In a league where the majority of players on each team have never played basketball with each other before, having a spring season of experience as a core unit is a real advantage.
Oh yeah, being good doesn't hurt, either.
In the girls' league, Havoc has both sides going for them, and they head into Week 2 being the lone team sitting at 2-0.
Out of the 13 players on the roster with the Kentucky blue jerseys, 10 of them don orange jerseys on the AAU circuit with Havoc coach Terrance Florence's Saratoga Sparks team. A few of those 10 are new to the Sparks this year, having made the transition from the Albany Capitals. They, like many of the other top teams on the circuit, contribute to their frequent flyer mile count through the season. Along with spring tournaments in Virginia and Pennsylvania, they will be on the road for July tournaments in Florida, Illinois, and Washington, DC.
On Thursday, while other teams were getting acclimated to the others on their roster and getting their feet wet, Havoc did things that good, well-practiced teams do. They worked together on defense and communicated well. They had a few offensive sets in the bag and executed. When offense was a struggle for them in Game 1 without standouts Nina Fedullo, Grace Heeps, and Olivia Baumann, they dug in on defense and held a Lady Knicks squad (who also comes in as a team with set plays) to just 21 points.
Teamwork went a long way for them in the back end of their doubleheader as well. Playing against an All Day squad that boasted 4 (maybe 5) scholarship-level prospects out of their 7 players, including a St. Bonaventure commit, their familiarity won out. Their pick & roll game had continued success throughout the game, with guards Emily Wander & Cameron Tooley seemingly knowing exactly where a rolling Jordan Hipwell would be and where she wanted the ball at all times - or should I say Hipwell knew where the guards wanted her to be? Regardless of what way you look at it, familiarity went a long way.
Emily Wander was particularly impressive on Thursday. She's one of the shortest players in the league at 5'3", but she's fearless. Mix that with her scoring ability with the jumper and off the drive, playmaking ability, and one of the slickest handles in the league, and she more than makes up for her build. Cameron Tooley made things happen from the guard slot as well - the lefty made play after play using the screen, and she also showed fearlessness knifing her way to the rim. Shyla Sanford has the ability to stretch out the defense, and she made defenders pay for sinking in on penetration or going under screens by knocking down 4 threes. The aforementioned Jordan Hipwell showcased a good feel for the game, good hands, and the ability to finish in traffic in the second game, where she finished with 16 points - a night-high for the team. They have height as well; 6'3" Tara Sager doesn't have many plays called for her, but she impacts the game in a number of ways when fully invested. Her 4 blocks made a difference in how their opponents attacked in the 1st game. She also kept possessions alive on the offensive end and got a few buckets off post isolation and offensive boards. Most of their height was missing - look for them to be a matchup nightmare when 6'1" post Skye Lindsay, 5'11" tweener Nina Fedullo, 5'11" combo guard Olivia Baumann, and 5'10" point guard Grace Heeps are in the lineup this week.
What's the scariest thing about this team? Not a single rising senior! The majority are in the Class of 2017, with Lindsay, Sanford, Tooley, and Madison Graber entering their sophomore years and Heeps entering her freshman year. This squad's havoc-wreaking is far from over.
Monday, June 29, 2015
Revamped Team 518 Making Its Mark
What a difference a year makes.
One year ago, Team 518's summer squad was in a state of limbo after opening week of the King of Kings College Prospect League. They had just been throttled by 30 at the hands of an Albany-based team full of scholarship-level prospects, and two of their stronger players quit and never returned.
Today, Dave Mattice's team is sitting at 2-0 in the inaugural Empire State Takeover league, with their first win being over another team spotted with Albany area scholarship-level prospects. They were in control throughout, keeping the talented Marcella Appliances team at arm's length en route to a 68-56 win.
An almost entirely brand new group has made a difference. They are bigger, faster, stronger, and better this year at every position. 518 has brought a solid group without any real glaring weaknesses, but they certainly have one glowing strength - size. The most dominating performance of opening night was undisputed. Andrew Sischo, a 6'8" rising senior at Guilderland whose worth was cemented in a very strong sectional run, dominated the blocks & boards to the tune of 28 points. He's a true post player, strong and wide-framed, but he's also nimble for his size. A few of his buckets came from trailing on the fast break, either finishing off the pass or on an offensive rebound. He also has shown an ability to knock down the face-up jumper. Add strong 6'5" power forward Zac O'Dell, hailing from nearby Schalmont, and you have the most formidable 1-2 punch in the blocks that the league has to offer. O'Dell, a 4th team all-state selection in Class B and MVP in Schalmont's Colonial Council, added 14 in that particular game, meaning 42 of their 68 came from the starting bigs. He also showed some range, knocking down a three in the game. O'Dell has many Division III schools hot on his trail - same with Sischo, but he's also attracted scholarship-level interest.
Of course, a team needs more than bigs to be successful, especially in a guard-dominated league. 518's key in the backcourt is a familiar face; their only returning player from last summer. Kaden Baugh came on very strong at the end of last summer, as a rising senior at Seton Catholic in Plattsburgh. The 6'2" point guard was well-hidden in an area not exactly known for its basketball, but he quickly jumped on the scene. He found himself on the Class C all-state list this year and was arguably the best player in Section 7. After making a late decision to attend Vermont Academy for a postgrad year in the fall, he's back out here for another summer. A year older with 15 pounds more muscle and an improved all-around game, he is legitimately one of the top guards in the league. Perhaps most importantly to this team's success, he is a quiet, yet demonstrative leader. In a league where the majority of players are doing their own thing, Team 518 looks to Baugh to be a leader on the court, which he delivers.
The supporting cast proved to be a factor opening night as well, and continued contributions from people like Saratoga Springs teammates Alex Skaine/Adam Anderson and South Kortright's Tyler Lamport will only help their cause. Skaine is a 6'4" rising senior who is used to playing down low, but is stepping out as a wing with this group. Anderson is a quick combo guard who can provide a scoring punch against anyone. Lamport is one of the team's most solid all-around players - a 6'3" rising junior that also earned all-state honors this year, he contributed games of 9 and 12 points to their cause on Wednesday.
The desire of the players to be successful this summer, along with head coach Dave Mattice, is unquestioned. On the Sunday leading up to opening night, which happened to be Father's Day, they got together for a 9:00 AM practice over 2 hours in length. They may not have the names associated with as much upstate NY hoops hype, but with continued strong performances over the next month, that won't be the case much longer.
One year ago, Team 518's summer squad was in a state of limbo after opening week of the King of Kings College Prospect League. They had just been throttled by 30 at the hands of an Albany-based team full of scholarship-level prospects, and two of their stronger players quit and never returned.
Today, Dave Mattice's team is sitting at 2-0 in the inaugural Empire State Takeover league, with their first win being over another team spotted with Albany area scholarship-level prospects. They were in control throughout, keeping the talented Marcella Appliances team at arm's length en route to a 68-56 win.
An almost entirely brand new group has made a difference. They are bigger, faster, stronger, and better this year at every position. 518 has brought a solid group without any real glaring weaknesses, but they certainly have one glowing strength - size. The most dominating performance of opening night was undisputed. Andrew Sischo, a 6'8" rising senior at Guilderland whose worth was cemented in a very strong sectional run, dominated the blocks & boards to the tune of 28 points. He's a true post player, strong and wide-framed, but he's also nimble for his size. A few of his buckets came from trailing on the fast break, either finishing off the pass or on an offensive rebound. He also has shown an ability to knock down the face-up jumper. Add strong 6'5" power forward Zac O'Dell, hailing from nearby Schalmont, and you have the most formidable 1-2 punch in the blocks that the league has to offer. O'Dell, a 4th team all-state selection in Class B and MVP in Schalmont's Colonial Council, added 14 in that particular game, meaning 42 of their 68 came from the starting bigs. He also showed some range, knocking down a three in the game. O'Dell has many Division III schools hot on his trail - same with Sischo, but he's also attracted scholarship-level interest.
Of course, a team needs more than bigs to be successful, especially in a guard-dominated league. 518's key in the backcourt is a familiar face; their only returning player from last summer. Kaden Baugh came on very strong at the end of last summer, as a rising senior at Seton Catholic in Plattsburgh. The 6'2" point guard was well-hidden in an area not exactly known for its basketball, but he quickly jumped on the scene. He found himself on the Class C all-state list this year and was arguably the best player in Section 7. After making a late decision to attend Vermont Academy for a postgrad year in the fall, he's back out here for another summer. A year older with 15 pounds more muscle and an improved all-around game, he is legitimately one of the top guards in the league. Perhaps most importantly to this team's success, he is a quiet, yet demonstrative leader. In a league where the majority of players are doing their own thing, Team 518 looks to Baugh to be a leader on the court, which he delivers.
The supporting cast proved to be a factor opening night as well, and continued contributions from people like Saratoga Springs teammates Alex Skaine/Adam Anderson and South Kortright's Tyler Lamport will only help their cause. Skaine is a 6'4" rising senior who is used to playing down low, but is stepping out as a wing with this group. Anderson is a quick combo guard who can provide a scoring punch against anyone. Lamport is one of the team's most solid all-around players - a 6'3" rising junior that also earned all-state honors this year, he contributed games of 9 and 12 points to their cause on Wednesday.
The desire of the players to be successful this summer, along with head coach Dave Mattice, is unquestioned. On the Sunday leading up to opening night, which happened to be Father's Day, they got together for a 9:00 AM practice over 2 hours in length. They may not have the names associated with as much upstate NY hoops hype, but with continued strong performances over the next month, that won't be the case much longer.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Boys League Scores: Week 1, 6/24/15
Rising Stars 67, Bellevue 61
The first set of games of the inaugural Empire State Takeover boys summer league promised some high-power talent and competitive games, and this battle between a pair of high-octane offenses did not disappoint. It was a close game throughout, but Bellevue took a slight lead into halftime behind a strong start from Northville rising junior Danny Reidell, who had 11 of his 14 in the 1st half. The Rising Stars squad was able to come back in the 2nd half and pick up the W with scrappy play and the 3 ball - this will be a common theme. They hit 6 of their 9 threes after intermission, coming from 5 different people - Glens Falls rising freshman Joe Girard III was the one to hit 2, and he had 11 of his team high 14 after halftime. Emotions started to run high in the waning moments - with these teams playing each other twice more in the regular season alone, this matchup will be one to watch.
Rising Stars (1-0): Kobe Lufkin 3-8, Jared D'Aloia 3-8, Darius Holmes-Hines 2-1-5, Matt Higgins 4-3-12, Louden Porter 2-4, Chris Boucher 3-6, Adam Jaquish 3-1-7, Joe Girard III 4-3-14, Taylor Slattery 1-3. Totals: 25-8-67.
