ESTers in Action: December 18-20

Summer League

- Cat Almeida (Shenendehowa 2019) contributed 11 points in their 86-52 victory over Guilderland on Tuesday.

- Molly Brophy (Greenwich 2021) finished with a team high 16 points in their 61-50 defeat to Mechanicville Wednesday.

- Dolly Cairns (Saratoga Springs 2020) pumped in a game 20 points in the Blue Streaks' 68-53 victory at Columbia on Tuesday.

- Jaelen Daubon (FDR-Hyde Park 2020) finished with a team high 14 points, including the game winning three with :03 remaining, in her squad's 50-48 victory at Saugerties.

- Samantha Doupe (Phoenix 2018) pumped in a game high 26 points in their 58-49 loss at Skaneateles Monday.

- Laycee Drake (Hancock 2021) contributed 16 points in Deposit-Hancock's 60-30 victory over Afton on Tuesday.

- Kerry Flaherty (Saratoga Springs 2019; Holy Cross commit) finished with 11 points in their 68-53 victory over Columbia on Tuesday.

- Katelyn Flanagan (Canton 2018) finished with 13 points - tied for a team high with 3 of her teammates - in their 67-48 victory over Ogdensburg Tuesday.

- Julie Ford (Cooperstown 2018; Albany signee) finished with a game high 16 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 7 blocks in their 76-21 victory over Westmoreland on Monday.

- Emily Frodyma (Catholic Central 2018) contributed 14 points in their 73-34 victory over Cobleskill-Richmondville Tuesday.

- Madison Graber (Schalmont 2018; SUNY Cortland commit) finished with 14 points in a 52-26 victory over Cohoes on Tuesday.

- Madison Greco (West Canada Valley 2018) dropped a game high 26 points, along with 6 rebounds and 3 assists, in their 58-48 victory over Little Falls Monday.

- Madison Hoyt (Stamford 2019) contributed 14 points in a 76-30 victory on Monday & followed it up with 12 points in a 75-19 blowout victory over Margaretville Wednesday.

- Melanie Hoyt (Stamford 2021) finished with a game high 22 points in their 76-30 victory on Monday, and then added 16 points in their 75-19 beatdown of Margaretville Wednesday.

- Stephanie Jankovic (Averill Park 2018; St. Anselm signee) pumped in a game high 19 points in their 66-35 victory over Troy Tuesday.

- Belle Kranbuhl (Adirondack 2020) contributed 10 points in a balanced effort in their 61-27 victory Monday.

- Olivia Langdon (Little Falls 2019) contributed a team high 13 points in their 58-48 loss to West Canada Valley on Monday.

- Maggie Malone (Cornwall 2019) went off for a game high of 29 points in their 61-17 victory over Monticello on Wednesday.

- Sarah Mattfeld (Catholic Central 2021) finished with 10 points in a balanced effort on Tuesday, as they beat Cobleskill-Richmondville 73-34.

- Lexi Mercier (Hoosac Valley (MA) 2019) finished with 17 points, knocking down 4 threes, in their 68-37 W over Taconic on Wednesday.

- Mikyla Mitchell (Scotia-Glenville 2020) finished with 12 points, a game high, in their 41-31 victory over Glens Falls on Tuesday.

- Allison Moreau (Sauquoit Valley 2019) continued her scoring tear to start the season, dropping a game high 27 points on Tuesday. This one was in defeat, as they fell 61-37 at Waterville.

- EmmaLee Morgan (Averill Park 2019) contributed 14 points in their 66-35 victory over Troy Tuesday. 

- Julianna Okoniewski (Bethlehem 2018; Rochester commit) finished with 14 points in a 56-50 loss to Shaker Tuesday.

- Allie Pacatte (Cobleskill-Richmondville 2018) led all scorers with 18 points in their 73-34 setback to Catholic Central Tuesday.

- Sam Pasinella (Mechanicville 2018) contributed 16 points in their 61-50 victory over Greenwich Wednesday.

- Ahnalese Pearson (Colonie 2020) supplied 11 points, knocking down a trio of threes, in their 48-32 victory over Niskayuna.

- Lilly Phillips (Cambridge 2021) finished with a team high 17 points, knocking down 3 threes, in their 57-31 victory over Hoosick Falls Wednesday.

- Sophie Phillips (Cambridge 2021) contributed 14 points in their 57-31 W over Hoosick Falls Wednesday.

- Harmony Philo (Gloversville 2019) dropped a game high 22 points in their 63-46 victory Monday.

- Giuliana Pritchard (Amsterdam 2018) finished with a game high 21 points & 16 rebounds in their 64-47 victory on Monday.

- Brianna Rozzi (Highland 2019) finished with 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals in their 42-32 W over Red Hook Tuesday.

- Shyla Sanford (Shaker 2018; LIU Brooklyn signee) went for a game & season high 32 points, knocking down 4 threes, while defending home court in a 56-50 victory over Bethlehem Tuesday.

- Erin Smith (Goshen 2020) dropped a game high 22 points Wednesday in their 45-35 W over Port Jervis.

- Haley Steenland (Stamford 2018) continued a strong start to her senior year, finishing with 20 points & 11 assists in a 76-30 victory Monday. She followed it up by pumping in a game high 23 points, 10 assists, and 7 steals in their 75-19 W over Margaretville Wednesday.

- Logan Thayne (Hoosick Falls 2020) pumped in a game high 20 points in their 57-31 defeat at the hands of Cambridge Wednesday.

- Cameron Tooley (Shenendehowa 2018; Le Moyne signee) led all scorers with 21 points, knocking down 4 treys, in their 86-52 W over Guilderland on Tuesday.

- Alexandra Tudor (Shenendehowa 2018; St. Francis (BK) signee) finished with 17 points in their 86-52 W over Guilderland on Tuesday.

- Anna VanRoy (Saugerties 2019) led all scorers with 18 points in their 50-48 setback against FDR on Tuesday.

- Grace VanRoy (Saugerties 2019) contributed 15 points in their 50-48 loss to FDR on Tuesday.

- Sophie Wittenbeck (Waterville 2018) led her squad with 18 points in their 61-37 victory over Sauquoit Valley on Tuesday.

- Jenna Zimmerman (South Jefferson 2018; Le Moyne signee) filled the stat line with 19 points, 20 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 5 blocks in their 100-20 victory over Watertown IHC Monday.

One-Day Events

- Hope Boland (Warrensburg 2020) finished with 10 points in a balanced effort as they took home a 56-32 victory on Tuesday.

- Jill Casey (Horseheads 2020) finished with 11 points, a team high, in their 67-43 setback to Elmira Tuesday.

- Khaleah Cleveland (Johnsburg 2019) dropped a game high 27 points to go with 12 rebounds in their 47-28 victory Tuesday.

- Valencia Fontenelle-Posson (Guilderland 2021) paced the Lady Dutch with 12 points in their 86-52 defeat at Shenendehowa on Tuesday.

- Stef Gera (Auburn 2019) went off for a game high 33 points, knocking down 9 threes, in their 63-44 victory over Oswego Tuesday. She added 3 assists and 2 steals.

- Dani Haskell (Franklinville 2020) went off for a game high 32 points in their 73-52 W over Fredonia Monday.

- Ahniysha Jackson (Catholic Central 2020) had a team high 17 points in their 73-34 victory over Cobleskill-Richmondville Tuesday.

- Kiki Kennedy (Middletown 2020) finished with a team high 17 points in their 41-36 loss to Pine Bush Wednesday.

- Sydney Lusher (Oneida 2021) scored just 4 points on Tuesday, but finished with a game high 10 assists and 3 steals in the game, a 79-40 victory. This is Lusher's 3rd game of the young season with 10 or more assists.

- Triniti Myers (Norwich 2019) finished with 14 points, a game high, in their 62-33 victory over Windsor on Tuesday.

- Hannah Palmer (Crown Point 2019) finished with a game high 14 points in their 37-34 victory on Monday.

- Emily Pike (Ticonderoga 2018) knocked down the game-winning basket with .2 seconds remaining on the clock in their 57-55 W over AuSable Valley. She finished with 16 points, which tied for a team high, and 7 rebounds.

- Maddy Pratt (Bolton 2018) finished with 15 points on Tuesday, and they stayed undefeated with a 62-30 victory over previously unbeaten Indian Lake/Long Lake.

- Lexie Roe (Fayetteville-Manlius 2021) had 12 points, a team high, in their 45-34 setback to C-NS on Tuesday.

- Kylee Rosbrook (General Brown 2018) went for a game high 22 points, 16 rebounds, and 5 blocks in a 44-35 W over Watertown Monday, and then followed it up by posting a 20/20, finishing with 23 points & 21 rebounds (along with 5 assists) in a 58-26 win over Carthage Wednesday.

- Ally Shoemaker (Chittenango 2020) provided 13 points, 4 rebounds, 11 assists, and 6 steals in their 67-31 victory Tuesday.

- Mackenzie Smith (West Genesee 2019) contributed 11 points in their 54-42 victory over Nottingham Tuesday.

- Madison Smith (West Genesee 2019) finished with a game high 21 points in their 54-42 W over Nottingham Tuesday.

- Alyssa Stevenson (South Jefferson 2019) finished with 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 steals in their 100-20 victory over Watertown IHC on Monday.

- Emily Vallee (Schuylerville 2018) led all scorers with 19 points in their 50-47 victory over Johnstown on Monday.

- Katelyn Van Auken (Bolton 2021) dropped a game high 18 points in their 62-30 victory over Indian Lake/Long Lake Tuesday.

- Jaelyn Vleer-Elliott (Brookfield 2021) filled the stat line, finishing with 14 points, 17 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and 7 blocks in a 65-21 victory over Otselic Valley Wednesday.

- Abby Wilkinson (Bishop Grimes 2019) continued her solid start to the season, contributing a game high 14 points in their 75-27 victory Tuesday.

Past ESTers

- Logan Bruce (Delaware Academy 2018) went off for a game high 25 points in their 58-45 victory over Bainbridge-Guilford - a league rivalry game that featured teams ranked #1 in the state in their respective classes.

- Rebekkah Dean (Mekeel Christian Academy 2018) finished with 16 points, tying for the game high, in a 59-20 victory over OESJ Tuesday.

- Ava Fitzmaurice (Greenville 2018; New Haven commit (softball)) pumped in a game high 23 points in their 53-40 W over Chatham Wednesday.

- Bre Palmatier (Middleburgh 2018) led all scorers with 21 points in their 61-25 victory over Galway Tuesday.

- Hanna Strawn (Seton Catholic 2018; Monmouth signee) led all scorers with 25 points in their 63-39 victory over Oneonta Tuesday.

- Alyssa Waters (Beekmantown 2018) finished with a team high 12 points in their 48-28 W over Peru Tuesday.

ESTers in Action: December 5

Tuesday marked the first night of the winter season that was somewhat busy in the Capital District. The Suburban Council schedule tipped off, with most Suburban teams in action. There was also a full slate of games in the Colonial Council, and the Patroon and WAC saw action as well. The upstate NY schedule as a whole is still not truly in full swing as there's been very limited action in the Mid-Hudson & Hudson Valley regions - and Vermont & Massachusetts haven't tipped off at all yet - but time for the first installment of 'ESTers in Action'. A quick shot of how some of the 2017 EST participants - either in the summer league or one-day events - did in games Tuesday, separated by section.


