Martin, Tyson Fuel Carolina Belles during long Summer

HARRISBURG, Pa. – Short on talent? That depends on the opponent along the long winding road of the summer girls’ basketball circuit.

Typically there are beatings dished out and received, but if there’s a dearth of skill or flair, don’t ever question the Carolina Belles’ desire or determination. After splitting six games at the 11^th USJN Hershey National Showcase, it was a solid showing considering the Raleigh-Research Triangle team has not played together in nearly a month.

“Anytime you win your last game at an event, it’s a good feeling,” Carolina coach Joe Costa said. “They lost a couple of games and could have went in the tank but showed me something by winning that last game.”

It was also the last game this summer for the Belles 16U, who will merge with CIC Warriors of Raleigh. Costa, a resident of Pittsburgh, Pa., heads south this weekend for a battery of practices with the newly formed CIC Warrior Belles.

Once the live period opens on the first weekend in July, the Warrior Belles will compete at the USJN Premier event in Hampton, Va.

“There aren’t many teams but the college coaches will be there and the kids will start to get noticed,” Costa said.

At Central Dauphin East High’s gymnasium last weekend, the Carolina Belles were overmatched but grinded out three wins, including a 58-53 victory over MYBA Wildcats (Md.) in pool play.

Stephanie Girard, a 5-foot-8 rising junior from Cardinal Gibbons (Raleigh, N.C.), dropped two free throws with 10.2 seconds remaining to seal the Belles’ initial win of the event.

“A quality win; that got us started,” Costa said.

Diamond Tyson, a 5-7 guard from Carrboro (N.C.), felt the experience reaffirmed the team’s resolve.

“We haven’t played too much this spring and this was the furthest we’ve traveled,” she said. “Our first game was shaky but the more we played, the better we were. Just playing was important. We have a busy schedule in July and that’s when you want to be playing your best.”

That’s exactly what the nine members of the Carolina Belles are targeting.

Here are thumbnails on each of the Carolina Belles with comments provided by Costa, the hard-working coach and event operator whose latter-day work ethic resembles that of steel workers who once shaped Pittsburgh.

(Players are listed with their height and high schools in North Carolina; they are from the Class of 2013 unless denoted.)

Ashley Hudson, 5-10, Chatham Central: Since joining the team, she’s had her shot released altered for the better. A hard-working wing, coming off knee surgery, Hudson has the desire to play at higher level. She is from the Class of 2014.

Gabrielle Mehringer, 5-6, Northwood: The off-guard is known for her defensive prowess but has paid more attention to finishing near the rim.

Erica Holmes, 5-5, Harnett Central: The Division II-bound player had to sit out half of the 2011-12 season after transferring high schools. Strong shooter and ball handler, she’d look good at a CIAA school.

Camille Gallagher, 6-0, Carrboro: The rising junior makes the most of her talent. Gallagher is a high-flight student and would be a solid post on the Division II or III levels.

Cassie Stafford, 6-2, Cary Academy: The high honors student is eyeing Ivy League schools Princeton and Columbia and she could be a contributor at that level as a freshman. So far she hasn’t been cleared to play this summer after suffering a concussion but when Stafford’s on the court, she is an exceptional high-post passer and has a solid mid-range shot.

Jazzmine Devlin, 5-7, Camden (S.C.): The rising junior can handle the pressure and wants the ball when the game’s on the line. She the fastest player on the team is “tough to catch in traffic.”

Stephanie Girard, 5-8, Cardinal Gibbons: “Tough as nails.” Girard played last weekend with a sore hip but never asked to leave the court. She’ll wind up in Division II.

Diamond Tyson, 5-7, Carrboro: Considered the team’s top rebounder, Tyson always seems to position herself, tagging her opponent for the carom. In high school, she averaged 18.8 points and 4 rebounds, earning all-conference honors. She has interest from College of Charleston and VCU. “When Charleston offers, I’m accepting immediately. That’s where I want to play,” said Tyson, who hopes to major in art or architecture.

Victoria Martin, 6-0, Woods Charter: The soft-spoken rising junior has a nose for the basket but remains a work in progress. She averaged a double-double as a sophomore in scoring and rebounding. A high honors student, who hopes to attend medical school, is looking at Appalachian State and North Carolina but is open for college. “She needs to catch up one year worth of skill work in six months but is capable of doing it.”

Overview

The USJN Hershey National Showcase, spread around Pennsylvania’s capital, featured 210 teams in eight different age groups. There was a team from Spain, giving the event an “international feel,” said tournament director Mike Flynn.

The 16U and 15U teams used the tournament as tune-ups for the upcoming “live period” which opens in July.