Bellevue (0-1): Bryce Allen 2-4, Dyaire Holt 6-6-18, Danny Reidell 5-2-14, Tyler Champagne 4-8, Damon Burgess 3-6, Josh Gonzalez 1-1-3, Keenan Loder 3-2-8. Totals: 24-11-61.
3-Point Field Goals: Rising Stars 9 (Girard 3, Lufkin 2, D'Aloia 2, Higgins, Slattery), Bellevue 2 (Reidell).
Free Throws: Rising Stars 8/15 (Higgins 3/4, Girard 3/4, Holmes-Hines 1/2, Jaquish 1/4, Slattery 0/1), Bellevue 11/21 (Holt 6/10, Reidell 2/2, Loder 2/4, Gonzalez 1/2, Allen 0/3).
Rising Stars 74, Upstate Select 47
Rising Stars continued its hot shooting from the 2nd half of the previous game into the following slot, and they were able to shoot an undermanned Upstate Select squad out of the gym. Select was able to hang tough through the first half, down 33-22 with only 6 available players. They were not so fortunate after halftime. Rising Stars hit trey after trey after trey to the tune of 13 made threes. Stillwater rising junior Jared D'Aloia had the hottest hand of the night, connecting for a team high 21 points on 7 makes from beyond the arc. South Glens Falls senior Matt Higgins, Moriah senior Taylor Slattery, and the aforementioned Joe Girard III added 11 points apiece in the blowout W. True to expectations, they lit it up offensively to start the season - 30+ points in each half of opening night. Sherburne-Earlville senior Gavin Giroux carried the load for Upstate Select in their first game. The strong 6'5" lefty worked 15' and in, and scored a game-high 22 points.
Rising Stars (2-0): Kobe Lufkin 2-6, Jared D'Aloia 7-21, Darius Holmes-Hines 0-3-3, Matt Higgins 4-11, Chris Boucher 1-1-3, Adam Jaquish 1-2, Joe Girard III 5-11, Taylor Slattery 4-3-11, Anthony DeBonis 3-6. Totals: 27-7-74.
Upstate Select (0-1): Dejae Johnson 2-4-8, Patrick Garey 2-6, Derek Newman 3-2-8, Tyler Bertram 1-2, Andrew Mason 0-1-1, Gavin Giroux 10-2-22. Totals: 18-9-47.
3-Point Field Goals: Rising Stars 13 (D'Aloia 7, Higgins 3, Lufkin 2, Girard), Upstate Select 2 (Garey 2).
Free Throws: Rising Stars 7/12 (Holmes-Hines 3/4, Slattery 3/4, Boucher 1/2, Jaquish 0/2), Upstate Select 9/13 (Johnson 4/4, Newman 2/2, Giroux 2/3, Mason 1/4).
Bellevue 91, Upstate Select 55
Upstate Select's second game held much of the same script as the first - hung tough in the first half despite having limited bodies (only 5 for the nightcap), down 11 at halftime, ran out of gas and had it taken to them after intermission. Bellevue had 5 players finish in double digits and 2 more finished with 8. Bryce Allen, a rising senior at The Hill School (PA), and Tyler Champagne, a rising senior at Mount Anthony Union (VT), led the way with 19 points apiece. They each scored 13 of their 19 in the 2nd half. Cobleskill-Richmondville senior Keenan Loder added 9 of his 12 after halftime, and Champagne's classmate Damon Burgess added 11. Josh Gonzalez, a Canajoharie graduate headed to Spire Institute in Ohio for a postgrad year, added 10 and the highlight of the game with a powerful tip slam in traffic. Upstate Select saw 3 hit double digits, again led by Gavin Giroux with 16. Herkimer junior Derek Newman added 12 of his 14 in the 2nd half, and Johnson City junior Patrick Garey had 11 and all 3 of his team's threes. They will be looking to get on the right track next week with a few missing pieces making their season debut.
Bellevue (1-1): Bryce Allen 8-1-19, Dyaire Holt 2-4, Danny Reidell 4-8, Tyler Champagne 7-4-19, Damon Burgess 4-1-11, Scott Voelker 3-1-8, Josh Gonzalez 5-10, Keenan Loder 5-1-12. Totals: 38-8-91.
Upstate Select (0-2): Dejae Johnson 3-6, Patrick Garey 4-11, Derek Newman 7-14, Andrew Mason 4-8, Gavin Giroux 8-16. Totals: 26-0-55.
3-Point Field Goals: Bellevue 7 (Allen 2, Burgess 2, Champagne, Voelker, Loder), Upstate Select 3 (Garey).
Free Throws: Bellevue 8/14 (Champagne 4/6, Allen 1/1, Burgess 1/2, Loder 1/2, Voelker 1/3), Upstate Select 0/2 (Mason 0/2).
Team 518 68, Marcella Appliances 56
In another bigtime matchup at the 6:00 time slot, Team 518 was able to put its superior size in the blocks to use and wear down their opponents en route to a season opening win. 518's starting posts, 6'8" Guilderland senior Andrew Sischo and 6'5" Schalmont senior Zac O'Dell, combined for 42 points while dominating 15 feet and in. Sischo had a game high 28 points in the victory, with 18 coming in the 2nd half. O'Dell had 10 of his 14 in the 1st half. They were able to mainly contain Marcella's high-powered wings, a key to that team's success. Ray Jerome, a rising senior at Connecticut prep school Cheshire Academy by way of Albany Academy, paced Marcella with 12 points. Albany CBA rising junior Mike Wynn added 10 points.
Team 518 (1-0): Colby Fancher 0-1-1, Kaden Baugh 2-4, Adam Anderson 3-1-8, Tyler Lamport 3-2-9, Joe Werner 1-2, Zac O'Dell 6-1-14, Alex Skaine 1-2, Andrew Sischo 12-4-28. Totals: 28-9-68.
Marcella Appliances (0-1): Kory Bergh 3-8, Will Bennett 1-2, Ray Jerome 5-1-12, Mike Wynn 4-1-10, Mitchel Wayand 3-7, Hameir Wright 2-3-8, Ian Schultz 3-7, Evan Pescetti 1-2. Totals: 22-5-56.
3-Point Field Goals: Team 518 3 (Anderson, Lamport, O'Dell), Marcella Appliances 7 (Bergh 2, Jerome, Wynn, Wayand, Wright, Schultz).
Free Throws: Team 518 9/15 (Sischo 4/7, Lamport 2/2, Fancher 1/2, Anderson 1/2, O'Dell 1/2), Marcella Appliances 5/10 (Wright 3/4, Wynn 1/2, Jerome 1/4).
Team 518 20, Man Up 0 (forfeit - Team 518 won ensuing scrimmage 65-54)
Unfortunately, EST didn't have to wait long for its first forfeit. Man Up was forced to take forfeit losses for both games due to only having 4 players available for the majority of the night. They still played two games, with each opposing team lending a couple players for their games. In this one, Team 518 held a lead throughout and won the scrimmage with balance. Andrew Sischo was again the game's high scorer with 15, and the strong 6'8" center showed his range, knocking down a pair of threes. Saratoga Springs senior Alex Skaine added 11 points. Tyler Lamport, a South Kortright junior who plays with Team 518, led the opposing team in this scrimmage with 12. The leading scorer out of the Man Up regulars was Shenendehowa junior Luke Hicks, who finished with 9.
Team 518 (2-0): Colby Fancher 2-1-5, Adam Anderson 4-8, Kevin Murray 3-6, Ryan Blair 2-6, Jesse O'Dell 3-6, Joe Werner 4-8, Alex Skaine 5-11, Andrew Sischo 6-1-15. Totals: 29-2-65.
Man Up (0-1): Cole Ackerman 1-1-3, Justin Houck 3-7, Luke Hicks 4-9, Chad Zeoli* 2-4, Tyler Lamport* 4-2-12, Zac O'Dell* 4-2-10, Kaden Baugh* 4-1-9. Totals: 22-6-54.
3-Point Field Goals: Team 518 5 (Blair 2, Sischo 2, Skaine), Man Up 4 (Lamport 2, Houck, Hicks).
Free Throws: Team 518 2/6 (Sischo 1/2, Fancher 1/4), Man Up 6/9 (Lamport 2/2, O'Dell 2/2, Baugh 1/1, Ackerman 1/2, Townes Jr. 0/2).
Marcella Appliances 20, Man Up 0 (forfeit - Marcella Appliances won ensuing scrimmage 59-57)
In another forfeit, Marcella Appliances was able to come back from a halftime deficit to get a win in the scrimmage despite giving up 31 points to Albany Academy junior Hameir Wright, who is a usual member of Marcella. Mike Wynn led the way with 16 for Marcella, and Luke Hicks was again the leading Man Up regular with 11. Too little, too late for Man Up - their 5th player arrived late in the 1st half of this game. They will look to get on the right track next week with a revamped roster.
Marcella Appliances (1-1): Kory Bergh 1-3, Ray Jerome 4-1-10, Mike Wynn 7-2-16, Mitchel Wayand 3-7, Ian Schultz 4-10, Evan Pescetti 2-1-6, Rory Flaherty 2-1-7. Totals: 24-4-59.
Man Up (0-2): Cole Ackerman 2-5, Kevin Townes Jr. 2-1-5, Justin Houck 2-4, Luke Hicks 5-11, Connor McCart 0-1-1, Hameir Wright* 13-4-31. Totals: 24-5-57.
3-Point Field Goals: Marcella Appliances 7 (Schultz 2, Bergh, Jerome, Wayand, Pescetti, Flaherty), Man Up 3 (Ackerman, Hicks, Wright).
Free Throws: Marcella Appliances 4/7 (Wynn 2/3, Jerome 1/2, Pescetti 1/2), Man Up 5/7 (Wright 4/5, Townes Jr. 1/2).
The first set of games of the inaugural Empire State Takeover boys summer league promised some high-power talent and competitive games, and this battle between a pair of high-octane offenses did not disappoint. It was a close game throughout, but Bellevue took a slight lead into halftime behind a strong start from Northville rising junior Danny Reidell, who had 11 of his 14 in the 1st half. The Rising Stars squad was able to come back in the 2nd half and pick up the W with scrappy play and the 3 ball - this will be a common theme. They hit 6 of their 9 threes after intermission, coming from 5 different people - Glens Falls rising freshman Joe Girard III was the one to hit 2, and he had 11 of his team high 14 after halftime. Emotions started to run high in the waning moments - with these teams playing each other twice more in the regular season alone, this matchup will be one to watch.
Rising Stars (1-0): Kobe Lufkin 3-8, Jared D'Aloia 3-8, Darius Holmes-Hines 2-1-5, Matt Higgins 4-3-12, Louden Porter 2-4, Chris Boucher 3-6, Adam Jaquish 3-1-7, Joe Girard III 4-3-14, Taylor Slattery 1-3. Totals: 25-8-67.