Section 2

- Colonie started off their Suburban Council schedule with a 65-32 W over Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake. 2019s Kyara Triblet and Aliyah Wright led the way in the scoring column, finishing with 15 & 14 points, respectively.

- Averill Park continued their early-season tear with a 86-39 W over Guilderland. St. Anselm signee Stephanie Jankovic led all scorers with 20 in the win. St. John Fisher commit Mallory Wood added 17 points, and 2019 EmmaLee Morgan contributed 13. 2021 Valencia Fontenelle-Posson paced Guilderland in defeat with 13.

- The Shen train rolled to a 79-12 victory over Troy in their opener. St. Francis (BK) signee Alexandra Tudor led 4 in double figures with 18 in the win. Le Moyne signee Cameron Tooley added 15, and 2019 Cat Almeida finished with 11.

- LIU Brooklyn signee Shyla Sanford and 2019 Maddy Malicki scored a game high 19 points apiece in Shaker's 50-41 victory at Albany. The two combined to hit 5 threes and attempt 23 free throws. 2018 Lexi DeBeatham added 9 points & 10 rebounds in the win. 2018s Aubrey Halloran and Haille Hart finished in double figures for Albany; Halloran had a team high 14, and Hart - a Clarion signee - added 10.

- 2018 Allie Pacatte continued a solid start to her final season at Cobleskill-Richmondville with a game high 16 points, this one in a 55-43 setback at Voorheesville.

- It was another blowout Colonial Council win for Catholic Central, and 2020 Ahniysha Jackson topped all scorers with 25 in the 77-25 victory over Lansingburgh.

- Kyra Oeffler, a 1,000+ point scorer at Heatly headed to play at Sage next season, finished with a game high 13 points in their 32-27 win over New Lebanon.

- Columbia was able to win their Suburban Council opener, getting past Ballston Spa 45-32. In a balanced offensive showing, 2019 Lauren Obermayer finished with 10 points and 2019 Lexi Van Vorst, now handling more of the true PG duties, had 6 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.

- Although she didn't participate in EST this year due to obligations on the softball field - what she'll be doing at D2 New Haven next year - this is worth mentioning. 2 year ESTer Ava Fitzmaurice, a 2018 at Greenville, dropped a game & career high 43 points in their 71-57 come-from-behind W at Catskill. This comes one game after Ava surpassed the 1,000 point mark.

Section 3

- Bishop Grimes 2019 Abby Wilkinson finished with a game high 19 points in their 56-32 W over Marcellus.

- Samantha Doupe (Phoenix 2018), already a 1,000+ point scorer, had 19 points in their 59-55 setback against Homer.

- Auburn 2019 Stef Gera went for 12 points & 6 assists in a game that 5 players on her team scored in double figures. They were able to beat Nottingham, 72-45.

- Chittenango 2020 Ally Shoemaker finished with 7 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 7 steals, and a block in their 53-35 setback at Hannibal.

- Jaelyn Vleer-Elliott, a standout 2021 at Brookfield, contributed a game high 13 points, 19 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals, and 3 blocks in their 35-23 W over Cherry Valley-Springfield.

- Sydney Lusher (Oneida 2021) finished with 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists in their 56-39 loss to Utica Notre Dame. Lusher is averaging just under 10 assists per game to start the season.

- Alyssa Stevenson (South Jefferson 2019) finished with 11 points (tied for the game high), 8 rebounds, and 3 steals in their 40-30 W over league rival General Brown.

- Brooke Jarvis (CBA 2020) led all scorers with 16 points in their 59-23 W over Solvay.

- Lexie Roe (Fayetteville-Manlius 2021) finished with a team high 12 points, all coming from beyond the arc, in their 43-27 setback to Oswego.

Section 4

- Laycee Drake (Hancock 2021) dropped a game high 31 points in Deposit-Hancock's 72-50 W over Walton. This was 5 days removed from her last game against Walton, where she had 23 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, and 12 steals.

- Stamford came away with another blowout W to start the season, this one 62-22 over Davenport. 2018 Haley Steenland paced the victors with 15 points, 2019 Madison Hoyt had a double-double with 12 points & 11 rebounds, and 2021 Melanie Hoyt added 12 points.

Section 7

- Bolton took home a 44-36 victory over Schroon Lake, and 2018 Maddy Pratt led the way in the victory with 22 points.

- Crown Point 2019 Hannah Palmer led all scorers with 19 points in their 77-16 beatdown of Minerva-Newcomb.

The Alum Report: EST College Roundup, Week of Nov 13-19

College basketball is finally in full swing, as of this past Wednesday. Here's how some former EST participants - the vast majority from the summer league - did in early games this week!

Division I

Saeeda Abdul-Aziz (Davidson): 2 pts, 3 rebs in 65-62 L to Furman; 10 pts, 3 rebs in 59-57 W over Appalachian St.

CeCe Mayo (Albany): 7 pts, 5 rebs in 68-44 W over Monmouth; 2 pts, 4 rebs in 59-52 W (OT) over Fordham

Danielle Migliore (St. Bonaventure): 4 pts, 5 rebs in 71-69 L (OT) to Canisius; 9 pts, 6 rebs, 2 asts in 70-51 W over Eastern Michigan

Division II

Nerea Brajac (Georgian Court): 3 pts, 3 rebs, 4 stls in 75-60 W over Mercy

Nina Fedullo (St. Rose): 2 pts, 6 rebs in 57-48 W over AIC

Lucy Tougas (Queens): 3 pts, 8 rebs in 64-48 W over Concordia

Division III

Cassidy Albright (SUNY Poly): 7 pts, 3 rebs in 80-50 W over D'Youville

Olivia Allrich (SUNY Oneonta): 6 pts, 4 rebs in 58-55 W (OT) over Wellesley; 8 pts, 5 rebs in 75-59 W over Vassar

Olivia Baumann (St. John Fisher): 6 pts, 4 rebs in 74-48 L to Christopher Newport (#2 in country); 8 pts, 2 rebs in 69-57 W over Chatham

Jordyn Burke* (Keene St.): 7 pts, 11 rebs in 89-56 L to Westfield St.; 2 pts, 11 rebs in 80-64 L to Framingham St.; 2 pts, 9 rebs in 76-71 L to St. Joseph's (ME)

Danielle Caivana (Cazenovia): 22 pts, 3 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls in 90-75 W over Clarks Summit; 7 pts, 6 rebs, 3 asts in 79-68 W over Bard

Natalie DiSalvo (SUNY Geneseo): 4 pts, 3 rebs in 65-38 W over Houghton; 5 pts, 3 rebs, 2 asts, 3 blks in 73-59 W over Waynesburg

Sara Field (D'Youville): 9 pts, 5 rebs in 68-47 L to Keuka; 6 pts, 5 rebs, 2 stls in 80-50 L to SUNY Poly; 7 pts, 3 rebs in 56-35 L to SUNY Canton

Megan Flynn (Sage): 14 pts, 10 rebs, 3 stls in 59-52 L to Haverford; 7 pts, 8 rebs, 2 stls, 2 blks in 62-58 W over Penn St. Harrisburg

Jordan Hipwell (Suffolk): 5 rebs, 2 asts in 52-50 L to Salve Regina; 8 pts, 8 rebs in 90-45 W over St. Joseph's (BK); 9 pts, 3 rebs in 60-55 W over Ramapo

Brianna Laing (Hartwick): 4 pts, 2 rebs in 55-43 L to Brockport

Brianna Legacy (Keuka): 7 pts, 3 rebs in 68-47 W over D'Youville

Olivia Marshall (Clarkson): 6 pts, 6 rebs, 2 blks in 67-52 W over Oswego; 6 pts, 4 rebs in 67-38 L to University of New England

Lyndsey McCoy (Alfred): 2 pts, 1 reb in 83-64 L to Brockport; 11 pts, 4 rebs in 69-55 L to Hamilton

Katy McInerney (St. John Fisher): 2 pts, 2 rebs in 74-48 L to Christopher Newport (#2 in country); 2 pts, 2 asts in 69-57 W over Chatham

Paige Niemeyer (SUNY New Paltz): 21 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts, 2 stls in 104-88 L to Westfield St.; 5 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts in 76-73 W over Eastern CT State

Emily Padalino* (Dickinson): 4 pts in 58-42 L to Juniata; 7 pts in 78-67 L to Mount Union; 12 pts, 3 rebs in 81-70 L to Hiram

Kelly Pine (Hartwick): 6 pts, 6 rebs in 47-41 L to Union; 3 pts, 3 rebs in 52-40 L to Hamilton; 4 pts, 7 rebs in 55-43 L to Brockport

Katie Smith (Mount Saint Mary): 4 pts, 2 rebs, 3 asts in 77-31 W over Bard; 10 pts, 6 rebs, 3 asts in 73-61 L to Ave Maria; 10 pts, 5 rebs, 3 asts in 59-34 L to Middlebury

Julianna Taylor (SUNY Brockport): 17 pts (6/12 FG, 3/6 3s), 5 rebs, 2 asts in 83-64 W over Alfred; 9 pts, 4 rebs, 2 asts in 55-43 W over Hartwick

Lexi Tubbs (Cazenovia): 9 pts, 15 rebs, 3 asts in 90-75 W over Clarks Summit; 8 pts, 8 rebs in 79-68 W over Bard

Rylee vonWedel (SUNY Cortland): 5 pts, 3 rebs in 80-75 L to FDU-Florham

Emily Wander (Middlebury): 6 pts in 59-34 W over Mount Saint Mary

Liz White (Nazareth): 6 pts, 2 rebs, 4 asts in 72-32 W over Wells; 12 pts in 61-51 L to Keuka

Morgan Wolanin (SUNY Oswego): 3 pts, 12 rebs, 2 asts, 2 stls, 2 blks in 66-27 W over Medgar Evers

JuCo Hoops

Taylor Torchia (Mohawk Valley CC): 3 pts, 4 rebs, 4 asts in 77-38 W over Jefferson; 11 pts, 3 rebs, 6 asts in 75-59 W over Finger Lakes

* - alternate summer league participant that played in one week

The Alum Report: EST College Roundup

No fancy description needed to relay my excitement. Collegiate games are underway! Official games at the Division I & II levels began Friday, November 10. Nearly a dozen former EST summer league participants have tipped off their seasons with D1/D2 programs to date, either in their freshman or sophomore campaigns. A quick list:

- Danielle Migliore, the lone D1 sophomore on this list, has produced the most notable performance of the first two days. The inaugural EST girls' league MVP, now starting at the wing for St. Bonaventure, played 32 minutes & dropped a game high 21 points on 8/13 from the field and 5/9 from behind the arc. She added 5 rebounds, and her Bonnies rode a huge 3rd quarter into a 76-58 W over visiting Niagara.

- Former EST 1st teamers Julia Kelner, Saeeda Abdul-Aziz, and CeCe Mayo all had solid collegiate debuts at the Division I level, showing that they have the potential to be instant impact players for their teams. Kelner got the starting nod for Bryant in their opener, and she was a bright spot against a high-major opponent with solid play in the post. Kelner finished with 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 22 minutes of action, but they fell at Boston College, 65-42. Abdul-Aziz saw solid rotational minutes off the bench for Davidson and was productive with her time in a competitive victory. She finished with 5 points, 3 rebounds, an assist, and a steal in a 70-57 victory over Western Carolina. Mayo's Albany squad ran into the same fate as Kelner's group, as they ran into a #15 Maryland buzzsaw and fell 91-58, but she'll be someone that may prove important for the Great Danes as the year goes on. She contributed 3 points & 5 rebounds in 14 minutes of action off the bench in her debut.

