4TH ANNUAL EST UPSTATE FALL SHOWCASE: Sunday, October 7 (Full Info W/ Registration Links)

4th Annual EST Upstate Fall Showcase

Date: October 7, 2018 (Sunday)

Time: 10:00-1:00 (Session 1), 1:00-4:00 (Session 2)

Site: Pat Riley Sports Center at Schenectady High School (1445 The Plaza, Schenectady, NY 12308)

Cost: $70

REGISTRATION FORM: https://jeffmlinar.wufoo.com/forms/q3zv1z60urqvbs/

PAYPAL LINK: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=SJG9XRXLQW9K4

EST's annual fall event, which has grown exponentially every year, is back for a 4th go-around!

After a very successful October event in 2017 that saw 108 athletes blanket two Sunday sessions and coaches from 35 college programs in the gym - the largest EST one-day event up to that point and the first to fill two sessions - the EST Upstate Fall Showcase is back for its 4th installment. It'll take place on Sunday, October 7 and for the 3rd straight year, the event will be held at the Pat Riley Sports Center at Schenectady High School,

Athletes will hit the court for a 3 hour period, participating in a heavy load of structured, competitive 3v3 & 5v5 play along with a segment of individual skill & drill work. Athletes will take part in two full 5v5 games in Schenectady's main gym (2 courts), and the individual skill session in the back gym will include no more than 20 players at a time, allowing more individual attention & detail-oriented work. Previous skill sessions at the Fall Showcase have been coordinated by current & former college coaches.

The EST Upstate Fall Showcase is expected to have a diverse base of talent. Previous EST events have featured athletes from all reaches of upstate New York - a strong base from the Capital District, with talent ranging down to Westchester County, up to the Canadian border, west to the Buffalo area, and everywhere in between - along with additional talent hailing from Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. College coaches from throughout the Northeast & Mid-Atlantic regions, spanning various conferences at the Division II & Division III ranks, have been in the gym at EST events to evaluate talent.

In order to register, all you need to do is submit the registration form online & submit payment. The registration form takes around 5 minutes - detailed contact info, basic academic & athletic info - and is submitted quickly & securely online. Payment can be submitted through PayPal for a quick, convenient method ($73 instead of $70 if using PayPal due to their service fee). If you'd prefer using another payment option (check/cash), not a problem - just inform me upon registration.

In just over three years, Empire State Takeover events have emerged as not only a leading option for high level competition & college exposure in upstate NY, but one of the top options in the entire Northeast. EST events have been a haven for many Division 2 & Division 3 schools from throughout the Northeast, along with junior colleges & New England prep schools. Players that have attended previous EST Fall Upstate Showcase events will be suiting up this year at schools such as Division Is LIU Brooklyn & Vermont, Division IIs Franklin Pierce, Le Moyne, Queens, St. Anselm, & St. Rose, along with dozens of Division III schools & junior colleges. Class of 2019 participants from previous fall events have given their verbal commitments to schools such as UMass, Loyola (MD), New Haven, and St. Michael's. When including all EST events to date, over 100 athletes featured are playing collegiate basketball or have made verbal commitments to schools for next fall. Hopefully you will be next!

If there are any questions, feel free to contact me at any time. Hope to see you in the gym at Schenectady High School on October 7!

REGISTERED PLAYER LIST

Morning Session (10:00-1:00)

Lexi Emmi (5'6", 2019)
Keely Glasheen (5'6, 2019)

Taylor Hansen (5'9", 2019)

Olivia Kelley (5'9", 2019)

Olivia Langdon (5'11", 2019)

Ashlynn McKnight (5'7", 2019)

Anna Milham (5'9", 2019)

Hannah Scott (5'4", 2019)

Gracianna Serravillo (5'8", 2019)

Kelsey Terrell (5'4", 2019)

Lexi Van Vorst (5'5", 2019)

Kelsey Bennett (5'7", 2020)

Katie Chisholm (5'7", 2020)

Graycen Dubin (5'8", 2020)

Halea Eaton (5'7", 2020)

Charli Goverski (5'10", 2020)

Georgia Haverlock (5'7, 2020)

Alaina Holmes (5'9", 2020)

Belle Kranbuhl (6'3", 2020)

Mary Lobdell (5'9", 2020)

Abby Lombardoni (5'7", 2020)

Breanna Lott (5'11", 2020)

Mikyla Mitchell (5'6", 2020)

Lauren Nawojski (5'10", 2020)

Camille Roberts (6'2", 2020)

Mikayla Russo (5'6", 2020)

Ashley Seymour (5'7", 2020)

Ally Shoemaker (5'7", 2020)

Sarah Sieminski (5'7", 2020)

Kiley Snow (5'11", 2020)

Logan Thayne (6'1", 2020)

Kelsey Wood (6'0", 2020)

Alana Batson (5'7", 2021)

Dezia Becker (5'2", 2021)

Solé Carrington (5'6", 2021)

Julia Harvey (5'7", 2021)

Melanie Hoyt (6'2", 2021)

