Blue Star Basketball

It has taken me a while to sort out my thoughts about the state of the NCAA tournament after I returned from the women’s mock bracket exercise in Indianapolis a couple of weeks ago.

The women’s basketball staff and several committee members in attendance were very organized, thoughtful and diligent in explaining how they do what they do, trying to demystify to a panel of journalists and coaches what happens when they meet behind closed doors in mid-March.

In my first draft, I remarked at how difficult the process is to put together a fair and equitable bracket, given the hosting issues in the first and second rounds, as well as other peculiarities of the women’s draw. I don’t envy the job the NCAA women’s basketball committee has in rounding out this year’s field of 64. Some power conferences aren’t as strong as in years past and some ambitious mid-major programs haven’t been able to take advantage.

Yet I came away with the impression that for all of the time, data and effort that goes into the tournament selection process, this is the least vexing issue facing Division I women’s basketball. While I appreciate the NCAA’s invitation to look under the hood, gauging where this vehicle is headed after leaving the committee assembly line is a much harder proposition.

NCAA Division I women’s vice president Sue Donohoe says that maintaining the integrity of the bracket — seeding all 64 teams nationally along the S-curve line — can be achieved while boosting grassroots fan support up to the Final Four level.

But the attendance figures don’t suggest this, and they haven’t suggested this, since the women’s tourney went to predetermined first- and second-round sites for the 2003 NCAA tourney. The average attendance at first- and second-round sites peaked at 6,697 in 2004, but those numbers had been cresting for several years. They dropped to 3,770 in 2006, the lowest since 1991, before there was a 64-team tournament.

Before that, the top 16 seeds were subregional hosts, and although that was a decidedly unfair advantage, you could bank on a fairly decent draw.

That’s not at all the case now. For example, in the second round of last year’s tournament, the eight lowest crowds were all in venues where a home team wasn’t playing. While more than 10,000 Maryland fans watched the Terrapins advance to the Sweet 16 out of College Park, a mere 686 souls took in the Virginia-California contest in Los Angeles.

I won’t fully rehash the history of how previous committees desired this change, which was prompted in part to create some parity, but also because there was the belief that this sport needed to be showcased in a more national way. When I first discussed the possibility with then-committee chairwoman Bernadette McGlade in 1998, she was adamant that major steps had to be taken. Then I posed to her a question that persists today:

“And who’s going to go watch the games if the home team isn’t there?”

What I did find interesting while researching this topic is that the NCAA wasn’t ready to move on the predetermined sites until it was certain that there would be funding for it.

Indeed, various NCAA committees delayed implementing the predetermined format for five years, citing budgetary reasons, until extending its contract with ESPN to show all 63 women’s tournament games, starting in 2003. That network’s desire for more advanced logistical planning is understandable, and it probably cemented the predetermined fate. It’s a change that the NCAA and women’s basketball is stuck with, for better or for worse.

From 2005 to 2008, the women’s tourney went to an eight-subregional format, which the men have had for years, but in some cases that made attendance even worse. Too many teams were playing too far away from home. Now we’re back where we were in 2003, and there aren’t any easy answers about improving the situation.

When there’s an “open” subregional, or one without a home team, the committee is under no compunction to place a nearby team there, if doing so undermines its bracketing principles. It won’t move a team up or down more than one “true seed” line (i.e., a No. 7 seed could be a 6 or an 8, but not a 5 or a 9), And it won’t displace several teams  just to create something of a local draw. For the moment I’m seeing seven of the 16 sites not having the host school making this year’s tournament, so how empty might these arenas be? It likely depends on having a team playing there that’s relatively close by, or will bring a lot of fans.

Some critics believe the NCAA has sold out any reasonable hope of getting good crowds for the sake of television ratings and its lucrative association with ESPN. While I disagree with those who assert the ESPN deal has been detrimental to women’s basketball,  I wonder what NCAA staff and committee members think when they see a smattering of fans in some venues that prompt very creative work by ESPN camera crews? Is that a good showcase for the sport?

