DEERFIELD, Ill. – The Blue Star West Virginia 14 squad is headed to the USJN/Nike National Championships in Washington D.C. later this month. Until then, coach Joe Lambert said, there are few viable excuses for his players to miss practice.
“A death (in the family), or a job,” Lambert said of the list of acceptable reasons for missing a practice leading up to the premier event. “Other than that, there’s no missing.”
Blue Star West Virginia didn’t miss much during USJN’s sixth annual Midwest Summer Challenge, played in front of no fewer than 40 college coaches. The team narrowly slipped past Indiana Flight 15 South and crushed two other opponents to win its pool and ease the sting of a 1-4 showing in Cincinnati a few days earlier.
“We hit a rough patch in Cincinnati,” Lambert said. “But we hadn’t been together the whole month of June. We didn’t have any chemistry and it took us until the last two games to get rolling. (This weekend) is a little more how we’re used to playing.”
Which, generally, means winning. Even without point guard Kaliyah Creasey (2017, 5-6, Beckley, W.V.), Blue Star West Virginia had plenty of ample weapons in the backcourt. Chief among them is Aaliyah Dunham (2017, 5-5, South Chareston, W.V.), a super-quick slasher and outstanding defender. Dunham is peerless on the break and is an excellent finisher near the rim.
Under the basket, Lambert said, “my bigs are getting there.” Most impressive is Shionna Banks (2017, 6-2, Charleston, W.V.), a wide-body post who isn’t afraid to utilize her size.
“Banks has come a long way,” Lambert said. “Size-wise, she knows how to use her body. She’s got a nice turnaround jumper. Rhea Smith (2017, 6-2, Charleston, W.V.) just started playing in the sixth grade. She’s getting there.”
This is the first year of Blue Star affiliation for Lambert, who came from the West Virginia Tornadoes. The club has four teams (17U, 14U, 13U, 12U) and likely will expand to six next year.
“This year has been interesting,” Lambert said. “I’ve gotten more phone calls and emails (than ever) about girls wanting to join and work out.”
Strong finish for Ohio Hoopstars Basketball Club
Coming off a title of the second-place pool in Cincinnati, the Ohio Hoopstars Bball Club 16 squad blitzed through Pool E undefeated in the Midwest Challenge.
“We’ve gotten better all year, which is what I look for,” coach Ty Fries said.
The Hoopstars’ deep roster is the ultimate reason for its success. There is strong guard play from shooters like Victoria Burdo (2015, 5-9, Waterville, Ohio) and Natalie Yoder (2015, 5-5, Holland, Ohio). Guard Hannah Blake (2016, 5-8, Montpelier, Ohio) is “our Magic Johnson, making stuff happen.” Guard Jamie Huth (2015, 5-5, Sylvania, Ohio) is able to “change the game with defense and hustle and rebounding. She really inspires everybody. She’s our spark plug.”
But it is the team’s post players that probably offer even more sparkle.
“The most highly sought after right now, with offers from a bunch of schools, is Emily Westphal (2015, 6-0, Sylvania, Ohio),” Fries said “She’s been rock solid all year.”
The Hoopstars also have Olivia Vanslooten (2016, 6-0, Ottawa Hills, Ohio), a hard-worker with a solid frame, and Livvy Dill (2015, 6-0, Bowling Green, Ohio), who can mix it up under the basket.
The Hoopstars will conclude the July period at the Summer Final – Midwest II in Toledo, Ohio.
Future’s bright for Lady Lightning
Mike Seberger’s Illinois Lady Lightning program is a well-established producer of solid players, and some younger levels of the club are showing signs that the pipeline won’t be drying up anytime soon.
The Lady Lightning’s 13 Columbia squad stands out among the group. A few days after reaching the semifinals in Cincinnati before falling to a strong Nebraska Bison team, the Lady Lightning were back at it in the Midwest Challenge, thrashing three opponents in Pool L.
“I know Mike is really looking forward to that group, and the group behind them, as they come up,” said Jeff Bambule, who coaches the Columbia team.
There’s plenty to like. Guard Zoe Zacker (2019, 5-10, St. Charles, Ill.) is an off-guard with a matching set of skill and savvy. Aaliyah Patty (2018, 6-3, Westchester, Ill.) is a long, lanky post. The point guard, Margaret Whitley (2018, 5-6, Geneva, Ill.) is a pass-first distributor who is a solid shooter when the situation arises.
“They’re fun to coach, and they play hard,” Bambule said. “They never quit playing hard. Most of them are really serious basketball players.”
Blue Star Carolinas on the rise
Coach Brenton Murphy’s Blue Star Carolinas program is in its first year as a Blue Star-affiliated team, and his near-term goal is simple.
“We’re just trying to prove we belong as part of the Blue Star family,” Murphy said.
They didn’t disappoint in the Midwest Challenge, finishing 3-0 atop Pool A. Included in that run was a 51-49 victory against a talented Chicago Hoops Express 16 I squad. The weekend run helped ease the sting of a recent string of difficult defeats.
“We lost a lot of tough games, a lot of close games, but we’ve been getting better each time out,” said Murphy, whose swing through the Midwest included stops at USJN events in Cincinnati and Indianapolis.
Murphy’s top team, the Carolinas 17, has one committed player – Lovely Locklear (2015), a 5-foot-10 guard bound for Gardner-Webb – along with several other Division I prospects.
“She’s my (daughter) so I try not to brag on her a ton, but I think Taisha Murphy (2015, 5-10, Clayton, N.C.) is a high-major guard,” he said. “An above average athlete, but an elite basketball player. She’s the only kid that’s been on the Blue Star all-star teams since the ninth grade and doesn’t have one high-major offer. So we’re looking to change that.
“Lydia Rivers (2015, 6-2, Kinston, N.C.) is probably more of a mid-major kid but she’s got a strong, athletic build. Kiana Thomas (2015, 6-4, Nashville, N.C.) is probably going to be a high-major kid because of her size. Makaya Wilson (2016, 5-6, Raleigh, N.C.) has the quicks to be a high-major kid. And Dazia Powell (2017, 5-9, Raleigh, N.C.) is going to be the next marquee kid. And we can’t leave out Cailin Dorsey (2015, Knightdale, N.C.), who is a 6-foot shooter.
“So we’ve got at least one kid in every single age group that has the option to be big. But Taisha is absolutely the glue of this group.”
Blue Star Carolinas has three teams, Murphy said: an eighth-grade team, a 16U and a 17U
To see the USJN Summer Challenge post event page, including results, colleges in attendance and pool All-Stars, follow the link below.