- Former EST teammates and Foothills Council rivals Lucy Tougas and Nina Fedullo had their collegiate debuts on Saturday for Queens and Saint Rose, respectively, and both had solid performances while receiving good minutes off the bench. Tougas knocked down both of her shot attempts and registered 4 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and a block in 16 minutes - Queens lost their opener to Jefferson, the artist formerly known as Phila U, 60-54. St. Rose started off their '17-'18 campaign with a 61-43 victory over Concordia; Nina saw 22 minutes of action, one of four players to receive 20 or more minutes. She went 3/6 from the field and finished with 6 points, 5 rebounds, and a steal. Good individual starts to their collegiate careers!

- Nerea Brajac also had her collegiate debut Saturday for Georgian Court. The Cohoes grad saw 12 minutes off the bench, which would've likely been more if not for bumping into some foul trouble. She finished with 2 points and a rebound in their 78-60 defeat at the hands of Merrimack.

- Dominican (Samira Sangare), Florida Southern (Tara Sager), and Le Moyne (Liz Millea) all had their season openers as well. Dominican fell to 0-2 with losses to Mercy and St. Thomas Aquinas, Florida Southern split a pair on Friday and Saturday, and Le Moyne also split a pair with a victory over Goldey-Beacom and a loss to USciences.

Sunday's action:

- Queens (Lucy Tougas) vs. Chestnut Hill @ Jefferson - 12:00
- Bryant (Julia Kelner, Brooke Bjelko) @ Brown - 1:00
- St. Bonaventure (Danielle Migliore) @ Siena - 2:00
- Davidson (Saeeda Abdul-Aziz) @ NC State - 2:00
- St. Rose (Nina Fedullo) @ Georgian Court (Nerea Brajac) - 3:00

Best of luck to all - you can catch me at Siena in the afternoon!

Jeff's Journal: ESTers At The Next Level

This week marks the beginning of high school basketball season in New York. The whistles blowing and balls bouncing in HS gyms throughout the state means that high school games are just around the corner, with scrimmages starting on November 15 and games tipping off the following week. However, collegiate basketball has tipped off already at the Division I & junior college levels, with Division II games set to get going at the end of the week and Division III games to follow next week. Girls that participated in the first two years of EST events, namely the summer league, are dotted across rosters throughout all divisions of college hoops. A quick rundown of what has happened, and what's coming up next:

Danielle Migliore, the MVP of the inaugural EST girls league in 2015, started off her sophomore year at St. Bonaventure with a strong showing. It looks like she'll take on a much larger role with her squad in her second go-around, as she led the team in minutes played (35) in their exhibition contest against Division II Edinboro over the weekend. She had 12 points & 4 rebounds, with the points coming on 4 threes. They have two games that count for the record later this week, as they take on Niagara at home Friday and head to Loudonville to take on Siena Sunday.

Also at the D1 level, Saeeda Abdul-Aziz and her Davidson squad defeated Johnson C. Smith in their home exhibition last week. They also play twice at the end of this week where the freshman looks to make her collegiate debut, with Western Carolina & NC State on the schedule Friday & Sunday. Abdul-Aziz and Migliore's schools, both competing in the A-10, play each other once this year; Saturday, January 20 in Olean.

Friday & Sunday also mark the collegiate debuts of post duo Julia Kelner and Brooke Bjelko, as their Bryant squad starts off at Boston College and Brown. Albany, who features fellow freshman CeCe Mayo, also tips off Friday against a high-major opponent on the road, as they're slated for a 7:00 start in College Park against Maryland.

At the junior college ranks, it's been a great start for Taylor Torchia at MVCC. The freshman, who participated in the inaugural 2015 summer league on a Lady Knicks team coached by her father, has been a big reason that the Hawks are sitting at 3-0 after the first week of the season. After she saw 32 minutes in a blowout W over Columbia-Greene to start the season, she played a huge role in her team winning their host tournament - the Anthony Torchia Classic, dedicated to the memory of her late brother. She finished with 13 points, 7 assists, and 3 steals in a 70-47 semifinal W over North Country, and she followed it up with 6 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals in a 68-65 championship W over D1 JuCo Monroe College. Taylor earned tournament MVP honors for her performance. About 20 minutes east, her former TVL foes and AAU teammates Carli Brenon and Jordan Lee are suiting up for conference foe Herkimer. The Generals have started off 1-1, unfortunately without the services of Lee, who is eyeing a spring semester return from a knee injury. Brenon, nursing a knee injury of her own, made her season debut in a victory over Clinton CC Sunday. Box scores have yet to be added on the Herkimer website, but she saw plenty of minutes in the game and is an important addition to their guard depth.

The end of this week marks the beginning of Division II games. Liz Millea (Le Moyne) and Samira Sangare (Dominican) start their sophomore campaigns Friday night and follow up with games Saturday. Nerea Brajac makes her collegiate debut with Georgian Court, starting with an exhibition Tuesday night against D3 NJCU & following up with home games against NE-10 schools Merrimack and Saint Rose on Saturday & Sunday. Saint Rose boasts local freshman Nina Fedullo on the roster. Tara Sager and her Florida Southern squad tip off with games on Friday & Saturday, and Lucy Tougas & Queens start with games on Saturday & Sunday.

Many players that participated in the first two years of EST events, including a few that made appearances as summer league alternates, tip off their seasons with D3 programs over the next 10 days. The list of former ESTers playing at D3 programs:

• Cassidy Albright (SUNY Poly)
• Olivia Allrich (SUNY Oneonta)
• Natalie DiSalvo (SUNY Geneseo)
• Megan Flynn (Sage)
• Olivia Baumann, Katy McInerney (St. John Fisher)
• Paige Niemeyer (SUNY New Paltz)
• Emily Padalino (Dickinson)
• Danielle Caivana, Lexi Tubbs (Cazenovia)
• Morgan Wolanin (SUNY Oswego)
• Jordan Hipwell (Suffolk)
• Brianna Laing, Kelly Pine (Hartwick)
• Brianna Legacy (Keuka)
• Olivia Marshall (Clarkson)
• Lyndsey McCoy (Alfred)
• Julianna Taylor (SUNY Brockport)
• Rylee vonWedel (SUNY Cortland)
• Emily Wander (Middlebury)
• Sara Field (D'Youville)
• Kenna Guynup (Sage)
• Madison McCabe, Addy Sackett (SUNY Plattsburgh)
• Katie Smith (Mount St. Mary)
• Liz White (Nazareth)

Best of luck to all of these girls in the beginnings of their seasons - made it to a couple college games so far and hoping to catch several more before HS season picks up. Looking forward to seeing their successes at the next level and where members of upcoming classes of EST participants will be in the near future as well!

The Other Recap: A Sunday in New England

Another weekend in the books - this one busier than most, as many programs were out & about for the one live weekend for the fall season. Various teams from the zone that I cover heavily were in various locations. Although many of these programs were at the House of Sports in Ardsley (recap link http://empirestatetakeover.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-recap-saturday-in-ardsley.html), there were more than enough elsewhere to warrant a day in another place. In the morning, I made a three-hour pit stop at CCRI in Warwick, RI for the Northeast Elite College Showcase, which featured Albany Capitals, CD Premier, Lone Wolf, Mass Frenzy, Saratoga Sparks, Shen Pride, and Syracuse Royals among others. After watching what I could from them, I hit the road and made the hour drive to Hanover, MA for the Adidas Select tournament. This is where City Rocks, I-90 Elite, and Rivals were on display, among many others at the University Sports Complex. Some of Sunday's notes & standouts:

For the Albany Capitals, it was a new face that stuck out to me, and it was because of nothing to do with the stat sheet. Guilderland 2019 Gracianna Serravillo made an impact because she was consistently the hardest worker on the court in their Sunday morning game. She was active on the ball & off the ball defensively, and was likely their leading rebounder while playing the wing. Effort and intangibles stuck out for her to the point that anything she gave offensively was icing on the cake – but she gave some of that too, as she showed the ability to knock down the perimeter jumper or go by a defender if she was being crowded. Nice showing for her.

The Saratoga Sparks got a come-from-behind win over the New England Crusaders in their morning game, thanks in large part to the offensive exploits of Gloversville 2019 Harmony Philo. After falling behind in the closing minutes, Harmony was able to knock down a couple big threes, one of them contested, to help them retake the lead and sealed it with free throws. Always known as a knockdown shooter, she’s got quicker with the release over the last few months, which has allowed her to get it off and knock it down consistently even with her growing reputation as a scorer. More to like from Harmony on Sunday morning.

It was Catie Cunningham’s world on Sunday and we were just living in it. Just a 2021 at West Genesee, the 5’10” wing was a driving force behind her Syracuse Royals team handling the top RI Breakers squad. She has made about a year’s worth of improvements in the last six weeks – perhaps as quick of a growth as I’ve ever seen someone make in such a short time. Catie was as confident as I’ve seen her, looking to score more at the wing and doing so in a variety of ways. She used her supreme athleticism to get out in the open court and finish, but she scored in the halfcourt by hitting perimeter jumpers, mid-range Js & a floater, and by getting all the way to the rim. Defensively, she’s a force as she can legitimately guard 1-3 and some 4s if needed. Her hard work in recent months is truly paying off; she’s in the process of blowing past many others in her class that were well beyond her just a year ago.

Lone Wolf looked very good on Sunday morning against the Albany Capitals, jumping out to a big lead before I hit the road for Massachusetts. D2 commits Emma Carter (Franklin Pierce) and Emma Macdonough (St. Michael’s) held their own, both balancing time between the post and the wing. Uncommitted Rice 2018 Lisa Sulejmani was impressive, as she continues to look like she’s getting in better shape and impacting the game much more consistently. She picked up a Niagara offer over the summer and has D2 offers as well, and it appears as though she’s turning a corner at the perfect time. Perhaps most impressive to me, though, was Sadie Stetson. The St. Johnsbury 2019 guard – Gatorade state POY in VT last year that holds a Vermont offer – has always had major skill and a smooth look to her game. On this day, however, she was a consistent force. My only knock on her in the past was that she faded into the background too much. She did none of that in their game against the Capitals Sunday, as she wanted the ball in her hands, took control of the game, and made things happen for her team – whether she was running the point or at the wing. Stetson can hit shots, finish at the rim through contact and protect the ball against bigger players, and she can create for others and even make the highlight pass. More of this will only help her in her recruiting process going forward.


I-90 Elite represented well in Hanover, MA, where I was at Sunday afternoon. In that stretch, it was a pair of 2020s – playing for two different teams – that stuck out to me. On the 2020 team, it was 6’3” Cazenovia forward Lindsey Lawson – a relatively new I-90 face – making a difference and catching the eyes of many. She’s extremely long and athletic with the kind of motor to maximize that ability. Defensively, she made it tough for the opposition to get anything in the lane as her presence deterred many from taking a chance. Lawson was active on the glass at both ends and converted when she got the ball around the rim. She’s a newer face to D1 coaches – her first tournament with I-90 was the last one in Atlanta in late July – but it doesn’t take long to realize her through-the-roof potential. On Tony Kinch’s 2019 team, Catholic Central 2020 Ahniysha Jackson showed what she brings to the table in a major way in their final game of the tournament, a close win over Mass Mavericks. Down 47-43 with over 6 minutes left, Jackson took over offensively. When she’s hot, she’s likely the most dangerous scorer on her team, and she tuned the Mavericks up for 15 late points. The first 9 came from beyond the arc, as she got a little daylight and dropped a trio of threes. The remainder came from the free throw line, knocking all of her attempts down to ice their victory. She also made a stronger effort defensively, including sprinting back on breakaways twice to take away layups, showing her all-around improvement as a player. Great signs from these two in Hanover.

