under 9 per game, but has the skill to do much more. Sophomore guard Mike Alert was held to a season low 4 points - he's averaging 10 per game.
- New York Mills junior Terry Nichols had a game high 20 in their 71-31 thrashing of Otselic Valley. That's right at his average, which stands at 19.9 per game. As mentioned before, if not for blowouts, his average in many statistical categories could be higher.
Girls
- Greenville got double digit production from a pair of underclassmen in a blowout. 5'10" junior Kaitlyn Krasney (10.3 ppg) finished with 13, and freshman Ava Fitzmaurice (12.3 ppg, 42 threes) added 12 for the 16-0 Spartans in their 72-23 W over Berne-Knox-Westerlo.
- Catholic Central turned an ugly start into a pretty end result, beating a very tough Jamesville-Dewitt squad 45-36. Their 2nd half production was the driving force, which was powered by underclassmen. Junior Abby Fountain (9.3 ppg, 28 threes) and sophomore Taylor Engster (8.1 ppg) had 8 apiece to lead the Crusaders, and 5'11" junior guard Emilie Benton hit a pair of 2nd half threes to boost her season's total to 33.
- Mekeel freshman Rebekkah Dean had an impressive 14 points in their 54-36 W over Bishop Maginn. Many of them came while battling a bigger, stronger defender in Shayla Lyons in the blocks. Though she looks more like a natural guard, she showed a couple surprising post moves, including connecting on a pair of lefty jump hooks. Dean's averaging 11.3 per game on the season, finishing in double digits in 9 out of the last 10 games.
- Cobleskill junior Maya Nicholas finished with 10 points in their 48-37 L to Tamarac. She's averaging 10.4 on the season, and impacts the game in many ways - defense, rebounding at both ends, and court vision while playing basically a point forward at times. She's the type of player I'd like to see on a better team, as I think she'd really shine.
- Schalmont sophomore Sydnee Metzold tied her older sister with a game high 15 points in the Sabres' easy 50-23 W over Ravena. The 5'7" guard is averaging a touch over 9 points per game, and has picked it up of late, averaging 12.5 over the last 6.
- It was another cakewalk W for Mechanicville on Saturday, meaning they didn't need loads of production from Julia Amodeo. The sophomore finished with 8 points in their 60-28 victory over Granville. Her production in the scorebook has dropped significantly of late (10+ points twice in the last 8 games), but she's still averaging 11.3 points per game and has the skill set to fill it up.
- West Canada Valley was the first team in a month to limit Poland sophomore guard Shiane Irwin, and also became the team to do the best job of it all year. She was held to a season-low 10 points in a 67-46 L. She came in enjoying a stretch of 23 points per game over the previous 7 games. Still, she's one of the leading scorers in the Utica area, averaging 20.2 points per game with 41 treys and counting.
- Pittsfield (MA) sophomore standout Peyton Steinman chipped in 15 points in their 53-29 W over Auburn. This was actually her lowest scoring output since the last time she scored 15 on January 13, and she's only scored less than 15 once this season. One of the best players in western Massachusetts, she's averaging 20.1 points per game with 29 threes, along with making around 5 free throws per game. Even with the scoring average, the most impressive part of her game may be her passing ability - get her on a team with scorers, and she's a 10+ assist near-guarantee.
- Hampshire (MA) standout sophomore Katie O'Connor led her team with 17 points in a 66-51 L to South Hadley. The 3rd year varsity player is averaging over 16 per game and is an absolute animal on the boards. I didn't see rebound statistics, but she (quite literally) grabs them by the dozens. She had 25 in the game I watched.
- Monument Mountain (MA) freshman Sarah Sullivan chipped in 9 points in a balanced attack, resulting in a 49-38 W over Drury. The 6'1" post has enjoyed a solid first varsity season, averaging 10.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2 steals per game. She adds a nice shooting touch extending to the 3 point line and solid 1-2 dribble moves countering the shot along with her post game.
Saturday, February 7, 2015
The Recap: February 6
People I've talked to
- Argyle sophomore Kobe Lufkin dropped a game-high 38 in their runaway 87-57 W over Whitehall. He's hit 30+ in 10 games, including the last 4, and he's seen 40+ in 4 of those 10. He averages an even 31 points per game and has knocked down 64 threes this season.
- Mechanicville junior Evan Dunn had a team high 16 in their 53-44 loss to Greenwich. The crafty 6'0" point guard averages 17.8 per game, over 1/3 of it from the free throw line where he shoots over 80%.
- Justin Houck was one of 4 in double-digits for Berne-Knox-Westerlo in their 62-61 heartbreak L to Middleburgh, finishing with 13. They lost on a banked free throw with 1.2 seconds left. The pass-first junior point guard can also score when needed, and he averages 14.3 per game.
