HERSHEY, PA – It was great to be back in the Chocolate Capital of the World this past weekend, as the USJN Hershey National Showcase made its long-awaited return to the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex following a year in Philadelphia due to COVID-19.
Every year, this event is one of the more unique large-scale events in the nation, when you factor in venue, location, the time of year, the plethora of young grassroots talent, and the competitive older divisions of players getting ready for the July live periods. Events like Hershey continuing to return is a huge step as our world, and our game, emerge from the days of the pandemic.
Needless to say, we were eager to throw the ball up and watch the over 150+ teams from up and down the East Coast and as far away as Texas battle it out to win a championship. More than 75 college coaches attended over the course of the four day event as well, joined by a strong pool of media sources. All of the ingredients were once again combined and cooked up into quite a Hershey treat.
Congratulations to all of the teams who claimed championships on Tuesday:
17U (Pools A-D)- Philadelphia Belles 17 Steidle BSTTL
17U (Pools E-F)- Philadelphia Belles 15 Peterson
16U (Pools G-J)- Philadelphia Belles 16 DeShields
15U (Pools K-M)- Rise As One 15
14U (Pools N-Q)- Philadelphia Belles 13 Vaughn
13U (Pools R-T)- New Jersey Belles 13
12U (Pools U/V)- NY Top Notch 12
11/10U (Pools W/X)- CT Midstate Lady Raiders
One thing is for sure, just making it into the final 4 was a challenge in Hershey this year once more! There were several games that were back-and-forth, wire to wire. For full results and Pool All-Stars, check out the USJN post-event page here:
https://www.usjn.com/xtm_post_event_new.php?which=733
For 20 years now, this event has been a staple of late June. The middle school divisions in particular are fun to watch, as many of the younger teams conclude their season schedule in this Central PA town. We’ve seen some of the future stars of the game break onto the scene here, and this year we certainly found many more! So grab your favorite candy bar and let’s dive in to just a small batch of players who satisfied our sweet tooth this time around!
Kadence Adero – 2027 – 5-2 – Guard – Maryland Belles 12 – Standout defender…Gets steals and turns them into points…Athletic young guard…Knows where to go with the ball in transition…Had plenty of nice takes…Shot not bad for size/age
Eden Alexander – 2027 – 6-0 – Forward – DE Lady Sharks 13 – Big kid for her age and that size is imposing…Can catch passes with one hand so she has some mits…Seems comfortable facing the basket up top…See what the future holds here
Mariah Armah – 2028 – 5-8 – Guard – Elevate Elite 11 – Super long, all arms and legs heading into the middle school years…Tough to pass around her…Can rebound and push…Finished through some contact…Really long way to go but stands out for her age right now
Audrey Bilodeau – 2025 – 5-9 – Wing – Maine Firecrackers 14 – High end physical and athletic traits are there…Like how she closes out and boxes out as you would teach…Flies around in the passing lanes…Three point shot has continued to develop…Dynamic youngster heading into high school years
Kennedy Brown – 2026 – 5-6 – Combo Guard – Rise As One 14 – Very comfortable on the court for her age…Does things at a quicker pace than her counterparts…Flies around on D and anticipates things well…Gets to the basket with ease but doesn’t try to do too much
Reagan Chrencik – 2023 – 5-11 – Wing/Forward – Philadelphia Belles 17 – Gets up to board and takes it coastal on her own…Good deny defender on the inside and on the outside alike…Very committed to the defensive end…Gets on the floor…Driver but also capable from three…Sort of has that uncanny ability to just go out and get a bucket when her team needs it
Ella Curry – 2027 – 5-10 – Forward – TX-Phoenix 12 – Strong…Fast up and down the court…Scores inside, mostly from offensive rebounding opportunities
Marlie Dickerson – 2022 – 5-10 – Wing – Team PA 17 – Niagara commit made quite the impression…Rebounds and pushes well…Loves to get to the cup…Very confident on the floor…Smooth skills…Gets her share of steals on D
Ava Fajardo – 2026 – 5-3 – Point Guard – NJ Belles 13 – Plays the floor general role well for her age…Solid off bounce and distributes the basketball…Pulling up with a nice three point shot…Vocal
Mackenzie Felci – 2026 – 6-2 – Forward – SI Diamonds 13 – Can’t miss size out there, and has the makings of a player…Finishes inside…Can handle it a bit to drive…Helped beat the press in the middle…Willing to get a little chippy in the lane
Justine Forbes – 2023 – 5-7 – Guard – PA-4 Seasons Hoops 17 – Speed to burn…Can get off her feet quickly…Has a long reach…Anticipates well…Is very efficient from the three-point line…Skill set needs work to get to the next level of interest
