6th Annual NCCC Shootout Varsity Division Standouts

On a warm mid-July Saturday in the Buffalo area, many high schoolers from throughout WNY made the air conditioned gym at Niagara County Community College their home for the 6th Annual NCCC Shootout. This is one of the three team camps NCCC head coach Nate Beutel puts on during the summer for area athletes.

12 teams from the region, including both high school and AAU programs, took part in Saturday's event. All teams played three guaranteed games, and pool winners (along with the top-ranked 2nd place team) advanced to playoffs. A good day of basketball had a bit of an anticlimactic ending, as Full Court Hoops (White) earned the varsity division crown by way of forfeit. On a day that several teams took the court with lower numbers, their WNY Lakers Delvalle finals opponent - going into their 5th game of the day and fielding just 5 players at that point - opted out of playing the championship after defeating Full Court Hoops 2021s in the semifinals.

FCH White made it to that point in an unconventional way, having to play/beat the same team twice in a row beforehand. In their last game of pool play, they took on the Buffalo Titans. It was a tight game throughout, with the Titans holding a 5 point halftime lead, but FCH was able to battle back and take the lead. After the Titans turned it over in a tie game with under 30 seconds left, FCH got a jumper from Lauren Nawojski to fall with 5 seconds left to complete the comeback and win 40-38. They were matched up with each other directly after for the semifinals, as the Titans were the top-ranked 2nd seed, but their second game lacked the drama of the first. FCH rode the momentum to a 27-10 halftime lead, and after a timeout following a quick Titans run to cut the margin to single digits early in the 2nd half, FCH went on a 13-2 run to extend to their lead to 20 as they coasted to a 44-27 victory.

WNY Lakers blew their way through the competition before bowing out prior to the shootout finals. A team comprised mainly of Amherst & Williamsville South players, they handled business through pool play, going 3-0. In playoff semifinals, they jumped out to a big early lead over the FCH 9th grade team. They maintained a lead of around 20 points throughout the 2nd half - a spot they consistently found themselves in over the course of the day - eventually winning 47-26.

Several players stood out over the course of the latter half of the day, which is the segment in which I was in attendance. Some of them were familiar faces by now; for others, it was my first time seeing them. Some that caught my eye, in alphabetical order:


Amari DeBerry (Williamsville South 2021) - After multiple games per day over a week-long stretch in Indianapolis & Chicago, fatigue was certainly a factor, but it didn't take a guru to understand why Amari is highly regarded as one of the country's best in her class. With her high school team playing with six on the day and starting point guard Hannah Dolan injured and unable to participate, the 6'5" DeBerry even slid over to handle those duties at times. As soon as that transition happened, she zipped a left-handed pass with some gusto through traffic on the money to a cutting teammate - just another example of her being a special talent. Now after the week-long venture in the Midwest and a few days in Las Vegas for the Bluestar E30 event in late June, she may get a few days to take it easy before USJN in the nation's capital to end July.

Gina Fumerelle (Sweet Home 2019; Full Court Hoops White) - This was my first time getting a concentrated look at Gina. She has good size for a wing, looking to be around 5'10". Over the course of the day, she showed her ability as a knockdown shooter, particularly playing off the ball and spotting up. Her scoring punch proved particularly important as the day wore on, and it was a major piece of their close pool play W over Buffalo Titans to secure the top seed in their pool. Heard at the event that there has been recent inquiries about Fumerelle from Division 2 schools.

Erin Hardick

Erin Hardick (Sacred Heart 2019; Full Court Hoops White) - What she doesn't have in size (5'4"-5'5" range), Hardick brings in many other aspects. She had a good day overall running the show for her team in an undefeated day. She played hard at both ends throughout, and showed her competitive edge with a tough & scrappy side. On top of running the show, she was often given the assignment of defending the opposition's best player. She showed ability to get into the lane either to score or create for others, along with solid basketball IQ as the PG in knowing when to do each. A good showing for a player that should be a target for D3s looking for a PG in the 2019 class.

Mariah Huss (Kenmore West 2023) - Mariah was the youngest standout of the day, but that's seemingly nothing new to her. I first saw her just two weeks prior in the same gym, as she dominated the modified/JV division of this team camp for her Full Court Hoops AAU squad. She split time with high school & AAU in this one, getting a lot of run in with her Kenmore West girls - a place that she was the starting point guard on the varsity team as a 7th grader. Height is something that she currently lacks, but she's strong for her age and has a very refined skill set as a rising 8th grader. She can break defenders down off the dribble and finish various ways around the rim, and her court vision allows her to create in ways that the vast majority of PGs her age can't do. If the defense gives her a couple steps, she can knock down the jumper with deep range. Perhaps the most impressive piece of her game now is her IQ - it wasn't uncommon to see/hear her direct traffic in a game where she was often the youngest on the court by a matter of years. Huss is one of the better 2023s that I've seen in upstate NY so far.

