MANALAPAN, N.J.– With two weeks remaining before the first of two spring NCAA viewing periods, 66 teams from five states assembled at the Sportika Sports Complex in Manalapan, N.J. this past weekend looking for competition to find out where their teams stand at this early point in the 2019 travel season. Though, it was evident that a few of these teams have not had a lot of time together, hopefully their shortfalls will be addressed and their spring and summer schedules will be productive for them. Others, like the Philadelphia Belles Breanna Stewart and Coach Mike Steidle are well ahead of the curve and showing the results of their practice and training efforts.
Since this event had a Belles flavor about it (22 of 66 teams – Philadelphia/Maryland/New Jersey etc…) we’ve combined some separate Belles evaluations along with several more below that from some of the other participating teams. To see a complete list of participating teams as well a Pool All stars and more, follow the link below to the USJN website and the 6th Annual USJN East Qualifier.
http://www.usjn.com/xtm_post_event_new.php?which=527
Kaitlyn Ammons – 2021 – 6-3 – Forward – Philadelphia Belles 16 EYBL – Solid, strong, balanced, and agile…Can run the floor…Steps outside to beat the defender off the dribble…Low post game is solid…Has improved her footwork
Sierra Bermudez – 2021 – 5-8 – Guard – Philadelphia Belles Halligan – Solid handle…Has the ability to deliver the ball in tough spots…Can get to the hoop and finish
Latanya Berry – 2020 – 6-4 – Forward – Philadelphia Belles Breanna Stewart – Continues to improve…Big-time frame…Starting to learn how to use it…Works hard on both ends…Can run and score
Sara Coppola – 2021 – 5-11 – Forward – Philadelphia Belles 16 EYBL – Improved a lot over the High School season… Has settled in to be a real threat to score…Defends and plays hard….Coachable and not afraid to get her hands dirty inside
Gretchen Dolan – 2023 – 5-9 – Guard – Philadelphia Belles Flynn – Big guard with scorer’s mentality…Technical shooter who is dangerous from anywhere, especially the three-point line
Hannah Dolan – 2020 – 5-10 – Guard – Philadelphia Belles Andrieux – Good size for wing player…Solid ball handler…Has range on her jump-shot
Jaydyn Donovan – 2023 – 5-11 – Guard – Maryland Belles Watson – Can leap out of the gym…Quick off her feet with great reach and good hands…Slasher, with good touch around the basket…Showing early dividends
Amaya Douglas – 2020 – 6-0 – Guard/Forward – Philadelphia Belles Breanna Stewart – Athletic and explosive…Getting where she is headed…Solid ball handler for size…Scrappy defender…Turns defense to offense quickly
Kendall Dudley – 2024 – 6-0 – Guard – Maryland Belles Watson -Athletic ability…Quick first step usually puts her in good position around the basket…Possesses a vast skill set…Not always sure where and when to use it…Huge potential upside…Slowly realizing how good she can be
Emily Johns – 2020 – 6-1 – Forward – Philadelphia Belles Breanna Stewart – Strong, solid, mobile frame…Knows how to use it…Runs the floor extremely well…Good touch around the basket…Gets after loose balls
JoJo Lacey – 2020 – 6-0 – Guard – Philadelphia Belles 17 EYBL – Completing the transition from forward to guard, skill wise…Still need to see more perimeter shooting…Quick feet…First step is lightning…Reach and hang-time allow her to do some amazing things at the basket
Hope Masonius – 2024 – 5-7 – Guard – NJ Belles Masonius – Play level is far beyond her years…Comfortable going up against older competition…Very efficient ball handler heads is always up, makes good decisions…Can slash and score but pull up if needed…Gets after it on both ends
Destiney McPhaul – 2021 – 5-8 – Guard – Philadelphia Belles 16 EYBL – Disciplined and efficient ball handler…Head is up and is always looking for that opening most can’t see…Delivers the ball on time and in the right place
Olivia Miles – 2021 – 5-9 – Guard – Philadelphia Belles 17 EYBL – Fills a need of a true point-guard… Incredible ability to first see the open player and then deliver the ball to her…Quarterbacks the break like a pro…Strong scorer at the basket
Kaitlyn Orihel – 2021 – 5-9 – Guard – Philadelphia Belles 16 EYBL – Aggressive offensive player…Attacks hard off the dribble…Gets out and finishes on transition…Motor can change the tempo of the game
Rylyn Orlando – 2023 – 5-5 – Guard – NJ Belles Masonius – Nice, even stroke from three-point area…Can score inside or out…Likes the outside more
Makaela Quimby – 2023 – 5-9 – Guard – Maryland Belles Watson – Moves effortlessly through the defense…Has a good feel on how to get open looks regardless of how the defense plays her…Can shoot from deep, mid-range or attack the hoop in any given possession