It was a test of mental & physical fortitude for the City Rocks in Hanover, as they attacked the tournament with two teams and limited numbers. For the younger team’s final game, they only had five players – three had doubled up and played with the older team throughout the weekend. Rochester duo Baylee Teal (Penfield 2020) and Saniaa Wilson (Bishop Kearney 2021) played in eight games over the weekend. They still had a little energy left in the reserves, as they helped lead a comeback in the final game against the Maine Firecrackers. It came up short, but the ability to fight back was eye-opening in itself. Baylee is becoming a stronger guard who is gaining leadership qualities to match her talent. Always the young kid on the block playing up, she’s now becoming more of an elder statesman, and it appears as though she’s making a seamless transition into running the show.

MORE SHAMELESS PLUGGING!! Registration is still open for the 3rd annual Upstate Elite Showcase, now expanded to two sessions! Openings are available for the morning (10:00-1:00) and afternoon (1:00-4:00) sessions. Show your game in front of a QUICKLY EXPANDING list of Division II & III schools, along with preps and scouting services! EST is quickly becoming a can't miss spot to test yourself with/against the best players in the region, and more coaches have already been to 2017 EST events than 2015 & 2016... combined! Check out the blog post with full, detailed information along with registration info... right here! http://empirestatetakeover.blogspot.com/2017/08/3rd-annual-upstate-elite-showcase.html

The Recap: A Saturday in Ardsley

Another weekend in the books - this one busier than most, as many programs were out & about for the one live weekend for the fall season. Various teams from the zone that I cover heavily were in various locations. The majority were in Westchester County, doing battle at the House of Sports in Ardsley. These programs included Albany Lady Stars, BNY Select, City Rocks International, Empire State Blue Flames, NY Extreme, and NY Havoc. Other teams with players of interest included the CT Impact and NJ Freedom. I was in Ardsley Saturday, and I tried to watch every team of all of these programs at least once. I was just short of 100%, and a few teams I was able to watch twice. Some of Saturday's standouts:

For Albany Lady Stars, Ava LaClair was dynamic from the opening tip. Just a 2022 at Bethlehem, she was electric with the ball in her hands, scoring & creating for others - sometimes with some flash - while keeping her turnover numbers very low. This is all while playing against girls 3-4 years older than her. Her on-ball skill set made it tough for defenders to stay in front as she got to her spots consistently, and the shot was falling on this day, both perimeter/mid-range jumpers & her patented floater. Most impressive: even when her team ran into a 2019 NY Extreme team that was firing on all cylinders and fell behind by 20+, she continued to play as if it was a tie game. A bit of competitiveness and composure not often seen from someone her age. She already holds a D1 offer, and several other coaches having eyes on her yesterday, this is only the beginning of what could be a fun ride.

Both of BNY Select's teams were clicking right from their 8:00 start, and it began with the older team's catalyst. Hanna Strawn, fresh off her commitment to Monmouth, played as loose as I've seen her play in the last three years. It helped that the shot was falling, as she knocked down a handful of threes while running the show on offense in what became a blowout victory over City Rocks International. In their second game, which was also a blowout win, it was Seton Catholic teammate Marina Maerkl that stepped up and took a bigger chunk of the offensive load. The 2019 forward scored power points & finesse points en route to a team high 17 in their second win. The strides she's making are evident as her confidence on the court is growing, and she's starting to receive more serious scholarship attention with her improved play. The younger team, at times, is a glimpse of what to expect from the Elmira Lady Express this winter, as three of their main players - Kiara Fisher, Zaria DeMember-Shazer, and Morgan Gentile, all 2020s - will carry the load for the same varsity team. The improvement in DeMember-Shazer's game is making a huge difference, and she showed off ZDS 2.0 early in their first game, a close victory. She was very active at both ends, making an impact on defense and producing on offense. She showed a handful of different crafty finishes around the rim off drives. The ability to step out to the perimeter and put it on the floor at 6'1" makes her a VERY intriguing prospect. Lexi Gruss also made her presence felt, as she cemented herself as one of upstate NY's most improved players in 2017. The Binghamton 2019 guard went from being a rotational piece to an irreplaceable force in the matter of 4 months. Gruss was a problem on the defensive end, as she was able to effectively lock up strong players in both Saturday games. Her ability to pressure the ball and turn people over while not overplaying and getting burnt is a rare combo. Offensively, her game has expanded to the point that other teams have to respect it. She'll knock down the perimeter J if you give her a little daylight, but she's comfortable putting it on the floor and getting to the rim. She's on the underrated end at this point, but something tells me her play in front of coaches on Saturday will push that in the right direction.

The City Rocks International collective is interesting, mixing talent local to the Albany area like Lexi Van Vorst, Mikyla Mitchell, and Ashlyn O'Neil with numerous players coming in from Poland and Lithuania. As the day wore on, a young local face in Caroline Iannotti made her presence felt. A 2021 PG now at Broadalbin-Perth, she settled in and had a strong outing against the Hoopers in the nightcap. She's on the small end, but has very high basketball IQ to make up for whatever lack of size she has. Her court vision is very good, and she's developing the strength to be able to make the pass through traffic with some zip, which makes her a legitimate threat at all times with the ball in her hands while with other good players. She's a knockdown perimeter shooter as well, and she hit a handful from beyond the arc over the course of the night. If she missed, it was short or long; never left or right. Once Foothills talent like Harmony Philo & Giuliana Pritchard finish off, Iannotti could be the next respected name coming through. An overseas player caught my eye as well in Agata Szmyrka. She's a 6'0" 2020 that's listed as a PF, but is more than capable of playing at the wing. She had strong stretches & other stretches where she wasn't as noticeable, but what was clear was that she has all the pieces to the jigsaw puzzle. Her skill set caught the eye of a couple scholarship programs in attendance; the potential is there.

If you give Jane McCauley any room to let it go, you might as well put the 3 points on the board as soon as it leaves her hand. That's what opposing teams found out about the Ursuline School 2019 guard playing for the Blue Flames. The basket was particularly large for her for a lot of this weekend, and the fact that defenses can't help off of her opens it up more for her teammates to work. Overall, a strong showing for Jane. I also left Saturday intrigued by Trinity Bosecker, a 6'3" 2019 post from North Rockland. There's no denying her size - not only is she tall, but she has a strong build and knows how to use it to her advantage. This was a newer face for me as I haven't seen her much; her solid motor, good touch in the post, and the ability to make an impact at both ends left me intrigued to watch her growth over the next several months. On their 2021 team, what more can be said about Melanie Daley that hasn't already been said? A rare freshman with multiple D1 offers already, and with good reason. There's no one on the court that can match her athleticism at that level, and she has good skill and high basketball IQ to go with it. In the game I watched of hers, she was seemingly everywhere, and a handful of D1s inquired about her before the game was even over.

NY Extreme's 2019 team may be the group that I left the most impressed with by the end of Saturday. Their strong performance in Ardsley a couple months ago, knocking off the likes of BNY Select, Havoc, and Blue Flames was clearly no fluke after seeing them this weekend. This is also the team that may be the most underrated at this point, with several prospects that simply don't get enough respect. Fiona Mullen, a 5'11" 2019 guard at Tappan Zee, proved to me that she was the real deal. An open look is a death sentence, and she tuned up the Lady Stars to 6 threes in their nightcap victory Saturday. It wasn't just the perimeter jumper though - which she can get off the catch or creating for herself off the dribble - it's the ability to score off the bounce as well. She attacks and finishes at the rim with either hand, including a strong right-handed baseline drive & left-handed finish through contact at one point. What enhances her game offensively is the willingness to create and find the open teammate too, so there's only so much defensive attention you can focus on her before she burns you in a different way. NY Extreme is in the land of many MAAC and NEC schools; if I was at one of them, I'd be taking a long, hard look at Fiona right now. Not far behind is Hannah Angelini, a 2019 guard at Somers. Angelini doesn't do anything that jumps off the screen at you, which likely makes her not as noticeable in the eyes of many evaluating. You definitely get a different appreciation for her after watching her play a handful of times, though, as she essentially makes their offense go by nearly always making the right play. She can take what the defense gives her, scoring and distributing as needed. She plays hard from beginning to end, and appears to be a selfless player - understanding of game situations and willing to give up the good shot for a great shot. She did just that while Mullen had the hot hand in a game, creating for her on two different occasions while in the flow of the game. I've now seen her go up against enough highly regarded players and do more than hold her own to say that she belongs in that list of names.

NY Havoc was in Ardsley on Saturday slightly on the undermanned side, missing multiple players on each team due to fall sports obligations or injuries. While it forced some girls into roles that were a little more unfamiliar, it also gave players a chance to step forward, and no one took the opportunity like Julia DeBeatham. In 18 months of seeing her consistently, this was certainly one of the top performances I've seen from her, but it's been a steady growth in the month of September that intrigues me the most. With lower numbers and guard depth lacking on Saturday, the Shaker 2020 G took matters into her own hands. She scored over 20 points in their opening game, a close win, without forcing the action. She shot at a high percentage and consistently made the right decisions at the PG spot, getting her shots entirely in the flow of the offense. She did more of that in the second game, as she was a driving force keeping them within striking distance throughout. She had the type of day that will certainly put her on the radar of a host of schools. Dipping even younger, Averill Park 2022 Amelia Wood turned heads from the word go in her first time in front of Division I schools. The 5'11" guard got after it at both ends and showed all the tools that make me so excited about her future. She has the skill & athleticism to put it on the floor, get to the rim & finish; the ability to shoot with range to the NBA 3 point line; the basketball IQ to move without the ball at the right times to the right spots and score; and the motor to be just as much of a nuisance on defense. Several coaches brought her up in conversation Saturday. I'm sure that after Saturday, Adirondack 2020 Belle Kranbuhl stuck out as a name to mark as well. Belle was put to the task of doubling up and playing three straight games; two with her normal blue team, and one with the 10th grade group, something not usually asked of a 6'2" post. She did it - all three games in succession - and seemingly got stronger through the day. She can bang with nearly any big in the post, but she can finish with finesse as well. With continued development through the rest of the fall and winter, next spring could be a breakout point for her.

Swing over to CT, and the St. Luke's crew showed out for CT Impact West on Saturday. It was a mix of older & younger, as 2018 G Maya Klein and 2022 G Caroline Lau were the straws that stirred the drink for their team. In several times watching her, Klein has shown that she can put the ball in the basket against nearly anyone, and she did much more of that Saturday. She's a crafty scorer that can carve her way to her spots and finish the job. Lau already has a bigtime name, but every time on the court, she brings the game to back it up. Her offensive ability & smooth game mixed with basketball IQ and the type of motor not often seen by someone who can make the game look as effortless as her is a deadly combo. She did a particularly good job turning defense into offense on numerous occasions on this day. Watching her growth & development will be fun.