Bellevue (0-1): Bryce Allen 2-4, Dyaire Holt 6-6-18, Danny Reidell 5-2-14, Tyler Champagne 4-8, Damon Burgess 3-6, Josh Gonzalez 1-1-3, Keenan Loder 3-2-8. Totals: 24-11-61.
3-Point Field Goals: Rising Stars 9 (Girard 3, Lufkin 2, D'Aloia 2, Higgins, Slattery), Bellevue 2 (Reidell).
Free Throws: Rising Stars 8/15 (Higgins 3/4, Girard 3/4, Holmes-Hines 1/2, Jaquish 1/4, Slattery 0/1), Bellevue 11/21 (Holt 6/10, Reidell 2/2, Loder 2/4, Gonzalez 1/2, Allen 0/3).
Rising Stars 74, Upstate Select 47
Rising Stars continued its hot shooting from the 2nd half of the previous game into the following slot, and they were able to shoot an undermanned Upstate Select squad out of the gym. Select was able to hang tough through the first half, down 33-22 with only 6 available players. They were not so fortunate after halftime. Rising Stars hit trey after trey after trey to the tune of 13 made threes. Stillwater rising junior Jared D'Aloia had the hottest hand of the night, connecting for a team high 21 points on 7 makes from beyond the arc. South Glens Falls senior Matt Higgins, Moriah senior Taylor Slattery, and the aforementioned Joe Girard III added 11 points apiece in the blowout W. True to expectations, they lit it up offensively to start the season - 30+ points in each half of opening night. Sherburne-Earlville senior Gavin Giroux carried the load for Upstate Select in their first game. The strong 6'5" lefty worked 15' and in, and scored a game-high 22 points.
Rising Stars (2-0): Kobe Lufkin 2-6, Jared D'Aloia 7-21, Darius Holmes-Hines 0-3-3, Matt Higgins 4-11, Chris Boucher 1-1-3, Adam Jaquish 1-2, Joe Girard III 5-11, Taylor Slattery 4-3-11, Anthony DeBonis 3-6. Totals: 27-7-74.
Upstate Select (0-1): Dejae Johnson 2-4-8, Patrick Garey 2-6, Derek Newman 3-2-8, Tyler Bertram 1-2, Andrew Mason 0-1-1, Gavin Giroux 10-2-22. Totals: 18-9-47.
3-Point Field Goals: Rising Stars 13 (D'Aloia 7, Higgins 3, Lufkin 2, Girard), Upstate Select 2 (Garey 2).
Free Throws: Rising Stars 7/12 (Holmes-Hines 3/4, Slattery 3/4, Boucher 1/2, Jaquish 0/2), Upstate Select 9/13 (Johnson 4/4, Newman 2/2, Giroux 2/3, Mason 1/4).
Bellevue 91, Upstate Select 55
Upstate Select's second game held much of the same script as the first - hung tough in the first half despite having limited bodies (only 5 for the nightcap), down 11 at halftime, ran out of gas and had it taken to them after intermission. Bellevue had 5 players finish in double digits and 2 more finished with 8. Bryce Allen, a rising senior at The Hill School (PA), and Tyler Champagne, a rising senior at Mount Anthony Union (VT), led the way with 19 points apiece. They each scored 13 of their 19 in the 2nd half. Cobleskill-Richmondville senior Keenan Loder added 9 of his 12 after halftime, and Champagne's classmate Damon Burgess added 11. Josh Gonzalez, a Canajoharie graduate headed to Spire Institute in Ohio for a postgrad year, added 10 and the highlight of the game with a powerful tip slam in traffic. Upstate Select saw 3 hit double digits, again led by Gavin Giroux with 16. Herkimer junior Derek Newman added 12 of his 14 in the 2nd half, and Johnson City junior Patrick Garey had 11 and all 3 of his team's threes. They will be looking to get on the right track next week with a few missing pieces making their season debut.
Bellevue (1-1): Bryce Allen 8-1-19, Dyaire Holt 2-4, Danny Reidell 4-8, Tyler Champagne 7-4-19, Damon Burgess 4-1-11, Scott Voelker 3-1-8, Josh Gonzalez 5-10, Keenan Loder 5-1-12. Totals: 38-8-91.
Upstate Select (0-2): Dejae Johnson 3-6, Patrick Garey 4-11, Derek Newman 7-14, Andrew Mason 4-8, Gavin Giroux 8-16. Totals: 26-0-55.
3-Point Field Goals: Bellevue 7 (Allen 2, Burgess 2, Champagne, Voelker, Loder), Upstate Select 3 (Garey).
Free Throws: Bellevue 8/14 (Champagne 4/6, Allen 1/1, Burgess 1/2, Loder 1/2, Voelker 1/3), Upstate Select 0/2 (Mason 0/2).
Team 518 68, Marcella Appliances 56
In another bigtime matchup at the 6:00 time slot, Team 518 was able to put its superior size in the blocks to use and wear down their opponents en route to a season opening win. 518's starting posts, 6'8" Guilderland senior Andrew Sischo and 6'5" Schalmont senior Zac O'Dell, combined for 42 points while dominating 15 feet and in. Sischo had a game high 28 points in the victory, with 18 coming in the 2nd half. O'Dell had 10 of his 14 in the 1st half. They were able to mainly contain Marcella's high-powered wings, a key to that team's success. Ray Jerome, a rising senior at Connecticut prep school Cheshire Academy by way of Albany Academy, paced Marcella with 12 points. Albany CBA rising junior Mike Wynn added 10 points.
Team 518 (1-0): Colby Fancher 0-1-1, Kaden Baugh 2-4, Adam Anderson 3-1-8, Tyler Lamport 3-2-9, Joe Werner 1-2, Zac O'Dell 6-1-14, Alex Skaine 1-2, Andrew Sischo 12-4-28. Totals: 28-9-68.
Marcella Appliances (0-1): Kory Bergh 3-8, Will Bennett 1-2, Ray Jerome 5-1-12, Mike Wynn 4-1-10, Mitchel Wayand 3-7, Hameir Wright 2-3-8, Ian Schultz 3-7, Evan Pescetti 1-2. Totals: 22-5-56.
3-Point Field Goals: Team 518 3 (Anderson, Lamport, O'Dell), Marcella Appliances 7 (Bergh 2, Jerome, Wynn, Wayand, Wright, Schultz).
Free Throws: Team 518 9/15 (Sischo 4/7, Lamport 2/2, Fancher 1/2, Anderson 1/2, O'Dell 1/2), Marcella Appliances 5/10 (Wright 3/4, Wynn 1/2, Jerome 1/4).
Team 518 20, Man Up 0 (forfeit - Team 518 won ensuing scrimmage 65-54)
Unfortunately, EST didn't have to wait long for its first forfeit. Man Up was forced to take forfeit losses for both games due to only having 4 players available for the majority of the night. They still played two games, with each opposing team lending a couple players for their games. In this one, Team 518 held a lead throughout and won the scrimmage with balance. Andrew Sischo was again the game's high scorer with 15, and the strong 6'8" center showed his range, knocking down a pair of threes. Saratoga Springs senior Alex Skaine added 11 points. Tyler Lamport, a South Kortright junior who plays with Team 518, led the opposing team in this scrimmage with 12. The leading scorer out of the Man Up regulars was Shenendehowa junior Luke Hicks, who finished with 9.
Team 518 (2-0): Colby Fancher 2-1-5, Adam Anderson 4-8, Kevin Murray 3-6, Ryan Blair 2-6, Jesse O'Dell 3-6, Joe Werner 4-8, Alex Skaine 5-11, Andrew Sischo 6-1-15. Totals: 29-2-65.
Man Up (0-1): Cole Ackerman 1-1-3, Justin Houck 3-7, Luke Hicks 4-9, Chad Zeoli* 2-4, Tyler Lamport* 4-2-12, Zac O'Dell* 4-2-10, Kaden Baugh* 4-1-9. Totals: 22-6-54.
3-Point Field Goals: Team 518 5 (Blair 2, Sischo 2, Skaine), Man Up 4 (Lamport 2, Houck, Hicks).
Free Throws: Team 518 2/6 (Sischo 1/2, Fancher 1/4), Man Up 6/9 (Lamport 2/2, O'Dell 2/2, Baugh 1/1, Ackerman 1/2, Townes Jr. 0/2).
Marcella Appliances 20, Man Up 0 (forfeit - Marcella Appliances won ensuing scrimmage 59-57)
In another forfeit, Marcella Appliances was able to come back from a halftime deficit to get a win in the scrimmage despite giving up 31 points to Albany Academy junior Hameir Wright, who is a usual member of Marcella. Mike Wynn led the way with 16 for Marcella, and Luke Hicks was again the leading Man Up regular with 11. Too little, too late for Man Up - their 5th player arrived late in the 1st half of this game. They will look to get on the right track next week with a revamped roster.
Marcella Appliances (1-1): Kory Bergh 1-3, Ray Jerome 4-1-10, Mike Wynn 7-2-16, Mitchel Wayand 3-7, Ian Schultz 4-10, Evan Pescetti 2-1-6, Rory Flaherty 2-1-7. Totals: 24-4-59.
Man Up (0-2): Cole Ackerman 2-5, Kevin Townes Jr. 2-1-5, Justin Houck 2-4, Luke Hicks 5-11, Connor McCart 0-1-1, Hameir Wright* 13-4-31. Totals: 24-5-57.
3-Point Field Goals: Marcella Appliances 7 (Schultz 2, Bergh, Jerome, Wayand, Pescetti, Flaherty), Man Up 3 (Ackerman, Hicks, Wright).
Free Throws: Marcella Appliances 4/7 (Wynn 2/3, Jerome 1/2, Pescetti 1/2), Man Up 5/7 (Wright 4/5, Townes Jr. 1/2).
Friday, June 26, 2015
Girls League Scores: Week 1, 6/25/15
Havoc 32, Lady Knicks 21
In what certainly was the lowest scoring game of the night, both teams battled through a combination of jitters, lack of bodies (Havoc had 6, Lady Knicks came with 5), good defense, and rough shooting throughout. Havoc was able to put the clamps on from beginning to end and kept the game at a safe-enough distance from the end of the first half on. Shaker rising sophomore Shyla Sanford had 8 of her team-high 10 in the first half for Havoc, including both of the team's threes. Emily Wander, a crafty junior point guard from Bethlehem, added 8 and was able to consistently break down the defense. 6'3" Ichabod Crane junior Tara Sager had 8 rebounds and 4 blocks to go with 5 points. Stockbridge Valley junior Olivia Marshall led the Lady Knicks with 10, including 6/8 from the line. They were held to just 5 field goals in the game.
