ESTers in Action: December 18-20

Summer League

- Cat Almeida (Shenendehowa 2019) contributed 11 points in their 86-52 victory over Guilderland on Tuesday.

- Molly Brophy (Greenwich 2021) finished with a team high 16 points in their 61-50 defeat to Mechanicville Wednesday.

- Dolly Cairns (Saratoga Springs 2020) pumped in a game 20 points in the Blue Streaks' 68-53 victory at Columbia on Tuesday.

- Jaelen Daubon (FDR-Hyde Park 2020) finished with a team high 14 points, including the game winning three with :03 remaining, in her squad's 50-48 victory at Saugerties.

- Samantha Doupe (Phoenix 2018) pumped in a game high 26 points in their 58-49 loss at Skaneateles Monday.

- Laycee Drake (Hancock 2021) contributed 16 points in Deposit-Hancock's 60-30 victory over Afton on Tuesday.

- Kerry Flaherty (Saratoga Springs 2019; Holy Cross commit) finished with 11 points in their 68-53 victory over Columbia on Tuesday.

- Katelyn Flanagan (Canton 2018) finished with 13 points - tied for a team high with 3 of her teammates - in their 67-48 victory over Ogdensburg Tuesday.

- Julie Ford (Cooperstown 2018; Albany signee) finished with a game high 16 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 7 blocks in their 76-21 victory over Westmoreland on Monday.

- Emily Frodyma (Catholic Central 2018) contributed 14 points in their 73-34 victory over Cobleskill-Richmondville Tuesday.

- Madison Graber (Schalmont 2018; SUNY Cortland commit) finished with 14 points in a 52-26 victory over Cohoes on Tuesday.

- Madison Greco (West Canada Valley 2018) dropped a game high 26 points, along with 6 rebounds and 3 assists, in their 58-48 victory over Little Falls Monday.

- Madison Hoyt (Stamford 2019) contributed 14 points in a 76-30 victory on Monday & followed it up with 12 points in a 75-19 blowout victory over Margaretville Wednesday.

- Melanie Hoyt (Stamford 2021) finished with a game high 22 points in their 76-30 victory on Monday, and then added 16 points in their 75-19 beatdown of Margaretville Wednesday.

- Stephanie Jankovic (Averill Park 2018; St. Anselm signee) pumped in a game high 19 points in their 66-35 victory over Troy Tuesday.

- Belle Kranbuhl (Adirondack 2020) contributed 10 points in a balanced effort in their 61-27 victory Monday.

- Olivia Langdon (Little Falls 2019) contributed a team high 13 points in their 58-48 loss to West Canada Valley on Monday.

- Maggie Malone (Cornwall 2019) went off for a game high of 29 points in their 61-17 victory over Monticello on Wednesday.

- Sarah Mattfeld (Catholic Central 2021) finished with 10 points in a balanced effort on Tuesday, as they beat Cobleskill-Richmondville 73-34.

- Lexi Mercier (Hoosac Valley (MA) 2019) finished with 17 points, knocking down 4 threes, in their 68-37 W over Taconic on Wednesday.

- Mikyla Mitchell (Scotia-Glenville 2020) finished with 12 points, a game high, in their 41-31 victory over Glens Falls on Tuesday.

- Allison Moreau (Sauquoit Valley 2019) continued her scoring tear to start the season, dropping a game high 27 points on Tuesday. This one was in defeat, as they fell 61-37 at Waterville.

- EmmaLee Morgan (Averill Park 2019) contributed 14 points in their 66-35 victory over Troy Tuesday. 

- Julianna Okoniewski (Bethlehem 2018; Rochester commit) finished with 14 points in a 56-50 loss to Shaker Tuesday.

- Allie Pacatte (Cobleskill-Richmondville 2018) led all scorers with 18 points in their 73-34 setback to Catholic Central Tuesday.

- Sam Pasinella (Mechanicville 2018) contributed 16 points in their 61-50 victory over Greenwich Wednesday.

- Ahnalese Pearson (Colonie 2020) supplied 11 points, knocking down a trio of threes, in their 48-32 victory over Niskayuna.

- Lilly Phillips (Cambridge 2021) finished with a team high 17 points, knocking down 3 threes, in their 57-31 victory over Hoosick Falls Wednesday.