Taylor Rawls – 2022 – 5-5 – Guard – Philadelphia Belles Halligan – Real knowledge of the game…Pass first point-guard…Solid, disciplined ball handler…Runs the offense…Fast feet…Quick hands defensively
Ciani Redd-Howard – 2020 – 5-9 – Forward – Philadelphia Belles Breanna Stewart – Undersized forward…Gets the job done…Strong…Understands the pick and roll…Good touch around the hoop…Always looking for the ball…Solid rebounder
Lila Schoen – 2021 – 5-7 – Guard – Philadelphia Belles Halligan – Long reach on a guard…Fast feet…Quick first step…Can shoot the three or slash to the hoop…Good ball handler and passer
Bella Steidle – 2020 – 5-11 – Guard – Philadelphia Belles Breanna Stewart – Continues to improve in all areas…Scores from numerous spots on the floor…Ice water in her veins…Seems to want to take and make big shots
Kylee Watson – 2020 – 6-4 – Forward – Philadelphia Belles 17 EYBL – Frame has filled out…Game is adjusting…Back to the basket post-up game has improved…Has more weapons she can go to…Intimidating presence in the paint…Keeps the unsure players from even attempting to get to the basket
Caitlin Wingertzahn – 2020 – 6-1 – Forward – NJ Belles Fagan – Strong and mobile…Finds her spots inside the offense…Solid rebounder…Can make shots from the foul-line area as well as inside
Claire Zhang – 2020 – 5-6 – Guard – Philadelphia Belles Andrieux – Does all the little things that add up to a complete player…Can slash to the hoop to score or pull-up and shoot
BEYOND THE BELLES
Rebecca Booth – 2021 – 6-2 – Forward – Comets Genther/Shields – Long and agile…Moves well…Has good hands…Big upside with the right work
Leila Copeland – 2020 – 5-5 – Guard – 023 Feet Gorillas – Quick hands…Anticipates well…Fast and efficient around the basket in transition
Alexis Hess – 2023 – 5-10 – Guard/Forward – Comets McFadden- Long and athletic…Has an effective outside shot…Face-up forward…Ball handling development would complete her transformation to guard
Venus Hill – 2020 – 5-6 – Guard – 023 Feet Gorillas – Aggressive at the basket…Draws contact…Gets after it defensively…Bothers opponent into turnovers…Nickel and dimer…Quietly puts up big numbers almost every game
Madyson Hinton – 2020 – 5-10 – Forward – MD Blazers – Solid and strong…Hard to stop around the basket…Will step outside to initiate offense…Smart…Knows where both she and the ball are supposed to be
Paige Lauder – 2020 – 6-2 – Forward – Comets McNichol – Committed Columbia University…Good around the hoop…Runs the floor in transition…Attacks the basket strong
Annabel Meyer – 2022 – 6-2 – Forward – Comets Coleman – Good passer from the post…Moves the ball out quickly and efficiently…Shows signs of a scoring prowess when the focus of an offense
Collette Mulderig – 2020 – 6-4 – Forward – Keystone Karma – Works hard for post position…Asks for the ball…Has solid back-to-the-basket post moves…Good hands in the post…Strong off the pass…Gets up and down the court well
Grace O’Neil – 2022 – 5-6 – Guard – Comets Shumolski – Old school point-guard…Looks to make players around her better…Solid handler and smart…Gets after her opponent both offensively and defensively…Puts her stamp on the game
Paulina Paris – 2022 – 5-8 – Guard – NJ Team Rio – Quick first step…Good ball handler…Scores in traffic at the basket…Has the ability to change the pace of the game
Emma Shields – 2022 – 6-2 – Forward – Saratoga Sparks – Long and lean…Has a solid upside with footwork and aggressiveness development…Understands the game…Posts well and moves with the ball on offense
Alexa Therien – 2021 – 6-1 – Forward – Comets Genther/Shields – Big and strong…Tenacious around the hoop…Has a large presence inside…High-speed motor
Satori Valentine – 2020 – 5-8 – Guard – MD Blazers – Quick first step allows her to get to the basket before help can arrive…Scores at the hoop…Makes good choices in traffic
Maddie Vizza – 2020 – 5-6 – Guard – Comets McNichol – Crafty point-guard…Engaged defensively…Shoots a high percentage from three…Can’t leave her open on the perimeter
Mark Lewis is a national evaluator and photographer for Blue Star Basketball as well as the lead columnist for Blue Star Media. Twice ranked as one of the top 25 Division I assistant coaches in the game by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), he logged 25 years of college coaching experience at Memphis State, Cincinnati, Arizona State, Western Kentucky and Washington State. Lewis serves as a member of the prestigious McDonald’s All-American selection committee as well as the Naismith College Player and Coach of the Year committees.