Anna Lee (5'6", 2021)

Sydney Lusher (5'10", 2021)

Maddisyn Mahoney (6'1", 2021)

Antonia May (5'11", 2021)

Jordyn Meunier (5'9", 2021)

Mackenzie Moreau (5'4", 2021)

Kate Peek (5'9", 2021)

Sophie Pelton (5'5", 2021)

Mackenzie Searles (5'9", 2021)

Sophia Wakin (5'10", 2021)

Kayleigh Bryant (5'7", 2022)

Sophia Chevrier (5'9", 2022)

Catherine Dadey (5'7", 2022)

Ryleigh Endres (5'3", 2022)

Sarah Jacques (5'11", 2022)

Sylvia Liddle (5'10", 2022)

Katie Marlow (5'9", 2022)

Cassidy McKnight (5'5", 2022)

Margaret Nawojski (5'7", 2022)

Francesca Vassilakos (5'4", 2022)

Amelia Wood (6'0", 2022)

Natasha Chudy (6'0", 2023)

Kaetlyn L'Amoreaux (5'6", 2023)

Lauren Patnode (5'10", 2023)

Afternoon Session (1:00-4:00)

Katie Costello (5'9", 2019)

Emily Erickson (5'7", 2019)

Ashlyn O'Neil (5'9", 2019)

Madelynn Stearns (5'6", 2019)

Genevieve Swanson (5'8", 2019)

Juliana Valenti (5'4", 2019)

Abby Wilkinson (5'6", 2019)

Makayla Blake (6'1", 2020)

Jill Casey (5'11", 2020)

Kaci Donovan (6'1", 2020)

Julia Logana (6'0", 2020)

Reilly McCarthy (6'0", 2020)

Amanda Mieczkowski (5'7", 2020)

Lexi Miller (5'9", 2020)

Ahnalese Pearson (5'4", 2020)

Haedyn Roberts (6'1", 2020)

Piper Seamon (5'7", 2020)

Caitlin Snyder (5'8", 2020)

Savannah Sommer (5'11", 2020)

Bella Stuart (5'10", 2020)

Kaitlyn Watrobski (5'7", 2020)

Jenalyse Alarcon (5'8", 2021)

Molly Brophy (5'11", 2021)

Rylee Carpenter (5'9", 2021)

Gianna Chairmonte (5'5", 2021)

Alyssa DiMillo (5'5", 2021)

KJ Gordon (5'2", 2021)

Leana Heitmann (6'0", 2021)

Meghan Huerter (5'9", 2021)

Anna Jankovic (5'8", 2021)

Olivia Olsen (6'1", 2021)

Candese Osborne (5'7", 2021)

Lilly Phillips (5'11", 2021)

Sophie Phillips (5'11", 2021)

Aysia Pink (5'9", 2021)

Abby Ray (5'8", 2021)

Julia Rowe (5'11", 2021)

Karlyssa Shifflett (5'8", 2021)

Reese Vaughan (5'9", 2021)

Mary Young (5'8", 2021)

Kaelah Carter (5'6", 2022)

Jada Ghee (5'4", 2022)

Jillian Huerter (5'9", 2022)

Teagan Kamm (6'1", 2022)

Ava LaClair (5'6", 2022)

Maren Louridas (5'11", 2022)

Jaylyn Prouty (5'2", 2022)

Emma Shields (6'1", 2022)

Emma Sodoma (5'8", 2022)

Macie Trimarchi (5'10", 2022)

Karsyn Bellomo (5'4", 2023)

Brianna Carey (5'5", 2023)

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).

4th Annual EST League Opening Night Results & Recaps

(Individual box scoring done in field goals made-free throws made-total points format. If no free throws made, just two numbers - field goals made-total points.)

5:30

Young Guns 49, Dynasty 33

An ice cold 3rd quarter proved to be Dynasty's undoing in the season opener for both teams, as the Section 3 heavy team went over 16 minutes without a point, allowing Young Guns to turn a deficit into a 20 point lead in the 2nd half. Dynasty opened up their season strong, scoring the first 8 points out of the gate capped by a Hannah Scott (Whitesboro 2019) three. Young Guns would respond with an 8-0 run of their own shortly thereafter, with Aysia Pink (Guilderland 2021) knocking down a three off a feed from Anna Milham (Shenendehowa 2019) to give them a 12-10 lead. 5 quick points in the 2nd quarter from Kaia Henderson (New Hartford 2022) stopped the Dynasty bleeding, and she found teammate Jaelyn Vleer-Elliott (Brookfield 2021) for a basket to give them a 19-15 edge in the middle of the 2nd, but that's where it went dry for Dynasty. Young Guns would score the last 7 of the quarter, and follow it up by shooting 7/14 in the 3rd while outscoring Dynasty 17-0 in the quarter. A Kyara Triblet (Colonie 2019; St. Michael's commit) basket to start the 4th, just after she finished the 3rd with a basket, gave Young Guns its largest lead of 21 at 41-19. Dynasty would battle from there, showing signs of things to come as Scott found Belle Kranbuhl (Adirondack 2020) three times in the 4th quarter for buckets, but it was far too much to overcome. Milham had a fantastic EST debut for Young Guns, leading all scorers with 14 points on 6/9 shooting and adding 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. Pink & Triblet joined her in double figures; Pink with 11 points (4/6 FG) and Triblet with 10 (5/7 FG) and 6 rebounds. Lexi Van Vorst (Columbia 2019) added 8 points and 3 blocks. For Dynasty, Henderson finished with 10 points in her EST debut. Kranbuhl added 9, 6 coming in the final frame.