Last but not least, Saturday was my big welcoming to Sonia Citron. Citron, a 6'0" 2021 G at Ursuline, suited up for the Westchester Lady Bears. There may have been no one that was newer to me that caught my eye like she did. Great size for a guard, strength of a 2018/2019 as a 2021, and seemingly doesn't have any weaknesses on the offensive end. She knocked down jumpers, took it to the rack and finished, and showed off a nice in-between game, all while showing just as much promise on the defensive end. Citron has a couple offers already and it appears that some HIGH majors are beginning to reach out. I'm really just starting to pay attention to places like Westchester and Rockland Counties, so it's like playing catch-up with the overflowing talent in these areas; but for someone like Citron, I'll be around the area plenty.

Stay tuned for Sunday's recap, coming soon!

SHAMELESS PLUG - registration is still open for the 3rd annual Upstate Elite Showcase, now expanded to two sessions! Openings are available for the morning (10:00-1:00) and afternoon (1:00-4:00) sessions. Show your game in front of a QUICKLY EXPANDING list of Division II & III schools, along with preps and scouting services! EST is quickly becoming a can't miss spot to test yourself with/against the best players in the region, and more coaches have already been to 2017 EST events than 2015 & 2016... combined! Check out the blog post with full, detailed information along with registration info... right here! http://empirestatetakeover.blogspot.com/2017/08/3rd-annual-upstate-elite-showcase.html

Jeff's Journal - Upstate Elite Showcase, September Plans, Other Notes

It's not 90 degrees anymore, kids actually have to set their alarms every day, you hear football pads crashing, and Dunkin' Donuts has pumpkin flavor again. You know what that means - happy September!

This may seem like a down time to many for basketball, but it's far from. Although the last few weeks have been slow at best, hopefully all the serious hoopers have found their way back to the gym. Don't look now, but we're just over two weeks from the fall live weekend, an important time for many rising seniors making one last push for a scholarship/additional scholarship offers. Also, it's an important time for D3 prospects that are either in the process of narrowing their options or trying to get themselves seen as schools are in the thick of their 2018 recruiting. Hopefully everyone's ready to go!

The week after the fall live period, I'll be back at it with my annual fall event, the Upstate Elite Showcase. It'll be on Sunday, October 1, at the Pat Riley Sports Center @ Schenectady HS. The way the calendar falls this year, it appears that this will be a GREAT time to get in front of D2 & D3 colleges before basketball seasons start. The following Sunday is Columbus Day weekend - some people will be enjoying their holiday - and the following Sunday is October 15, which marks the first day of collegiate practices at that level. October 1 could potentially be the last big push for many college coaches before they get deep into in-season mode with their teams. On a weekend that's lighter than the average for girls' hoops in the Northeast, this should be a good chance to get more heavily concentrated attention. As usual, there's bang for your buck - $60 for 3+ hours of work, between 3v3, 5v5, and some skill work. If the Summer Kickoff Showcase in June was any indication, spots WILL fill quickly. I'll do everything possible to get the best concentration of players & coaches in the gym and make it worthwhile for both; I hope to see YOU at Schenectady HS on the 1st as well!

Full information on the event, including registration info, can be accessed at http://empirestatetakeover.blogspot.com/2017/08/3rd-annual-upstate-elite-showcase.html - check it out!

So, September plans. I'll be spending a good amount of time in Syracuse, as the Syracuse Nets fall league tips off this Sunday, the 10th. I'll be coaching a team in the 'WNBA' division, a league similarly constructed to my summer league. Those teams will be playing this weekend and pick back up in October. There's also a high school varsity & JV division. The varsity division features teams like Class A state champion Jamesville-DeWitt, Section III Class AA champion West Genesee, Section III Class AA finalist Liverpool, Class B Federation champion Seton Catholic, Section IV Class B finalist Susquehanna Valley, Section III Class C champion Thousand Islands, and several others. The varsity division tips off the following Sunday, September 17, and I plan to be there for that as well.

Other events of note that I'll likely go to are the Future Stars College Showcase at the College of New Rochelle this Saturday, the Upstate Fall Challenge hosted by NY Havoc on Saturday, September 16, and planning on two locations over the fall live period (between Westchester, MA, and RI, I'll have to miss out somewhere). Looking forward to getting back on the court on a consistent basis!

Some other thoughts:

- Grace Heeps just made her voyage from Columbia to Northfield Mount Hermon in Massachusetts, and Sophie Tougas is soon to follow, heading from Glens Falls to Wolfeboro, NH to attend Brewster Academy. This whole Empire State Takeover thing was basically built off the youth when I started. If it wasn't for girls like Grace & Sophie (along with people like Chloe Chaffin, Kerry Flaherty, & Rebecca Townes, who were all standout young players that have played in all 3 years of EST), this probably wouldn't be afloat. But their families gave it a shot, they liked it, and apparently I haven't made the kids too angry yet. It's going to feel different without Sophie & Grace around this year - dare I say that I'll miss them a little? - but with a great deal of excitement, I'm also looking forward to seeing their successes in the NEPSAC. You better believe I'll put more miles on the car to get to a couple of their games.

- Is it too early to look ahead to matchups this winter? No? Good. On the small school end, I can't wait for the early season tournament at Delaware Academy (Delhi) this December. There's one particular reason for it. I've received confirmation that Section II Cambridge & Section III Cooperstown will play each other in an opening round game. Cambridge twins Lilly Phillips & Sophie Phillips and Cooperstown's Julie Ford (Albany commit) & Maggie Schuermann were all members of the 2017 Next Big Thing team that won their first 9 games this summer and lost in the finals in a photo finish. Should be entertaining! Along with that, Delhi's Logan Bruce - a 2016 EST participant - was also a teammate of Ford & Schuermann in her year in the league. An extended family of sorts!

- The new website is FINALLY up & running, although it's not complete yet. Check it out!!! www.empirestatetakeover.com

That should be everything. Again, Upstate Elite Showcase on October 1 - don't forget - and I hope I'll see you on the court soon!

3RD ANNUAL UPSTATE ELITE SHOWCASE - Registration & PayPal Links Included

3rd Annual EST Upstate Elite Showcase

Date: Sunday, October 1, 2017
Times
Session 1 - 10:00 AM-1:00 PM
Session 2 - 1:00-4:00 PM
Site: Schenectady High School (Pat Riley Sports Center), Schenectady, NY
Cost: $60 (shirt included)
Open to 9th-12th grade (Classes of 2018-2021)

9th-12th grade girls & families: in the beginning of October, Empire State Takeover will wrap up its 2017 series of events with the 3rd annual Upstate Elite Showcase, a one-day fall event for the serious basketball player looking to test & show their ability with and against some of the best players the region has to offer, along with the chance to do so in front of numerous college coaches!

Laycee Drake, one of NY's top rising freshmen, at the EST Summer Kickoff Showcase in June 2017

The action will happen on Sunday, October 1 at the Pat Riley Sports Center @ Schenectady High School in Schenectady, NY. The event is open to all high school girls who want to test their game with & against many of the region's finest, along with those who have aspirations to play basketball at the college level. Participants will go through 3v3 work, plenty of 5v5 action, and a high intensity individual skills session simultaneously with 5v5 games. This format, which shows similiarities to some college elite camps, allows the opportunity for participants to have an outlet to work on their game for the future along with showcase their game in the present. The format allows it to be a good simulator for the college basketball experience, all while being seen by college coaches in attendance.

Hundreds of Division II, III, junior colleges, and prep schools will be sent information on the event, with a solid representation expected in attendance. All 5v5 action will be recorded as well, something that has been a staple for EST events since the 2016 summer league, and game film links will be available.

Cost for the event is $60, shirt included. The easiest way to submit payment is through PayPal - direct link will be at the bottom of this post. Cash or check in person is also acceptable. All that's needed to fully register is by filling out the registration/coaches' packet form - which link will also be below - and submitting payment.

Fordham commit Chloe Chaffin at the 2nd annual EST summer league in 2016

College practices start on October 15. Don't miss this great opportunity - and perhaps the last one of the fall - to get meaningful exposure to colleges & scouting services, quality run, and a chance to GET BETTER at a relatively low cost! With it being a relatively light week in Northeast girls' basketball, a strong turnout of players & coaches are expected. This looks to be a continuation of mid-June's Summer Kickoff event, which was the strongest one-day EST event held to date. If there are any questions, please feel free to contact me. Links to the registration form (which can be done & submitted online) and PayPal are directly below. I hope to see you at Schenectady HS on October 1!

REGISTRATION (COACHES' PACKET FORM) LINK: https://jeffmlinar.wufoo.com/forms/z1pgsde61fr4oek/
PAYPAL LINK: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=MLPS5MUUMMBWN

Registered Player List (w/ height & graduating class)

Ashley Connery (5'8", 2018)
Lexi DeBeatham (5'7", 2018)
Petrina DeMarco (5'6", 2018)

Kayla Doody (5'4", 2018)
Samantha Doupe (5'4", 2018)
Katelyn Flanagan (5'4", 2018)
Madison Graber (6'0", 2018)
Madison Greco (5'8", 2018)

Aubrey Halloran (6'0", 2018)

Stephanie Jankovic (5'8", 2018)
Naesha Jones-Kelley (5'7", 2018)
Maggie Kirby (5'9", 2018)
Molly Kirby (5'6", 2018)
Victoria Kurisko (5'9", 2018)

Kyra Oeffler (5'10", 2018)
Sam Pasinella (5'8", 2018)
Meaghan Perrino (5'7", 2018)
Emily Pike (5'10", 2018)
Maddie Pratt (5'10", 2018)
Julia Sarrge (5'8", 2018)

Kylie Sisto (5'8", 2018)
Rebecca Townes (5'8", 2018)

Emily Vallee (5'9", 2018)
Sophie Wittenbeck (5'5", 2018)

Emily Zeyak (5'6", 2018)

Saige Benedict (5'11", 2019)

Emma Brophy (6'0", 2019)
Khaleah Cleveland (5'7", 2019)
Claire Cody (5'11", 2019)
Lexi Emmi (5'6", 2019)

Taylor Hansen (5'9", 2019)
Madison Hoyt (6'0", 2019)
Victoria Konicki (6'3", 2019)
Marina Maerkl (6'1", 2019)
Harper Mead (5'9", 2019)
Anna Milham (5'9", 2019)
Allison Moreau (5'9", 2019)
EmmaLee Morgan (6'1", 2019)

Jaclyn Murphy (5'4", 2019)
Triniti Myers (5'5", 2019)
Ashlyn O'Neil (5'9", 2019)
Lauren Obermayer (5'10", 2019)
Alivia Paeglow (5'10", 2019)
Hannah Palmer (5'7", 2019)

Renna Poulin (5'9", 2019)
Brianna Rozzi (5'7", 2019)

Gracianna Serravillo (5'8", 2019)

Shaniya Stancil (6'0", 2019)

Elizabeth Thompson (6'0", 2019)
Kyara Triblet (5'9", 2019)

Anna VanRoy (5'11", 2019)

Grace VanRoy (5'11", 2019)

Lexi Van Vorst (5'5", 2019)

Makayla Blake (6'0", 2020)
Hope Boland (5'2", 2020)

Jillian Casey (5'8", 2020)
Brooke Curtin (5'6", 2020)
Julia DeBeatham (5'7", 2020)
Halea Eaton (5'6", 2020)
Abigail Flynn (5'10", 2020)
Madison Graham (5'8", 2020)