- Sophie Phillips (Cambridge 2021) contributed 14 points in their 57-31 W over Hoosick Falls Wednesday.

- Harmony Philo (Gloversville 2019) dropped a game high 22 points in their 63-46 victory Monday.

- Giuliana Pritchard (Amsterdam 2018) finished with a game high 21 points & 16 rebounds in their 64-47 victory on Monday.

- Brianna Rozzi (Highland 2019) finished with 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals in their 42-32 W over Red Hook Tuesday.

- Shyla Sanford (Shaker 2018; LIU Brooklyn signee) went for a game & season high 32 points, knocking down 4 threes, while defending home court in a 56-50 victory over Bethlehem Tuesday.

- Erin Smith (Goshen 2020) dropped a game high 22 points Wednesday in their 45-35 W over Port Jervis.

- Haley Steenland (Stamford 2018) continued a strong start to her senior year, finishing with 20 points & 11 assists in a 76-30 victory Monday. She followed it up by pumping in a game high 23 points, 10 assists, and 7 steals in their 75-19 W over Margaretville Wednesday.

- Logan Thayne (Hoosick Falls 2020) pumped in a game high 20 points in their 57-31 defeat at the hands of Cambridge Wednesday.

- Cameron Tooley (Shenendehowa 2018; Le Moyne signee) led all scorers with 21 points, knocking down 4 treys, in their 86-52 W over Guilderland on Tuesday.

- Alexandra Tudor (Shenendehowa 2018; St. Francis (BK) signee) finished with 17 points in their 86-52 W over Guilderland on Tuesday.

- Anna VanRoy (Saugerties 2019) led all scorers with 18 points in their 50-48 setback against FDR on Tuesday.

- Grace VanRoy (Saugerties 2019) contributed 15 points in their 50-48 loss to FDR on Tuesday.

- Sophie Wittenbeck (Waterville 2018) led her squad with 18 points in their 61-37 victory over Sauquoit Valley on Tuesday.

- Jenna Zimmerman (South Jefferson 2018; Le Moyne signee) filled the stat line with 19 points, 20 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 5 blocks in their 100-20 victory over Watertown IHC Monday.

One-Day Events

- Hope Boland (Warrensburg 2020) finished with 10 points in a balanced effort as they took home a 56-32 victory on Tuesday.

- Jill Casey (Horseheads 2020) finished with 11 points, a team high, in their 67-43 setback to Elmira Tuesday.

- Khaleah Cleveland (Johnsburg 2019) dropped a game high 27 points to go with 12 rebounds in their 47-28 victory Tuesday.

- Valencia Fontenelle-Posson (Guilderland 2021) paced the Lady Dutch with 12 points in their 86-52 defeat at Shenendehowa on Tuesday.

- Stef Gera (Auburn 2019) went off for a game high 33 points, knocking down 9 threes, in their 63-44 victory over Oswego Tuesday. She added 3 assists and 2 steals.

- Dani Haskell (Franklinville 2020) went off for a game high 32 points in their 73-52 W over Fredonia Monday.

- Ahniysha Jackson (Catholic Central 2020) had a team high 17 points in their 73-34 victory over Cobleskill-Richmondville Tuesday.

- Kiki Kennedy (Middletown 2020) finished with a team high 17 points in their 41-36 loss to Pine Bush Wednesday.

- Sydney Lusher (Oneida 2021) scored just 4 points on Tuesday, but finished with a game high 10 assists and 3 steals in the game, a 79-40 victory. This is Lusher's 3rd game of the young season with 10 or more assists.

- Triniti Myers (Norwich 2019) finished with 14 points, a game high, in their 62-33 victory over Windsor on Tuesday.

- Hannah Palmer (Crown Point 2019) finished with a game high 14 points in their 37-34 victory on Monday.

- Emily Pike (Ticonderoga 2018) knocked down the game-winning basket with .2 seconds remaining on the clock in their 57-55 W over AuSable Valley. She finished with 16 points, which tied for a team high, and 7 rebounds.

- Maddy Pratt (Bolton 2018) finished with 15 points on Tuesday, and they stayed undefeated with a 62-30 victory over previously unbeaten Indian Lake/Long Lake.