Zairra Galloway – 2025 – 5-11 – Forward – NY Renaissance 14 – Exciting athleticism and has already hit a growth spurt…Runs like a gazelle to score in transition…One to know out of the Big Apple
Maka Gardner – 2024 – 6-2 – Forward – Elmira Fusion 15 – Face up forward to get eyes on as she starts to come into her own…Great size…Seals and looks for the lob over the top…Uses the jab in the high post and gets a good look at the rim before making decisions…Can get to rim against some tight D
Sloane Ginevan – 2023 – 5-10 – Wing – Maine Attraction 17 – Tough scoring wing…Very fundamental on D and does a good job keeping the ball handler on one side…Can really make it rain from three in spurts
Marissa Gingrich – 2023 – 5-8 – Guard – Team PA 17 – Nice scoring option at the guard spot…Step back is there…Playing up a year and challenging herself…Lefty threat from beyond the arc…Gets right up into the pull up in a hurry
Naomi Gonzalez – 2022 – 5-10 – Wing – Central PA Elite 17 – Athletically capable of hanging with anyone in the gym…Has always been a force on the boards with those bunnies and physicality…Driver’s seat all day with her
Lexi Gormley – 2025 – 6-0 – Forward – Philadelphia Belles 14 Henry – Has really made strides this spring now heading into the heat of summer…Good length on the interior…Ducks in really hard and asks for the ball…Strong outlet passes
Avery Griepenttog – 2024 – 5-11 – Wing – CYA Shock 15 – Versatile player that contributed in many ways…Long and energetic on defense…Makes good, hard cuts…Solid passing…Up and under footwork in the post…See where she takes it the next couple years
Lizzy Gruber – 2023 – 6-4 – Forward – Maine Attraction 17 – Steps out to hit the three ball at that size, and steps into it so smoothly…Rebounds her own misses and goes up again…Can put it on the floor in the lane to score…Wants to rebound and run
Leihla Horshaw – 2026 – 5-6 – PG – Central PA Elite 13 – Has some jets coming in nicely…No lazy passes allowed in her proximity…Physically mature for age…Doesn’t overdribble
Amber Howard – 2024 – 5-11 – Wing – Philadelphia Belles 15 – Strong and active on both sides of the floor for her team…Pokes the ball away from people…Attacks with some strength and utilizes the jab…Plays with exceptional patience…Gets to the rim when she desires but also feeds the post…Easy ups
Madison Howard – 2026 – 5-8 – Wing – Castle Athletics 13 – Just a natural athlete out there…Very adept at getting lay up attempts on the attack…Pushes with pace…Pulls some impressive rebounds and then dribbles through defenders like cones…Hops are legit…Runs down balls like a center fielder
Jada Jackson – 2023 – 5-10 – Guard/Forward – WDBA 16 Diggs – Aggressive and physically gifted…Face up kid…Bit of a tweener at this size…Keeps the ball moving offensively…Can finish around people…Motor turns pretty fast…Runs in transition to get lay ups…Was tough on the other teams all event
Ava Jamison – 2026 – 5-9 – Forward – PA-York Bombers 13 – Efficient ball handler…Looks to pass first…Defends passing lanes well…Handles pressure…Controls tempo
El-Anita Joe-Samuel – 2027 – 5-8 – Guard – Philadelphia Belles 12 – Strong, bigger young guard with some handles…Looks like she may grow some more…Form on shot not bad for age…Pushes the ball out n front well in the open court…Was more than a handful for opposing teams
Olivia Jones – 2025 – 5-9 – Wing – Philadelphia Belles 17 – Continues to play so well against the oldest competition available…Tri-level scoring on display, and continuing to improve the jumper off the catch…Just keeps playing too, no matter what happened the last play…Very even-keel…So strong with the ball on the move…Will not be pushed around…Really taking her game to a new level
Vianna Kanyamiheto-Watson – 2025 – 5-4 – Point Guard – Team PA 14 – Good ball handler…Has some speed with or without the ball and gets to the hoop…Cuts hard to score as well…Good free throw shooter
Olivia Kulyk – 2024 – 6-0 – Wing – Erie Saints 17 – Long wing…3pt is solid…Flashes to score in paint as well…Good showing, shot it well…Will be even tougher to handle as she gets stronger
Arielle Lopez — 2027 — 5-1 — Point Guard — Top Notch 12 – Outstanding young PG…Should be really fun to watch her grow up on the court…Acumen with the ball in her hands stands out to anyone who watches…Mature beyond her years
Ashley MacCalla – 2027 – 5-10 – Wing – Top Notch 12 – Very instrumental to her team’s championship run here…Continues to develop her prowess on the wing…Awfully good to the rim…Splitting defenders regularly at this point…Major upside…End to end in a hurry with the basketball…Rangy on D
Paige Manchester – 2023 – 6-1 – Forward – Elmira Fusion 17 – One to get eyes on this summer if you’re in the Northeast…Gets to the foul line and the percentage is solid…Very adept at getting to the other side of the rim to finish…Very active with a long reach…Can power through outstretched arms