Kiarra Kennedy (5'10", 2020)

Belle Kranbuhl (6'2", 2020)

Breanna Lott (5'11", 2020)
Reilly McCarthy (6'0", 2020)
Taylor Meacham (5'9", 2020)

Amanda Mieczkowski (5'7", 2020)

Mikyla Mitchell (5'6", 2020)

Rachel Palladino (5'6", 2020)

Ahnalese Pearson (5'4", 2020)
Rhaymi Porter (6'1", 2020)
Ally Shoemaker (5'7", 2020)
Erin Smith (5'3", 2020)

Bella Stuart (5'10", 2020)
Logan Thayne (6'1", 2020)
Kelli Venezia (5'7", 2020)

Kelsey Wood (6'0", 2020)

Jenalyse Alarcon (5'8", 2021)
Maria Baker (5'5", 2021)

Molly Brophy (5'10", 2021)
Kayleigh Bryant (5'3", 2021)
Solé Carrington (5'6", 2021)
Jess Cook (6'2", 2021)

Laycee Drake (5'5", 2021)
Julia Harvey (5'7", 2021)
Melanie Hoyt (6'1", 2021)

Anna Jankovic (5'7", 2021)
Ava Learn (6'1", 2021)

Sydney Lusher (5'8", 2021)

Maddisyn Mahoney (6'0", 2021)

Sarah Mattfeld (5'9", 2021)
Sophie Pelton (5'4", 2021)
Lilly Phillips (5'9", 2021)
Sophie Phillips (5'9", 2021)

Aysia Pink (5'7", 2021)
Mackenzie Searles (5'9", 2021)
Katelyn Van Auken (5'7", 2021)
Reese Vaughan (5'9", 2021)

Jaelyn Vleer-Elliott (5'11", 2021)
Sophia Wakin (5'9", 2021)

Callie Chevalier (5'7", 2022)
Payton Graber (2022)

Abbie Grace (6'0", 2022)
Ava LaClair (5'5", 2022)
Maren Louridas (5'10", 2022)

Emma Shields (5'11", 2022)
Macie Trimarchi (5'9", 2022)

Amelia Wood (5'11", 2022)

Jeff's Journal: Mase Madness, Upstate Elite Showcase, and What Else is Next

Hopefully everyone has been enjoying their last couple weeks! If you're all hoops, this two-week period probably feels as weird to you as it does to me. There's nothing going on. If you play fall sports, it's like it never ended - you're just on a different playing field.

The last few days of down time, which have been spent catching up on stats, organizational work, and breaking down film to put on the drive & cut clips up for highlights, also gave me some time to reflect on recent basketball events. Nothing continues to stick in my head like last weekend's Mase Madness.

If you follow me on social media, you already know my thoughts about the event, but it bears repeating. Thanks to Scott Gantos, who reached out to me about it in mid-July, I was able to get involved with this charity tournament held at Johnson City Middle School. I liked the idea at first, especially to put a couple dream teams of different ages together that bridged the gap of regions & AAU programs. Then it became a hassle to balance the back end of EST, the Battle of NY at Shen, and Mase the following weekend - plus, who wants to play basketball the 2nd weekend of August when you haven't had a break yet? Thankfully, a couple dozen very solid players between the 518 and 315 area codes did want to, and Mase Madness became the most fulfilling experience I've had on a basketball court in quite some time.

The atmosphere is great. It's much like the EST summer league, with music being played through the games and a different buzz in the gym. They go all the way with a DJ though, not my 'put a playlist together and connect the computer to a speaker' method. It's basically a 'can't miss' event if you're in the Southern Tier. There are divisions seemingly for all ages. They went as low as 10U on the boys & girls sides, and there were competitive varsity divisions for each. There was also a competitive women's division, along with competitive and recreational men's divisions. Basketball for everybody.

The level of play was worth the trip. We put three teams together, and it seemed like every time I was on a sideline, we were going up against a stacked squad coached by Dan Whalen. This team featured a super-athletic backcourt of Susquehanna Valley 2018 Trinasia Kennedy and Binghamton 2019 Lexi Gruss, the highly-regarded McPeek sisters (Montverde Academy 2018 Lauren McPeek and Montverde 2019 Kendra McPeek), and a 6'4" post that has been blowing up in the eyes of D1 coaches in Susquehanna Valley 2019 Maeve Donnelly. Not to mention Laycee Drake, a rising freshman at Hancock that's one of upstate NY's best 2021s. Gruss & Kennedy continued to stick out to me in this tournament like they had in July as two players improving at an alarming rate. If it was said in March that you'd be going up against a team with two BNY Select guards that you really needed to focus on, and the names that followed were Gruss and Kennedy, you would probably get scoffed at. Now, that's absolutely the case. Both have become much better shooters, which makes defenders respect the range & allows their elite speed and quickness to become even more effective. Kennedy has improved her ability to finish in various ways around the rim; Gruss has become a better playmaker. Both are elite on-ball defenders with their athleticism, defensive awareness, and tenacity. If there was any buzzkill in this tournament, it's that two players slated to be on their roster were unable to play due to injury. I actually got to coach against rising Binghamton senior Annie Ramil for a little while, who was sadly in a boot instead of where we all would've rather seen her, on the court. Morgan Gentile, a Troy (PA) standout who's now transferring to Elmira for her sophomore year, also had to miss the weekend after twisting her ankle during the week. They were great battles to begin with; the addition of two high-level wings like Ramil & Gentile would've made the battles even better.

Seton Catholic, as usual, also put their school team in the tournament. I unfortunately was able to see very little of them, as I was never on the sideline against Seton and one of our teams always played at the same time. However, I was able to get a couple minutes here & there with eyes on their games. This was a building experience for them, mixing longtime standouts Hanna Strawn, Julia Hauer, and Marina Maerkl with some younger faces like Reese Vaughan. Hauer, a 2019 that recently got her first offer from Siena, had one of the performances of the weekend, dropping 33 in a close win on Friday night. I've seen the Seton girls as much as a lot of the 518ers; no secret that the Saints, now in Class A, will have success once again.

Now to our teams. I spent most of my time on the sidelines of two of our three teams - the blue team (Piedra), a team full of 2019s, and the green team (Sambursky Eye Center), which featured 6 guards/wings in the 2021 class and 2 posts in the 2020 class. I'm not sure who I was more impressed with, but I was extremely impressed with both.

The Piedra squad ended up winning the varsity division title, beating our third team, the orange one (The Partners), in the finals. Two blowout wins Friday night were followed by a closer win over Seton, a quality win over the aforementioned team with Gruss, Kennedy, & Co. in semis before the final win. Eight girls, three from Section II and five from Section III. Four from I-90 Elite, three from NY Havoc, one from JC Ballers - or as one of the parents dubbed this team, the 'I-Havoc Ballers'. You would've thought this group of girls had 6 months to prepare with the way they played at JC. They've played together in smaller groups, and half of them got together on the same team at my Summer Kickoff Showcase in mid-June, but nothing would've made me expect the level at which they gelled. Everyone stood out at different times. They had runners like Madison Smith (West Genesee) and Allison Moreau (Sauquoit Valley), trailers like Cat Almeida (Shenendehowa) and Alyssa Stevenson (South Jefferson), players that would get them the ball like Mackenzie Smith (West Genesee) and Grace Heeps (Northfield Mount Hermon by way of Columbia), and ultimate half-court assets like Mackenzie Martin (Westhill) and Renna Poulin (Tamarac). They all had their moments. Poulin was great early Friday night. Madison Smith stood out in the later stages of Friday night. Alyssa had big stretches Saturday. The first half of the semifinal game was a Grace & Cat takeover, with Grace looking as confident scoring off the ball as she has in a long time, and with the 6'5" Cat not only being dominant in the blocks, but also showing off some perimeter skill. Mackenzie Martin had her shining moments in the process, which she did all through Sunday. Renna & Allie Moreau went to work in the 2nd half of that semifinal game. Mackenzie Smith took over for a couple stretches as well, early and late. They all held their weight in the finals, almost looking like they were savoring the stretch of their last game. If I was to a list of standouts, they'd all be on it. It was so balanced, we found it impossible to choose an MVP (which they asked for). An official was talking about this group after and said he was trying to figure out for a few minutes whether they were running set plays or if they just had that kind of continuity. First time they had ever seen the court together, and I was more than happy to see it with my own eyes. It definitely has made me more motivated to try & put that group of eight together for something else down the road!

The younger team turned heads the entire weekend as well. They didn't have the success of their two older counterparts, going 1-2 in pool play and not making playoffs, but they didn't go down without a fight. They lost 51-44 to our orange team, which had Grace & Cat filling in alongside highly regarded Michigan commit Danielle Rauch among others. They lost by 7 in their 2nd Saturday game as well, dropping it to Gruss, Kennedy, & crew. They ended their weekend with an 18 point victory. For the younger team, Sarah Mattfeld really stepped up. The rising freshman at Catholic Central looked as good and as comfortable as I've seen her since a leg injury forced her out of nearly all of basketball season. She has made great strides over the last couple months, and how she showed - at both ends - against older players with scholarship offers, often inviting the challenge and wanting to guard the opponent's best player, was all of the proof anyone needed to see she's ready to make the next progression in her game. Momo LaClair was very good throughout the weekend as well. The rising freshman at Jamesville-DeWitt, no stranger to getting the call in the bigger moments, played with no fear or second thoughts against the older players. After all, she did it last year for a state champion team as an 8th grader. Momo was a distributor, but she'd look to attack and get her own when it was needed. You're not going to find many better 2021s in upstate NY than her.

The orange team, The Partners, was the mix & match group. Players represented every class from 2018 through 2022 on this team. In fact, it was a 2018 connecting with a 2022 on back-to-back possessions to forge a win in a tough game (against, you guessed it, Gruss/Kennedy & Co.) Saturday. That was when the aforementioned Danielle Rauch, a rising senior at Bishop Ludden, found South Jefferson 2022 Jackie Piddock in the left corner two straight times. One of Piddock's threes swished through to tie the game, and the second swished through to give them a 3 point lead. Rauch ended up canning 4 straight free throws in the waning seconds to win by 5. Those two will more-than-likely do battle in March 2018, as Bishop Ludden & South Jefferson look to be the frontrunners in a stacked Section III Class B. But for now, it was great to see them on the same side. As the weekend went by, players for this team changed. Grace & Cat went back to their normal team Sunday. Jackie wasn't able to play Sunday, either. Liverpool 2018 Jenna Wike and Jamesville-DeWitt 2018 Jamie Boeheim couldn't make Saturday, but they were there for Sunday. They joined a few that were there for the full weekend - alongside Rauch, South Jefferson 2020 Abby Piddock, Jamesville-DeWitt 2018 Kasey Vaughan, and Colonie 2019 Kyara Triblet. A fun battle between them and the blue team in the finals. All-in-all, one of my favorite weekends in a long time. I'd like to thank all of the girls that participated on our three teams this weekend. They are, by graduating class:

2018
Jamie Boeheim (Jamesville-DeWitt)
Danielle Rauch (Bishop Ludden)
Kasey Vaughan (Jamesville-DeWitt)
Jenna Wike (Liverpool)

2019
Cat Almeida (Shenendehowa)
Grace Heeps (Northfield Mount Hermon)
Allison Moreau (Sauquoit Valley)
Renna Poulin (Tamarac)
Mackenzie Martin (Westhill)
Mackenzie Smith (West Genesee)
Madison Smith (West Genesee)
Alyssa Stevenson (South Jefferson)
Kyara Triblet (Colonie)

2020
Makayla Blake (Colonie)
Lindsey Lawson (Cazenovia)
Abby Piddock (South Jefferson)

2021
Catie Cunningham (West Genesee)
Momo LaClair (Jamesville-DeWitt)
Sarah Mattfeld (Catholic Central)
Lilly Phillips (Cambridge)
Sophie Phillips (Cambridge)
Lexie Roe (Fayetteville-Manlius)

2022
Jackie Piddock (South Jefferson)


Now, onto the rest. This won't be long, I promise.