Havoc (1-0): Emily Wander 2-4-8, Shyla Sanford 4-10, Cameron Tooley 1-1-3, Madison Graber 1-2-4, Jordan Hipwell 1-2, Tara Sager 2-1-5. Totals: 11-8-32.
Lady Knicks (0-1): Taylor Torchia 1-2, Jordan Lee 0-3-3, Olivia Marshall 2-6-10, Katy McInerney 0-1-1, Cassidy Albright 2-1-5. Totals: 5-11-21.
3-Point Field Goals: Havoc 2 (Sanford), Lady Knicks 0.
Free Throws: Havoc 8/10 (Wander 4/4, Graber 2/2, Tooley 1/2, Sager 1/2), Lady Knicks 11/17 (Marshall 6/8, Lee 3/4, Albright 1/1, McInerney 1/2, Torchia 0/2).
Havoc 42, All Day 39
In its second game of the day, Havoc was able to jump out to a lead early and hold off their charging opponents late. They worked the pick & roll game well numerous times and Ballston Spa rising junior Jordan Hipwell was the recipient over & over again. She finished with a team-high 16 points. They'll roll into Week 2 being the only unbeaten team left in the field. Despite having a 4 inch height disadvantage against her matchup, crafty Saratoga Springs post Maddie Chudy scored a game-high 19 points for All Day.
Havoc (2-0): Emily Wander 2-2-6, Shyla Sanford 2-6, Cameron Tooley 3-6, Madison Graber 2-4, Jordan Hipwell 6-4-16, Tara Sager 2-4. Totals: 18-4-42.
All Day (0-1): Danielle Migliore 1-6-9, Lucy Tougas 1-2, Sophie Tougas 1-2, Maddie Chudy 7-5-19, Kerry Flaherty 1-3, Samira Sangare 1-1-4. Totals: 12-12-39.
3-Point Field Goals: Havoc 2 (Sanford), All Day 3 (Migliore, Flaherty, Sangare).
Free Throws: Havoc 4/6 (Hipwell), All Day 12/19 (Migliore 6/9, Chudy 5/8, Sangare 1/2).
Show Stoppers 54, Outwork 40
The Show Stoppers team is loaded with guards and they can let it fly. They used the 3 to open it up and run away with the season opener for both teams. Mohonasen rising junior Saeeda Abdul-Aziz scored 12 of her game-high 19 in the 1st half for the winners. CCHS senior Abby Fountain added 17, with 15 coming from behind the arc. They knocked down 11 from deep as a team. Outwork was balanced across the board - Northampton (MA) rising junior Lauraine Joensen had 6 of her team high 8 after halftime.
Show Stoppers (1-0): Danielle Caivana 1-3, Abby Fountain 6-17, Julianna Taylor 2-4, Ava Fitzmaurice 1-3, Paige Niemeyer 2-1-5, Saeeda Abdul-Aziz 6-4-19, Lexi Tubbs 1-3. Totals: 19-5-54.
Outwork (0-1): Chloe Chaffin 3-6, Ashley Starzyk 3-1-7, Rebekkah Dean 3-6, Brianna Legacy 1-2, Madison Little 2-1-7, Lauraine Joensen 4-8, Megan Flynn 2-4. Totals: 18-3-40.
3-Point Field Goals: Show Stoppers 11 (Fountain 5, Abdul-Aziz 3, Caivana, Fitzmaurice, Tubbs), Outwork 1 (Little).
Free Throws: Show Stoppers 5/6 (Abdul-Aziz 4/4, Niemeyer 1/2), Outwork 3/9 (Little 2/5, Starzyk 1/2, Chaffin 0/2).
Outwork 58, Lady Knicks 32
In both teams' second game of a back to back, Outwork was able to blow past a Lady Knicks team with only 5 players available early. With more balanced scoring, they took a 34-12 lead into halftime and cruised home for the victory. Lauraine Joensen led the way again, along with Mount Anthony Union (VT) junior Madison Little, who each had 10 points. Kingston rising sophomore Chloe Chaffin added 8, and all 9 players for Outwork scored at least 3 points. New York Mills senior Cassidy Albright paced Lady Knicks with 10, and Whitesboro junior Jordan Lee added 9.
Outwork (1-1): Lyndsey McCoy 2-4, Rebecca Townes 2-6, Chloe Chaffin 4-8, Ashley Starzyk 2-4, Rebekkah Dean 1-3, Brianna Legacy 3-7, Madison Little 4-10, Lauraine Joensen 5-10, Megan Flynn 3-6. Totals: 26-0-58.
Lady Knicks (0-2): Taylor Torchia 2-3-8, Jordan Lee 3-1-9, Olivia Marshall 1-3-5, Cassidy Albright 4-10. Totals: 10-7-31.
3-Point Field Goals: Outwork 6 (Townes 2, Little 2, Dean, Legacy), Lady Knicks 4 (Albright 2, Torchia, Lee).
Free Throws: Outwork 0/2 (Chaffin 0/1, Joensen 0/1), Lady Knicks 7/16 (Torchia 3/4, Marshall 3/4, Lee 1/8).
All Day 57, Show Stoppers 51
Despite being down for the majority of the game, All Day was able to gel in the 2nd half of its final game of the night to come back late and get the win. They picked up contributions across the board, led by Frankfort-Schuyler senior and St. Bonaventure commit Danielle Migliore. She shook off a rough shooting start to the night and finished with 25 points, a game and night-high. Shenendehowa senior Samira Sangare finished in double digits with 11, 9 coming after halftime. Show Stoppers were led in the late game by an inside/outside punch of Ichabod Crane senior Paige Niemeyer (14 points) and Greenville sophomore Ava Fitzmaurice (13 points).
All Day (1-1): Danielle Migliore 10-3-25, Lucy Tougas 3-6, Sophie Tougas 3-2-9, Maddie Chudy 2-4, Nakaela Elliott 1-2, Samira Sangare 3-4-11. Totals: 22-9-57.
Show Stoppers (1-1): Danielle Caivana 1-3, Abby Fountain 2-2-6, Julianna Taylor 1-3, Ava Fitzmaurice 5-1-13, Madi Ryan 1-2-5, Paige Niemeyer 7-14, Lexi Tubbs 3-7. Totals: 20-5-51.
3-Point Field Goals: All Day 4 (Migliore 2, S. Tougas, Sangare), Show Stoppers 6 (Fitzmaurice 2, Caivana, Taylor, Ryan, Tubbs).
Free Throws: All Day 9/16 (Sangare 4/5, Migliore 3/6, S. Tougas 2/4, Chudy 0/1), Show Stoppers 5/7 (Fountain 2/2, Ryan 2/2, Fitzmaurice 1/1, Abdul-Aziz 0/2).
In what certainly was the lowest scoring game of the night, both teams battled through a combination of jitters, lack of bodies (Havoc had 6, Lady Knicks came with 5), good defense, and rough shooting throughout. Havoc was able to put the clamps on from beginning to end and kept the game at a safe-enough distance from the end of the first half on. Shaker rising sophomore Shyla Sanford had 8 of her team-high 10 in the first half for Havoc, including both of the team's threes. Emily Wander, a crafty junior point guard from Bethlehem, added 8 and was able to consistently break down the defense. 6'3" Ichabod Crane junior Tara Sager had 8 rebounds and 4 blocks to go with 5 points. Stockbridge Valley junior Olivia Marshall led the Lady Knicks with 10, including 6/8 from the line. They were held to just 5 field goals in the game.
Havoc (1-0): Emily Wander 2-4-8, Shyla Sanford 4-10, Cameron Tooley 1-1-3, Madison Graber 1-2-4, Jordan Hipwell 1-2, Tara Sager 2-1-5. Totals: 11-8-32.
Lady Knicks (0-1): Taylor Torchia 1-2, Jordan Lee 0-3-3, Olivia Marshall 2-6-10, Katy McInerney 0-1-1, Cassidy Albright 2-1-5. Totals: 5-11-21.
3-Point Field Goals: Havoc 2 (Sanford), Lady Knicks 0.
Free Throws: Havoc 8/10 (Wander 4/4, Graber 2/2, Tooley 1/2, Sager 1/2), Lady Knicks 11/17 (Marshall 6/8, Lee 3/4, Albright 1/1, McInerney 1/2, Torchia 0/2).
Havoc 42, All Day 39
In its second game of the day, Havoc was able to jump out to a lead early and hold off their charging opponents late. They worked the pick & roll game well numerous times and Ballston Spa rising junior Jordan Hipwell was the recipient over & over again. She finished with a team-high 16 points. They'll roll into Week 2 being the only unbeaten team left in the field. Despite having a 4 inch height disadvantage against her matchup, crafty Saratoga Springs post Maddie Chudy scored a game-high 19 points for All Day.
Havoc (2-0): Emily Wander 2-2-6, Shyla Sanford 2-6, Cameron Tooley 3-6, Madison Graber 2-4, Jordan Hipwell 6-4-16, Tara Sager 2-4. Totals: 18-4-42.
All Day (0-1): Danielle Migliore 1-6-9, Lucy Tougas 1-2, Sophie Tougas 1-2, Maddie Chudy 7-5-19, Kerry Flaherty 1-3, Samira Sangare 1-1-4. Totals: 12-12-39.
3-Point Field Goals: Havoc 2 (Sanford), All Day 3 (Migliore, Flaherty, Sangare).
Free Throws: Havoc 4/6 (Hipwell), All Day 12/19 (Migliore 6/9, Chudy 5/8, Sangare 1/2).
Show Stoppers 54, Outwork 40
The Show Stoppers team is loaded with guards and they can let it fly. They used the 3 to open it up and run away with the season opener for both teams. Mohonasen rising junior Saeeda Abdul-Aziz scored 12 of her game-high 19 in the 1st half for the winners. CCHS senior Abby Fountain added 17, with 15 coming from behind the arc. They knocked down 11 from deep as a team. Outwork was balanced across the board - Northampton (MA) rising junior Lauraine Joensen had 6 of her team high 8 after halftime.
Show Stoppers (1-0): Danielle Caivana 1-3, Abby Fountain 6-17, Julianna Taylor 2-4, Ava Fitzmaurice 1-3, Paige Niemeyer 2-1-5, Saeeda Abdul-Aziz 6-4-19, Lexi Tubbs 1-3. Totals: 19-5-54.
Outwork (0-1): Chloe Chaffin 3-6, Ashley Starzyk 3-1-7, Rebekkah Dean 3-6, Brianna Legacy 1-2, Madison Little 2-1-7, Lauraine Joensen 4-8, Megan Flynn 2-4. Totals: 18-3-40.
3-Point Field Goals: Show Stoppers 11 (Fountain 5, Abdul-Aziz 3, Caivana, Fitzmaurice, Tubbs), Outwork 1 (Little).
