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!