Mariah Huss

Emma Klein (Amherst 2021; WNY Lakers Delvalle) - Emma has grown from a promising youngster to a player with one of the stronger reputations in Section 6, and she showed why throughout the day. She's known as a long, very athletic combo guard that makes a two-way impact, and that was all on display. She did a good job turning defense into offense, jumping passing lanes or picking ballhandlers' pockets and getting out in transition several times each game. When the game slowed up, she showed development in her offensive skill set, attacking the basket going to her left a few times and also pulling up & taking the midrange J a few times. Bright future for Klein, who is developing into a quality all-around basketball player.

Emma Klein

Emma Stelley (Amherst 2019; WNY Lakers Delvalle) - I've seen Emma play numerous times over the years with her high school & AAU teams, but this day may have been the most complete I've seen from her. They needed increased production from her, as the Lakers eventually dropped to having just 5 available players, and she answered the call. Stelley is strong and can finish through contact, but also has a pure, consistent jumper in the 15'-18' range. She made that evident as the day went on, being able to get to her spots and shooting a high percentage on 1-2 dribble midrange pull-ups.

Lydia Sweeney (Grand Island 2020; Buffalo Titans) - Sweeney was probably the most offensively polished guard in the building on Saturday, and she had a strong showing for a team that progressively needed it more & more from her. She's a knockdown midrange shooter that can also hit consistently from behind the arc, and she was the best in the gym at being able to create for herself off the dribble. She's also a good ballhandler against pressure, so although her skill set may make her a more natural 2, she's a player that can be slid over to the PG spot as well. At one point in their last pool game, she took over the scoring load for her team, keeping them in it as the offense went stagnant at times with low numbers & tired legs. Look for her to be a star in the area the next two years, and going forward, she will certainly be a priority target that many WNY colleges will be working hard for to try & keep her close to home.

Lydia Sweeney

Brooke Woodard (Eden 2021; Full Court Hoops White) - This was my first time viewing Woodard, a player who emerged last winter as a primary option for her high school team. She showed capability of being a dynamic scorer at this event, being a main scoring option on a team that featured players from the 2019-2021 graduating classes. She can put it on the floor and create, but she most consistently made defenders pay for giving her any look from the perimeter. Her perimeter touch was a major part of her squad jumping out to a 27-10 halftime lead in the semifinals. Brooke is a player I'll be keeping track of going forward.

Jessica Zittel (Eden 2022; Buffalo Titans) - Woodard's high school teammate made herself known in her own right. As some of the others above, what really stuck out for Zittel was her ability to shoot from the perimeter. She was a threat for her Titans squad, as a quicker release allowed her to get shots off unbothered despite her smaller stature, and she shot it at a high percentage during the games I watched of hers. More of a combo guard now and wasn't asked to handle PG duties for her Titans team, so I didn't get to see as much of her on the ball, but she certainly shows promise as a young 2022 player. I would anticipate between her and Woodard, Eden will be a contender at the small school ranks for years to come.

EST Summer League Results & Recaps - June 25

On one of the two Monday EST installments this summer, it turned into one of the most competitive nights in recent memory. The 5:30 set featured a 3 point game and a 2 point game, and that was just a sign of things to come. 6 of the 8 games were decided by single digits, with 5 of them being decided by 4 points or less.

- Outwork gets two close victories to go to 4-0
- Lockdown falls to 0-4 with two narrow defeats
- Cairns & Tougas go off and make EST history
- Demelis sets new mark for efficiency

All that and more... below!


5:30

Rising Stars 49, Next Big Thing 46

Slowing up a high octane NBT offense and limiting their transition opportunities paid dividends for a Rising Stars team light on numbers, and they withheld a late push to secure the victory and hand them their first loss. Next Big Thing grabbed the upper hand in a back-and-forth start with a 9-2 run to end the 1st quarter, ending with a three from Ashlynn McKnight (Maine-Endwell 2019) to give them a 13-11 edge. Rising Stars responded with a Dolly Cairns (Saratoga Springs 2020) 3-point play to start the 2nd quarter, and that was a lead they'd maintain through the vast majority of the game. A 10-0 run late in the 2nd - 4 points apiece coming from Sophie Tougas (Brewster Academy (NH) 2020) and Andrea Sumida (Jamesville-DeWitt 2020) - gave Rising Stars their largest lead at 31-19. NBT got back into it with a strong defensive effort after intermission, even taking the lead for a brief moment. After a Tougas basket gave Rising Stars a 39-31 edge late in the 3rd quarter, NBT went on a 9-0 run stretching into the 4th quarter with the last 6 coming from the Phillips sisters. Sophie Phillips (Cambridge 2021) 2nd consecutive basket gave NBT a 40-39 lead, but Tougas responded with a corner three off a drive & kick from Catherine Dadey (Westhill 2022) & followed it up with a driving layup to give Rising Stars a cushion again. When NBT tied it up once more - 2 Jenalyse Alarcon (Troy 2021) free throws tied it at 44 - Cairns responded with 5 quick points to secure the victory for the Stars.