Dynasty (0-1): Sydney Lusher 1-3, Hannah Scott 1-2-5, Kiley Snow 1-2, Kaia Henderson 4-10, Allison Moreau 1-2, Jaelyn Vleer-Elliott 1-2, Belle Kranbuhl 4-9. Totals: 13-3-33.

Young Guns (1-0): Lexi Van Vorst 3-1-8, Mackenzie Searles 1-2, Aysia Pink 4-2-11, Kyara Triblet 5-10, Anna Milham 6-14, Julia DeBeatham 1-3, Makayla Blake 0-1-1. Totals: 20-4-49.

Field Goals: Dynasty 13/48 (Lusher 1/6, Scott 1/3, Burchhardt 0/4, Snow 1/4, Henderson 4/12, Wright 0/1, Moreau 1/5, Vleer-Elliott 1/5, Kranbuhl 4/5, Wands 0/3), Young Guns 20/49 (Van Vorst 3/8, Shields 0/0, Searles 1/2, Pink 4/6, Triblet 5/7, Milham 6/9, DeBeatham 1/5, Almeida 0/9, Blake 0/3).

3-Point Field Goals: Dynasty 4/23 (Henderson 2/6, Scott 1/2, Lusher 1/3, Snow 0/2, Vleer-Elliott 0/2, Burchhardt 0/4, Moreau 0/4), Young Guns 5/13 (MIlham 2/2, DeBeatham 1/2, Pink 1/3, Van Vorst 1/5, Triblet 0/1, Almeida 0/1).

Free Throws: Dynasty 3/8 (Scott 2/2, Kranbuhl 1/2, Wright 0/2, Vleer-Elliott 0/2), Young Guns 4/12 (Pink 2/6, Van Vorst 1/2, Blake 1/2, Shields 0/2).

Rebounds: Dynasty 25 (Wands 6), Young Guns 36 (Triblet, DeBeatham, Almeida 6).

Assists: Dynasty 6 (Scott 3), Young Guns 12 (Milham 4).

Outwork 33, The Growth 32

The season opener for both teams was a game where scoring was hard to come by for both teams, but a Section 9 heavy Outwork squad had just enough to hold off a late push from The Growth. In what was a back-and-forth game early, a three from Brianna Rozzi (Highland 2019) late in the 2nd quarter gave Outwork a 17-15 lead - a lead they'd never relinquish. It also sparked a 10-2 run that lasted deep into the 3rd quarter, the end of which - a Sam McKenna (Millbrook 2019) layup from Rozzi - gave Outwork its largest lead of 7. After The Growth cut into the deficit once again, McKenna found newcomer Kelsea Demelis (FDR - Hyde Park 2020) for a three to push the lead back to 29-23. The Growth found its answer in Colonie classmates Ahnalese Pearson and Sareena Dicerbo. The 2020s connected, with Pearson feeding Dicerbo in the post for a bucket plus the harm to cut their deficit back to 1. A late Pearson runner cut it back to 1 to answer a Grace VanRoy (Saugerties 2019) basket from Rozzi, and The Growth got one final chance in the waning moments after Pearson knocked the ball off an Outwork player to regain possession. Pearson got a look at a deep three off a sideline out of bounds play, but it fell short just before the buzzer. VanRoy led Outwork with 8 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks, and Demelis added 7 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals. Outwork's frantic defensive effort paid off, as they finished with 11 steals, 10 blocks, and held The Growth to 12/59 shooting. Dicerbo led The Growth with 8 points and 8 rebounds, and Solé Carrington (Shaker 2021) had a strong EST debut, contributing 7 points and 8 rebounds in the narrow defeat.

Outwork (1-0): Brianna Rozzi 1-3, Sam McKenna, 1-4-6, Kelsea Demelis 3-7, Bella Stuart 2-1-6, Sarah Mattfeld 0-3-3, Grace VanRoy 4-8. Totals: 11-8-33.

The Growth (0-1): Ahnalese Pearson 2-5, Kaitlyn Watrobski 2-4, Sareena Dicerbo 2-4-8, Madison Graham 1-3, Solé Carrington 3-1-7, Grace Mahar 1-2, Rhaymi Porter 1-1-3. Totals: 12-6-32.