The NCAA has handcuffed itself into accommodating two competing, and nearly impossible, objectives: Staging a truly national tournament with a fan base that is parochial at best. Fans of the game are really fans of their team, whether it’s Connecticut or anyone else.

To be fair, the NCAA is in the second phase of a three-year grant program awarding $750,000 each year to various schools and conferences to boost attendance and market and promote women’s basketball. Started at the behest of the late NCAA executive Myles Brand, this is a positive step that illustrates the NCAA’s concern about building fan support.

Basketball is the only Division I sport for women with a nationally seeded tournament. The women’s volleyball, soccer and softball tourneys have all grown in popularity in the last decade, but not to the point where they’re ready to move teams around en masse. The NCAA doesn’t seed those tournaments nationally for the same financial reasons it held off doing so for basketball until it came into some ample television money. All these sports are rolled up into the same ESPN package, but women’s hoops is the queen of this hop, and both the NCAA and the sports cable giant have been very happy with the arrangement.

But put yourself in the position of the players and coaches who get shipped far from home and ask them if it feels like they’re playing in the NCAA tournament, or just another non-descript regular season game.

It’s unlikely the NCAA and proponents of women’s basketball will admit that they might have jumped the gun about where they thought fan support actually was. While I don’t begrudge the NCAA wanting to try new formats, there’s also a stubborn insistence at work.

I doubt there will ever be any calls to step back and build an authentic grassroots base of support, instead of through television. That can only happen school by school, and it’s a slow, grinding process that will take years and decades to accomplish. Too many schools lack the emotional support to get behind women’s hoops, and there’s nothing that Title IX can do about that.

If you’re promoting the flagship women’s sport, you can’t want to wait for that to happen. You can’t go back to regional seeding, even if it might make perfect sense. It’s the build-it-down-from-the-top mantra that has pervaded women’s sports advocacy, one impatient with gender equity foot-dragging. Except that bringing along fans — ticket-paying customers — requires a bottom-up approach.

The NCAA may just be following the money here, but that doesn’t mean fans will be sure to follow. Because not enough fans have been doing so in the Predetermined Era.

The two post season All-America Game rosters have been posted.   The McDonald’s group has been talked about while the WBCA group was announced. The difference is at the end of the game rosters as it always is. From looking at the process of both groups over time it is easy to see how both team selections work. The McDonald’s group usually has the better players since half the committee actually sees the players and knows the difference in talent betwene those at the top and those on the fence. Kevin Lynch and I have talked about the various players and how they have performed. I know some of the McDonald’s members don’t see anyone play let alone know who’s what but that’s the nature of all kinds of selection programs. Luckily, the McDonald’s group with Morgan at the helm gets it right in the end. As for the WbCA group, well, let’s say its a convoluted process as the group comprises mostly of Nike high school coaches who select the team on a regional basis without seeing most of the players ever in a competitive situation. It’s not hard to pick the top 10-15 players but when it comes to the next gorup of the second of third pick from each region, well, its very political and very nasty. They have no problem making selection that would make your head scratch or get angry with its intent and statement. They (the Nike high school coaches) do not like the Nike Travel Team people one bit regardless of what is said in public and the selections reflect it. With all of this said, both teams are subjective and can be called political by anyone, even the cross-eyed media. So, in the end, this process is what is always is, a discussion point that’s quickly forgotten within a month after the actual games. But then, not by the players caught in the mix or the people it affects.