- Lexie Roe (Fayetteville-Manlius 2021) had 12 points, a team high, in their 45-34 setback to C-NS on Tuesday.

- Kylee Rosbrook (General Brown 2018) went for a game high 22 points, 16 rebounds, and 5 blocks in a 44-35 W over Watertown Monday, and then followed it up by posting a 20/20, finishing with 23 points & 21 rebounds (along with 5 assists) in a 58-26 win over Carthage Wednesday.

- Ally Shoemaker (Chittenango 2020) provided 13 points, 4 rebounds, 11 assists, and 6 steals in their 67-31 victory Tuesday.

- Mackenzie Smith (West Genesee 2019) contributed 11 points in their 54-42 victory over Nottingham Tuesday.

- Madison Smith (West Genesee 2019) finished with a game high 21 points in their 54-42 W over Nottingham Tuesday.

- Alyssa Stevenson (South Jefferson 2019) finished with 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 steals in their 100-20 victory over Watertown IHC on Monday.

- Emily Vallee (Schuylerville 2018) led all scorers with 19 points in their 50-47 victory over Johnstown on Monday.

- Katelyn Van Auken (Bolton 2021) dropped a game high 18 points in their 62-30 victory over Indian Lake/Long Lake Tuesday.

- Jaelyn Vleer-Elliott (Brookfield 2021) filled the stat line, finishing with 14 points, 17 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and 7 blocks in a 65-21 victory over Otselic Valley Wednesday.

- Abby Wilkinson (Bishop Grimes 2019) continued her solid start to the season, contributing a game high 14 points in their 75-27 victory Tuesday.

Past ESTers

- Logan Bruce (Delaware Academy 2018) went off for a game high 25 points in their 58-45 victory over Bainbridge-Guilford - a league rivalry game that featured teams ranked #1 in the state in their respective classes.

- Rebekkah Dean (Mekeel Christian Academy 2018) finished with 16 points, tying for the game high, in a 59-20 victory over OESJ Tuesday.

- Ava Fitzmaurice (Greenville 2018; New Haven commit (softball)) pumped in a game high 23 points in their 53-40 W over Chatham Wednesday.

- Bre Palmatier (Middleburgh 2018) led all scorers with 21 points in their 61-25 victory over Galway Tuesday.

- Hanna Strawn (Seton Catholic 2018; Monmouth signee) led all scorers with 25 points in their 63-39 victory over Oneonta Tuesday.

- Alyssa Waters (Beekmantown 2018) finished with a team high 12 points in their 48-28 W over Peru Tuesday.

ESTers in Action: December 5

Tuesday marked the first night of the winter season that was somewhat busy in the Capital District. The Suburban Council schedule tipped off, with most Suburban teams in action. There was also a full slate of games in the Colonial Council, and the Patroon and WAC saw action as well. The upstate NY schedule as a whole is still not truly in full swing as there's been very limited action in the Mid-Hudson & Hudson Valley regions - and Vermont & Massachusetts haven't tipped off at all yet - but time for the first installment of 'ESTers in Action'. A quick shot of how some of the 2017 EST participants - either in the summer league or one-day events - did in games Tuesday, separated by section.


Section 2

- Colonie started off their Suburban Council schedule with a 65-32 W over Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake. 2019s Kyara Triblet and Aliyah Wright led the way in the scoring column, finishing with 15 & 14 points, respectively.

- Averill Park continued their early-season tear with a 86-39 W over Guilderland. St. Anselm signee Stephanie Jankovic led all scorers with 20 in the win. St. John Fisher commit Mallory Wood added 17 points, and 2019 EmmaLee Morgan contributed 13. 2021 Valencia Fontenelle-Posson paced Guilderland in defeat with 13.

- The Shen train rolled to a 79-12 victory over Troy in their opener. St. Francis (BK) signee Alexandra Tudor led 4 in double figures with 18 in the win. Le Moyne signee Cameron Tooley added 15, and 2019 Cat Almeida finished with 11.

- LIU Brooklyn signee Shyla Sanford and 2019 Maddy Malicki scored a game high 19 points apiece in Shaker's 50-41 victory at Albany. The two combined to hit 5 threes and attempt 23 free throws. 2018 Lexi DeBeatham added 9 points & 10 rebounds in the win. 2018s Aubrey Halloran and Haille Hart finished in double figures for Albany; Halloran had a team high 14, and Hart - a Clarion signee - added 10.