Field Goals: Outwork 11/55 (Iannotti 0/3, Rozzi 1/7, McKenna 1/11, Demelis 3/9, A. VanRoy 0/3, Fox 0/1, Stuart 2/4, Mattfeld 0/1, G. VanRoy 4/13, Roberts 0/3), The Growth 12/59 (Pearson 2/10, Watrobski 2/8, Dicerbo 2/4, Graham 1/7, Carrington 3/11, Mahar 1/7, Filien 0/1, Paeglow 0/6, Porter 1/5).

3-Point Field Goals: Outwork 3/18 (Rozzi 1/3, Demelis 1/3, Stuart 1/3, Iannotti 0/1, A. VanRoy 0/1, G. VanRoy 0/3, McKenna 0/4), The Growth 2/23 (Graham 1/4, Pearson 1/8, Dicerbo 0/1, Mahar 0/1, Porter 0/2, Watrobski 0/3, Carrington 0/4).

Free Throws: Outwork 8/12 (McKenna 4/4, Mattfeld 3/4, Stuart 1/4), The Growth 6/12 (Dicerbo 4/7, Carrington 1/1, Porter 1/2, Paeglow 0/2).

Rebounds: Outwork 36 (G. VanRoy, Roberts 9), The Growth 42 (Dicerbo, Carrington, Porter 8).

Assists: Outwork 7 (Rozzi 3), The Growth 6 (Graham, Paeglow 2).

Other Notables: Although she was held scoreless, Haedyn Roberts provided 9 rebounds & 2 blocks for Outwork. Sarah Mattfeld accounted for a team high 3 of Outwork's 11 blocks... Starting halves strong on the offensive end was a major issue for both sides. There were only 11 combined points scored in both the 1st & 3rd quarters; Outwork outscored The Growth 6-5 in the 1st quarter and 7-4 in the 3rd.


6:30

Next Level 50, Rising Stars 40

A back-and-forth affair turned in Next Level's favor following a strong stretch in the middle of the 4th quarter, and the team in Carolina blue was able to take home a W in the opener for both teams. After a strong start from the Stars, Next Level went on a 9-0 run to end the 1st quarter, ending with an Abbie Grace (Northfield Mount Hermon (MA) 2022) three and a feed from Grace to Deliah Smith (FDR - Hyde Park 2020) for a layup to give them a 5 point lead. Their lead would extend to 7 on a Callie Chevalier (Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake 2022) bucket before the Rising Stars would claw back to remain within striking distance. In the 3rd quarter, it was Dolly Cairns (Saratoga Springs 2020) who gave the Stars the boost they needed. A Cairns bucket cut their deficit to 3, and following another Grace field goal, Cairns answered with a trey and pull-up jumper that sparked a 10-0 run, ending in a Cairns to Andrea Sumida (Jamesville-DeWitt 2020) connection that gave Rising Stars a 29-24 lead. They got the lead back to 5 once in the 4th quarter when Cairns found Kerry Flaherty (Saratoga Springs 2019; Holy Cross commit) for a basket, but the tide turned there. Next Level followed with a 10-0 run, with 5 points coming from Alyssa Stevenson (South Jefferson 2019), including a strong up & under move and finish to give them a 36-35 lead. After a late push from the Stars, a Grace Heeps (Northfield Mount Hermon (MA) 2019; UMass commit) basket and Jackie Piddock (South Jefferson 2022) three sealed the deal for Next Level. Heeps led the way for Next Level with 12 points and added 6 rebounds, and Stevenson had a monster EST debut, finishing with a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds. Abbie Grace & Jackie Piddock added 8 apiece; Grace added 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks, and Piddock contributed 4 assists. Cairns led all scorers in defeat with 13 points, and she added 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Flaherty added 10 points and 5 rebounds.

Next Level (1-0): Deliah Smith 1-2, Grace Heeps 6-12, Jackie Piddock 2-2-8, Callie Chevalier 2-5, Adrien LaMora 1-2, Lauren Obermayer 1-1-3, Abbie Grace 3-8, Alyssa Stevenson 4-2-10. Totals: 20-5-50.

Rising Stars (0-1): Paige Keeler 1-2, Brinley Inglee 0-1-1, Kerry Flaherty 4-10, Olivia Langdon 0-1-1, Lexie Roe 2-5, Sophie Tougas 1-3, Dolly Cairns 6-13, Catherine Dadey 1-3, Andrea Sumida 1-2. Totals: 16-2-40.

Field Goals: Next Level 20/58 (Smith 1/2, Winney 0/3, Heeps 6/13, Piddock 2/8, Chevalier 2/5, LaMora 1/5, Obermayer 1/8, Grace 3/5, Stevenson 4/9), Rising Stars 16/55 (Keeler 1/2, Inglee 0/2, Flaherty 4/11, Langdon 0/4, Roe 2/7, Tougas 1/6, VanAuken 0/2, Cairns 6/14, Dadey 1/5, Sumida 1/2).