Free Throws: Show Stoppers 5/6 (Abdul-Aziz 4/4, Niemeyer 1/2), Outwork 3/9 (Little 2/5, Starzyk 1/2, Chaffin 0/2).
Outwork 58, Lady Knicks 32
In both teams' second game of a back to back, Outwork was able to blow past a Lady Knicks team with only 5 players available early. With more balanced scoring, they took a 34-12 lead into halftime and cruised home for the victory. Lauraine Joensen led the way again, along with Mount Anthony Union (VT) junior Madison Little, who each had 10 points. Kingston rising sophomore Chloe Chaffin added 8, and all 9 players for Outwork scored at least 3 points. New York Mills senior Cassidy Albright paced Lady Knicks with 10, and Whitesboro junior Jordan Lee added 9.
Outwork (1-1): Lyndsey McCoy 2-4, Rebecca Townes 2-6, Chloe Chaffin 4-8, Ashley Starzyk 2-4, Rebekkah Dean 1-3, Brianna Legacy 3-7, Madison Little 4-10, Lauraine Joensen 5-10, Megan Flynn 3-6. Totals: 26-0-58.
Lady Knicks (0-2): Taylor Torchia 2-3-8, Jordan Lee 3-1-9, Olivia Marshall 1-3-5, Cassidy Albright 4-10. Totals: 10-7-31.
3-Point Field Goals: Outwork 6 (Townes 2, Little 2, Dean, Legacy), Lady Knicks 4 (Albright 2, Torchia, Lee).
Free Throws: Outwork 0/2 (Chaffin 0/1, Joensen 0/1), Lady Knicks 7/16 (Torchia 3/4, Marshall 3/4, Lee 1/8).
All Day 57, Show Stoppers 51
Despite being down for the majority of the game, All Day was able to gel in the 2nd half of its final game of the night to come back late and get the win. They picked up contributions across the board, led by Frankfort-Schuyler senior and St. Bonaventure commit Danielle Migliore. She shook off a rough shooting start to the night and finished with 25 points, a game and night-high. Shenendehowa senior Samira Sangare finished in double digits with 11, 9 coming after halftime. Show Stoppers were led in the late game by an inside/outside punch of Ichabod Crane senior Paige Niemeyer (14 points) and Greenville sophomore Ava Fitzmaurice (13 points).
All Day (1-1): Danielle Migliore 10-3-25, Lucy Tougas 3-6, Sophie Tougas 3-2-9, Maddie Chudy 2-4, Nakaela Elliott 1-2, Samira Sangare 3-4-11. Totals: 22-9-57.
Show Stoppers (1-1): Danielle Caivana 1-3, Abby Fountain 2-2-6, Julianna Taylor 1-3, Ava Fitzmaurice 5-1-13, Madi Ryan 1-2-5, Paige Niemeyer 7-14, Lexi Tubbs 3-7. Totals: 20-5-51.
3-Point Field Goals: All Day 4 (Migliore 2, S. Tougas, Sangare), Show Stoppers 6 (Fitzmaurice 2, Caivana, Taylor, Ryan, Tubbs).
Free Throws: All Day 9/16 (Sangare 4/5, Migliore 3/6, S. Tougas 2/4, Chudy 0/1), Show Stoppers 5/7 (Fountain 2/2, Ryan 2/2, Fitzmaurice 1/1, Abdul-Aziz 0/2).
Friday, June 19, 2015
Empire State Takeover: By The Numbers
If you're an analytical guy who loves numbers like I do, then you'll enjoy this. If not, you'll think I have no life. I'm doing it for the first type. Here's a breakdown of the leagues' participants, and the quality of the leagues, numerically speaking.
Boys
-
75 participants listed: 43 of 75 have Section II roots (either
currently go to HS in the section or currently go to prep school, but
previously were Section II kids).
- 1 Section I representative, Kevin Townes Jr. of Poughkeepsie's Our Lady of Lourdes.
-
14 Section III reps listed. 12 of 14 are on Upstate Select roster, including all
CSC & TVL reps. A 15th, Ross Gerber, goes to prep in NH but has
Section III roots in Cazenovia.
- 4 Section IV reps - 2 from Delaware League, 2 from STAC.
- 1 Section V rep as an alternate, Devin Verkey from Seneca Falls' Mynderse Academy.
-
4 Section VII reps - 2 sets of teammates this past season in Kaden
Baugh/Kevin Murray (Plattsburgh Seton Catholic - Kaden doing postgrad
year at Vermont Academy) and Adam Jaquish/Taylor Slattery (Moriah - went
1st & 2nd team all-state in Class D, respectively).
-
2 Section X reps - also brothers, Louden & Declan Porter. They win
the 'farthest drive' award, rolling between 3:30 & 3:45 from Canton.
- 5 players go to non-prep schools out of state, including a pair from VT and as far east as Leominster, MA.
- 10 players (at least) currently play at prep school or will be in the
fall - 9 are listed concretely, along with Dyaire Holt. There are probably at least a couple more who will decide on prep between
now and August.
-
4 players, that I know of at least, currently hold Division I offers. Since this was the first week for Division I schools to officially contact Class of 2017 kids, that number may be rising.
- Of the top 25 scoring underclassmen in Section II, 15 (60%) are participating, including 3 of top 4 and 7 of top 10.
- To my knowledge, 8 participants were league MVPs this past winter. In all, 29 received 1st team honors in their league.
-
16 players made all-state teams this season (1 AA, 5 A, 2 B, 2 C, 6 D).
An additional 9 (2 A, 3 B, 3 C, 1 D) made all-state honorable mention
lists. That makes 25 of 67 that played high school basketball in NYS
this year on the all-state lists.
- 44 of the participants are Class of 2016 graduates, 4 of them doing a post-grad year. Most of the rest - 26 of them - are Class of 2017. Only 5 are younger than that, with 3 Class of 2018 graduates and a pair entering their freshman year.
- Only NCAA certified event in all of NYS.
Girls
- 60 participants listed: 31 of 60 have Section II roots.
-
1 Section I representative, Rebecca Townes of Our Lady of Lourdes -
Kevin's younger sister
-
14 Section III reps, including 7 from CSC schools (2 CSC II, 4 CSC IV, 1
CSC V). 10 of 14, and 4 of 7, are on Lady Knicks roster. Other 4 (and
3) are on Show Stoppers.
- 1 Section IV rep, Erin Nolan from state champion Susquehanna Valley as an alternate.
-
2 Section VII reps currently (though it may change), Northern Adirondack teammates Taylor
Durnin & Paige Chilton.
-
2 Section IX reps.
- 1 Section X rep. Natalie DiSalvo is another Canton to Union product.
-
8 players hold their roots out of state - 4 from MA, 4 from VT.
Farthest east is Lauraine Joensen (Northampton via Denmark). Farthest north: Emma Carter from Mount Abraham Union in Bristol, VT - or as the locals call it, Mt. Abe.
-
No idea who's got offers where, as it isn't so publicized on the girls'
basketball side. If I had to take a guess, off of talks I've had, I
would say around 10 hold Division I offers.
-
11 players made all-state teams this year (1 A, 4 B, 3 C, 3 D). An
additional 3 (1 AA, 1 A, 1 B) made all-state honorable mention. 14 out
of 51 that played HS ball in NYS were on all-state lists. With the youth of this league, mentioned below, look for that number to rise drastically next year.
- This young: 20 participants are Class of 2016 (rising seniors), 25 Class of 2017, 11 Class of 2018, 4 Class of 2019.
Thursday, June 18, 2015
The Preview: Rising Stars
The buildup to the 1st annual Empire State Takeover Summer Showcase League continues - tonight, it's time to break down a team whose guard play and perimeter shooting looks to make them this summer's version of the Golden State Warriors... the Dave Wadas-led Rising Stars.
Last night, I brought up a team that has a few guys who scored 20+ points per game last winter... let's up the ante, shall we? How does two 30+ point per game scorers sound? What if I told you they're related, too? There's a load of scoring in this backcourt, including Fort Edward rising senior Chris Boucher and Argyle rising junior Kobe Lufkin. The 6'2" Boucher scored his 1,000th point late in the season, and he hung 32.4 points per game this season, good for 2nd in Section II. That included a 53 point game, and though he's a capable shooter (62 threes), his bread & butter is getting to the line. There were only 4 games in which he DIDN'T shoot 10 free throws, three of those being 25+ point wins. 180 of his 648 points this season came from the line. Match that with his cousin, Kobe, who was 3rd in Section II with 31 points per game. He also scored his 1,000th point this year and still has 2 more years to rack 'em up. He also got to the line a lot, and shot a phenomenal 86% from the line in the process, but he's known more for the trey. He hit 77 this season to bring his career total to 168... on pace to just break the state record of 334 made threes. They were 2nd & 3rd team all-state selections, respectively. Both of them play at Class D schools in the Adirondack League and don't get much respect outside of the area - they'll get plenty of opportunity to earn it this summer.
Not enough small guards for you? Want some youth, too? Hey, Joe Girard III. The Glens Falls standout shot 88% from the line, and is the 3rd member of Rising Stars to have knocked down 100+ free throws last winter. He averaged 21.7 per game and hit 70 threes... as an 8th grader! The Class A All-State Honorable Mention selection has been invited to the prestigious CP3 camp for the country's top 75 rising freshman PGs. All this scoring needs a facilitator - Stillwater rising junior Jared D'Aloia can help fill that role. He's also a capable shooter, but his strength is what a team with high octane scoring needs - someone to run the show. Yet another guard under 6'0", making this certainly the smallest backcourt crew in the league, but Jared will make up for it with smarts - he spreads the ball around and makes the right play, whether it's calling someone else's number or his own.
Rising Stars will also have some length and rise at the wings too, led in part by South Glens Falls swingman Matthew Higgins. 6'3", lanky, and above the rim athletic, Matt does a bit of everything on the court. He can hit the trey, pull up from mid-range, get to the rack and finish at/above the rim, has an array of floaters & finishing moves, and is crafty getting to the line. He holds a valuable role with this team, as he's one of only a couple that can really defend multiple positions on the floor. Feel safe with him guarding any spot from the 1 to a stretch 4. There's even more length coming from the other wing in Moriah standout Taylor Slattery. The 6'5" swingman averaged 15 per game, but could've scored much more - shared the spotlight with Moriah big man Adam Jaquish, who is also on this team. Slattery earned 2nd team all-state honors in Class D and is arguably the most explosive player in the state at that level. He's crafty getting to the rim and can put someone on a poster. Slattery also can defend multiple positions. His HS teammate will help man the blocks - Jaquish scored 17.7 per game along with double digit rebounds & 3 blocks - already over 1,000 points, he has potential to finish his high school career with a ridiculous 1,500 points & 1,000 rebounds. Adam was a 1st team all-stater in Class D.
