USJN Qualifier – East --By Joe Costa

      USJN Qualifier – East --By Joe Costa

WEST DEPTFORD NJ. 32 teams from 6 states came to the RiverWinds Community Center in West Deptford NJ this past weekend for the kick-off event of the 2016 USJN season. The USJN Qualifier - East tournament is the perfect opportunity for coaches to fine tune things for the upcoming NCAA Evaluation weekends. It also serves as a preview of the talent we will hopefully see in the next two weekend.

We expect to see some good things from some familiar faces along with some newcomers in the upcoming weeks… Players that are frequent fliers on our pages like: Lauren Park Lane, the 5-5 Point Guard is a flashy, fiery competitor that now is stronger and wiser after her Freshman year in high school.

It seems as if 2018, Forward, Danielle Cosgrove has been 6-3 forever. Because of her talent and height, she has always stood out in a crowd… Now Danielle has progressed and seems poised to turn her game up a notch and produce big things at the next level.

A newcomer, well she will be to some college coaches, not to us, is 5 foot 11 inch, 2020 Wing Maddie Burke. Burke is the real deal has multi-faceted talent, she is playing her first season with the Philadelphia Belles. Maddie has risen to a whole other level this spring and with that comes a lot of expectations.

Below are a few others that showed well this past weekend…

Quick Hitters

Alexa Brodie – 2020 – 5-5 – Point Guard - Philadelphia Belles – Has big time point guard skills, interested in seeing her skills versus top level competition… Strong on the drive and finish… Really good in the open court.

Grace Sacco – 2017 – 5-5 – Point Guard - Philadelphia Belles – Solid ball handler, Good in tight spaces… Reads the floor and delivers strong passes… A little bit of a gambler with her pass attempts.

Maggie Kirby – 2018 - 5-9 – Guard – Blue Star Upstate NY – Good handle… Long and athletic… Finisher.

Alexandra Tudor – 2018 – 6-0 – Forward - Blue Star Upstate NY – Face the basket forward… Can get to the hoop and score quickly… Efficient.

Julianna Okoniewski – 2018 – 6-1 – Forward - Blue Star Upstate NY – Scores within the team offense… Calls for the ball, head and hands up… Finishes well around the hoop.

Graceann Bennett - 2019 - 6-2 – Forward - Blue Star Upstate NY – Knows where the hoop is and how to get the ball on the rim… Nice baseline jump-shot… Passes well in traffic in post area… Needs some left hand finish work.

Kerry Flaherty – 2019 – 5-8 – Guard - Blue Star Upstate NY – Good basketball instincts… Solid ball skills… Scores from various spots on the floor.

Shelby Funchess – 2018 – 6-1 – Forward – Keystone Karma – Has some ability to go with her size, a lot of work to do in a short time… Awareness in the post… Long reach.

Megan Baldassarre – 2018 – 6-0 - Forward – Mid-Penn Motion – Long and athletic… Good ball reactions… Can improve her ball handling.

Kayla Johnson – 2018 – 6-0 – Guard/Forward - Mid-Penn Motion – Long, lean, athletic wing player… Good first step… Above average ball handler… Mid-range jump-shot.

USJN Post event page:

Check back here in the next two weeks as we provide in depth coverage of two NCAA evaluation period events; the USJN Capital City Classic and the prominent Boo Williams Nike Invitational.

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PIAA State Tournament

http://www.bluestarmedia.org/pennsylvania-state-finals/

HERSHEY, Pa.–This past weekend the Giant Center in the sweetest place on earth, Hershey, Pennsylvania, played host to the PIAA High School Basketball State Finals. There were 16 teams in four classifications, including boys, competing over two days for coveted state titles. A five pound Hershey bar is at stake to the winner along with the obligatory medals and team trophy… but let’s face it…it’s the Hershey bar all the teams are playing for!

On the girl’s side of the playoffs, familiar faces adorned the Giant Center floor this weekend. In Class AAAA, Cumberland Valley is back for the fourth straight year, looking for a Three-Peat.

In Class AAA; the only team with the distinction of beating nationally ranked Neumann-Goretti, Archbishop Wood was on hand for their third straight crack at the crown. In Class AA, Goretti is back for their third straight trip to Hershey. The defending National Champ was looking to go Back-to-Back. Class A found a newbie, in comparison, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic which had not been to Hershey since 2012. CWNC has a rich tradition with the PIAA; the Trojanettes were hunting their eighth state title in school history... Click to read more

West Virginia State Tournament

http://www.bluestarmedia.org/west-virginia-state-tournament-2/

CHARLESTON WV- All eyes were on Charleston last week for the 40th edition of the WVSSAC girls High School basketball tournament. Tournament officials in West Virginia have always does a good job of providing a top-notch, well run, classy event. Ongoing construction on the 45-year-old structure certainly provided the Charleston Civic Center staff with plenty of challenges during the four day event, but the powers at be pulled it off with very few glitches.