- Look out for information regarding the 3RD ANNUAL UPSTATE ELITE SHOWCASE. The event will be held on SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1 and plans are made to have it at the Pat Riley Sports Center at Schenectady High School, which is where last year's UES and this year's Summer Kickoff Showcase were also held. SAVE THE DATE! Worth mentioning - there's also a showcase scheduled for the 1st at Whitesboro HS called the CNY Basketball Showcase. It's recently been brought to my attention that they've been including my name in 'who will be there', and I came across it on their website as well. This is NOT TRUE and AT NO POINT WAS IT EVER COMMUNICATED AS SUCH. Perhaps I lose a few people to that showcase that would do mine, but I think the track record already being shown & the work ethic over these years speaks for itself. Info will be out soon; I hope to see you at the Upstate Elite Showcase on the 1st!!

- You can catch me at two more events during the month of August, and they're both in Syracuse. I'll be at the 2nd annual Slinky Skills Academy at Nottingham HS next Saturday, 8/26. That's a later start, going from 3-8 PM. I'll be back in the Cuse that Tuesday, outside at the Great New York State Fair for the State Fair games. I'm more than happy to be able to take part in the 9th/10th grade division showcase games. For the four teams that will be put together, their first games will be at 1:00 & 2:00. The losers play at 5:00, and the winners play at 6:00. The senior division all-star game ends the night, slated for an 8:00 start. You know, since it appears that I have to announce where I'll be going forward!

Thanks, as always, for following along. The plan is for the next 'journal' to have all pertinent info for the Upstate Elite Showcase set in stone. Hope to see you soon!

EST 2017 League Leaders & Stats of Note

Points Per Game (total points)

1.) Aysia Pink (Guilderland 2021/Young Guns) - 16.0 (160)

2.) Chloe Chaffin (Kingston 2018 (Fordham commit)/Outwork) - 15.0 (180)

3.) Silke Milliman (Northfield Mount Hermon (MA) 2019/Next Level) - 13.4 (107)

4.) Kerry Flaherty (Saratoga Springs 2019/Rising Stars) - 12.7 (76)

5.) Sam Dayter (Cohoes 2018/Lockdown) - 12.1 (97)

6.) Julie Ford (Cooperstown 2018 (Albany commit)/Next Big Thing) - 12.0 (120)

7.) Dolly Cairns (Saratoga Springs 2020/Rising Stars) - 11.3 (135)

8.) Madison Graber (Schalmont 2018/Next Big Thing) - 10.7 (96)

9.) Renna Poulin (Tamarac 2019/Next Big Thing) - 10.3 (123)

10.) Logan Thayne (Hoosick Falls 2020/Next Big Thing) - 10.2 (112)

11.) Stephanie Jankovic (Averill Park 2018/Next Big Thing) - 9.9 (119)

12.) Sophie Tougas (Brewster Academy (NH) 2020/Next Level) - 9.5 (104)

13.) Maggie Malone (Cornwall 2019/Outwork) - 9.1 (73)

14.) Sam McKenna (Millbrook 2019/Outwork) - 9.0 (36)

15.) Belle Kranbuhl (Adirondack 2020/Next Level) - 8.4 (67)

T16.) Julianna Okoniewski (Bethlehem 2018/Show Stoppers) - 8.2 (82)

T16.) Lexi Van Vorst (Columbia 2019/Young Guns) - 8.2 (82)

18.) Erin Fox (Millbrook 2020/Outwork) - 8.1 (97)
19.) Molly Kirby (Bethlehem 2018/Show Stoppers) - 7.9 (55)
20.) EmmaLee Morgan (Averill Park 2019/Dynasty) - 7.7 (77)

Single Game Individual Scoring

1.) Chloe Chaffin (7/19) - 27

2.) Silke Milliman (7/19) - 25

T3.) Chloe Chaffin (8/9) - 24

T3.) Maggie Malone (7/17) - 24

5.) Aysia Pink (8/9) - 23

3-Pointers Made (with percentage)

1.) Aysia Pink - 24 (47.1%)

2.) Dolly Cairns - 23 (41.8%)

3.) Sophie Tougas - 22 (34.4%)

4.) Renna Poulin - 16 (33.3%)

5.) Sam Dayter - 15 (36.6%)

Rebounds Per Game (total rebounds)

1.) Logan Thayne (Hoosick Falls 2020/Next Big Thing) - 10.1 (111)

2.) Julie Ford (Cooperstown 2018 (Albany commit)/Next Big Thing) - 9.5 (95)

3.) Kelsey Wood (Averill Park 2020/Lockdown) - 8.0 (96)

4.) Chloe Chaffin (Kingston 2018 (Fordham commit)/Outwork) - 7.8 (93)

5.) Giuliana Pritchard (Amsterdam 2018/Rising Stars) - 7.45 (82)

6.) Belle Kranbuhl (Adirondack 2020/Next Level) - 7.38 (59)

7.) Stephanie Jankovic (Averill Park 2018/Next Big Thing) - 7.33 (88)

8.) Erin Fox (Millbrook 2020/Outwork) - 6.83 (82)

9.) Rhaymi Porter (Scotia-Glenville 2020/Young Guns) - 6.5 (52)

10.) Haedyn Roberts (Holland Patent 2020/Young Guns) - 6.33 (76)

Assists Per Game (total assists)

1.) Grace Heeps (Northfield Mount Hermon (MA) 2019/Next Level) - 6.7 (80)

2.) Stephanie Jankovic (Averill Park 2018/Next Big Thing) - 3.7 (44)

3.) Holly Manchester (Susquehanna Valley 2018/Show Stoppers) - 3.5 (28)

4.) Dolly Cairns (Saratoga Springs 2020/Rising Stars) - 3.1 (37)

5.) Brianna Rozzi (Highland 2019/Outwork) - 2.9 (35)

Steals Per Game (total steals)

1.) Rebecca Townes (Our Lady of Lourdes 2018/Outwork) - 2.7 (16)

2.) Stephanie Jankovic (Averill Park 2018/Next Big Thing) - 2.4 (29)

3.) Emily Frodyma (Catholic Central 2018/Show Stoppers) - 2.3 (16)

T4.) Lexi DeBeatham (Shaker 2018/Young Guns) - 2.0 (20)

T4.) Molly Kirby (Bethlehem 2018/Show Stoppers) - 2.0 (14)

T4.) Shyla Sanford (Shaker 2018/Show Stoppers) - 2.0 (12)

T4.) Deliah Smith (FDR-Hyde Park 2020/Dynasty) - 2.0 (12)

Blocks Per Game (total blocks)

1.) Jenna Zimmerman (South Jefferson 2018 (Le Moyne commit)/Next Level) - 2.8 (22)

2.) Cat Almeida (Shenendehowa 2019/Rising Stars) - 2.2 (22)

3.) Julie Ford (Cooperstown 2018 (Albany commit)/Next Big Thing) - 1.9 (19)

T4.) Belle Kranbuhl (Adirondack 2020/Next Level) - 1.63 (13)

T4.) Rhaymi Porter (Scotia-Glenville 2020/Young Guns) - 1.63 (13)

6.) Logan Thayne (Hoosick Falls 2020/Next Big Thing) - 1.55 (17)

Single Game/Season Stats of Note

- Three years into EST, and on the 8:30 set of playoff night, the league had its first triple-double. Grace Heeps, who had been close a couple other times this summer, went for 11 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in a consolation game victory.

- Believe it or not, it took until the 3rd year of EST for someone to have a 20 point/10 rebound game. We saw two in the league's final three nights this summer. Stephanie Jankovic & Chloe Chaffin both went for 21 points & 10 rebounds in games; Steph doing it in a July 31 victory, and Chloe doing it in the championship victory over Steph's NBT team.

- Logan Thayne had as good of a summer as anyone could imagine for the Next Big Thing squad. Her & post mate Julie Ford (who will be mentioned soon after) controlled the blocks throughout the year. Thayne, just a rising sophomore, had a summer milestone of her own. Compiling averages of 10.2 PPG and 10.1 RPG without missing a week of official games, Logan was the first person in the EST summer league to ever average a double-double over an entire season. The aforementioned Ford was just off that mark as well, averaging 12 PPG and 9.5 RPG.

- Chloe Chaffin, the league's all-time leader in points scored and games played, added 'single season scoring' to her list of EST records. Her 180 points this season topped the mark previously held by Danielle Migliore. Starting in 2018, Chaffin & Migliore will see each other on the court as conference foes - Chaffin at Fordham, Migliore at St. Bonaventure.

- With all of the high-level talent in EST in the 2018 & 2019 classes, it will take many by surprise that a rising freshman found a way to get the league scoring title, but Aysia Pink did it with consistency. She shot a remarkable 53.5% from the field, 47.1% from behind the arc, and 73.7% from the line. Besides a 23 point outburst on playoff night, her scoring was mainly in the teens. She became the first person in three years of EST to finish with double digit points in every game played for a season.

- I always like to comb over the final compiled stats for any oddities or interesting tidbits. One of them, because I noticed the rarity of it in the past, is to see how many players fill the stat line to the point that they average 1 or more of each of the 5 main statistical categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks) per game. In two previous years, Lucy Tougas was the only one to do it. This year, there were numerous players who pulled it off. They were:

• Kelsey Wood (6.6 PPG, 8 RPG, 1 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1 BPG)
• Jenna Zimmerman (6 PPG, 5 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1 SPG, 2.8 BPG)
• Harmony Philo (6.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1 BPG)
• Giuliana Pritchard (5.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.1 BPG)

- The three is becoming more and more of a staple in the game, even by the year, and the trend is no different in EST. The summer of 2017 saw a new league mark being hit, as 462 threes were made throughout the course of the league games. This blew past last year's mark of 416 with the same amount of teams (and even more recorded games, as I didn't do stats for July 12 games this year). In 2015, with three fewer teams (thus fewer games), 230 threes were made.

- Scoring as a whole was also up. Next Big Thing's 59 PPG as a team shattered the previous league record. Rising Stars wasn't that far behind, racking up an average of 54.6 PPG. Next Level & Outwork were also in the lower 50s, meaning that half of the league's teams averaged well over 50 PPG. This is the first time that's happened. Young Guns were just off the mark, averaging a fraction over 49 per game. That number was boosted by a scoring outburst starting in the later stages of July, where they averaged nearly 60 PPG for the last four nights.

Jeff's Journal: EST Second Half, Plus Some Congratulations

The first two weeks of August - and we'll include July 31 in that - were as busy of a two-week period as I may have ever personally had. With three league nights packed in those two weeks (7/31, 8/2, 8/9), the task of helping put three teams in the Mase Madness charity tournament in Binghamton 8/11-8/13, working the Battle of NY team camp at Shenendehowa 8/4-8/6, early work regarding numerous fall events & projects, whether of my own or others, and various other tasks, it was a wild one. Time to recap, starting with the back end of EST.