- Fort Edward junior Chris Boucher scored a game high 27 points, including 11 for 15 from the free throw line, in their comeback 60-48 W over Fort Ann. They were down 9 at halftime. Chris averages 31.4 points per game for the Flying Forts, including 49 threes and 161/231 (70%) at the free throw line - that's an average of 9 makes per game.
- Guilderland standout junior Andrew Platek had a game-high 18 points in their 68-52 W over Averill Park. The 6'4" guard averages 24.3 points per game, along with 63 made threes. Platek has received scholarship offers from Fairfield, Yale, and Albany.
- Isaiah Moak had 8 points for Averill Park in the loss to Guilderland. He's scored single digits in back to back games, which are the first two games of the season he's finished below 10 points. The strong 6'0'' junior guard is still averaging 14.5 points per game.
- Shenendehowa junior Petar Bebic had a game- and season-high 25 points in their 87-56 W over Niskayuna. This is the 4th straight game in double digits for him, and he's averaging 12.7 per game.
- Speaking of Shenendehowa juniors, Kevin Huerter added 19 in the win. The 6'5" guard leads the way with 16.7 points per game, along with facilitating the offense and wreaking havoc on D. He currently boasts offers from Albany, Siena, and Duquesne.
- Ichabod Crane junior big man Sean Daly had a game high 26 points in their 62-57 W over Cohoes. This was his season high in just his 2nd game back after being out for the better part of a month. He averages just a touch under 17 a game.
- Glens Falls 8th grader Joe Girard III had a game high 22 points in their 56-44 W over Johnstown. He plays well beyond his age - scoring 20+ in 9 straight outings, and now boasting a scoring average of 22.8 points per game with 62 threes.
- CBA sophomore Mike Wynn had a game high 23 points in their 65-54 L to CCHS. He averages 13 a game, but has put up 24 and 23 in his last two outings.
- In the same game, CBA freshman Sloan Seymour added 13 in the loss. That's right around his average - the 6'7" youngster averages 12.8.
- Schalmont junior standout Zac O'Dell poured in a game high 25 points in their 78-53 W over Voorheesville. This win all but wraps up the league title for the 14-2 Sabres. The 6'4" tweener has overcome a bit of a mid-season funk to get back to his usual output, averaging just a touch over 20 per game.
- Lansingburgh sophomore Davonte Jones had 11 points in their 56-49 loss to LaSalle. He's their leading scorer, averaging 12.9 per game. They also got 11 from 6'6" athletic sophomore Anthony Kempster, who's averaging 10.6.
- Hoosick Falls junior Connor McCart led the way with 19 points in their 52-36 W over Stillwater. He's their leading scorer with 16.3 points per game, and has scored double digits in all but 1 game.
- In the same game, Stillwater junior Mitchell Wayand had a team-high 17 in the loss. He's also a part of the 60+ three club, now at 61 after hitting 3 tonight, and he averages 21.2 per game.
- Amsterdam's Kory Bergh had a team high 20 points in their 62-59 W over Broadalbin-Perth. The electrifying point guard averages 14.2 per game for a balanced team.
- Oriskany standout junior Ryan Schmadel led the way with 20 points in a 88-39 thrashing of Owen D. Young. The 6'3" guard averages 22.3 points per game, which is a number that could be higher if not for many blowout wins and an injury that took him out of a mid-season game early in the 1st half. He's hit 30+ 6 times, 40+ once, and has already surpassed 1,000 career points.
- Herkimer junior Mitchell Scherer had 12 points in their 77-63 L to West Canada Valley. This is a low output for him - the 6'2" scrappy guard is averaging over 17 per game.
- Cooperstown freshman Tyler Bertram had a team high 17 points in their 79-39 beatdown of Dolgeville. He's averaging 19.7 per game, including 62 treys - he holds the school record for most made in a game after hitting 10 last month.
- In the same game, Cooperstown junior Christian Alexander chipped in 10 points. This was his first game after missing a little time due to illness, and is actually a season low for him. The 6'4" tweener averages 18.6 per game.
- New York Mills junior Terry Nichols had a game high 22 points in their 71-25 blasting of Remsen. The 6'1" point guard averages a sliver under 20 points per game, along with a handful of rebounds, assists, and steals. He, just like the aforementioned Schmadel, could also have higher averages across the board if not for blowout wins. They are both Class D kids who could have the same sort of impact at Class AA or A schools.
- Bailey Patella, a 6'3" junior guard from Lenox (MA), had 17 points in their easy 70-27 W over Saint Joseph. That broke a streak of 4 straight games scoring 20+ points, and he's averaging 18.9 points per game this season.
