EST Summer League 2018: The Dynasty Follow Up

The 4th annual Empire State Takeover summer league, by all accounts, was the most competitive one yet. Players from throughout upstate New York & western New England made the trip to Union College on several occasions to battle for bragging rights & to get pushed by other top talent. Over the next couple weeks, each team/individual will be highlighted with updates regarding how their high school seasons have went to date.

Starting off with a Section 3 heavy Dynasty team. All but two of its regular members were from Section 3, with many coming from the Utica area and representing the Tri-Valley League & Center State Conference. This team, despite having plenty of talent including a pair of players with an impressive list of Division I offers, finished last in the standings at 4-10. Unlike some teams that had a consistent core of 8-9 players there every night, Dynasty's downfall was how often they had to go undermanned with players missing time for various reasons. They had their impressive moments though, and they finished on a high note - with a full squad - by winning their last two games. This winter, some of them have had among the most eye-popping numbers of anyone that participated in EST in 2018. The rundown:

Allison Moreau is, once again, having a monster year to put a cap on an illustrious high school career at Sauquoit Valley.

It's been quite the winter for Allison Moreau (Sauquoit Valley 2019). The three-year ESTer had her most productive summer in 2018. On a team that had balanced scoring, she averaged 6.7 PPG (season high 16), 4 RPG, & 1.4 SPG. She made 13 threes (6th in EST) and was in the top 20 in total points. Already with an illustrious high school career to that point, she's only etched her name among Section 3's record books even more. She's averaging 26.4 PPG, including 5 games of 30+ points with a season high of 41, and already has over 500 points on the season with games still remaining. She's also contributed 10.7 RPG, 4 APG, and slightly over 3 SPG & 2 BPG. Over the course of the winter, she became a rare addition to the 2,000 point club and she currently sits at #3 on Section 3's all-time scoring list... behind Emily Durr (Iowa State) and Breanna Stewart (you've probably heard of her). The multi-sport standout - highly regarded for her exploits protecting the net on the soccer pitch as well - will be heading to Le Moyne on scholarship in the fall to play keeper for the 'Phins.

Hannah Scott (Whitesboro 2019), Kelsey Wands (Whitesboro 2019), and Kiley Snow (Whitesboro 2020) have played integral roles for a now-surging Warriors squad. The three all had their moments over the course of the summer for Dynasty. For Whitesboro this winter, Hannah has been a catalyst as the team's floor general. She's averaged 11.7 PPG (season high 25), 6.5 RPG, 6.6 APG, & 3.1 SPG, and she's dished out 5 or more assists in all but one game so far. Kiley is Whitesboro's leading scorer, averaging 12.9 PPG (season high 21 twice) & 7.1 RPG. The 5'11" wing has knocked down 26 threes and has also produced back-to-back double-doubles in narrow wins. Kelsey looks to be not only fully recovered, but in her best form after recovering from a serious knee injury suffered in 2017. The 6'0" forward is averaging a double-double of 10.8 PPG & 10.4 RPG along with 2.5 BPG. She's been a major part of the Warriors' recent success - after a below .500 first half, they've went 6-1 so far in 2019 to potentially become a major player in the upcoming Section 3 Class A playoffs.

As a true PG, Hannah Scott may not end up with the individual statistic accolades of some of her peers, but her value to Whitesboro over the last couple years has been immeasurable.

Abby Wilkinson (Bishop Grimes 2019) has been the driving force for the Cobras this winter. A longtime varsity stalwart and standout in the Syracuse area, she's increased her production for Grimes to new heights. Abby is currently averaging 20.1 PPG (season high 32), 6.3 RPG, and just under 2.5 APG & 2.5 SPG this winter. Along the way, she became a member of the 1,000 point club and is now hovering around the 1,200 point mark with games still remaining. Abby will be heading to Salisbury University, a Division III in Maryland, in the fall to continue her education & basketball career.