I didn’t make it to the NBA All-Star game this weekend due to the snow here in Philadelphia and then in Dallas. Me and Boo Williams became victims of the weather when our flights were canceled.  I am spending the weekend working on catching up on emails and also working on what is next in youth basketball as the NCAA legislation which comes up for a vote on April 14 or 19 goes into behind the scenes discussion.  I got an email from a person at the WBCA saying they are not responsible for any of the legislation. I wrote back and make some of my own observations.  That would take up a day’s worth of writing to just tell you how that story works.  But, the point of that discussion is the big one in youth basketball which is called find the pea under the cup or a version of three-card monti.  The public has been told that the demise and blame for all things in basketball is at the hands of  youth basketball. So, now the NCAA wants to come along and “fix” the game. But, fix what for whom?  The problem is that the college coaches are telling youth basketball that they are not the source of these rules and change but its the NCAA admin.  Then the NCAA admins tell us that its not them, they work for the colleges, which means the NCAA college coaches and their Coaching groups (NABC, WBCA).  So, with everyone trying to figure out why these rules are coming about we all stand there in amazement trying to follow the moving cups to understand where the pea (discussion) is going. 

The game is vastly different on the men’s and women’s side. Similar rules just don’t work since the “game’” is huge money on the men’s side while on the women’s its ego and more ego and coaches money.  In the end, after all the discussions its comes down to the case of college coaches lying to the people in youth basketball about the NCAA and rules.  The college coaches do not want anyone in the way of their agents and the agents of the agents they represent. The relationship between college coaches and people who do their recruiting for them requires changes that affect non-scholastic youth basketball to a point that damages the game for those who are not the Elite.  I could write even more and deeper about the subtle changes that are going on behind the scenes.  Too much money, too many people who want to be in the same Elite circles of the coaching world.  Look at TV and you’ll see the same people (coahces and agents)  the NCAA complains about behind the scenes talking and joking with those same NCAA admins, coaches and media people who rub elbows with them.  Stange but the public is unaware of this “relationships” and closeness of those in power in the major conferences and those who direct the “conversations” about the game.  Why are these rules being put in? Why has the “discussion” been hijacked by a handful of people?  Power and relationshps and pro money.  Except for a few key media most of this is never discussed or talked about unless it’s behind the scenes cause no one wants to becomes an outsider by rocking the power boat.  After spening countless hours talking to everyone on the boys and girls non-scholastic community and then conversatons with iHoops and NCAA admins we have a major problem cause there is no answer to the issue of the NCAA’s Money (tv contract) and their Basketball product (NCAA basketball, March Madness) and those few Elite males who are the heart and soul of Agent recruiting and relatioships between themselves and selected college coaches.  No one at the NCA A wants to kill the Elite programs or piss on the Elite players with “relationships.”   So, when you see the media talk about NCAA rules know that this is a pure diversion to the reality of the relationship wheel between Elite Coaches, Elite players and Elite Agent-Runners.   Even I don’t have an answer for this one.

It’s a new year and with that came the bally-hoo over the possible NCAA rule that has been dubbed the “Tom Insell” rule where no more than three players from a bordering state can play on a travel team in that state. Well, the last time I looked our flag wasn’t totally red containing a star or hammer on it. It boggles my mind how college coaches would demand parents adhere to this rule limiting the choice of their child’s opportunity to play basketball but want to recruit players far beyond the same bordering state rule. Also, this rule did not get passed and into effect right now as predicted by even some of my close friends. Right now the RULE doesn’t NOT COUNT. Players can play like they have in the past. The WBCA supported the rule as some of their coaches “complained” about a team having too many players. Well, they don’t complain about Geno or Pat getting all the talent and have to change the rules to prevent that do they? The comment was that this was a “preventive” move. Preventing what? The money of the men’s game is not here and never will be. Second, the rule was pushed because the few powerful coaches don’t want to speak, talk or have to be nice to anyone they feel has players in which they do not have a good relationship. The want the easy, kiss-my-a.. relationship to be in play with a higher authority to compain to if they don’t get their way. This is the kind of atmosphere the women are creating to mirror exactly where the men’s game is. College coaches do not want what’s best for the game or best for the kids. Opportunity should be theirs and their along to make as much money as humanly possible regardless of the chances and dreams they steal from kids with these kinds of rule. I will skp my soap box tirade about the lack of voice of the mids in fighting the few, monied millionaires big time coaches who want this rule. Don’t get made I wrote this, just do what’s right for the game.