- Putnam (MA) junior Tyonne Malone was one of three on his team with 16 and added 8 rebounds in their 57-32 W over Holyoke. The 6'5" wing has scored in double digits all but 2 games, with 4 of them being 20+ point performances. He's averaging 14.8 per game, and boasts scholarship offers from St. Peter's, Manhattan, UMass, Boston University, and Sacred Heart.
- Standout Rice (VT) junior Kendrick Gray had 18 points and 15 rebounds in their 72-38 W over North Country Union. The 6'5"-6'6" wing has offers on the table from Vermont and St. Bonaventure, and plenty of other Division I programs are on the trail.
- Another Rice standout junior, Ben Shungu, added 15 points in the win. The 6'1" point guard doesn't have any offers yet, but interest from schoalrship level programs is budding.
- On the girls' end, 2 of Albany's best players got to relax a bit in a 73-40 blowout W over Schenectady. 6'1" junior tweener Leah Dollard and 5'3" freshman point guard Bridget Whelan just had a combined 8 points - they each average double digits, and they're good for 15+ in competitive games.
- Colonie 8th grade standout Aliyah Wright had a team high 16 points in their 55-38 W over Mohonasen. She's averaging 11.9 per game at the point guard spot with 36 threes and a season high of 21 points.
- In the same game, Mohonasen sophomore standout Saeeda Abdul-Aziz had a game high 22 in the loss. She's been the lone bright spot in a rough season for the Warriors, averaging 18.4 points per game on the season - just a touch under 50% of the team's points. The 5'11" tweener has also knocked down 36 threes.
- Bethlehem standout junior Jenna Giacone scored 17 points in their 69-59 W over Columbia. The 5'11" point guard, who has received serious attention from some high-octane Division I programs, averages 13.2 points per game and stuffs the stat sheet. Their opponents played without the services of sophomore standout Selena Lott, who sat for the 2nd consecutive game, presumably due to the effects of a head injury in Tuesday's outing.
- Shaker junior Audrey Martino chipped in 9 points in their 55-39 W over Ballston Spa. The pass-first point guard doesn't score much (6 ppg), but her impact on the game is felt from setting teammates up and perimeter defense. Shaker played without the services of standout sophomore CeCe Mayo.
- In the same game, Ballston Spa was led by junior Olivia Allrich and sophomore Jordan Hipwell in defeat. Allrich (11.8 ppg) had a game high 18, and Hipwell (12 ppg) added 13.
- Shenendehowa got 20 points from standout sophomore Sydney Brown in their 77-30 beatdown of Niskayuna. A 6'0" tweener, she averages 14.1 points per game and stuffs the stat sheet, especially in the rebounding category.
- In the same game, junior standout Carly Boland chipped in 17 for the Plainswomen. She leads them with 21.1 points per game, and she recently surpassed the 1,000 point mark. This was her first game in nearly a month scoring less than 20 points. Also, Samira Sangare chipped in 5 - she averages just 6 a game, but is receiving serious interest from scholarship level programs, which goes to show that she impacts the game in other ways and that Shen is just tough. Really, really tough.
- Ichabod Crane junior Paige Niemeyer had a game-high 19 points in their 54-43 W over Cohoes. The 6'0" multi-dimensional point forward averages 13.2 per game, but has picked it up a bit lately, scoring 16+ in 5 of her last 7 games. Cohoes played without the services of standout sophomore Nerea Brajac, who's been out this week due to a knee injury.
- Amsterdam sophomore Nina Fedullo had a game high 17 points in their 47-38 W over Broadalbin-Perth. She's averaging a team-high 15.2 points per game, including a season high of 35 last week. She attempts 9 free throws per game and is shooting at a 70% clip - along with attempting 10+ in 4 of her last 5 games, making 10+ in 3 of them.
- The Tougas sisters both scored in double digits again for Glens Falls in their 49-34 W over Johnstown. 8th grader Sophie led the way with 16 - the 5'10" wing leads the team in scoring at 15.3 per game. She's scored 20+ 3 times with a season high of 31. Older sister Lucy, a 5'8" sophomore pass-first point guard, added 13 to the cause. Despite looking to set up others more often than herself, she will score when necessary and averages 13.8 per game, including 20+ 3 times and a season high of 28.
- Mechanicville sophomore Julia Amodeo chipped in 6 points in their 54-37 W over Greenwich. Normally a much more potent scorer (11.5 per game, 20+ twice), her and others' attention was more focused on the defensive end, holding Greenwich standout Alexis Case to 8 points - she averaged around 30 per game coming in.