Belle Kranbuhl (Adirondack 2020) is having the best of her four varsity seasons to date, and she's established herself as one of the most dominant post presences in CNY. After averaging 8.1 PPG (season high 18) & 5.8 RPG in summer 2018 - her 3rd year in EST - the 6'3" forward is producing career highs in points, rebounds, and blocks while continuing to rack up Division I offers. She's averaging 18.6 PPG (season high 27), 9.1 RPG, & 4.5 BPG per stats reported to the Post-Standard, and she's had 9 double-doubles & a 19 p/14 r/11 b triple-double this season. On top of that, Boonville, NY has become a destination for several Northeast D1 coaches this winter as she's months away from being the 3rd Division I commit out of the Center State Conference in the last five graduating classes. She's recently added offers from Albany & Bucknell to an extensive list that includes LaSalle, Hofstra, Manhattan, Niagara, Holy Cross, Iona, & more.

Belle Kranbuhl continues to develop and become more impactful, and she's turned into a nearly unstoppable force for Adirondack in her 4th varsity campaign.

Sydney Lusher (Oneida 2021) has played an integral role in the regular season success of her Oneida Indians this winter, and hopes to be playing into March as they look to be a major player in Section 3's upcoming Class B playoffs. She started to come into her own as her 1st EST summer league go-around went on, and although she wasn't a big scorer, she started to fill the stat sheet. This winter, the 5'10" guard has filled it to the brim while running the point for Oneida. She's posting career highs to this point in all five major statistical categories, averaging 11.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 6.4 APG, 2.2 SPG, & 3.3 BPG (per stats reported to the Post-Standard) for the 13-3 Indians. In the meantime, she's been able to squeeze in unofficial visits to Dartmouth & UMass as collegiate interest is starting to develop.

Sydney Lusher has flourished in her role at Oneida and has been a catalyst in their most successful regular season in recent memory.

Jaelyn Vleer-Elliott (Brookfield 2021), a versatile 6'0" player that's been known to put up some gaudy numbers at her high school, is taking 'stat stuffer' to an entirely different level this winter. After a summer that saw her average 4.5 PPG & 6.5 RPG - one of six players on the Dynasty team to average between 4-7 PPG - her production has been eye-popping at times for a team looking to contend for a Section 3 Class D championship. Now moving to various spots on the floor for Brookfield including playing plenty of PG, she's averaging 16.9 PPG (season high 29), 15 RPG, 8.3 APG, 3.4 SPG, & 4.3 BPG per stats reported to the Post-Standard. She's produced at least a double-double in every game this winter, and she's already been credited for a remarkable 6 triple-doubles out of 14 games.

Jaelyn Vleer-Elliott is putting forth monster numbers once again for a Brookfield team contending for a sectional title.

Haley Burchhardt (Schalmont 2022) has made a growing impact for her Sabres squad in her 2nd year at the varsity level. She's averaging 14.2 PPG, including a new season high of 28 points scored in their last game. Her production to go alongside classmate Payton Graber has been especially important for a Schalmont squad that's hovered around the .500 mark all winter. She looks to be back to around full strength heading into the stretch run for Section 2 Class B playoffs, after an ankle injury made her miss four games earlier in January - they went 1-3 in that stretch.

Kaia Henderson (New Hartford 2022) is adding to an already impressive portfolio with a monster freshman campaign - and some major offers to go along with it. In her 1st summer in EST, she averaged 6.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG, & 2.1 APG and had plenty of shining moments on a pretty balanced squad. Her production & impact this year for the Spartans, a team that will certainly get a high seed in the upcoming Section 3 Class A playoffs, has been nothing short of remarkable. After averaging nearly 26 PPG last winter as an 8th grader, she's pumped that up to 28.9 PPG to date. Out of their 16 games so far, she's scored at least 20 in all but one, and she's added a handful of 30+ point performances and a pair of 40+ point games. Kaia blew past the 1,000 point mark early in the season and is already around 1,300 for her varsity career. On top of all the numbers, the offers have been piling in due to her exploits on the court. Syracuse pulled the trigger, and then schools such as Virginia Tech & Providence have since offered the dynamic freshman.

Kaia Henderson, just in her freshman year, has established herself as one of upstate NY's most electrifying players to watch.

Alexis Wright (Berne-Knox-Westerlo 2022), a skilled 5'11" forward, was noticeably starting to come into her own in her 1st year in EST before an ankle injury sidelined her for the rest of the summer. She was one of the league's more efficient players offensively, shooting 45% from the field. This winter, however, has been nothing short of a breakout campaign for her. Alexis is averaging just over 18 PPG (season high 29), in Section II's top 15 in scoring per game for the 14-4 Bulldogs, and they're looking to try & make some noise in the upcoming Section 2 Class C playoffs.