3-Point Field Goals: Next Level 5/23 (Grace 2/4, Piddock 2/6, Chevalier 1/3, Smith 0/1, Winney 0/2, Obermayer 0/3, Heeps 0/4), Rising Stars 6/27 (Flaherty 2/6, Cairns 1/3, Roe 1/4, Tougas 1/5, Dadey 1/5, Keeler 0/1, Inglee 0/1, Langdon 0/2).

Free Throws: Next Level 5/11 (Piddock 2/2, Stevenson 2/4, Obermayer 1/1, Smith 0/1, Heeps 0/1, LaMora 0/2), Rising Stars 2/6 (Inglee 1/2, Langdon 1/4).

Rebounds: Next Level 42 (Stevenson 13), Rising Stars 37 (Tougas 6).

Assists: Next Level 13 (Piddock, Grace 4), Rising Stars 7 (Cairns 3).


Next Big Thing 46, Lockdown 42

A furious 4th quarter rally fell just short for Lockdown, as they nearly stole a season opening victory after falling behind by as much as 21 in the 3rd quarter. After Lockdown opened the scoring with a Kelsey Wood (Averill Park 2020) basket, Next Big Thing reeled off 22 straight points - 20 of them in the final 5 minutes of the 1st quarter - while holding Lockdown scoreless for the remainder of the quarter. A large portion of the run was fueled by 2nd-year teammates Sophie Phillips (Cambridge 2021) and Renna Poulin (Tamarac 2019), who scored 8 and 7 in the quarter, respectively. Though Lockdown broke out of their slump and improved play in the middle quarters, NBT was able to keep their cushion, extending it to as much as 21 after an Ella Stewart (St. Paul's School (NH) 2020) runner made the score 40-19 late in the 3rd quarter. Lockdown made things interesting in the 4th quarter, thanks in large part to the aforementioned Wood and fellow Averill Park teammates EmmaLee Morgan and sister Amelia Wood. After a Logan Thayne (Hoosick Falls 2020) trey extended NBT's lead to 17 following a 4 point swing from Morgan, Kelsey Wood answered with a three off a Morgan assist that started a 14-0 Lockdown run. Amanda Mieczkowski (Northampton (MA) 2020) scored off a handoff from Kelsey Wood, then little sister Amelia - a rising freshman - scored and added a free throw to cut the deficit to 8. Mieczkowski scored again on a baseline drive, and a Morgan three off an Amelia Wood assist cut Lockdown's deficit to 45-42 - the closest they'd been since the middle of the 1st quarter. Having to play the foul game, Thayne was sent to the line in the closing seconds with a chance to ice the game - after missing the 1st, the 2nd free throw rang true, giving NBT a 2 possession lead in the final seconds. Poulin led all scorers with 13 points for NBT. Sophie Phillips added 10 points on 4/6 shooting and 3 assists, and Thayne contributed 8 points and 9 rebounds. Morgan paced Lockdown with 12 points, and Kelsey Wood was a point short of a double-double, finishing with 9 points and 10 rebounds.

Lockdown (0-1): Anna Jankovic 3-7, Aliyah Wright 0-1-1, Amelia Wood 2-1-6, Graycen Dubin 0-1-1, Amanda Mieczkowski 2-4, EmmaLee Morgan 3-3-12, Kelsey Wood 3-2-9, Victoria Konicki 1-2. Totals: 14-8-42.

Next Big Thing (1-0): Lilly Phillips 1-2, Sophie Phillips 4-10, Renna Poulin 5-13, Jenalyse Alarcon 1-2-4, Ella Stewart 2-4, Logan Thayne 3-1-8, Alaina Holmes 2-5. Totals: 18-3-46.

Field Goals: Lockdown 14/50 (Graber 0/1, Jankovic 3/8, Wright 0/2, Serravillo 0/2, A. Wood 2/8, Dubin 0/5, Mieczkowski 2/4, Morgan 3/6, K. Wood 3/8, Mahoney 0/2, Konicki 1/4), NBT 18/65 (L. Phillips 1/5, S. Phillips 4/6, Brophy 0/4, McKnight 0/3, Poulin 5/10, Alarcon 1/6, Stewart 2/4, Mel Hoyt 0/10, Thayne 3/12, Holmes 2/5).

3-Point Field Goals: Lockdown 6/21 (Morgan 3/4, Jankovic 1/3, K. Wood 1/3, A. Wood 1/6, Wright 0/1, Serravillo 0/1, Dubin 0/1, Mieczkowski 0/2), NBT 7/14 (Poulin 3/4, S. Phillips 2/2, Thayne 1/2, Holmes 1/2, McKnight 0/1, Mel Hoyt 0/1, L. Phillips 0/2).

Free Throws: Lockdown 8/18 (Morgan 3/4, K. Wood 2/4, Wright 1/2, A. Wood 1/2, Dubin 1/2, Mieczkowski 0/2, Mahoney 0/2), NBT 3/6 (Alarcon 2/2, Thayne 1/2, McKnight 0/2).

Rebounds: Lockdown 44 (K. Wood 10), NBT 36 (Thayne 9).

Assists: Lockdown 9 (Morgan, K. Wood 2), NBT 13 (L. Phillips, S. Phillips, McKnight 3).