- Hoosick Falls picked up solid contributions from both of its post players in a 52-32 W over Stillwater. Junior Megan Flynn had 9 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 blocks, and Kelly Pine, a sophomore, had 9 points and 10 rebounds. The 5'11" Pine and 5'10" Flynn are good for double-digit points and rebounds almost every time out and are integral pieces in one of the top teams in NYS in Class B.
- Mount Greylock (MA) sophomore Jenna Benzinger chipped in 8 points in their easy 49-16 W over Lenox. The 6'3" post player averages 8 per game.
- Sophomore wing Brianna Legacy had a team-high 10 for Mount Anthony (VT) girls in their 56-42 L to Champlain Valley Union. CVU has won so many consecutive games, newspapers don't even put their record down anymore because it's a foregone conclusion that they're undefeated. The streak is approaching 70 games.
- Argyle sophomore Kobe Lufkin dropped a game-high 38 in their runaway 87-57 W over Whitehall. He's hit 30+ in 10 games, including the last 4, and he's seen 40+ in 4 of those 10. He averages an even 31 points per game and has knocked down 64 threes this season.
- Mechanicville junior Evan Dunn had a team high 16 in their 53-44 loss to Greenwich. The crafty 6'0" point guard averages 17.8 per game, over 1/3 of it from the free throw line where he shoots over 80%.
- Justin Houck was one of 4 in double-digits for Berne-Knox-Westerlo in their 62-61 heartbreak L to Middleburgh, finishing with 13. They lost on a banked free throw with 1.2 seconds left. The pass-first junior point guard can also score when needed, and he averages 14.3 per game.
- Fort Edward junior Chris Boucher scored a game high 27 points, including 11 for 15 from the free throw line, in their comeback 60-48 W over Fort Ann. They were down 9 at halftime. Chris averages 31.4 points per game for the Flying Forts, including 49 threes and 161/231 (70%) at the free throw line - that's an average of 9 makes per game.
- Guilderland standout junior Andrew Platek had a game-high 18 points in their 68-52 W over Averill Park. The 6'4" guard averages 24.3 points per game, along with 63 made threes. Platek has received scholarship offers from Fairfield, Yale, and Albany.
- Isaiah Moak had 8 points for Averill Park in the loss to Guilderland. He's scored single digits in back to back games, which are the first two games of the season he's finished below 10 points. The strong 6'0'' junior guard is still averaging 14.5 points per game.
- Shenendehowa junior Petar Bebic had a game- and season-high 25 points in their 87-56 W over Niskayuna. This is the 4th straight game in double digits for him, and he's averaging 12.7 per game.
- Speaking of Shenendehowa juniors, Kevin Huerter added 19 in the win. The 6'5" guard leads the way with 16.7 points per game, along with facilitating the offense and wreaking havoc on D. He currently boasts offers from Albany, Siena, and Duquesne.
- Ichabod Crane junior big man Sean Daly had a game high 26 points in their 62-57 W over Cohoes. This was his season high in just his 2nd game back after being out for the better part of a month. He averages just a touch under 17 a game.
- Glens Falls 8th grader Joe Girard III had a game high 22 points in their 56-44 W over Johnstown. He plays well beyond his age - scoring 20+ in 9 straight outings, and now boasting a scoring average of 22.8 points per game with 62 threes.
- CBA sophomore Mike Wynn had a game high 23 points in their 65-54 L to CCHS. He averages 13 a game, but has put up 24 and 23 in his last two outings.
- In the same game, CBA freshman Sloan Seymour added 13 in the loss. That's right around his average - the 6'7" youngster averages 12.8.
- Schalmont junior standout Zac O'Dell poured in a game high 25 points in their 78-53 W over Voorheesville. This win all but wraps up the league title for the 14-2 Sabres. The 6'4" tweener has overcome a bit of a mid-season funk to get back to his usual output, averaging just a touch over 20 per game.
- Lansingburgh sophomore Davonte Jones had 11 points in their 56-49 loss to LaSalle. He's their leading scorer, averaging 12.9 per game. They also got 11 from 6'6" athletic sophomore Anthony Kempster, who's averaging 10.6.
- Hoosick Falls junior Connor McCart led the way with 19 points in their 52-36 W over Stillwater. He's their leading scorer with 16.3 points per game, and has scored double digits in all but 1 game.
- In the same game, Stillwater junior Mitchell Wayand had a team-high 17 in the loss. He's also a part of the 60+ three club, now at 61 after hitting 3 tonight, and he averages 21.2 per game.
- Amsterdam's Kory Bergh had a team high 20 points in their 62-59 W over Broadalbin-Perth. The electrifying point guard averages 14.2 per game for a balanced team.
