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.