“This event is perfect for Division II and II coaches; there was plenty of talent here,” said Mark Lewis, a talent evaluator for Blue Star Media, who previously was a Division I coach at programs such as Washington State, Memphis and Arizona State.

Only college coaches from Division II and III, NAIA and junior college were permitted.

Most agree there were only a couple dozen Division I players here.

Two of them, both rising seniors, play for the Philly Belles 16U.  Megan Quinn, a 6-3 wing from Episcopal Academy in Newtown Square, Pa., has already committed to Villanova. She’ll be a welcome addition to Villanova head coach Harry Perretta’s squad, which relies on perimeter shooters. Quinn also plays exceptional defense along the baseline.

Her teammate, Kelly Hughes, is a 5-11 guard from Point Pleasant Boro High in New Jersey, will decide between Villanova, Princeton and Boston College. Princeton is the favorite if the school provides a sound financial package.

Hughes, Ocean County’s player of the year and Second Team All-State following the 2011-12 season, averaged 23.3 points, 9 rebounds, 5.4 steals and 4.2 assists as PBB lost the Group 2 state final in March. Hughes is a deft defender but can score the basketball, hitting for 1,864 career points and 88.7 percent on free throws (259-of-292 last season).

Additionally, 6-4 Tara Nahodil of Tri-Valley (Hegins, Pa.) is headed to Seton Hall and 5-7 Alexis Hofstaedter of Council Rock South (Holland, Pa.) to William & Mary from the Belles, coached by Lou Hilf.

At 6-1, Sydney Myers of Crestwood (Mountain Top, Pa.), located near Wilkes-Barre. is an under-the-radar player from the Belles. She’s a physical frontline player who rebounds and defends well from the Class of 2013. So far, Sacred Heart, Pennsylvania, Bucknell and Lehigh are seeking a pledge from the perfect 4.0-GPA student-athlete, who earned first team all-conference last winter.

Elsewhere, Tuesday’s championships yielded three winners in the upper ages groups: Virginia Vogues 16U coached by Fred Priester; WFBC Mustangs 15U of Virginia coached by Kate Carlin; and Philly Belles 14U coached by Matt Bamford.

Celtic Pride

One of the hardest working teams all week was the North Jersey Celtics, a 16U team coached by Chris Skelly from Bergen and Passaic counties.

The team is built around 6-3 rising junior Katherine Haines from Ridgefield Park. Haines is a first team all-county performer as a sophomore, who averaged nearly 16 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks per game. She has a great handle, aggressively blocks shots, posts up and will drain the perimeter jumper.

“Kath[erine] sees the floor well and is a great leaper,” said the affable Skelly, a Carlstadt resident. “She’s only beginning to realize her potential. She has tremendous anticipation once the ball is shot and is there to swat it.”

According to Haines’ mother, Mercedes, basketball, not volleyball, is her future, with schools such as Columbia, Fordham, St. John’s and Pittsburgh the early leaders for the honor roll student-athlete with a 3.82 grade-point average on a scale of 4.

Skelly’s team offers more.

The Celtics bowed out of the tournament Monday during a 73-65 loss to the Pittsburgh Rockers. It is duly noted the Celtics played shorthanded as players departed prior to the game for personal reasons, including Haines.

“We played well today. Everyone stepped up,” Skelly said afterwards.

One player in particular was 6-foot rising senior Camila Alonso of Lyndhurst. She’s a perfect player for a Division III program with high academics. Alonso can play inside or the high post. She executes the screen-and-roll to perfection, seals off her defender and rebounds in traffic.

“She (Alonso) all the little things a coach loves and would be a very good Division III player,” Skelly added. “Camila’s a hard worker and knows her role.”

Ram Tough

Even though the South Central Select of the Harrisburg area did not compete at the event, coach Karen Hicks hung around to watch games. Earlier this spring, Hicks was hired as the head coach at Central Dauphin (Harrisburg), inheriting a loaded team.

The Central Dauphin Rams should earn a top-10 preseason ranking in Pennsylvania’s Class AAAA, with the likes of 6-3 Maddy Hatcher, fraternal twins Precious and Perfect Martin and incoming precocious 5-9 freshman Tori Lesko, who tore up the local CYO league.

Hatcher is playing her first AAU season but has drawn the attention of Temple, Lehigh and Saint Joseph’s.

The Martins are different players. Precious is slender 6-2 rising junior with suitors such as Villanova, Temple, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Old Dominion and North Carolina. Perfect, a 5-7 guard, is a defensive ace, who will likely go Division II, unless the twins request a recruiting package deal.

South Central Select hits the road in July, heading to Blue Chip USA Invitational in York, Pa., July 5-8; East Coast Challenge in Union, N.J., July 14-15; and USJN Nike National Championship in Washington, D.C., July 22-25