7:30

Outwork 41, Young Guns 37

In a matchup between two teams looking to end their season opening night unscathed, Outwork was able to make just enough plays to hold off a tough Young Guns squad in a game that had the grind-it-out feel of a playoff game rather than a late June tilt. Outwork led essentially wire to wire, with Young Guns tying it twice during the middle quarters, but the margin remained within single digits throughout the game. Brianna Rozzi (Highland 2019) knocked down a pair of threes to start the game, catapulting an Outwork 8-0 run to start the game. Julia DeBeatham (Shaker 2020) responded for Young Guns with a pair of threes of her own, and this back-and-forth trend was a sign of things to come. Outwork saw its largest lead in the middle of the 2nd quarter, as a pair of Sam McKenna (Millbrook 2019) free throws provided them a 21-12 edge. Consecutive Lexi Van Vorst (Columbia 2019) threes charged a 9-0 Young Guns run to tie it late in the half. After they tied it once again late in the 3rd quarter, Outwork responded with a quick run, and a Bella Stuart (Shenendehowa 2020) three rattled home off a McKenna feed to push their lead to 35-27. Young Guns had one more push, thanks to the prowess of Kyara Triblet (Colonie 2019; St. Michael's commit) and Aysia Pink (Guilderland 2021). Triblet went on a personal 6-1 push, with her final basket closing the gap to 36-33. McKenna, who scored Outwork's last 6 points, knocked down a three to extend the lead. Pink responded with consecutive baskets to cut the deficit to 39-37 with just over a minute remaining, but McKenna got out in transition and had a tough lefty finish around the rim to ice the game in the waning moments. Any Young Guns plans for late heroics were calmed by a defensive stop, where Erin Fox (Millbrook 2020) stole a pass to secure the win. McKenna had a strong 4th quarter and led the way with 12 points & 4 rebounds for Outwork. Rozzi knocked down 3 of Outwork's 8 threes and added 11 points & 4 assists. Van Vorst led the way for Young Guns with 12 points, doing so on just 5 shot attempts, and 3 steals. Triblet added 8 points (4/6 FG) and 4 rebounds.

Outwork (2-0): Brianna Rozzi 4-11, Sam McKenna 3-4-12, Kelsea Demelis 2-5, Bella Stuart 1-1-4, Sarah Mattfeld 2-2-7, Grace VanRoy 1-2. Totals: 13-7-41.

Young Guns (1-1): Lexi Van Vorst 4-1-12, Aysia Pink 2-1-5, Kyara Triblet 4-8, Anna Milham 1-2, Julia DeBeatham 2-6, Cat Almeida 0-2-2, Makayla Blake 0-2-2. Totals: 13-6-37.

Field Goals: Outwork 13/46 (Iannotti 0/2, Rozzi 4/12, McKenna 3/11, Demelis 2/7, A. VanRoy 0/2, Fox 0/3, Stuart 1/3, Mattfeld 2/3, G. VanRoy 1/2, Roberts 0/1), Young Guns 13/37 (Van Vorst 4/5, Shields 0/1, Searles 0/0, Pink 2/8, Triblet 4/6, Milham 1/8, DeBeatham 2/7, Almeida 0/2, Blake 0/0).

3-Point Field Goals: Outwork 8/24 (Rozzi 3/6, McKenna 2/6, Mattfeld 1/1, Stuart 1/2, Demelis 1/5, Iannotti 0/2, A. VanRoy 0/2), Young Guns 5/13 (Van Vorst 3/4, DeBeatham 2/3, Triblet 0/1, Almeida 0/1, Pink 0/4).

Free Throws: Outwork 7/14 (McKenna 4/6, Mattfeld 2/2, Stuart 1/4, Demelis 0/2), Young Guns 6/15 (Almeida 2/4, Blake 2/4, Van Vorst 1/2, Pink 1/3, Searles 0/2).

Rebounds: Outwork 32 (Roberts 7), Young Guns 26 (Milham 5).

Assists: Outwork 8 (Rozzi 4), Young Guns 9 (Pink, DeBeatham 3).


Dynasty 50, The Growth 27

Dynasty's constant full-court pressure proved to make all the difference, as they wore down The Growth in their opening night nightcap to even their record with a blowout victory. A 12-0 Dynasty run in the 1st quarter - 7 points from Kaia Henderson (New Hartford 2022) and 5 from Allison Moreau (Sauquoit Valley 2019) - gave them an early double-digit lead, and their opponents never got closer than 5 the rest of the way. The deciding run started late in the 2nd quarter with a Jaelyn Vleer-Elliott (Brookfield 2021) basket, and Moreau followed with 5 more points before the half to push Dynasty's lead to 15. It only continued after intermission, with Belle Kranbuhl (Adirondack 2020) scoring 8 3rd quarter points, the last of which extended their run to 19-0 and gave them a 40-13 lead. The Growth finally saw some success after that, limiting turnovers and winning the 4th quarter. Moreau led all scorers with 14 points for Dynasty, and she added 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks for a well-rounded performance. Kranbuhl contributed a double-double of 12 points & 11 rebounds, and Henderson had 7 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. Madison Graham (Ichabod Crane 2020) paced The Growth with 8 points.