The North Country is represented by more than just the Moriah Vikings. Keep going. When you think you're done driving, keep going some more. We're taking a ride to Canton. The Porter boys will have the longest drive of anyone on Wednesdays this summer. Louden Porter, the older of the two (rising junior), averaged 19.3 in Section X last winter, including a 46 point outburst. At 5'10", he makes 5 guards under 6'0" on the team. Louden has explosiveness like a running back though, which allows him to go up with and finish through bigs. When he gets hot, he gets hot. There aren't many people in the league whose basket gets as wide as Louden's does when he's feeling it. His younger brother, Declan Porter, brings a very different feel. He's still a guard, and he can still light it up from deep, but that's where the similarities end. Like Girard, he's entering his freshman year - they're the only two that young. Declan is already 6'3", and unlike Louden, a lefty. He has a fluid shot that looks good every time with extended range, and he showed great passing ability. I'm expecting my share of 'wait, he's how old?' comments. Although not as North Country, we can add Jerry Willis to the list. Undersized at 5'9" and in an area not exactly revered for hoops, the Carthage rising senior (who will be moving soon) is very much under the radar - but he can play. He averaged 13.3 points per game this year, hitting 37 threes, and he always makes the right play. He's the type of kid that can really blossom when playing with better players around him.
It's not ALL about the small schools on this team. Troy's in the house too. Looking forward to watching 6'1" guard Darius Holmes-Hines and 6'6" faceup post Anthony DeBonis with this group. Darius fits nearly any role you give him. As a combo guard, he can score in a variety of ways and does a good job setting up others. He can play uptempo or in the half-court, isolation or pick and roll. Whatever style they're playing, Darius can handle. DeBonis will be fun to watch in this setting. He's an athletic, new-school big - not so much of a back to basket post-up guy, but he's great at feeding off of the guards' activity. Making the right cut or flash, catching & finishing, or working through the pick & roll game is where he's at his best. Deceptively athletic and lanky, he can also finish above the rim and is a great shot blocker, especially coming from the weak side.
Outlook - This team is going to be an interesting group to watch through the season. It's a guard heavy group that is going to have to dig in sometimes to get boards and make up for size disadvantages, but they have athletic wings who can fill in and a couple rim-protecting, shot blocking bigs. With three players hitting 60+ threes this past winter, this team can light it up and get points on the board in a real hurry when things are clicking. That can make it much easier for Higgins, Holmes-Hines & Slattery to get to the rim and Jaquish & DeBonis to have room to work. You wonder about how they will handle some of these matchups defensively, but if they turn games into shootouts, they could beat anyone on any given day.
Roster
Chris Boucher (Fort Edward; 2016) - 32.4 PPG (season high 53), 62 threes, 180/268 FT, 5 RPG, 6 APG; '14-'15 All-Adirondack League 1st Team, NYSSWA Class D All-State 2nd Team, Post Star All-Area 1st Team
Anthony DeBonis (Troy; 2016) - 4 PPG (season high 12)
Matthew Higgins (South Glens Falls; 2016) - 14.8 PPG (season high 35), 5 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.5 SPG, 27 threes, 80.5% FT; '14-'15 Saratoga Catholic Invitational All-Tournament Team, Saratogian Large School All-Area 2nd Team, Post Star All-Area Honorable Mention; member of NHS
Darius Holmes-Hines (Troy; 2016) - 3.8 PPG (season high 9)
Adam Jaquish (Moriah; 2016) - 17.7 PPG, 12 RPG, 3.5 APG, 2 SPG, 2.8 BPG; '14-'15 All-NBL Division II 1st Team, NYSSWA Class D All-State 1st Team, Times-Enterprise All-Area 1st Team, currently has 1,143 career points and 805 career rebounds
Taylor Slattery (Moriah; 2016) - 14.7 PPG; '14-'15 All-NBL Division II 1st Team, NYSPHSAA Class D All-Tournament Team, NYSSWA Class D All-State 2nd Team, Times-Enterprise All-Area 1st Team
Jared D'Aloia (Stillwater; 2017) - 8 PPG, 5.2 APG, 33 threes; '14-'15 All-Wasaren League Honorable Mention, The Saratogian Small School All-Area Honorable Mention
Kobe Lufkin (Argyle; 2017) - 31.0 PPG (season high 43, 40+ points 5 times), 77 threes, 163/190 (85.8%) FT; '14-'15 All-Adirondack League 1st Team, NYSSWA Class D All-State 3rd Team, Times Union Small School All-Area 3rd Team, Post Star All-Area 1st Team
Louden Porter (Canton; 2017) - 19.3 PPG (season high 46), 6.5 RPG, 4 APG, 75% FT; '14-'15 Burkman Classic MVP, Darcy Tournament All-Tournament Team, All-North Honorable Mention, Section X All-Northern 2nd Team
Joe Girard III (Glens Falls; 2019) - 21.7 PPG (season high 41), 70 threes, 88% FT; '14-'15 All-Foothills Council 2nd Team, All-Post Star 2nd Team (1st 8th grader ever for both), NYSSWA Class A All-State Honorable Mention (only 8th grader on ANY boys basketball all-state list), invited to prestigious CP3 camp in August 2015
Jerry Willis (Carthage; 2016) - 13.3 PPG (season high 21), 37 3s
Declan Porter (Canton; 2019)
Last night, I brought up a team that has a few guys who scored 20+ points per game last winter... let's up the ante, shall we? How does two 30+ point per game scorers sound? What if I told you they're related, too? There's a load of scoring in this backcourt, including Fort Edward rising senior Chris Boucher and Argyle rising junior Kobe Lufkin. The 6'2" Boucher scored his 1,000th point late in the season, and he hung 32.4 points per game this season, good for 2nd in Section II. That included a 53 point game, and though he's a capable shooter (62 threes), his bread & butter is getting to the line. There were only 4 games in which he DIDN'T shoot 10 free throws, three of those being 25+ point wins. 180 of his 648 points this season came from the line. Match that with his cousin, Kobe, who was 3rd in Section II with 31 points per game. He also scored his 1,000th point this year and still has 2 more years to rack 'em up. He also got to the line a lot, and shot a phenomenal 86% from the line in the process, but he's known more for the trey. He hit 77 this season to bring his career total to 168... on pace to just break the state record of 334 made threes. They were 2nd & 3rd team all-state selections, respectively. Both of them play at Class D schools in the Adirondack League and don't get much respect outside of the area - they'll get plenty of opportunity to earn it this summer.
Not enough small guards for you? Want some youth, too? Hey, Joe Girard III. The Glens Falls standout shot 88% from the line, and is the 3rd member of Rising Stars to have knocked down 100+ free throws last winter. He averaged 21.7 per game and hit 70 threes... as an 8th grader! The Class A All-State Honorable Mention selection has been invited to the prestigious CP3 camp for the country's top 75 rising freshman PGs. All this scoring needs a facilitator - Stillwater rising junior Jared D'Aloia can help fill that role. He's also a capable shooter, but his strength is what a team with high octane scoring needs - someone to run the show. Yet another guard under 6'0", making this certainly the smallest backcourt crew in the league, but Jared will make up for it with smarts - he spreads the ball around and makes the right play, whether it's calling someone else's number or his own.
Rising Stars will also have some length and rise at the wings too, led in part by South Glens Falls swingman Matthew Higgins. 6'3", lanky, and above the rim athletic, Matt does a bit of everything on the court. He can hit the trey, pull up from mid-range, get to the rack and finish at/above the rim, has an array of floaters & finishing moves, and is crafty getting to the line. He holds a valuable role with this team, as he's one of only a couple that can really defend multiple positions on the floor. Feel safe with him guarding any spot from the 1 to a stretch 4. There's even more length coming from the other wing in Moriah standout Taylor Slattery. The 6'5" swingman averaged 15 per game, but could've scored much more - shared the spotlight with Moriah big man Adam Jaquish, who is also on this team. Slattery earned 2nd team all-state honors in Class D and is arguably the most explosive player in the state at that level. He's crafty getting to the rim and can put someone on a poster. Slattery also can defend multiple positions. His HS teammate will help man the blocks - Jaquish scored 17.7 per game along with double digit rebounds & 3 blocks - already over 1,000 points, he has potential to finish his high school career with a ridiculous 1,500 points & 1,000 rebounds. Adam was a 1st team all-stater in Class D.
The North Country is represented by more than just the Moriah Vikings. Keep going. When you think you're done driving, keep going some more. We're taking a ride to Canton. The Porter boys will have the longest drive of anyone on Wednesdays this summer. Louden Porter, the older of the two (rising junior), averaged 19.3 in Section X last winter, including a 46 point outburst. At 5'10", he makes 5 guards under 6'0" on the team. Louden has explosiveness like a running back though, which allows him to go up with and finish through bigs. When he gets hot, he gets hot. There aren't many people in the league whose basket gets as wide as Louden's does when he's feeling it. His younger brother, Declan Porter, brings a very different feel. He's still a guard, and he can still light it up from deep, but that's where the similarities end. Like Girard, he's entering his freshman year - they're the only two that young. Declan is already 6'3", and unlike Louden, a lefty. He has a fluid shot that looks good every time with extended range, and he showed great passing ability. I'm expecting my share of 'wait, he's how old?' comments. Although not as North Country, we can add Jerry Willis to the list. Undersized at 5'9" and in an area not exactly revered for hoops, the Carthage rising senior (who will be moving soon) is very much under the radar - but he can play. He averaged 13.3 points per game this year, hitting 37 threes, and he always makes the right play. He's the type of kid that can really blossom when playing with better players around him.
It's not ALL about the small schools on this team. Troy's in the house too. Looking forward to watching 6'1" guard Darius Holmes-Hines and 6'6" faceup post Anthony DeBonis with this group. Darius fits nearly any role you give him. As a combo guard, he can score in a variety of ways and does a good job setting up others. He can play uptempo or in the half-court, isolation or pick and roll. Whatever style they're playing, Darius can handle. DeBonis will be fun to watch in this setting. He's an athletic, new-school big - not so much of a back to basket post-up guy, but he's great at feeding off of the guards' activity. Making the right cut or flash, catching & finishing, or working through the pick & roll game is where he's at his best. Deceptively athletic and lanky, he can also finish above the rim and is a great shot blocker, especially coming from the weak side.
Outlook - This team is going to be an interesting group to watch through the season. It's a guard heavy group that is going to have to dig in sometimes to get boards and make up for size disadvantages, but they have athletic wings who can fill in and a couple rim-protecting, shot blocking bigs. With three players hitting 60+ threes this past winter, this team can light it up and get points on the board in a real hurry when things are clicking. That can make it much easier for Higgins, Holmes-Hines & Slattery to get to the rim and Jaquish & DeBonis to have room to work. You wonder about how they will handle some of these matchups defensively, but if they turn games into shootouts, they could beat anyone on any given day.