Cairns paced the victors with 14 points and Tougas added 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. Sumida hit her first 5 field goal attempts and added 10 points, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in the win. Phillips & McKnight paced NBT with 10 points apiece - 8 of Phillips' 10 came in the 4th quarter, and she added 7 rebounds. Alarcon added 9 in defeat.

Next Big Thing (2-1): Lilly Phillips 3, Sophie Phillips 10, Molly Brophy 2, Ashlynn McKnight 10, Renna Poulin 7, Jenalyse Alarcon 9, Logan Thayne 5. Totals: 15-13-46.

Rising Stars (2-1): Olivia Langdon 7, Sophie Tougas 13, Dolly Cairns 14, Catherine Dadey 3, Andrea Sumida 10, Kaelah Carter 2. Totals: 18-9-49.

Field Goals: Next Big Thing 15/56 (L. Phillips 1/3, S. Phillips 4/9, Brophy 1/3, McKnight 3/11, Holmes 0/6, Poulin 2/8, Alarcon 2/5, Thayne 2/11), Rising Stars 18/52 (Keeler 0/3, Langdon 2/7, Tougas 5/11, Cairns 4/14, Dadey 1/5, Sumida 5/8, Carter 1/4).

3-Point Field Goals: Next Big Thing 3/16 (McKnight 2/5, Poulin 1/5, Holmes 0/1, S. Phillips 0/2, Thayne 0/3), Rising Stars 4/17 (Tougas 2/5, Cairns 1/4, Dadey 1/4, Sumida 0/1, Carter 0/1, Keeler 0/2).

Free Throws: Next Big Thing 13/15 (Alarcon 5/5, S. Phillips 2/2, McKnight 2/2, Poulin 2/2, L. Phillips 1/2, Thayne 1/2), Rising Stars 9/11 (Cairns 5/5, Langdon 3/4, Tougas 1/2).

Rebounds: Next Big Thing 36 (Thayne 10), Rising Stars 30 (Tougas 8).

Assists: Next Big Thing 7 (Poulin 3), Rising Stars 12 (Tougas 3).


The Growth 59, Young Guns 57

In a matchup featuring a heavy dose of Suburban Council talent on both sides, a blazing start from The Growth was just a bit too much for Young Guns to overcome. Young Guns jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead and 5 straight points from Kyara Triblet (Colonie 2019; St. Michael's commit) gave them another 7 point cushion, but the tide would turn from there. The Growth eventually ran off 18 unanswered points, with Alivia Paeglow (Colonie 2019) reeling off 9 straight points in the middle of it, giving The Growth a 24-15 edge after 1 quarter, and Madison Graham (Ichabod Crane 2020) threes being bookends of the run. After an Emma Shields (Emma Willard 2022) three briefly stopped the bleeding, The Growth continued to go off. Solé Carrington (Shaker 2021) scored back-to-back baskets and added a three shortly thereafter, extending their long run to 28-3 and giving them their largest lead of 37-18 midway through the 2nd quarter. Young Guns would cut into it before intermission, with a pair of Julia DeBeatham (Shaker 2020) threes - one just beating the halftime buzzer - knocking their deficit down to 8. DeBeatham then found Cat Almeida (Shenendehowa 2019; Quinnipiac commit) on consecutive possessions for 3 point plays and added 2 free throws of her own, cutting the deficit to 3, before The Growth answered in the 3rd quarter and brought their lead back to 8. 5 straight Lexi Van Vorst (Columbia 2019) points brought Young Guns within 1 at 51-50 early in the 4th, but Simone Walker (Shenendehowa 2020) answered for The Growth with a basket off a cut, and then she found Graham for a midrange jumper. A pair of Carrington free throws extended the lead, and an Aliyah Wright (Colonie 2019) layup in transition gave The Growth a late 7 point lead. Young Guns made it interesting late with a DeBeatham three and forcing 2 turnovers in the final seconds on the press, but were only able to muster a Triblet basket right before the buzzer in the late frenzy.