First, about that first week of August. I suppose this will be a test to see how many people read this, because I'm asking for opinions in the process. With the week coming off the back end of the live period being a big one for me as I put two league dates there (in order to try & get more players there), I noticed two things. First, there were still a few people who took the week off. Second, many that didn't take the week off weren't at their usual performance during the week. At first, I was a little annoyed watching play, but then I realized I had to sit back and relax. It appeared to be August legs at its finest. A lot of tired girls trying to play in a steamy Union College gym, and their bodies didn't have much left to give them. The proof can be shown in various ways. Of course, the eye test doesn't lie. Let's take one stat and use it for this discussion, though. A telltale sign of fatigue is a drop in 3 point percentage. This summer had, without question, the highest number of threes made & 3 point percentage of the three. Teams were consistently hitting 30-40% of their attempted threes. On Wednesday, August 2, team totals from beyond the arc went like this; 3/15, 2/14, 8/29, 2/12, 2/7, 8/21 (a rare outlier), 4/24, 0/17, 7/21, 4/19, 6/20, 3/11, 3/16, 5/22, 1/7, 2/17. That 0/17? It came from Next Big Thing, a team that went 9-0 before the donut from deep led them to their first loss. And for those counting, those combined numbers are 60/272 - a touch over 22%. Tired legs can't make 20 footers. It seemed like girls were able to get it back together and refresh for some very good playoff games on the 9th - either that, or pride took over - but how the Monday/Wednesday set went begs the question. I certainly need to work around the live periods regardless. Should I frontload the league instead of backload it? Should I experiment with doing a Friday night/Saturday late morning-early afternoon early in the summer to get four games out of the way? I'm genuinely curious as to what people think. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Onto playoff night. Or as some would call it, the night that Outwork takes over.

Back in 2004, UConn was dominant in the women's college hoop game (shocker). When asked how they'd been able to establish such a reign, Geno Auriemma's answer was simple. 'We have Diana, and you don't.' Although obviously on a smaller scale than Diana Taurasi's dominance nearly 15 years ago, words similar to that were heard uttered after the championship game on the 9th. 'We have Chloe Chaffin and they don't.' This is taking nothing away from Outwork teammates. For the second straight year, Brianna Rozzi played an integral role in securing a championship W with some bigtime shots late. Rebecca Townes dominated the early going as one of only two players - along with Chloe - to play in all three EST championship games. Outwork may not even be a top 4 seed without the major contributions of 1st-year ESTer Erin Fox, and Madison Burke & Sam McKenna provided well-needed backcourt stability and a scoring infusion when needed. But on playoff night, Chloe takes it to another level. Her huge 2nd half - which ended up leading to an assist on a game-winning Madison Little basket in the final minute - spearheaded the 2016 win, as they came back from down 13 with 6 minutes left. This year, the deficit was 6 with 4 minutes remaining. But when they needed it, they got it. Two assists from Chloe on Rozzi buckets set the stage for Chloe to end her EST days the way it'd be written in a script. The three-year member of a team called 'Outwork' - the only player in EST to not miss a game in three years - outworks everyone around the basket for an offensive rebound, then wraps around and makes a left-handed reverse (not always her forte) for the game winning basket. It was the cherry on top of a 21 point/10 rebound game - to my surprise upon research, only the 2nd 20/10 game in 3 years of EST, with Steph Jankovic's 21/10 on 7/31 being the first - and the lasting memory of back-to-back Outwork titles. Chloe's shot attempts went up on playoff day. After going through the regular season with a higher shooting percentage, fewer attempts, and more assists than each of the previous two years, she took 42 shots between the two playoff games. She was 10/18 in the semifinal, going for 24 points & 7 rebounds, and then went 9/24 in the finals. First, with shooting percentages being what they usually are, I'll take the increase in attempts without batting an eye if I'm getting 45% from the field with it. Second, there's something to be said about deciding when it's your time to take over. Chloe is the type of person to want that moment and be up for the pressure of it. She took it and got the job done. Three years, 42 games, and along with being the EST 'all-time' leader in games played as of now, she's also the leader in total points. This league - and EST as a whole - isn't what it is without Chloe and Becca jumping on board in 2015.

Speaking of Bri & Becca... how about Bri & Becca?! Becca Townes, now a rising senior at Our Lady of Lourdes, was one of the young bucks on the scene in 2015. Her & Chloe were the lone 2018s on their team; the rest were 2016s & 2017s. She has grown in two years from the fresh face to the wily veteran. She had stretches of dominance for Outwork, oftentimes being when they needed it most. Always gifted with quick hands, she became the league leader in steals this summer by baiting players into thinking they could pull off a move against her. She'd relax sometimes and put her hands down, but if you knew her game, you'd realize that was nothing more than a setup. 7 quick points before you could blink in the championship game also put her growth on full display - the 2018 (who by age really should be a 2019) showed she wasn't about to lose. Her backcourt mate, Brianna Rozzi, has also shown immense growth from last summer to this one. In 2016, she was the fresh face. A hot-blooded spitfire that could put the team on her back, but you'd also have to pull the reigns on her at times. It's remarkable to see how she's matured to this point. She's turned into a commanding floor general with an even head. She plays with intensity & focus and has a competitive edge that's second-to-none, but she plays with poise regardless of situation. She can control a game, or she can take it over if needed. The poise in tough situations and continued spurtability was as important a piece to the finals as anything. Bri had 5 points through 3.5 quarters. Outwork was down 6 with under 5 minutes left and nearly went down 9 as a Julie Ford three was just short. Bri ran out at the right time, getting a feed from Townes for a layup. Still down 4 later on - now 53-49 - Bri lined up a three off a Chloe feed in a clutch moment and it was good from the start. Soon after, she got in the open court again and found herself on the receiving end of another Chaffin pass, which she finished to give Outwork their first lead since the 1st half. Unrivaled desire to win with even emotions in tight spots is a deadly combo, and one that Bri has seemed to get to work in her favor.

Have to show love to the team that fell just short in the finals, Next Big Thing. In three years, there may not have been a more enjoyable team to watch in the league. They were very similar to the 2015 version of Outwork. A mix of older & younger, and a lot of girls that may not get the attention they deserve. Whether it's because they come from a smaller school, a team without much of a supporting cast, or they just get overshadowed or live in an area without much coverage, many of Next Big Thing's players don't get the kind of respect that many others have enjoyed. Well, at least they didn't. If this summer showed anything, it's that many of these girls deserve to see their name up at the head of discussion too. No team that I've had in the league has scored at the rate of NBT while maintaining scary balance. Julie Ford, a rising senior at Class C Cooperstown (committed to Albany), led NBT at 12 PPG. Right behind her was Madison Graber at 10.7, a rising senior at Class B Schalmont that showed this summer that she can be a major piece to the puzzle on a great team instead of just being a big scorer. Two Wasaren League rivals coexisted well and sat right behind Madison - Renna Poulin, a rising junior at Tamarac, had 10.3 per game, and Hoosick Falls rising sophomore Logan Thayne had 10.2. Thayne also averaged 10.1 rebounds per game, which marks the first time in EST that a girl has averaged a double-double for the summer. Averill Park's Stephanie Jankovic - for my money, the most underrated player left in the Suburban Council - ended up 5th on the team in scoring average, but her 9.9 PPG (literally 1 point short of 10 per game) was good for 11th in the league. Steph also averaged 7.3 RPG (7th in EST), 3.7 APG (2nd in EST), and 2.6 SPG (2nd in EST). Other players stepped up and had huge moments throughout the year for a team that finished 10-2 and didn't suffer their first loss until the last night of the regular season. Sophie Phillips, one of the three 2021s on the team (another being her twin sister, Lilly), had a 14 point showing in the middle of July, including the game-winning basket with 3 seconds left in a battle of teams that were unbeaten to start that night. Lilly also showed her great value in different stretches, finishing in double digits a couple times and showing electrifying athleticism in the open court. Kayla Doody, Maggie Schuermann, and Anna Jankovic - the other young buck on the squad - had their big moments through the summer. Everyone on NBT played their part and didn't stop the person next to them from playing their part as well. It wasn't the ending that any of them wanted, but it was a team that I - along with many that followed EST - took great joy in watching.

Just a quick follow-up from something in the last 'journal'. I talked about how strong the younger classes look in upstate NY. Look no further than this - in a league that featured nearly 10 girls committed to schools on scholarship already, along with several more players with an impressive list of offers (even some high majors), it was a 2021 that led the league in scoring. Aysia Pink, who will be entering her freshman year at Guilderland, took EST by storm. She helped turn a Young Guns season around, as they went from 0-4 to start the summer to finishing 6-6. She averaged 16 PPG, edging out the likes of Chloe Chaffin and Silke Milliman, and her 24 threes made led EST as well, just holding off Dolly Cairns and Sophie Tougas. And unlike Cairns & Tougas, she wasn't there every week (missed opening night). No one in EST averaged 16 or more last year, and only one - Danielle Migliore, then a rising senior at Frankfort-Schuyler & now entering her sophomore year playing at St. Bonaventure - surpassed that mark in 2015. Better yet, her shooting percentage was great. The 5'7" guard went 54/101 (53.5%) from the field, 24/51 (47.1%) from three, and 28/38 (73.7%) from the line. It's tough to put your stamp on the league in your first year the way Aysia did, especially at her age. It'll be fun to watch her growth, especially as she increases the ability to impact in all areas, just like it will be for the rest of a stacked Class of 2021.

Finally, congrats to the latest ESTers that have either made their verbal commitments to schools or have received offers. Jenna Zimmerman and Cameron Tooley, 2018s at South Jefferson and Shenendehowa that have previously been teammates for a week in the CNY fall league on a team that I happily coached, will be college teammates next fall as they both recently announced their commitments to Division II Le Moyne. They join Erin Fouracre - a 2018 at Colonie that stopped in on July 17 & got a game in EST - in a very strong recruiting class for the Dolphins thus far. They'll be lined up against Emma Carter for the next four years. A rising senior at Mount Abraham (VT) that saw time in 2015's summer league, played consistently in 2016's, and has done various one-day events through the last couple years, recently gave her verbal commitment to Franklin Pierce, a rival member of the NE-10. As far as offers go, three members of the Next Level squad have been racking them up in recent weeks. Grace Heeps - the most heavily offered player in the league that ended her summer by producing the first triple-double in EST history - added Buffalo to recent offers that have included Boston College, Seton Hall, and St. Joseph's. Silke Milliman, her teammate this coming year as a member of Northfield Mount Hermon (MA)'s 2019 class, has racked up Fordham, Vermont, Siena, and most recently NJIT over the last few weeks. Sophie Tougas has already reaped the benefits of a prep move and reclassification. Within 48 hours of announcing her decision to transfer from Glens Falls to Brewster Academy (NH) and become a member of the 2020 class, Tougas picked up offers from Rhode Island and Boston University. Last but not least, Cat Almeida has been earning additional offers after her play in July. Going into the month with a preexisting offer from Binghamton, she's recently piled up additional offers from Manhattan, Cal State Bakersfield, and Hofstra.

Keep an eye out for another post coming soon. There's much to be said about the experience I had at Mase Madness last weekend, along with upcoming events!