For four days, 24 teams battled their way down to six in the Charleston Civic Center culminating in an intriguing storyline that can best be described as; A Tale of Three Basketball Teams.

On one hand you had in Class A, the heavily favored St. Joseph Central (Huntington).  The Irish were looking for a record-tying eighth straight West Virginia State title. Although Gilmer County is a well-coached, hardworking crew, few would think that they could slay the Goliath that was St. Joseph Central…which is why we play the game.

Secondly, in Class AA you had the upstart Wyoming Warriors, a young and extremely talented team led by one of the best players in West Virginia, Gabby Lupardus. Could Fairmont Senior’s patented pressure defense take Lupardus and crew out of their game?

Finally, and by no means least, in Class AAA, a determined Morgantown team came to Charleston looking for the Three-Peat. Would the Mohigans hard-nosed, bareknuckle style of defense hold up against the speed and pressure of the mission focused Huntington Highlanders?...  Click here to read more

#4 Neumann Goretti Takes Firm Control of the PCL –By Joe Costa for Blue Star Media

PHILADELPHIA PA- I always look forward to my annual Martin Luther King weekend trek from the experience that is the Classic in the Country held in the heart of Amish country in Berlin OH, on Saturday to the battle of top level eastern teams at the Blue Star High School Invitational Sunday in Philadelphia… It never fails to be a solid weekend of girls’ high school basketball.

This year I also had the occasion to stay over in Philadelphia to witness the match-up of top Philadelphia Catholic League teams: #3 AAAA (PA) Cardinal O’Hara and the host #4 Nationally, #1 AA PA Neumann- Goretti.

The Saints came into this battle for the PCL lead on a 43 game win streak and fresh off a tough victory against a tough young and improving Ursuline Academy (DE) team Sunday in the Blue Star High School Invitational. Cardinal O’Hara was knocked off at home by Ursuline 35-34 last Thursday.

The game was billed as a contrast in styles with Cardinal O’Hara running a deliberate pass and cut offense and playing solid defense behind it, while Neumann-Goretti likes to push and control tempo, run quick hitters and play pressure defense to highlight their athleticism, not to mention that the Saints run like few teams in the country can.... Something had to give.

Neumann-Goretti guard Morgan Lenahan

The first quarter was a feeling out process with both teams doing what they do with each team seeing some success, with the Lady Lions had a one-point lead at the end of eight minutes of action. In the second quarter Neumann-Goretti started to propel the game into their pace, with penetration and put-backs, the lead started to climb ever so slowly. The Lady Lions were game however, they kept their cool, were not afraid to run with Goretti and kept pace with the number 4 team in the country. Both teams switched to zone defenses to counter the other’s offense. The lead never went higher than five until a late 8-0 run by the Saints closed the half. With 6 of the 8 points by Kamiah Smalls (2016 - 5-9 - G - James Madison) the Saints stretched out a two-point game to 10 (33-23) as both teams headed for the locker rooms… Goretti was winning the battle of styles.

The second half began like the first quarter and after Cardinal O’Hara’s Mackenzie Gardler (2018 - 5-9 -G) bombed away a few three pointers from various spots, the Saint’s coach Andrea Peterson had seen enough. The Saints came from the huddle with a different defense, a trapping aggressive 2-3 zone confused the Lady Lions and forced them into a few turnovers and empty trips at the offensive end of the court. The move kept the Saints lead 9, 46-37 headed into the final stanza.

The way the third quarter ended, it looked as if the Saints were in control of the outcome of this

Chyna Nixon attacks the hoop

one, and when the lead ballooned to twelve a little bit more than mid-way through the last quarter, even the Lady Lion’s fans were quiet.  After a timeout the Lady Lions turned up the gas and Neumann-Goretti lit the match… The result was a furious comeback by Cardinal O’Hara fueled by 7-point quarters each from Lady Lion’s Mackenzie Gardler, who led all scorers with 19 points and Mary Sheehan (2017 - 5-11 - G). Neumann-Goretti did not help themselves with 5 turnovers, rushing shots and committing several bad fouls in the final 2 minutes of the game. Finally, the Saints used baskets by Alisha Kebbe (2016 - 5-10 - G - Syracuse) who finished with 18 points and Chyna Nixon (2017 - 5 -10 - F) to ultimately put away a very tough Cardinal O’Hara team 62-56.

“We need games like this so we don’t become comfortable” said Peterson, “both teams competed really hard and it’s always good to see two good teams battle it out.”

With this win the Saints extend their win streak to an impressive 44 games and they have cemented their lead in the also impressive Philadelphia Catholic League over #3 AAAA PA Cardinal O’Hara and #1 AAA PA Archbishop Wood, who Neumann-Goretti defeated 45-38 last month. These three will battle it out again later next month in the PCL playoffs before heading off to States in March.