- 2018 Allie Pacatte continued a solid start to her final season at Cobleskill-Richmondville with a game high 16 points, this one in a 55-43 setback at Voorheesville.

- It was another blowout Colonial Council win for Catholic Central, and 2020 Ahniysha Jackson topped all scorers with 25 in the 77-25 victory over Lansingburgh.

- Kyra Oeffler, a 1,000+ point scorer at Heatly headed to play at Sage next season, finished with a game high 13 points in their 32-27 win over New Lebanon.

- Columbia was able to win their Suburban Council opener, getting past Ballston Spa 45-32. In a balanced offensive showing, 2019 Lauren Obermayer finished with 10 points and 2019 Lexi Van Vorst, now handling more of the true PG duties, had 6 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.

- Although she didn't participate in EST this year due to obligations on the softball field - what she'll be doing at D2 New Haven next year - this is worth mentioning. 2 year ESTer Ava Fitzmaurice, a 2018 at Greenville, dropped a game & career high 43 points in their 71-57 come-from-behind W at Catskill. This comes one game after Ava surpassed the 1,000 point mark.

Section 3

- Bishop Grimes 2019 Abby Wilkinson finished with a game high 19 points in their 56-32 W over Marcellus.

- Samantha Doupe (Phoenix 2018), already a 1,000+ point scorer, had 19 points in their 59-55 setback against Homer.

- Auburn 2019 Stef Gera went for 12 points & 6 assists in a game that 5 players on her team scored in double figures. They were able to beat Nottingham, 72-45.

- Chittenango 2020 Ally Shoemaker finished with 7 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 7 steals, and a block in their 53-35 setback at Hannibal.

- Jaelyn Vleer-Elliott, a standout 2021 at Brookfield, contributed a game high 13 points, 19 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals, and 3 blocks in their 35-23 W over Cherry Valley-Springfield.

- Sydney Lusher (Oneida 2021) finished with 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists in their 56-39 loss to Utica Notre Dame. Lusher is averaging just under 10 assists per game to start the season.

- Alyssa Stevenson (South Jefferson 2019) finished with 11 points (tied for the game high), 8 rebounds, and 3 steals in their 40-30 W over league rival General Brown.

- Brooke Jarvis (CBA 2020) led all scorers with 16 points in their 59-23 W over Solvay.

- Lexie Roe (Fayetteville-Manlius 2021) finished with a team high 12 points, all coming from beyond the arc, in their 43-27 setback to Oswego.

Section 4

- Laycee Drake (Hancock 2021) dropped a game high 31 points in Deposit-Hancock's 72-50 W over Walton. This was 5 days removed from her last game against Walton, where she had 23 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, and 12 steals.

- Stamford came away with another blowout W to start the season, this one 62-22 over Davenport. 2018 Haley Steenland paced the victors with 15 points, 2019 Madison Hoyt had a double-double with 12 points & 11 rebounds, and 2021 Melanie Hoyt added 12 points.

Section 7

- Bolton took home a 44-36 victory over Schroon Lake, and 2018 Maddy Pratt led the way in the victory with 22 points.

- Crown Point 2019 Hannah Palmer led all scorers with 19 points in their 77-16 beatdown of Minerva-Newcomb.

The Alum Report: EST College Roundup, Week of Nov 13-19

College basketball is finally in full swing, as of this past Wednesday. Here's how some former EST participants - the vast majority from the summer league - did in early games this week!

Division I

Saeeda Abdul-Aziz (Davidson): 2 pts, 3 rebs in 65-62 L to Furman; 10 pts, 3 rebs in 59-57 W over Appalachian St.