- Oriskany standout junior Ryan Schmadel led the way with 20 points in a 88-39 thrashing of Owen D. Young. The 6'3" guard averages 22.3 points per game, which is a number that could be higher if not for many blowout wins and an injury that took him out of a mid-season game early in the 1st half. He's hit 30+ 6 times, 40+ once, and has already surpassed 1,000 career points.
- Herkimer junior Mitchell Scherer had 12 points in their 77-63 L to West Canada Valley. This is a low output for him - the 6'2" scrappy guard is averaging over 17 per game.
- Cooperstown freshman Tyler Bertram had a team high 17 points in their 79-39 beatdown of Dolgeville. He's averaging 19.7 per game, including 62 treys - he holds the school record for most made in a game after hitting 10 last month.
- In the same game, Cooperstown junior Christian Alexander chipped in 10 points. This was his first game after missing a little time due to illness, and is actually a season low for him. The 6'4" tweener averages 18.6 per game.
- New York Mills junior Terry Nichols had a game high 22 points in their 71-25 blasting of Remsen. The 6'1" point guard averages a sliver under 20 points per game, along with a handful of rebounds, assists, and steals. He, just like the aforementioned Schmadel, could also have higher averages across the board if not for blowout wins. They are both Class D kids who could have the same sort of impact at Class AA or A schools.
- Bailey Patella, a 6'3" junior guard from Lenox (MA), had 17 points in their easy 70-27 W over Saint Joseph. That broke a streak of 4 straight games scoring 20+ points, and he's averaging 18.9 points per game this season.
- Putnam (MA) junior Tyonne Malone was one of three on his team with 16 and added 8 rebounds in their 57-32 W over Holyoke. The 6'5" wing has scored in double digits all but 2 games, with 4 of them being 20+ point performances. He's averaging 14.8 per game, and boasts scholarship offers from St. Peter's, Manhattan, UMass, Boston University, and Sacred Heart.
- Standout Rice (VT) junior Kendrick Gray had 18 points and 15 rebounds in their 72-38 W over North Country Union. The 6'5"-6'6" wing has offers on the table from Vermont and St. Bonaventure, and plenty of other Division I programs are on the trail.
- Another Rice standout junior, Ben Shungu, added 15 points in the win. The 6'1" point guard doesn't have any offers yet, but interest from schoalrship level programs is budding.
- On the girls' end, 2 of Albany's best players got to relax a bit in a 73-40 blowout W over Schenectady. 6'1" junior tweener Leah Dollard and 5'3" freshman point guard Bridget Whelan just had a combined 8 points - they each average double digits, and they're good for 15+ in competitive games.
- Colonie 8th grade standout Aliyah Wright had a team high 16 points in their 55-38 W over Mohonasen. She's averaging 11.9 per game at the point guard spot with 36 threes and a season high of 21 points.
- In the same game, Mohonasen sophomore standout Saeeda Abdul-Aziz had a game high 22 in the loss. She's been the lone bright spot in a rough season for the Warriors, averaging 18.4 points per game on the season - just a touch under 50% of the team's points. The 5'11" tweener has also knocked down 36 threes.
- Bethlehem standout junior Jenna Giacone scored 17 points in their 69-59 W over Columbia. The 5'11" point guard, who has received serious attention from some high-octane Division I programs, averages 13.2 points per game and stuffs the stat sheet. Their opponents played without the services of sophomore standout Selena Lott, who sat for the 2nd consecutive game, presumably due to the effects of a head injury in Tuesday's outing.
- Shaker junior Audrey Martino chipped in 9 points in their 55-39 W over Ballston Spa. The pass-first point guard doesn't score much (6 ppg), but her impact on the game is felt from setting teammates up and perimeter defense. Shaker played without the services of standout sophomore CeCe Mayo.
- In the same game, Ballston Spa was led by junior Olivia Allrich and sophomore Jordan Hipwell in defeat. Allrich (11.8 ppg) had a game high 18, and Hipwell (12 ppg) added 13.
- Shenendehowa got 20 points from standout sophomore Sydney Brown in their 77-30 beatdown of Niskayuna. A 6'0" tweener, she averages 14.1 points per game and stuffs the stat sheet, especially in the rebounding category.
- In the same game, junior standout Carly Boland chipped in 17 for the Plainswomen. She leads them with 21.1 points per game, and she recently surpassed the 1,000 point mark. This was her first game in nearly a month scoring less than 20 points. Also, Samira Sangare chipped in 5 - she averages just 6 a game, but is receiving serious interest from scholarship level programs, which goes to show that she impacts the game in other ways and that Shen is just tough. Really, really tough.
- Ichabod Crane junior Paige Niemeyer had a game-high 19 points in their 54-43 W over Cohoes. The 6'0" multi-dimensional point forward averages 13.2 per game, but has picked it up a bit lately, scoring 16+ in 5 of her last 7 games. Cohoes played without the services of standout sophomore Nerea Brajac, who's been out this week due to a knee injury.