                                                           THE JFK CHALLENGE

By Derrick Mullen

for Blue Star Basketball

                                             

                                             MSG INTERVIEWS VIANNEY STAR MISSY REPOLI AFTER THEIR

                                                              BIG WIN OVER NATIONAL POWER ST. MICHEALS ACADEMY

 

BRONX – When tournament director Coach O’Neil Glenn of JFK High School asked me to cover his event, I didn’t hesitate for a moment.  What a great day it turned out to be this past Saturday. Coach O’Neil and his staff did a wonderful job recovering from a delay due to the finest transit system in the U.S (MTA).  Also, I must say that the food was absolutely delightful. The food line was about 20 deep every time I went to get some food. You could smell the baked chicken and macaroni and cheese from the other side of the gym.

 

The gym was packed with college coaches. Legendary high school coaches Bob Mackey of Christ the King and Ed Grezisky of Murry Bergtraum were noted amongst crowd, along with  Anton Marchand and Cleon “Silkk” Hyde, the founders of the Rose Classic just to name a few.

 

My good man Kirby Dixon did a phenomenal job announcing the games. He was natural behind the MIC. We sat together the entire day and witnessed some of the finest basketball players in the Country.

 

The JFK Challenge consisted of some of the finest teams in the Tri State area, including teams representing Florida and Philadelphia. Here are some of the highlights of Saturday’s action.

 

 

 

                                                            GAME 1 RECAP

 

          THOMAS JEFFERSON 64              FRIER CHARTER SCHOOL 47

 

Better late than never! Thomas Jefferson showed up over an hour late, but they did not disappoint the audience and put on one of the best performances of their season.

Judging by the warm ups, it looked like a definite size advantage for the Lady Dragons of Frier Charter, which posed a front line of 6’4” and 6’2”.  The Orange Wave raced out to a 29 to 21 half time lead, led by Providence bound all American Alicia Cropper.

Frier Charter kept the game with in striking distance with the superb interior play of 6’2” forward Yasmeen Thompson (16-points and 14 rebounds). In the end, it was too much Alicia Cropper (27-points).

 

She unleashed her offensive repertoire displaying her long range 3-point skills as well as her acrobatic slashes to the basket.  This game was definitely decided in the backcourt.

 

SCORING SUMMARY:

 

THOMAS JEFFERSON: Alicia Cropper 27, Danielle Pearson 13, Kierra Cargill 12,

                                            Jocelyn Cummings 10

 

FRIER CHARTER SCHOOL: Yasmeen Thompson 16, Dakia Manning 9,

                                                      Shawneal McKeither 8

 

                                                            GAME 2 RECAP

 

            JFK PATTERSON 52                       SOUTH SHORE 35

 

South Shore played their second consecutive game without star guard Jasmine Odom (knee) and it showed on Saturday afternoon. JFK was also down a starter in star center Elaine Swaby (ACL injury). The JFK guards forced a slew of turnovers which led to a multitude of fast break points. JFK’s 6’1” forward Kemisha Gordon was a beast in the interior. The Lady Knights out of New Jersey raced out to a 10-point half time lead before blowing the game wide open, out scoring the Lady Vikings 16 to 7 in the 3^rd period. South Shore had no answer for Gordon, who continued her onslaught in the final period pouring in 12 of her 20 points.

 

SCORING SUMMARY:

 

JFK PATTERSON: Kemisha Gordon 20, Venesha Hunter 10, Erika Brown 8

 

SOUTH SHORE: Shelby Powell 8, Fannisha Price 6

 

                                                           

 

GAME 3 RECAP

 

JFK BRONX 63                                MARY LOUIS ACADEMY 58

 

In one of the best games of the day, the Hilltoppers of Mary Louis and the Lady Knights of JFK slugged it out from start to finish. Coach Joe Lewinger sported his Hawaii Five 0 look, while Coach Glenn was sweating like he just finished a 12 round fight with George Forman. 