CeCe Mayo (Albany): 7 pts, 5 rebs in 68-44 W over Monmouth; 2 pts, 4 rebs in 59-52 W (OT) over Fordham

Danielle Migliore (St. Bonaventure): 4 pts, 5 rebs in 71-69 L (OT) to Canisius; 9 pts, 6 rebs, 2 asts in 70-51 W over Eastern Michigan

Division II

Nerea Brajac (Georgian Court): 3 pts, 3 rebs, 4 stls in 75-60 W over Mercy

Nina Fedullo (St. Rose): 2 pts, 6 rebs in 57-48 W over AIC

Lucy Tougas (Queens): 3 pts, 8 rebs in 64-48 W over Concordia

Division III

Cassidy Albright (SUNY Poly): 7 pts, 3 rebs in 80-50 W over D'Youville

Olivia Allrich (SUNY Oneonta): 6 pts, 4 rebs in 58-55 W (OT) over Wellesley; 8 pts, 5 rebs in 75-59 W over Vassar

Olivia Baumann (St. John Fisher): 6 pts, 4 rebs in 74-48 L to Christopher Newport (#2 in country); 8 pts, 2 rebs in 69-57 W over Chatham

Jordyn Burke* (Keene St.): 7 pts, 11 rebs in 89-56 L to Westfield St.; 2 pts, 11 rebs in 80-64 L to Framingham St.; 2 pts, 9 rebs in 76-71 L to St. Joseph's (ME)

Danielle Caivana (Cazenovia): 22 pts, 3 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls in 90-75 W over Clarks Summit; 7 pts, 6 rebs, 3 asts in 79-68 W over Bard

Natalie DiSalvo (SUNY Geneseo): 4 pts, 3 rebs in 65-38 W over Houghton; 5 pts, 3 rebs, 2 asts, 3 blks in 73-59 W over Waynesburg

Sara Field (D'Youville): 9 pts, 5 rebs in 68-47 L to Keuka; 6 pts, 5 rebs, 2 stls in 80-50 L to SUNY Poly; 7 pts, 3 rebs in 56-35 L to SUNY Canton

Megan Flynn (Sage): 14 pts, 10 rebs, 3 stls in 59-52 L to Haverford; 7 pts, 8 rebs, 2 stls, 2 blks in 62-58 W over Penn St. Harrisburg

Jordan Hipwell (Suffolk): 5 rebs, 2 asts in 52-50 L to Salve Regina; 8 pts, 8 rebs in 90-45 W over St. Joseph's (BK); 9 pts, 3 rebs in 60-55 W over Ramapo

Brianna Laing (Hartwick): 4 pts, 2 rebs in 55-43 L to Brockport

Brianna Legacy (Keuka): 7 pts, 3 rebs in 68-47 W over D'Youville

Olivia Marshall (Clarkson): 6 pts, 6 rebs, 2 blks in 67-52 W over Oswego; 6 pts, 4 rebs in 67-38 L to University of New England

Lyndsey McCoy (Alfred): 2 pts, 1 reb in 83-64 L to Brockport; 11 pts, 4 rebs in 69-55 L to Hamilton

Katy McInerney (St. John Fisher): 2 pts, 2 rebs in 74-48 L to Christopher Newport (#2 in country); 2 pts, 2 asts in 69-57 W over Chatham

Paige Niemeyer (SUNY New Paltz): 21 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts, 2 stls in 104-88 L to Westfield St.; 5 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts in 76-73 W over Eastern CT State

Emily Padalino* (Dickinson): 4 pts in 58-42 L to Juniata; 7 pts in 78-67 L to Mount Union; 12 pts, 3 rebs in 81-70 L to Hiram

Kelly Pine (Hartwick): 6 pts, 6 rebs in 47-41 L to Union; 3 pts, 3 rebs in 52-40 L to Hamilton; 4 pts, 7 rebs in 55-43 L to Brockport

Katie Smith (Mount Saint Mary): 4 pts, 2 rebs, 3 asts in 77-31 W over Bard; 10 pts, 6 rebs, 3 asts in 73-61 L to Ave Maria; 10 pts, 5 rebs, 3 asts in 59-34 L to Middlebury

Julianna Taylor (SUNY Brockport): 17 pts (6/12 FG, 3/6 3s), 5 rebs, 2 asts in 83-64 W over Alfred; 9 pts, 4 rebs, 2 asts in 55-43 W over Hartwick

Lexi Tubbs (Cazenovia): 9 pts, 15 rebs, 3 asts in 90-75 W over Clarks Summit; 8 pts, 8 rebs in 79-68 W over Bard