- Amsterdam sophomore Nina Fedullo had a game high 17 points in their 47-38 W over Broadalbin-Perth. She's averaging a team-high 15.2 points per game, including a season high of 35 last week. She attempts 9 free throws per game and is shooting at a 70% clip - along with attempting 10+ in 4 of her last 5 games, making 10+ in 3 of them.
- The Tougas sisters both scored in double digits again for Glens Falls in their 49-34 W over Johnstown. 8th grader Sophie led the way with 16 - the 5'10" wing leads the team in scoring at 15.3 per game. She's scored 20+ 3 times with a season high of 31. Older sister Lucy, a 5'8" sophomore pass-first point guard, added 13 to the cause. Despite looking to set up others more often than herself, she will score when necessary and averages 13.8 per game, including 20+ 3 times and a season high of 28.
- Mechanicville sophomore Julia Amodeo chipped in 6 points in their 54-37 W over Greenwich. Normally a much more potent scorer (11.5 per game, 20+ twice), her and others' attention was more focused on the defensive end, holding Greenwich standout Alexis Case to 8 points - she averaged around 30 per game coming in.
- Hoosick Falls picked up solid contributions from both of its post players in a 52-32 W over Stillwater. Junior Megan Flynn had 9 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 blocks, and Kelly Pine, a sophomore, had 9 points and 10 rebounds. The 5'11" Pine and 5'10" Flynn are good for double-digit points and rebounds almost every time out and are integral pieces in one of the top teams in NYS in Class B.
- Mount Greylock (MA) sophomore Jenna Benzinger chipped in 8 points in their easy 49-16 W over Lenox. The 6'3" post player averages 8 per game.
- Sophomore wing Brianna Legacy had a team-high 10 for Mount Anthony (VT) girls in their 56-42 L to Champlain Valley Union. CVU has won so many consecutive games, newspapers don't even put their record down anymore because it's a foregone conclusion that they're undefeated. The streak is approaching 70 games.
Friday, February 6, 2015
The Preview: February 6
It's under 5 months until both opening nights. I caught myself saying that to Pittsfield's Peyton Steinman this week and had to stop for a second - it's creeping up quickly! Over 2 months of recruiting so far, and now is no time to take a break. Adding a couple games to the list tonight.
Where I'll be - I've talked to more boys than girls, so these past few days have been a conscientious effort to play catch-up. Today is no different, as it'll (probably) be a couple girls games that get my attention. Starting off at Albany Academy - the girls' one - as they take on Fonda. Fonda won the first one by just under 20, but AAG has a very solid junior in 5'11" Emily Padalino. By far the best player on her team and in serious need of help, she averages 20.5 points per game and has scored 308 of her team's 564 on the year. I already know she can play - watched this team against Schalmont, and unfortunately missed out on Emily while having a brain fart moment and waiting by the wrong door. Whoops. Fonda is led by senior Emily Parslow (22 ppg), but they have a couple non-seniors worth a look - namely sophomore point guard Julianna Taylor, averaging 12 per game with 25 threes. After a slow start, she's been averaging 15 over the last 8 games.
Really hoping to have enough time to run to Scotia after for their girls' game against South Glens Falls. The 13-2 Tartans have a bit of a dynamic duo, with one of them being a junior in Caitlin Estes (16 ppg, 26 3s). You know what you'll get from her - double digits in all 15 games with a season high of 21, which was against the team they're playing tonight. SGF is no slouch of a team, now at 11-5, and their 3 leading scorers are underclassmen. Junior guard Rylee Coon leads the way (11 ppg), with sophomore post Claire Carpenter adding 9. If I can't make this one, I'm going to head to Albany HS for their boys' game against Schenectady. Already talked to Schenectady's Tobias Holmes earlier this week; Neftali Lind and Mekhi Spotter-Hale are next...
How about some highlights from last night coming from people I've already watched and talked to?
- Holy Names 6'0" junior De'Ja Deas had a game-high 21 points in their 51-36 W over Lansingburgh. She's averaging 14.5 per game, with this being her 3rd time over 20 on the season. Lansingburgh junior Gessica Patregnani (15.3 ppg) had a team-high 16 in the loss.
- Poland sophomore Shiane Irwin chipped in 18 points for the Tornadoes in their 61-38 W over Old Forge. You could almost call that an off game for her - that broke a streak of 5 straight games scoring 20+ points and her lowest output in almost a month, with her scoring average running up to 20.9 per game.