Graham, a 1st year summer leaguer, finished with a game high 16 points on 6/9 shooting (4/7 behind the arc). Carrington & Paeglow added 11 apiece, and Walker had a solid game as the lead guard, adding 6 assists to her 5 points. For Young Guns, Almeida finished with a double-double of 12 points & 11 rebounds, and she added 2 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. DeBeatham had a strong game at the PG spot, finishing with 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. Triblet joined them in double figures with 11 points.

The Growth (1-2): Kaitlyn Watrobski 6, Aliyah Wright 7, Simone Walker 5, Madison Graham 16, Solé Carrington 11, Lauren Filien 2, Alivia Paeglow 11, Rhaymi Porter 1. Totals: 23-5-59.

Young Guns (1-2): Lexi Van Vorst 9, Emma Shields 5, Aysia Pink 4, Kyara Triblet 11, Julia DeBeatham 12, Cat Almeida 12, Makayla Blake 4. Totals: 19-12-57.

Field Goals: The Growth 23/53 (Pearson 0/5, Watrobski 2/4, Wright 3/8, Walker 2/4, Dicerbo 0/2, Graham 6/9, Carrington 4/7, Mahar 0/2, Filien 1/3, Paeglow 5/6, Porter 0/3), Young Guns 19/51 (Van Vorst 3/11, Shields 2/3, Searles 0/1, Pink 0/4, Triblet 5/10, DeBeatham 3/6, Almeida 4/10, Blake 2/6).

3-Point Field Goals: The Growth 8/23 (Graham 4/7, Watrobski 2/3, Wright 1/3, Carrington 1/3, Walker 0/1, Filien 0/1, Porter 0/1, Pearson 0/4), Young Guns 7/13 (DeBeatham 3/3, Van Vorst 2/5, Shields 1/1, Almeida 1/2, Pink 0/2).

Free Throws: The Growth 5/13 (Carrington 2/2, Walker 1/2, Paeglow 1/3, Porter 1/4, Pearson 0/2), Young Guns 12/17 (Pink 4/6, DeBeatham 3/4, Almeida 3/4, Triblet 1/1, Van Vorst 1/2).

Rebounds: The Growth 30 (Porter 8), Young Guns 33 (Almeida 11).

Assists: The Growth 17 (Walker 6), Young Guns 13 (DeBeatham 6).



6:30

Next Level 39, Lockdown 35

In a game where the margin never surpassed 6 points either way, the three Next Level players that are Division 1 commits or hold scholarship offers stepped up in the 4th quarter to bring home a victory for their squad. Next Level held the lead for the majority of the 1st half, but gave it up for the first time on the last field goal of the half, when Amelia Wood (Averill Park 2022) knocked down a three to give Lockdown a 17-16 edge. The 3rd quarter was low scoring, but also featured 4 lead changes including on the last three baskets of the quarter. Guilderland 2019 Gracianna Serravillo's three late in the quarter gave Lockdown another lead at 25-23 heading into the 4th. Next Level responded with an Ava LaClair (Bethlehem 2022) three to take the lead for good. Silke Milliman (Northfield Mount Hermon 2019; Penn commit) followed with a basket, and after Serravillo scored at the other end, Grace Heeps (Northfield Mount Hermon 2019; UMass commit) knocked down a long three on a set play off a LaClair feed. Milliman added a driving layup to give Next Level its largest lead at 33-27. Next Level went 6/6 from the line in the game's waning moments to keep Lockdown at bay, not allowing them closer than 4 the rest of the way.

Milliman paced Next Level with 10 points, and Heeps added 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. LaClair, a rising freshman that received an offer from Fordham last weekend, added 9 points in the victory in her EST debut. Serravillo had her strongest game of the young EST season in defeat, leading all scorers with 13 points.

Lockdown (0-3): Anna Jankovic 2, Graci Serravillo 13, Amelia Wood 6, Graycen Dubin 2, Amanda Mieczkowski 1, EmmaLee Morgan 6, Kelsey Wood 3, Maddisyn Mahoney 2. Totals: 12-7-35.

Next Level (2-1): Ava LaClair 9, Grace Heeps 9, Kaelah Carter 3, Adrien LaMora 2, Lauren Obermayer 2, Abbie Grace 4, Silke Milliman 10. Totals: 14-8-39.

Field Goals: Lockdown 12/54 (Jankovic 1/3, Usborne 0/2, Serravillo 5/8, A. Wood 2/9, Dubin 0/4, Mieczkowski 0/7, Morgan 2/6, K. Wood 1/9, Mahoney 1/6), Next Level 14/42 (Smith 0/1, LaClair 3/11, Heeps 2/6, Carter 1/4, LaMora 1/3, Obermayer 1/6, Grace 2/4, Milliman 4/7).