Rylee vonWedel (SUNY Cortland): 5 pts, 3 rebs in 80-75 L to FDU-Florham

Emily Wander (Middlebury): 6 pts in 59-34 W over Mount Saint Mary

Liz White (Nazareth): 6 pts, 2 rebs, 4 asts in 72-32 W over Wells; 12 pts in 61-51 L to Keuka

Morgan Wolanin (SUNY Oswego): 3 pts, 12 rebs, 2 asts, 2 stls, 2 blks in 66-27 W over Medgar Evers

JuCo Hoops

Taylor Torchia (Mohawk Valley CC): 3 pts, 4 rebs, 4 asts in 77-38 W over Jefferson; 11 pts, 3 rebs, 6 asts in 75-59 W over Finger Lakes

* - alternate summer league participant that played in one week

The Alum Report: EST College Roundup

No fancy description needed to relay my excitement. Collegiate games are underway! Official games at the Division I & II levels began Friday, November 10. Nearly a dozen former EST summer league participants have tipped off their seasons with D1/D2 programs to date, either in their freshman or sophomore campaigns. A quick list:

- Danielle Migliore, the lone D1 sophomore on this list, has produced the most notable performance of the first two days. The inaugural EST girls' league MVP, now starting at the wing for St. Bonaventure, played 32 minutes & dropped a game high 21 points on 8/13 from the field and 5/9 from behind the arc. She added 5 rebounds, and her Bonnies rode a huge 3rd quarter into a 76-58 W over visiting Niagara.

- Former EST 1st teamers Julia Kelner, Saeeda Abdul-Aziz, and CeCe Mayo all had solid collegiate debuts at the Division I level, showing that they have the potential to be instant impact players for their teams. Kelner got the starting nod for Bryant in their opener, and she was a bright spot against a high-major opponent with solid play in the post. Kelner finished with 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 22 minutes of action, but they fell at Boston College, 65-42. Abdul-Aziz saw solid rotational minutes off the bench for Davidson and was productive with her time in a competitive victory. She finished with 5 points, 3 rebounds, an assist, and a steal in a 70-57 victory over Western Carolina. Mayo's Albany squad ran into the same fate as Kelner's group, as they ran into a #15 Maryland buzzsaw and fell 91-58, but she'll be someone that may prove important for the Great Danes as the year goes on. She contributed 3 points & 5 rebounds in 14 minutes of action off the bench in her debut.

- Former EST teammates and Foothills Council rivals Lucy Tougas and Nina Fedullo had their collegiate debuts on Saturday for Queens and Saint Rose, respectively, and both had solid performances while receiving good minutes off the bench. Tougas knocked down both of her shot attempts and registered 4 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and a block in 16 minutes - Queens lost their opener to Jefferson, the artist formerly known as Phila U, 60-54. St. Rose started off their '17-'18 campaign with a 61-43 victory over Concordia; Nina saw 22 minutes of action, one of four players to receive 20 or more minutes. She went 3/6 from the field and finished with 6 points, 5 rebounds, and a steal. Good individual starts to their collegiate careers!

- Nerea Brajac also had her collegiate debut Saturday for Georgian Court. The Cohoes grad saw 12 minutes off the bench, which would've likely been more if not for bumping into some foul trouble. She finished with 2 points and a rebound in their 78-60 defeat at the hands of Merrimack.

- Dominican (Samira Sangare), Florida Southern (Tara Sager), and Le Moyne (Liz Millea) all had their season openers as well. Dominican fell to 0-2 with losses to Mercy and St. Thomas Aquinas, Florida Southern split a pair on Friday and Saturday, and Le Moyne also split a pair with a victory over Goldey-Beacom and a loss to USciences.

Sunday's action:

- Queens (Lucy Tougas) vs. Chestnut Hill @ Jefferson - 12:00
- Bryant (Julia Kelner, Brooke Bjelko) @ Brown - 1:00
- St. Bonaventure (Danielle Migliore) @ Siena - 2:00
- Davidson (Saeeda Abdul-Aziz) @ NC State - 2:00
- St. Rose (Nina Fedullo) @ Georgian Court (Nerea Brajac) - 3:00

Best of luck to all - you can catch me at Siena in the afternoon!

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