The Mid-Season Check: Next Level

Phase #2 of playing catch-up. If you didn't see the first part - the previous post on this blog - it explains this project further. Since I haven't been keeping up with nightly recaps of ESTers with their high school teams, I decided to add a 'midseason check' to highlight how EST summer leaguers are doing at this point. Next stop, Next Level.

Next Level started off the summer slowly, with a pair of July 1 losses dropping their record to 1-3. However, they turned it around in a major way from there, reeling off six straight wins to end the regular season to earn a top-four seed. Even undermanned on playoff night, they nearly battled their way into the championship game, and they ran away with the 3rd place consolation nightcap. This team was truly a mixed bag, with standouts from not just the Suburban & Foothills in Section 2, but also Section 3, Section 4, and both public & prep schools in WMass represented on the roster. Many of them are turning it up this winter as well. Check the rundown:

Bella Stuart, a New Hampshire signee, has helped Shenendehowa run to a great start this winter.

As far as team success, no one can match the early season stretch of Bella Stuart's Shenendehowa team. This deep Plainsmen squad has been nothing short of a machine, going 9-0 in the early going with all of their margins of victory being at least 15 points against quality competition. They've been putting up points in bunches, scoring 70 or more in all but one game - a 68-53 win over Shaker. Bella, who committed to Division I New Hampshire in the summer & signed in the fall, has been a major piece in their success. Bella, a wing by natural skill set, has slid to more of a pseudo-5 role to best suit team needs. She's averaging 8 PPG in a very balanced Shen attack with a season high of 16, and they're sitting at #3 in the most recent NYSSWA Class AA state rankings, the most highly ranked NYSPHSAA school at this point of the season.

A short drive away, Maddisyn Mahoney has been putting together a strong junior campaign at Shaker. The 6'2" 2021 has developed into one of the region's premier post players, and she's been a driving force for the Blue Bison. She's averaging 9.8 PPG with a recent season high of 18, leading the way for her team in a balanced scoring effort, all while consistently controlling the paint & the glass. Shaker's sitting at 6-5, finding themselves above .500 after a brutal stretch that included over a month stretch without a home game and four games against teams state-ranked in Class AA. Maddi's worked her way onto the radar of a growing amount of Division I programs, and she received her first offer from Fairleigh Dickinson in the fall.

Lauren Filien (Columbia 2021) has been picking it up of late while assuming a new role as an elder statesman on what is seemingly a new-look Columbia team filled with youth & limited in varsity experience. After a slower start in the scorebook, the versatile 6 footer has contributed double digits in their last four games - including 16 points in three straight outings - and is averaging 10.1 PPG to pace Columbia. She's shown the range in the process, stepping out and hitting 13 threes through 8 games, and she's consistently been a formidable shotblocking presence. Columbia's sitting at 2-6 so far.

Lauren Filien has turned it up as of late and is averaging double digits at Columbia.

Up in the old Foothills North land, Brinley Inglee has been putting together another strong season in her final winter wearing Hudson Falls green. The standout 2020 is averaging 17.7 PPG with a season high of 22, and she reeled off double digit nights in each of the Tigers' first eight games with three 20+ point outings. She's knocked down 21 threes and is shooting a touch over 79% from the line. They're 4-5 as they approach the midway point of their season, but they've been on an uptick of late with three wins in their last four games.

As far as individual numbers go, not too many in the entire league are matching what Tessa Cole has been doing. The standout Sherburne-Earlville 2021, who attracts the majority of defensive attention from their CSC opponents including seeing more than her share of junk defenses, is averaging 24.1 PPG (season high 35), which is good for 6th in Section 3. She's dropped 20 or more points in all but two of their games. In the process, she's averaging 5.3 RPG, 3.8 APG, & 5.6 SPG for the Marauders and has knocked down 29 threes. Unfortunately for her, it hasn't always translated to wins, as they're sitting at 3-7 at the midway point. However, they've been in nearly every game, with 5 of the 7 losses being by single digits & a 6th by 11. Tessa's coming up on an individual milestone as well - going into Sherburne's next game against Clinton, she's sitting at 991 career points.

Sylvia Liddle is developing into one of the top players in her area, and the versatile 5'10" 2022 is averaging over 10 PPG while filling the stat sheet for Delhi.

In MAC country in Section 4, the Bulldogs of Delaware Academy have quietly been off to a strong start, and Sylvia Liddle (Delhi 2022) and Sophia Wakin (Delhi 2021) have a lot to do with that. Liddle, a 5'10" guard, and Wakin, a 5'10" forward, have paced a balanced DA effort en route to a 7-2 start. Liddle's averaging 10.2 PPG to lead the way including a recent season high of 17, and Wakin is averaging 9 PPG with a season high of 16. They both consistently fill the stat sheet in other ways as well, case in point being a recent neutral-site win over STAC opponent Chenango Forks. In that win, Wakin added 11 rebounds & 5 steals to her 13 point night, and Liddle chipped in with 10 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, & 8 blocks. They recently broke into the state rankings and sit at #25 in the most recent NYSSWA Class C polls.

Now over to the 413. Across state lines in Massachusetts, Amanda Mieczkowski has handled business early in her 4th year starting in the backcourt for her Northampton squad, who made the Division II state finals last year. The standout 2020, who continues to establish herself as one of WMass' finest talents, has been a driving force behind their 5-1 start. While handling point guard duties, she's leading the way in the books at 16.8 PPG, including a pair of 20+ point outings. She committed to Division II Assumption in the summer & signed in the fall.

Just a few miles away, Jordyn Meunier (Williston Northampton 2021) is in the process of a breakout junior year in the NEPSAC. The 5'10" sharpshooter is averaging 20.6 PPG through their first eight games and has been a model of consistency, scoring 15-25 points in all of their games with 20+ in five of their outings. She's knocked down nearly 30 threes on the young season and also takes care of some ballhandling duties for them, and they're off to a 5-3 start.

Jordyn Meunier is in the midst of a big junior year, averaging over 20 PPG for a 5-3 Williston Northampton squad.

NEXT LEVEL Summer League Stats (notable)

Team Record: 8-4 (3rd)

Tessa Cole (Sherburne-Earlville 2021): 3.6 PPG (high 9), 3 RPG, 7 threes, 10 games played

Lauren Filien (Columbia 2021): 4.7 PPG (high 7 three times), 4.4 RPG, 1.1 BPG, 10 games played

Brinley Inglee (Hudson Falls 2020): 3.1 PPG (high 10 twice), 1.8 RPG, 8 threes, 11 games played

Sylvia Liddle (Delaware Academy 2022): 3.1 PPG (high 9), 3.5 RPG, 10 games played

Maddisyn Mahoney (Shaker 2021): 5.3 PPG (high 12), 5.4 RPG, 10 games played

Jordyn Meunier (Williston Northampton (MA) 2021): 4 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 80% FTs, 6 games played

Amanda Mieczkowski (Northampton (MA) 2020; Assumption signee): 2.9 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 2 APG, 1.5 SPG, 8 games played

Aysia Pink: 11.2 PPG (1st in EST - high 18 twice), 3.8 RPG, 1.8 APG, 46/110 FG (41.8%), 23/60 3P (38.3% - 1st in 3PM, 5th in 3P%), 12 games played

Bella Stuart (Shenendehowa 2020; New Hampshire signee): 9.6 PPG (high 19), 6.4 RPG, 1.6 APG, 33/74 FG (44.6%), 11/30 3P (36.7%), 10 games played

Sophia Wakin (Delaware Academy 2021): 3.6 PPG (high 10), 5.2 RPG, 10 games played