Dynasty (1-1): Hannah Scott 2-1-5, Haley Burchhardt 0-2-2, Kiley Snow 2-5, Kaia Henderson 3-7, Allison Moreau 6-14, Jaelyn Vleer-Elliott 2-5, Belle Kranbuhl 4-4-12. Totals: 19-7-50.

The Growth (0-2): Kaitlyn Watrobski 2-4, Sareena Dicerbo 1-2, Madison Graham 3-8, Solé Carrington 1-2-4, Grace Mahar 1-2, Lauren Filien 1-1-3, Alivia Paeglow 2-4. Totals: 11-3-27.

Field Goals: Dynasty 19/57 (Lusher 0/4, Scott 2/6, Burchhardt 0/3, Snow 2/7, Henderson 3/10, Wright 0/2, Moreau 6/10, Vleer-Elliott 2/4, Kranbuhl 4/8, Wands 0/3), The Growth 11/48 (Pearson 0/6, Watrobski 2/5, Dicerbo 1/10, Graham 3/8, Carrington 1/4, Mahar 1/2, Filien 1/3, Paeglow 2/8, Porter 0/2).

3-Point Field Goals: Dynasty 5/16 (Moreau 2/4, Snow 1/2, Vleer-Elliott 1/3, Henderson 1/5, Scott 0/1, Burchhardt 0/1), The Growth 2/16 (Graham 2/5, Carrington 0/1, Mahar 0/1, Porter 0/1, Watrobski 0/2, Dicerbo 0/2, Pearson 0/4).

Free Throws: Dynasty 7/12 (Kranbuhl 4/6, Burchhardt 2/2, Scott 1/2, Wright 0/2), The Growth 3/8 (Carrington 2/6, Filien 1/2).

Rebounds: Dynasty 42 (Kranbuhl 11), The Growth 24 (4 with 4).

Assists: Dynasty 11 (Henderson 4), The Growth 8 (Pearson 4).


8:30

Next Big Thing 56, Next Level 35

A big NBT run spanning parts of two quarters gave them breathing room in their nightcap, and another push in the 4th quarter broke it open between two teams looking to go 2-0 on the night. A back-and-forth start quickly turned into a double-digit NBT lead when a pair of Renna Poulin (Tamarac 2019) free throws started a 13-0 run where 5 teammates broke the scoring column. A bucket from Ashlynn McKnight (Maine-Endwell 2019) capped the run at 25-11 early in the 2nd quarter. Next Level tried to hang around but was never able to gain serious ground, never getting closer than 10 the rest of the way. They got there when incoming Northfield Mount Hermon 2022 Abbie Grace finished a layup off a full-court feed from returning Northfield Mount Hermon 2019 Grace Heeps (UMass commit), cutting it to 40-30 late in the 3rd. Next Big Thing responded with a Logan Thayne (Hoosick Falls 2020) basket to end the quarter, and Sophie Phillips (Cambridge 2021) scored the first 4 points of the 4th quarter to start the late push to break it open for good. Thayne had a big game in the NBT victory, finishing with 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks. McKnight and Jenalyse Alarcon (Troy 2021) added 8 points & 5 rebounds apiece. 9 of the 10 in uniform for NBT hit the scoring column in the win. Heeps led the way in defeat with 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists for Next Level, leading the team in all three statistical categories.

Next Level (1-1): Deliah Smith 2-5, Grace Heeps 5-13, Jackie Piddock 1-2-4, Callie Chevalier 2-4, Adrien LaMora 1-2, Abbie Grace 1-2, Alyssa Stevenson 2-1-5. Totals: 14-3-35.

Next Big Thing (2-0): Sophie Phillips 2-2-6, Molly Brophy 2-2-6, Ashlynn McKnight 4-8, Alaina Holmes 1-2, Renna Poulin 1-2-5, Jenalyse Alarcon 3-2-8, Ella Stewart 0-2-2, Melanie Hoyt 1-1-4, Logan Thayne 6-2-15. Totals: 20-13-56.

Field Goals: Next Level 14/53 (Smith 2/4, Winney 0/3, Heeps 5/15, Piddock 1/6, Chevalier 2/6, LaMora 1/3, Obermayer 0/2, Grace 1/6, Stevenson 2/8), Next Big Thing 20/62 (L. Phillips 0/0, S. Phillips 2/5, Brophy 2/8, McKnight 4/8, Holmes 1/4, Poulin 1/7, Alarcon 3/8, Stewart 0/1, Hoyt 1/10, Thayne 6/11).

3-Point Field Goals: Next Level 4/16 (Heeps 3/6, Smith 1/2, Chevalier 0/1, Obermayer 0/1, Winney 0/2, Piddock 0/2, Grace 0/2), Next Big Thing 3/9 (Hoyt 1/1, Poulin 1/2, Thayne 1/2, S. Phillips 0/1, Holmes 0/1, Brophy 0/2).