Game Scoring:

NG- A. Kebbe - 18

NG- K. Smalls - 13

NG- C. Nixon – 9

NG- J. Russell - 8

NG- J. Ingram - 8

NG- M. Lenahan - 4

NG- M. Glenn - 2

CO- M. Gardler - 19

CO- M. Sheehan - 18

CO- M. Hendrixson - 8

CO- H. Nihill - 7

CO- L. Leicht - 2

CO- K. Denoncour - 2

Bishop Canevin Keeps Their Eye on the Prize

From Blue Star Media

CALIFORNIA, Pa.-- The third annual Blue Star / California University Holliday Hoop Fest saw California University of Pennsylvania play host to 11 Varsity and junior varsity teams the last weekend of 2015. Like last year’s event with eventual national champion Neumann- Goretti, this year’s edition of the Hoop Fest hosted another highly regarded powerhouse, western PA’s Bishop Canevin Lady Crusaders.

Located just outside the city of Pittsburgh, Bishop Canevin is a AA perennial powerhouse with a rich tradition in western Pennsylvania basketball circles. Under the tutelage of coach Tim Joyce, they won both the WPIAL and PIAA crowns in 2013. Canevin is a well-coached and seasoned group,  They’re deep with talent in every class and that combination should keep the Crusaders a viable contender for some time to come.

The undisputed leader of the team is 5-9 senior, guard Gina Vallecorsa (California University of PA). Vallecorsa is a coach’s dream player; strong, smart, handles the ball well and shoots lights out from all distances. She has an incredible desire to win and has zero confidence issues. Another senior leader is 5-7 senior, guard, Erin Joyce (Waynesburg). She handles the ball well, understands the game and is maybe the best three-point specialist on a roster full of them. 

The Crusaders won two games in the Hoop Fest, taking down a solid AAA Ringgold team 63-45 on day one. The entertaining day two matchup between top ranked AA Canevin and AAAA Canon McMillian was a slugfest, and while Canevin kept jabbing at Canon Mac, the Big Macs never went down. They used tough defense and various runs including an 11-4 in the third, to keep the game close.  Canon McMillian forced the game to come down to just a couple of possessions. But all that seasoning and made free throws enabled the Crusaders to hang on to a 5-point 40-35 win.

QUICK HITTERS

Bishop Canevin Crusaders

Sarah Green (5’9” – 2017 – Guard) - Can shoot the three…Gets through the lane quickly and has a scoring touch…Coming off an early summer knee injury and was recently cleared to play…If she can continue to get stronger and stay healthy, she should return to form quickly

Kacy Kaczorowski (5-7 – 2018 – Guard) - Another Canevin player that can shoot the three…Handles the ball well…Runs the offense…Smart defensively…Runs the floor well

Brionna Allen (5-7 – 2018 – Guard/Forward) - Quick feet and hands…Great first step…Strong at the basket…Strength and athletic ability make her a versatile option

Shamyjha Price (5-8 – 2019 – Guard/Forward) - Incredible first step…Finishes strong anywhere near the basket…Once in the lane she becomes real dangerous…Tools and potential

Canon McMillian Big Macs

Becca Turney (6-3 – 2016 – Forward) – Eastern Michigan - Size and stature…Keeps it high…Moves well for size

Cheyenne Trest (5-7 – 2017 – Guard) - Quick hands…Deadly on the ball defender…Turns defense to offense…Can shoot the three…Competitor

Tamara Mathis (5-7 – 2019 – Guard) – Fast…Quick to the lane…Sees the open player in the paint…Scores in many ways around the hoop…Good first step…Huge upside

Connellsville Falcons

Abbey Davis (6-0 – 2017 – Forward) - Shooter with three-point range…Good ball handler…Takes big shots

Elizabeth Forward Warriors

Alexis Korenoski (5-5 – 2018 – Guard) – Scrappy…Always in attack mode…Good defender…Anticipates well

Brianna Spirnak (5-11 – 2019 – Forward) - Long and lean build…Athletic…Good hands and touch inside…Finds the ball down low

Hollidaysburg Tigers

Theresa Gildea (5-9 – 2019 – Guard) - Good range on jump shot…Can hit the three consistently…Runs the floor…Makes good decisions in the half court

Laurel Highlands Fillies

Sarah Proud (5-10 – 2016 – Forward) - Good, soft hands…Strong around the rim…Scoring touch with range to the foul line area…Scraps for loose balls…Runs the floor

Ringgold Rams

Bailey Cooper (5-10 – 2016 – Forward) – California University of PA – Athletic…Very fast up and down the court…Leaps out the gym…Good first step…Can score at the hoop

Ashley Briscoe (6-1 – 2018 – Forward) - Strong and physical…Can score around the hoop…Can run the floor…Needs to develop a mid-range game for the next level

Joe Costa has been with Blue Star for 15 years serving as a National Evaluator and Director of the Rising Blue Star program.  Coaching the Pittsburgh Rockers for over 10 years; he helped produce two national championships and over 75 scholarship student athletes.  Additionally Costa has coached both girls and boys on the high school & collegiate levels plus served as a floor coach for several Nike All American Camps and Skills Academies. 

Bishop Canevin Keeps Their Eye on the Prize