- Frankfort-Schuyler sophomore Danielle Caivana had 15 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals in their 70-61 W over Little Falls. That comes on the heels of a 24 point, 5 assist performance the night before. She's up to 13.7 points per game on the year (41 threes), with just under 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals from the diminutive guard. Of course, F-S was led by junior Danielle Migliore, a St. Bonaventure verbal commit, with 26.
- Cooperstown junior Liz Millea dropped a game-high 23 in her team's 63-37 W over Dolgeville. She's been lighting it up all year, averaging 23.3 points with 42 threes and 3.6 steals per game. She's dropped 46 in a game this season, is now at 1,055 points for her varsity career, and with the interest she's getting, Migliore may not be the only CSC Class of 2016er to go D1.
- All about Peyton Steinman in Pittsfield last night. The sophomore point guard dropped 28 in their 57-29 2nd half blasting of Wahconah. She's up to 20.5 per game on the year and although she certainly doesn't force things and easily could be a great pass-first point guard, she's on track to be a 1,500+ point scorer in high school. After scoring 20+ once in her first 6 games, she's done it in 5 of her last 8. Wahconah sophomore point guard Ashley Zink had a team high 10 in the L.
- Hoosac Valley sophomore Fallon Field had herself a night, dropping a season high 23 in their 66-41 blasting of Taconic. She averages 14.4 per game and has a nice balance - physical, plays tough D, can shoot the cheese (21 threes) but loves to get to the line. Junior Madi Ryan had just 5, but that's an exception compared to the norm - matches a season low for the shooter, averaging 10.7 on the season. She had 18 apiece in her previous two games.
Where I'll be - I've talked to more boys than girls, so these past few days have been a conscientious effort to play catch-up. Today is no different, as it'll (probably) be a couple girls games that get my attention. Starting off at Albany Academy - the girls' one - as they take on Fonda. Fonda won the first one by just under 20, but AAG has a very solid junior in 5'11" Emily Padalino. By far the best player on her team and in serious need of help, she averages 20.5 points per game and has scored 308 of her team's 564 on the year. I already know she can play - watched this team against Schalmont, and unfortunately missed out on Emily while having a brain fart moment and waiting by the wrong door. Whoops. Fonda is led by senior Emily Parslow (22 ppg), but they have a couple non-seniors worth a look - namely sophomore point guard Julianna Taylor, averaging 12 per game with 25 threes. After a slow start, she's been averaging 15 over the last 8 games.
Really hoping to have enough time to run to Scotia after for their girls' game against South Glens Falls. The 13-2 Tartans have a bit of a dynamic duo, with one of them being a junior in Caitlin Estes (16 ppg, 26 3s). You know what you'll get from her - double digits in all 15 games with a season high of 21, which was against the team they're playing tonight. SGF is no slouch of a team, now at 11-5, and their 3 leading scorers are underclassmen. Junior guard Rylee Coon leads the way (11 ppg), with sophomore post Claire Carpenter adding 9. If I can't make this one, I'm going to head to Albany HS for their boys' game against Schenectady. Already talked to Schenectady's Tobias Holmes earlier this week; Neftali Lind and Mekhi Spotter-Hale are next...
How about some highlights from last night coming from people I've already watched and talked to?
- Holy Names 6'0" junior De'Ja Deas had a game-high 21 points in their 51-36 W over Lansingburgh. She's averaging 14.5 per game, with this being her 3rd time over 20 on the season. Lansingburgh junior Gessica Patregnani (15.3 ppg) had a team-high 16 in the loss.
- Poland sophomore Shiane Irwin chipped in 18 points for the Tornadoes in their 61-38 W over Old Forge. You could almost call that an off game for her - that broke a streak of 5 straight games scoring 20+ points and her lowest output in almost a month, with her scoring average running up to 20.9 per game.
- Frankfort-Schuyler sophomore Danielle Caivana had 15 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals in their 70-61 W over Little Falls. That comes on the heels of a 24 point, 5 assist performance the night before. She's up to 13.7 points per game on the year (41 threes), with just under 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals from the diminutive guard. Of course, F-S was led by junior Danielle Migliore, a St. Bonaventure verbal commit, with 26.
- Cooperstown junior Liz Millea dropped a game-high 23 in her team's 63-37 W over Dolgeville. She's been lighting it up all year, averaging 23.3 points with 42 threes and 3.6 steals per game. She's dropped 46 in a game this season, is now at 1,055 points for her varsity career, and with the interest she's getting, Migliore may not be the only CSC Class of 2016er to go D1.
- All about Peyton Steinman in Pittsfield last night. The sophomore point guard dropped 28 in their 57-29 2nd half blasting of Wahconah. She's up to 20.5 per game on the year and although she certainly doesn't force things and easily could be a great pass-first point guard, she's on track to be a 1,500+ point scorer in high school. After scoring 20+ once in her first 6 games, she's done it in 5 of her last 8. Wahconah sophomore point guard Ashley Zink had a team high 10 in the L.