Free Throws: Next Level 3/9 (Piddock 2/2, Stevenson 1/5, Grace 0/2), Next Big Thing 13/17 (S. Phillips 2/2, Poulin 2/2, Alarcon 2/2, Stewart 2/2, Thayne 2/2, Brophy 2/4, Hoyt 1/2, McKnight 0/1).

Rebounds: Next Level 23 (Heeps 6), Next Big Thing 42 (Thayne 8).

Assists: Next Level 8 (Heeps 3), Next Big Thing 11 (Poulin 4).


Rising Stars 40, Lockdown 34

In a back-and-forth tussle where both teams showed moments of midseason form and moments of it still being opening night, Rising Stars pulled off the last run to take them over the top and even their record on the night. An early three-point shooting barrage from the Stars made it appear that they might run away with it. They went on a 12-0 1st quarter run, coming off 4 threes in consecutive possessions. Kerry Flaherty (Saratoga Springs 2019; Holy Cross commit) started it with threes in back-to-back trips, then Andrea Sumida (Jamesville-DeWitt 2020) found Brinley Inglee (Hudson Falls 2020) and Catherine Dadey (Westhill 2022) for threes in the two following possessions - the last from Dadey putting them up 14-5. They led by as much as 11 in the 2nd quarter following a Sophie Tougas (Brewster Academy (NH) 2020) basket before Lockdown turned the tide. Graycen Dubin (Guilderland 2020) and Anna Jankovic (Averill Park 2021) teamed up for a 9-2 spurt to cut their deficit to 22-18 going into halftime. Dubin scored off a Jankovic feed, then returned the favor finding Jankovic for a three. They each added another basket to end the half. It continued into the 3rd, holding Rising Stars to 5 points in the quarter on 2/14 shooting and gaining a lead. Lockdown led by as much as 4 early in the 4th after a Maddisyn Mahoney (Shaker 2021) free throw, but the quick strike ability of the Stars paid dividends again as they went on an 8-0 spurt - a three from Paige Keeler (Jamesville-DeWitt 2020) off a feed from Tougas, followed by 5 more points from Tougas - to gain the lead back. After another Jankovic three gave Lockdown late life, Rising Stars iced it with a 3 point play from Lexie Roe (Fayetteville-Manlius 2021) and two late free throws from Sumida. Tougas paced Rising Stars with 9 points and Roe added 7. Dadey, a rising freshman, added 6 points and a game high 8 rebounds from the guard spot. Jankovic and Aliyah Wright (Colonie 2019) led Lockdown with 8 points apiece.

Lockdown (0-2): Anna Jankovic 3-8, Aliyah Wright 3-8, Graycen Dubin 3-6, Amanda Mieczkowski 1-2, EmmaLee Morgan 2-5, Kelsey Wood 1-2, Maddisyn Mahoney 1-1-3. Totals: 14-1-34.

Rising Stars (1-1): Paige Keeler 1-3, Brinley Inglee 1-3, Kerry Flaherty 2-6, Lexie Roe 2-3-7, Sophie Tougas 4-9, Dolly Cairns 1-2, Catherine Dadey 2-6, Andrea Sumida 1-2-4. Totals: 14-5-40.

Field Goals: Lockdown 14/53 (Graber 0/3, Jankovic 3/6, Wright 3/8, Serravillo 0/3, A. Wood 0/6, Dubin 3/7, Mieczkowski 1/2, Morgan 2/9, K. Wood 1/6, Mahoney 1/3), Rising Stars 14/51 (Keeler 1/2, Inglee 1/6, Flaherty 2/9, Langdon 0/4, Roe 2/7, Tougas 4/10, VanAuken 0/3, Cairns 1/4, Dadey 2/4, Sumida 1/2).

3-Point Field Goals: Lockdown 5/21 (Jankovic 2/4, Wright 2/4, Morgan 1/4, K. Wood 0/1, Dubin 0/2, A. Wood 0/6), Rising Stars 7/26 (Dadey 2/4, Flaherty 2/6, Keeler 1/2, Inglee 1/4, Tougas 1/5, Langdon 0/1, Roe 0/2, Cairns 0/2).

Free Throws: Lockdown 1/6 (Mahoney 1/2, Jankovic 0/2, A. Wood 0/2), Rising Stars 5/11 (Roe 3/3, Sumida 2/4, Tougas 0/2, VanAuken 0/2).

Rebounds: Lockdown 31 (K. Wood 7), Rising Stars 35 (Dadey 8).

Assists: Lockdown 6 (Jankovic 2), Rising Stars 8 (Sumida 3).

Other Notables: Anna Jankovic had her most well-rounded game in an EST jersey. The second-year summer leaguer, on top of her 8 points, added 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 6 steals... Lockdown was plagued by woeful shooting in the 4th quarter, going just 1/11 from the field and 1/4 from the line in the final 10 minutes.