Roster
Chris Boucher (Fort Edward; 2016) - 32.4 PPG (season high 53), 62 threes, 180/268 FT, 5 RPG, 6 APG; '14-'15 All-Adirondack League 1st Team, NYSSWA Class D All-State 2nd Team, Post Star All-Area 1st Team
Anthony DeBonis (Troy; 2016) - 4 PPG (season high 12)
Matthew Higgins (South Glens Falls; 2016) - 14.8 PPG (season high 35), 5 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.5 SPG, 27 threes, 80.5% FT; '14-'15 Saratoga Catholic Invitational All-Tournament Team, Saratogian Large School All-Area 2nd Team, Post Star All-Area Honorable Mention; member of NHS
Darius Holmes-Hines (Troy; 2016) - 3.8 PPG (season high 9)
Adam Jaquish (Moriah; 2016) - 17.7 PPG, 12 RPG, 3.5 APG, 2 SPG, 2.8 BPG; '14-'15 All-NBL Division II 1st Team, NYSSWA Class D All-State 1st Team, Times-Enterprise All-Area 1st Team, currently has 1,143 career points and 805 career rebounds
Taylor Slattery (Moriah; 2016) - 14.7 PPG; '14-'15 All-NBL Division II 1st Team, NYSPHSAA Class D All-Tournament Team, NYSSWA Class D All-State 2nd Team, Times-Enterprise All-Area 1st Team
Jared D'Aloia (Stillwater; 2017) - 8 PPG, 5.2 APG, 33 threes; '14-'15 All-Wasaren League Honorable Mention, The Saratogian Small School All-Area Honorable Mention
Kobe Lufkin (Argyle; 2017) - 31.0 PPG (season high 43, 40+ points 5 times), 77 threes, 163/190 (85.8%) FT; '14-'15 All-Adirondack League 1st Team, NYSSWA Class D All-State 3rd Team, Times Union Small School All-Area 3rd Team, Post Star All-Area 1st Team
Louden Porter (Canton; 2017) - 19.3 PPG (season high 46), 6.5 RPG, 4 APG, 75% FT; '14-'15 Burkman Classic MVP, Darcy Tournament All-Tournament Team, All-North Honorable Mention, Section X All-Northern 2nd Team
Joe Girard III (Glens Falls; 2019) - 21.7 PPG (season high 41), 70 threes, 88% FT; '14-'15 All-Foothills Council 2nd Team, All-Post Star 2nd Team (1st 8th grader ever for both), NYSSWA Class A All-State Honorable Mention (only 8th grader on ANY boys basketball all-state list), invited to prestigious CP3 camp in August 2015
Jerry Willis (Carthage; 2016) - 13.3 PPG (season high 21), 37 3s
Declan Porter (Canton; 2019)
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
The Preview: Bellevue
With the boys league tipping off in a week, let's get some team previews out there, right? Two per night, with maybe a night off, over the next week.
The boys' league looks like it will be getting off on the right foot this year, and a team that shows a great deal of promise is Bellevue. The team consists of mainly Section II talent, but it's also got flavor from 3 other states.
Bellevue is a very well-rounded group - true point guards, slashers, shooters, bruisers, you name it. When breaking them down, gotta start with Andrew Platek. The 6'4" guard has been attracting Division I interest for a while, but it has blown up with a couple additional offers this week. While at Guilderland this year, he averaged 23.6 points per game, knocking down 86 treys in the process and earning a 4th team all-state selection in Class AA. With offers from Miami, Iona, and Buffalo coming in this week to add to preexisting offers from Fairfield, Yale, Albany, and Siena, it's just starting for him. With his upcoming transfer to Northfield Mount Hermon in MA, one of the top preps in the country, and reclassifying into the Class of 2017, we are far from the end of the Platek era. He isn't the only Division I offered player on the team though - rising senior Dyaire Holt was offered by Siena forever ago. His prowess on the basketball court has been well-known for years, and after averaging 18.6 points per game on a Troy team that was one of the area's best, he earned a 6th team all-state selection in Class A. His explosiveness at the PG spot along with Bryce Allen, a 5'11" guard who hangs his hat in Cobleskill but goes to the Hill School in PA, will make this a high-octane backcourt. All three play on the City Rocks 17 EYBL group that made Peach Jam this year.
You like backcourt guys but are digging for people under the radar? Got some for you here too. The WAC is well-represented on this team, featuring the WAC South MVP and both WAC North Co-MVPs. Scott Voelker, a combo guard at Mekeel Christian Academy, can do a lot of things well. He can fill different roles, defend multiple positions, plays hard and makes things happen at both ends. He averaged 15.2 points per game, hitting 49 threes, on a balanced team, but his high motor and impact on the game in other facets is what earned him the WAC South MVP. You can couple him with WAC North Co-MVP, Oppenheim-Ephratah-St. Johnsville's Dylan Klock. Dylan already surpassed the 1,000 point mark, and he proved last year at the King of Kings College Prospect League that he's more than the 'big fish in a small pond' type. He can be successful on the basketball court regardless of who you put him up against. He's another wing with a high motor on both ends, but his ability to knock down the long ball is what garners attention. Klock knocked down 72 threes this year en route to 20.1 points per game. Him and Platek on the wings will be deadly for any team that decides to zone up. There's a 3rd as well in WAC North 1st team selection Danny Reidell. The young guy of the group, a true rising junior at Northville, dropped 23.5 per game this year despite facing probably every junk defense in the world. He's a capable perimeter shooter, having hit 38 threes, but his bread & butter is getting to the rack - attempted 10+ free throws in 7 different games last winter. In small-school fashion, all three are strong multi-sport athletes - the first two also being standouts on the baseball field, the latter on the soccer pitch. Although not WAC, another small-schooler that goes under the radar in the area is Cobleskill-Richmondville standout wing Keenan Loder. The lanky, athletic 6'6" tweener averaged 19.2 points per game before an injury cut his season short in the latter portion. He can do a bit of everything on the offensive end, whether it be hitting from the perimeter, pulling up, getting to the rack and finishing above the rim, or posting up smaller matchups. He's a name that keeps popping up when I talk to college coaches, especially the high academic ones.
Want some WAC bigs? We got some WAC bigs. Start with the other Co-MVP of the WAC North in Canajoharie's Josh Gonzalez. He's one of the handful of participants this summer doing a postgrad year at prep. The strong 6'7" force averaged 18.6 points per game and finished his high school career with a stellar 955 points and 950 rebounds. He'll be headed to the Spire Institute in Ohio to do an extra year before college and hopefully rise his stock. His power on one side will be countered with Mekeel big man Damonte White. The 6'5" lefty also likes to control the area 15 feet and in, and is much more power than finesse about it. He averaged 14.2 points per game this season and snatched down more than his share of rebounds.
I briefly brought up the out of state talent they have, and they certainly shouldn't be overlooked. They bring in some high octane scoring power from the wings, and two of the three do it as high school teammates too. Damon Burgess and Tyler Champagne hail from Mount Anthony Union in Bennington, VT and are two of the top players in southern VT. Champagne is a lanky, 6'4" wing that has a crafty, old-school game. He can play multiple positions as well and loves the mid-range game. Where Champagne is the more fluid, Burgess is the explosive one. The 6'0" combo guard can score in bunches, and when he gets going, he can fill it up in a hurry. Watched him score his team's first 17 points, not missing a shot in the process, against Hoosick Falls in the winter. Finish it off with another 1,000 point scorer - this one from western MA. Rising Lenox senior Bailey Patella scores in bunches for his team, and he's also a standout on his Boston Warriors AAU squad. He is the 4th on this team to average 20+ per game this past season, 3 coming from the wing... look out!
Outlook - This team, at full strength, is right up at the top of the list with a real chance to take home the championship. With the balance and scoring power at all positions, this is a group that might lead the league in total points this summer. A few of these guys may not be around as much at different points in July with different tournament schedules going on, so they won't be at full strength for a few weeks. If they can get through that time, they'll be fine. If a team isn't careful, they could hang up some big numbers.
Roster
Josh Gonzalez (Canajoharie - Spire Institute (OH); 2016-PG) - 18.6 PPG (season high 28); '14-'15 All-WAC North Co-MVP, Amsterdam Recorder All-Area POY, finished with 955 points, 950 rebounds
Bryce Allen (Cobleskill - The Hill School (PA); 2016) - 3 time All-MAPL Selection; '13-'14 MAPL & PAISAA Champions at The Hill School
Damon Burgess (Mount Anthony Union (VT); 2016) - '14-'15 All-Marble Valley League 1st Team; Made '14-'15 Dream Dozen for best underclassmen in VT
Tyler Champagne (Mount Anthony Union (VT); 2016)
Dylan Klock (Oppenheim-Ephratah-St. Johnsville; 2016) - 20.1 PPG (season high 33, 30+ points 3 times), 72 threes; '14-'15 All-WAC North Co-MVP, NYSSWA Class C All-State Honorable Mention, surpassed 1,000 points during junior season and currently sits at 1,143
Keenan Loder (Cobleskill-Richmondville; 2016) - 19.2 PPG (season high 27), 27 threes; '14-'15 All-Colonial Council 1st Team, NYSSWA Class B All-State Honorable Mention; also a member of NHS and Class President
Scott Voelker (Mekeel Christian Academy; 2016) - 14.8 PPG (season high 31), 49 3s; '14-'15 All-WAC South MVP
Damonte White (Mekeel Christian Academy; 2016) - 14.2 PPG (season high 28); '14-'15 All-WAC South 1st Team
Andrew Platek (Guilderland - Northfield Mount Hermon (MA); 2017) - 23.6 PPG (season high 41), 86 threes; '14-'15 All-Suburban Council 1st Team, NYSSWA Class AA All-State 4th Team; currently holds 7 NCAA Division I scholarship offers from ACC, MAAC, America East, and MAC schools
Danny Reidell (Northville; 2017) - 23.5 PPG (season high 35) with 38 threes, 7.2 RPG, 4.1 APG; '14-'15 All-WAC 1st Team, Amsterdam Recorder All-Area 1st Team, NYSSWA Class D All-State Honorable Mention
Dyaire Holt (Troy; 2016) - 18.6 PPG (season high 32), 30 threes, 102/153 FT; NYSSWA Class A All-State 6th Team
Bailey Patella (Lenox (MA); 2016) - 20.1 PPG (season high 31), 22 threes, 95 FTM; '14-'15 MassLive All-Western Mass 1st Team Division IV, surpassed 1,000 points during junior season
Opening Night Games - 6:00 vs. Rising Stars, 8:00 vs. Upstate Select
The boys' league looks like it will be getting off on the right foot this year, and a team that shows a great deal of promise is Bellevue. The team consists of mainly Section II talent, but it's also got flavor from 3 other states.