- Hoosac Valley sophomore Fallon Field had herself a night, dropping a season high 23 in their 66-41 blasting of Taconic. She averages 14.4 per game and has a nice balance - physical, plays tough D, can shoot the cheese (21 threes) but loves to get to the line. Junior Madi Ryan had just 5, but that's an exception compared to the norm - matches a season low for the shooter, averaging 10.7 on the season. She had 18 apiece in her previous two games.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Today's Thoughts
As I've been out lately - and especially this Monday night - a couple things keep happening or popping in my head, so now is as good of a time as any to address them. Here goes.
- This is a promise from me. I'm recruiting from a very wide base. The number of high schools in this base is around 250 (I'm rounding slightly down) and that includes both boys and girls teams, with the exception of maybe a dozen. Yes, I have direct people that I notice in box scores that I'm looking at so I'm not blindly going to games where I know I won't be interested in anyone, but that doesn't eliminate much. We'll say about 450 teams. I may only get to watch you play once. If I come up to you after a game and get told 'now isn't a good time', I promise you this: there won't ever be a good time. I understand maybe you took a tough L or your boyfriend/girlfriend is mad at you, but in many cases, I don't have time for 'another time'. It's now or I won't, and something I've never done since I was a high schooler myself (not long ago) is bow down to people unhappy for trivial reasons. There are obvious ones, such as injury, that are exceptions. But if I get the 'not tonight' speech, there are plenty of other people that would be glad to take your spot and I'll move on.
- I mentioned above that I'm not too far removed from the high school days myself. 23 years old, if we want specifics. I did the King of Kings prospect boys league last year, so I look at least familiar to many, but plenty of people already know me on the circuit. Girls' basketball is a brand new venture for me - and as you may surmise, recruiting high school girls' basketball as a guy my age isn't the world's most comfortable position to be in. I'm particularly distant in the way I talk/communicate compared to the boys - I have the boys' cell phone numbers, and I have the girls' parents cell phone numbers, for example - and I make sure I make it known what I'm there for. Many times, I scope out the parents and talk to them first. Nevertheless, I have good ears, and girls games are quiet. I can hear the comments. It comes with the territory, I know. Next time you see the 6'6" guy with a binder in his arm, just try to keep the gawks and the 'who's that creep watching high school girls' comments at a minimum. That's all I ask!
As for today, I'm splitting up with a girls' game early and a boys' game late. Hoping to continue a nice string of luck lately with a trip to watch Millbrook/Coleman Catholic girls in the afternoon, then swinging back up to watch Hudson's boys team late. Catch you on the flip side!
- This is a promise from me. I'm recruiting from a very wide base. The number of high schools in this base is around 250 (I'm rounding slightly down) and that includes both boys and girls teams, with the exception of maybe a dozen. Yes, I have direct people that I notice in box scores that I'm looking at so I'm not blindly going to games where I know I won't be interested in anyone, but that doesn't eliminate much. We'll say about 450 teams. I may only get to watch you play once. If I come up to you after a game and get told 'now isn't a good time', I promise you this: there won't ever be a good time. I understand maybe you took a tough L or your boyfriend/girlfriend is mad at you, but in many cases, I don't have time for 'another time'. It's now or I won't, and something I've never done since I was a high schooler myself (not long ago) is bow down to people unhappy for trivial reasons. There are obvious ones, such as injury, that are exceptions. But if I get the 'not tonight' speech, there are plenty of other people that would be glad to take your spot and I'll move on.
- I mentioned above that I'm not too far removed from the high school days myself. 23 years old, if we want specifics. I did the King of Kings prospect boys league last year, so I look at least familiar to many, but plenty of people already know me on the circuit. Girls' basketball is a brand new venture for me - and as you may surmise, recruiting high school girls' basketball as a guy my age isn't the world's most comfortable position to be in. I'm particularly distant in the way I talk/communicate compared to the boys - I have the boys' cell phone numbers, and I have the girls' parents cell phone numbers, for example - and I make sure I make it known what I'm there for. Many times, I scope out the parents and talk to them first. Nevertheless, I have good ears, and girls games are quiet. I can hear the comments. It comes with the territory, I know. Next time you see the 6'6" guy with a binder in his arm, just try to keep the gawks and the 'who's that creep watching high school girls' comments at a minimum. That's all I ask!
As for today, I'm splitting up with a girls' game early and a boys' game late. Hoping to continue a nice string of luck lately with a trip to watch Millbrook/Coleman Catholic girls in the afternoon, then swinging back up to watch Hudson's boys team late. Catch you on the flip side!
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