3-Point Field Goals: Lockdown 4/21 (A. Wood 2/9, Serravillo 1/2, K. Wood 1/2, Jankovic 0/1, Usborne 0/1, Dubin 0/1, Morgan 0/2, Mieczkowski 0/3), Next Level 3/13 (Carter 1/1, Heeps 1/2, LaClair 1/4, Grace 0/1, Obermayer 0/2, Milliman 0/3).

Free Throws: Lockdown 7/14 (Serravillo 2/2, Morgan 2/2, Dubin 2/6, Mieczkowski 1/2, A. Wood 0/2), Next Level 8/11 (Heeps 4/6, LaClair 2/2, Milliman 2/3).

Rebounds: Lockdown 38 (K. Wood 8), Next Level 25 (Heeps 7).

Assists: Lockdown 6 (Dubin 2), Next Level 9 (Heeps 3).


Outwork 52, Dynasty 32

In a game that screamed defensive struggle from the start, Outwork was able to press Dynasty into submission, wearing down the undermanned squad as the game went on to break it open in the 2nd half. After a 1st quarter that saw only 7 combined points and a tight struggle through the middle of the 2nd, Brianna Rozzi (Highland 2019) and Kamryn Hammond (Franklin D. Roosevelt 2019) teamed up for a quick 9-0 spurt to give Outwork some separation. Rozzi found Hammond for a layup plus the foul, and Hammond converted the 3 point play. Rozzi followed it with a three, and then she found Hammond for a three of her own. Dynasty hung around, keeping it competitive and bringing the deficit down to 30-24 on a Belle Kranbuhl (Adirondack 2020) post basket late in the 3rd, but Outwork scored the last 6 of the quarter - capped with another Rozzi three - to regain a double digit cushion. The knockout blow came in the 4th quarter with a 14-1 Outwork run to give them a 23 point lead late. Sarah Mattfeld (Catholic Central 2021) started it with a driving layup, then Kelsea Demelis (Franklin D. Roosevelt 2020) followed it with 5 quick points. Erin Fox (Millbrook 2020) added 5 points in the run to blow the margin open.

Demelis led all scorers with 13 points in the win and added 6 rebounds & 2 steals. Fox added 11 points, and Rozzi knocked down 3 threes and finished with 10 points, 6 assists, and 3 steals. Dynasty, who was missing a half-dozen of their regular players, was paced by Allison Moreau (Sauquoit Valley 2019), who had 9 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.

Dynasty (1-2): Abby Wilkinson 4, Sylvia Liddle 2, Haley Burchhardt 2, Olivia Kelley 3, Allison Moreau 9, Jaelyn Vleer-Elliott 7, Belle Kranbuhl 5. Totals: 10-10-32.

Outwork (3-0): Brianna Rozzi 10, Sam McKenna 5, Kelsea Demelis 13, Kamryn Hammond 6, Erin Fox 11, Sarah Mattfeld 2, Haedyn Roberts 5, Camille Loussedes 1. Totals: 19-8-52.

Field Goals: Dynasty 10/42 (Wilkinson 1/3, Liddle 1/4, Burchhardt 0/2, Kelley 1/7, Moreau 3/11, Vleer-Elliott 3/8, Kranbuhl 1/7), Outwork 19/61 (Rozzi 3/9, McKenna 2/4, Demelis 5/12, Hammond 2/10, Fox 4/10, Mattfeld 1/5, Roberts 2/8, Loussedes 0/3).

3-Point Field Goals: Dynasty 2/14 (Vleer-Elliott 1/3, Moreau 1/7, Wilkinson 0/1, Liddle 0/1, Burchhardt 0/1, Kelley 0/1), Outwork 6/20 (Rozzi 3/7, Hammond 1/2, Fox 1/3, Demelis 1/5, McKenna 0/1, Roberts 0/1, Loussedes 0/1).

Free Throws: Dynasty 10/17 (Kranbuhl 3/4, Wilkinson 2/2, Moreau 2/3, Burchhardt 2/4, Kelley 1/2, Vleer-Elliott 0/2), Outwork 8/14 (Demelis 2/2, Fox 2/5, Hammond 1/1, Rozzi 1/2, Roberts 1/2, Loussedes 1/2).

Rebounds: Dynasty 33 (Kranbuhl 9), Outwork 35 (Hammond 7).

Assists: Dynasty 4 (4 with 1), Outwork 12 (Rozzi 6).