Bellevue is a very well-rounded group - true point guards, slashers, shooters, bruisers, you name it. When breaking them down, gotta start with Andrew Platek. The 6'4" guard has been attracting Division I interest for a while, but it has blown up with a couple additional offers this week. While at Guilderland this year, he averaged 23.6 points per game, knocking down 86 treys in the process and earning a 4th team all-state selection in Class AA. With offers from Miami, Iona, and Buffalo coming in this week to add to preexisting offers from Fairfield, Yale, Albany, and Siena, it's just starting for him. With his upcoming transfer to Northfield Mount Hermon in MA, one of the top preps in the country, and reclassifying into the Class of 2017, we are far from the end of the Platek era. He isn't the only Division I offered player on the team though - rising senior Dyaire Holt was offered by Siena forever ago. His prowess on the basketball court has been well-known for years, and after averaging 18.6 points per game on a Troy team that was one of the area's best, he earned a 6th team all-state selection in Class A. His explosiveness at the PG spot along with Bryce Allen, a 5'11" guard who hangs his hat in Cobleskill but goes to the Hill School in PA, will make this a high-octane backcourt. All three play on the City Rocks 17 EYBL group that made Peach Jam this year.
You like backcourt guys but are digging for people under the radar? Got some for you here too. The WAC is well-represented on this team, featuring the WAC South MVP and both WAC North Co-MVPs. Scott Voelker, a combo guard at Mekeel Christian Academy, can do a lot of things well. He can fill different roles, defend multiple positions, plays hard and makes things happen at both ends. He averaged 15.2 points per game, hitting 49 threes, on a balanced team, but his high motor and impact on the game in other facets is what earned him the WAC South MVP. You can couple him with WAC North Co-MVP, Oppenheim-Ephratah-St. Johnsville's Dylan Klock. Dylan already surpassed the 1,000 point mark, and he proved last year at the King of Kings College Prospect League that he's more than the 'big fish in a small pond' type. He can be successful on the basketball court regardless of who you put him up against. He's another wing with a high motor on both ends, but his ability to knock down the long ball is what garners attention. Klock knocked down 72 threes this year en route to 20.1 points per game. Him and Platek on the wings will be deadly for any team that decides to zone up. There's a 3rd as well in WAC North 1st team selection Danny Reidell. The young guy of the group, a true rising junior at Northville, dropped 23.5 per game this year despite facing probably every junk defense in the world. He's a capable perimeter shooter, having hit 38 threes, but his bread & butter is getting to the rack - attempted 10+ free throws in 7 different games last winter. In small-school fashion, all three are strong multi-sport athletes - the first two also being standouts on the baseball field, the latter on the soccer pitch. Although not WAC, another small-schooler that goes under the radar in the area is Cobleskill-Richmondville standout wing Keenan Loder. The lanky, athletic 6'6" tweener averaged 19.2 points per game before an injury cut his season short in the latter portion. He can do a bit of everything on the offensive end, whether it be hitting from the perimeter, pulling up, getting to the rack and finishing above the rim, or posting up smaller matchups. He's a name that keeps popping up when I talk to college coaches, especially the high academic ones.
Want some WAC bigs? We got some WAC bigs. Start with the other Co-MVP of the WAC North in Canajoharie's Josh Gonzalez. He's one of the handful of participants this summer doing a postgrad year at prep. The strong 6'7" force averaged 18.6 points per game and finished his high school career with a stellar 955 points and 950 rebounds. He'll be headed to the Spire Institute in Ohio to do an extra year before college and hopefully rise his stock. His power on one side will be countered with Mekeel big man Damonte White. The 6'5" lefty also likes to control the area 15 feet and in, and is much more power than finesse about it. He averaged 14.2 points per game this season and snatched down more than his share of rebounds.
I briefly brought up the out of state talent they have, and they certainly shouldn't be overlooked. They bring in some high octane scoring power from the wings, and two of the three do it as high school teammates too. Damon Burgess and Tyler Champagne hail from Mount Anthony Union in Bennington, VT and are two of the top players in southern VT. Champagne is a lanky, 6'4" wing that has a crafty, old-school game. He can play multiple positions as well and loves the mid-range game. Where Champagne is the more fluid, Burgess is the explosive one. The 6'0" combo guard can score in bunches, and when he gets going, he can fill it up in a hurry. Watched him score his team's first 17 points, not missing a shot in the process, against Hoosick Falls in the winter. Finish it off with another 1,000 point scorer - this one from western MA. Rising Lenox senior Bailey Patella scores in bunches for his team, and he's also a standout on his Boston Warriors AAU squad. He is the 4th on this team to average 20+ per game this past season, 3 coming from the wing... look out!
Outlook - This team, at full strength, is right up at the top of the list with a real chance to take home the championship. With the balance and scoring power at all positions, this is a group that might lead the league in total points this summer. A few of these guys may not be around as much at different points in July with different tournament schedules going on, so they won't be at full strength for a few weeks. If they can get through that time, they'll be fine. If a team isn't careful, they could hang up some big numbers.
Roster
Josh Gonzalez (Canajoharie - Spire Institute (OH); 2016-PG) - 18.6 PPG (season high 28); '14-'15 All-WAC North Co-MVP, Amsterdam Recorder All-Area POY, finished with 955 points, 950 rebounds
Bryce Allen (Cobleskill - The Hill School (PA); 2016) - 3 time All-MAPL Selection; '13-'14 MAPL & PAISAA Champions at The Hill School
Damon Burgess (Mount Anthony Union (VT); 2016) - '14-'15 All-Marble Valley League 1st Team; Made '14-'15 Dream Dozen for best underclassmen in VT
Tyler Champagne (Mount Anthony Union (VT); 2016)
Dylan Klock (Oppenheim-Ephratah-St. Johnsville; 2016) - 20.1 PPG (season high 33, 30+ points 3 times), 72 threes; '14-'15 All-WAC North Co-MVP, NYSSWA Class C All-State Honorable Mention, surpassed 1,000 points during junior season and currently sits at 1,143
Keenan Loder (Cobleskill-Richmondville; 2016) - 19.2 PPG (season high 27), 27 threes; '14-'15 All-Colonial Council 1st Team, NYSSWA Class B All-State Honorable Mention; also a member of NHS and Class President
Scott Voelker (Mekeel Christian Academy; 2016) - 14.8 PPG (season high 31), 49 3s; '14-'15 All-WAC South MVP
Damonte White (Mekeel Christian Academy; 2016) - 14.2 PPG (season high 28); '14-'15 All-WAC South 1st Team
Andrew Platek (Guilderland - Northfield Mount Hermon (MA); 2017) - 23.6 PPG (season high 41), 86 threes; '14-'15 All-Suburban Council 1st Team, NYSSWA Class AA All-State 4th Team; currently holds 7 NCAA Division I scholarship offers from ACC, MAAC, America East, and MAC schools
Danny Reidell (Northville; 2017) - 23.5 PPG (season high 35) with 38 threes, 7.2 RPG, 4.1 APG; '14-'15 All-WAC 1st Team, Amsterdam Recorder All-Area 1st Team, NYSSWA Class D All-State Honorable Mention
Dyaire Holt (Troy; 2016) - 18.6 PPG (season high 32), 30 threes, 102/153 FT; NYSSWA Class A All-State 6th Team
Bailey Patella (Lenox (MA); 2016) - 20.1 PPG (season high 31), 22 threes, 95 FTM; '14-'15 MassLive All-Western Mass 1st Team Division IV, surpassed 1,000 points during junior season
Opening Night Games - 6:00 vs. Rising Stars, 8:00 vs. Upstate Select
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
GIRLS LEAGUE SCHEDULE
Coming up on opening night for the 1st Annual Empire State Takeover
Summer Showcase Leagues - boys coming up first, just under 2 weeks away
with games starting Wednesday, June 24. ALL GAMES ARE AT UNION COLLEGE - address is 807 Union St., Schenectady, NY 12308. Below
is the girls schedule - two games per night for everyone, with opening night on THURSDAY, JUNE 25. Admission for
all regular season nights is just our first president on paper - $1 entry!
Hope to pack the house this summer!
GIRLS LEAGUE ROSTERS
Below are the rosters for the 1st Annual Empire State Takeover Girls
Summer Showcase League. For more details regarding the conditions of
final rosters and what to do from here, refer to the blog post below!
Saturday, June 13, 2015
FINAL ROSTERS INFO
With Empire State Takeover starting in under two weeks, I have 'finalized' rosters for both the boys and the girls. Although I say final, there may be a tweak or two before opening night and even during, if necessary. These are the conditions of final rosters:
- If your name is listed in the final rosters, you are with that team. There will be no switching of teams before the season, and there is no switching of teams during the season. I won't be floating people around - you're set with that squad.
- If you didn't get back to me with a response yet, it's too late to do it the normal way. My initial deadline was MAY 20. It's now JUNE 13. That is an additional 24 days I allowed for people to respond. I will still 'add' people, but you are not being added as a regular - only as an alternate. When it comes time for alternate availability on a week to week basis, the ones who are listed on rosters now and chose the alternate option will get first option to play. If there are open spots, they will take precedence. Best term to use - I'm only adding need-based alternates.
- In only one instance will I add new faces as a regular - that is if someone who's a regular now backs out and leaves a spot open. In that case, I will offer the spot up. Maybe a couple will, maybe they won't.
So, if you never got back to me and want in, just a simple heads-up that I'll only take you as a week to week alternate. I gave an ample amount of EXTRA time to be accommodating. Can't do much more.
Time to play!
- If your name is listed in the final rosters, you are with that team. There will be no switching of teams before the season, and there is no switching of teams during the season. I won't be floating people around - you're set with that squad.
- If you didn't get back to me with a response yet, it's too late to do it the normal way. My initial deadline was MAY 20. It's now JUNE 13. That is an additional 24 days I allowed for people to respond. I will still 'add' people, but you are not being added as a regular - only as an alternate. When it comes time for alternate availability on a week to week basis, the ones who are listed on rosters now and chose the alternate option will get first option to play. If there are open spots, they will take precedence. Best term to use - I'm only adding need-based alternates.
- In only one instance will I add new faces as a regular - that is if someone who's a regular now backs out and leaves a spot open. In that case, I will offer the spot up. Maybe a couple will, maybe they won't.
So, if you never got back to me and want in, just a simple heads-up that I'll only take you as a week to week alternate. I gave an ample amount of EXTRA time to be accommodating. Can't do much more.
Time to play!
Boys League Rosters
Friday, June 12, 2015
BOYS LEAGUE SCHEDULE
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