Carlie Marrella – 2023 – 5-7 – Point Guard – MPC 16 Gold – Lefty PG…Gets to the rack some…Good passer on the move in the transition game…Locked in play-maker…Gone in a flash
Alivia McCaskell – 2026 – 5-9 – Guard – PA-York Bombers 13 – Slasher that gets the most out of her trip to the basket (foul line)…Ball is low on both the move and drive opportunities…Good game awareness
Karmen McDuffie – 2025 – 5-7 – Combo Guard – Maryland Belles 14 – Really good with the ball in traffic…Crossover is low, long, and effective…Always looking for the next pass to make…Hands are so fast, and hard to guard
Callie Mullin – 2026 – 5-3 – Guard – Castle Athletics 13 – Quick trigger on the three on the move…Will pick your pocket on defense…Can pull up…Tremendous energy from this volume shooter
Azzure O’Conner – 2028 – 4-11 – Guard – PA-Team for the Love – Scrappy all-around player…Coach on the floor…Handles pressure…Causes chaos defensively…Delivers her passes well…Gets much more out of her frame than her 4-11 listed height
Kennedy Parrott – 2025 – 5-9 – Wing – Chantilly Elite 14 – Build is strong and the ball and body control stand out…Covers plenty of ground in the open floor…Nice buckets off the bounce…Has the vertical to get up there and pull down some rebounds…Player to follow heading into high school
Ella Pelletier – 2025 – 5-10 – Wing/Forward – Maine Firecrackers 14 – Outstanding work on the boards…Good build…Can finish on the roll…Also drives from the wing and can pass on the move…Has a good feel for the game
Dallas Pierce – 2023 – 5-9 – Guard – Alyssa Thomas Elite 17 – Tremendous athlete who shows a killer instinct…A boulder rolling through the lane to the rim…Doesn’t care about your feelings just gets it done…Defends all five positions if need be…Makes plays on D and blocks shots…Gets up around the backboard and pins shots too…Flashed a nice step back
Addy Platt – 2026 – 5-9 – Wing – Rise As One 15 – Really hangs in the air to finish around people…Sprints floor in trans…Good at the top of press with that wingspan…Confident in herself…Played well versus older comp
Amaya Ramey – 2027 – 5-10 – Forward – VA-D1SA Spartans 12 – A possible “diamond in the rough”…Has the athletic ability, strength, and the beginnings of a skill-set to be good
Julia Saleur – 2022 – 5-10 – Wing – East Coast Thunder 17 – Good size and frame at the guard spot…Pushes tempo well…Solid rebounder…Turns the corner to the rack…Understands how to move without the ball…Handles fine and can get physical with the ball…Can definitely play
Brooklyn Sanfelippo – 2023 – 6-1 – Forward – Philadelphia Belles 16 – Big in the post…Plenty of trips to the foul line this weekend…Got hacked all night…Can handle it to improve passing angle on the outlets…Showing improvement
Emily Sawyer – 2023 – 6-5 – Post – MPC 16 Gold – Big post and hard to miss out on a court…Moves well to come up with clean blocks…Had at least seven blocks in one game…Finishes well with the right hand…Keeps it high and finishes…Runs rim to rim…12 footer is OK
Caroline Shimp – 2023 – 5-10 – Wing – VA Hurricanes 16 – Well-built play maker…Likes to attack the basket as much as she can…Good passer…Plays as strong as she looks…Drives with purpose and authority…Nice job in transition putting up points
Aleah Snead – 2023 – 5-11 – Wing – Philadelphia Belles 17 BSTTL – All the physical tools continue to pay off as the basketball stuff refines…At her best getting to the rim…Steps up and gets stops defensively as well
Addisen Sulikowski – 2024 – 5-10 – Wing – XL Thunder 16 – Buried multiple three’s, four three’s in a couple minutes…Heat check with a quick release…Gets to the basket…Rebounds well…Impresses people here
Laila Tull – 2026 – 5-4 – Guard – VA-CTAB Elite 13 – Handles the ball vs pressure…Gets the offense moving…A ball-hawk defensively
Faith Walker – 2024 – 5-11 – Wing – Team PA 15 – Speed demon kind of came out of nowhere and busted the doors down…Plays in attack mode and hits the burners…Very decisive…Went on a couple of solo runs that could make your head spin…Sprints everywhere…Defensive play-making is there…Finishes some really tough attempts…Shot is coming along and when she gets going, it starts falling
Olivia White – 2025 – 5-9 – Wing – NY Renaissance 14 – Smothers the ball on D so well…Powers through contact to finish…Good from the foul line…Freezes the defenders in their tracks then blows right on by…Splits traps in the open court well…Grabs some O boards too…Willing to work in the high post…High point output
Taylor Williams – 2028 – 5-2 – Guard – VA- D1SA Spartans 12 – A solid, technical ball-handler…Deals with pressure…Not afraid to put up a big shot
Mackenzie Womack – 2022 – 5-11 – Wing – York Thunder 17 – Lanky wing player…Good athlete and that helps her make some tough plays that contribute to winning games…Over the past year or so she has leveled up no doubt…Plays hard the whole time