Mary Louis raced out to an 18 to 10 lead led by the sharp shooting of guard Kelly McNamee.  JFK countered in the second quarter with the strong play of Deasia Acklin and helped JFK walk into the locker room with a slim 34 to 33 lead. 

Each teams battled to a near stand still in the 3^rd quarter.  Both teams started to heat up in the 4^th quarter.

 

 The Lady Knights Leshauna Phinazee decided to put the team on her back and poured in 9 of her 15 points in the final frame.  With 1:20 left in the game, Mary Louis held a 58 to 57 lead. Lady Knights then went to forward Chelsie Custodio who scored with 47 seconds left to give them a 59 to 58 lead.

The Hilltoppers went to their money player, Camille Romero who disconnected on a 3-point attempt. JFK went down the court and went back to Custodio who scored on another basket to put JFK up 61 to 58 with 30 seconds left. Mary Louis was unsuccessful on their 3-attempt to tie the game. JFK raced down the court and sealed the victory on a Sarah Vann layup.  Mary Louis was without star guard Renee Mohammed who was out with an injury. Both teams played exceptionally well and both coaches coached a great game.

 

SCORING SUMMARY:

 

JFK BRONX: Leshauna Phinazee 15, Jazzarea Campbell 10, Chelsie Custodio 10,

                         Sarah Vann 10, Deasia Acklin 9

 

MARY LOUIS: Kelly McNamee 17, Camille Romero 14, Karin Robinson 10,

                            Christy Caldwell 8

 

                                               

                                                            GAME 4 RECAP

 

                        NEPTUNE 65             ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST 40

 

When you talk about a backcourt, you will be hard press to find one as good as the Neptune backcourt of Shakena Richardson and Syessence Davis. As a matter of fact, Neptune maybe one of the premier teams in the nation. If people in the audience didn’t think that before, I’m sure they do now. Neptune raced out to a 17 to 3 first quarter lead and never looked back. In the interior Chyna Golden was a force. She grabbed a flock of rebounds and blocked a half dozen shots.

Christine Bosco of St. John the Baptist tried to make things respectable in the second quarter connecting on three 3-pointers cutting the lead to 14 by half time. In the second half, Davis and Richardson continued their onslaught on the defensive end, forcing St. John the Baptist into a mass number of turnovers.  Neptune won this game going away.

 

SCORING SUMMARY

 

NEPTUNE: Syessence Davis 15, Chyna Golden 15, Shaken Richardson 13,

         Sehmonyeh Allen 11

SJB:            Christine Bosco 13, Anastasia Williams 7

 

                                                            GAME 5 RECAP

 

                        POTTER HOUSE 60                         SHABAZZ 52

 

Though I would have loved to see Potter House play Neptune, Coach Tony Bannister and his team from Florida did not want to hear anything of it. They insisted on getting another shot at playing Shabazz, who handed them a loss at the JFK classic last year.  The gym was packed to capacity with no seating left. You had to strap on your seat belt for this game as this was a track meet.

 

Both teams played toe to toe in the first quarter like a championship prize fight. Shabazz raced out to a 6 to 0 lead behind scoring of Alyesha Lovett and Desiree Simmons before Potter House settled down and went to the Shelethia Stringfield and Antoinette Bannister. Both teams pressed with reckless abandon. At the end of one the game was tied at 16. In the second quarter, Bannister told this team to pick up the pace on the defensive end. He also asked his leader Brittney Roundtree to step up. Boy did she step up! The highly recruited Roundtree displayed area code range and knocked down 13 second quarter points, including three 3-pointers. Lovett kept Shabazz close with her strong play knocking down short range jumpers. Potters House led at the half 33 to 29.

 

Potter House relentless half court traps started giving Shabazz some problems in the 3^rd quarter. Sophomore forward for Potter House, Hillary Fuller started going to work scoring 7 of her 9 points in the frame. The Lady Lions finished with a flurry in the 3^rd quarter and extended the lead to 51 to 35.

 

Shabazz played with a sense of urgency in the 4^th quarter and made vintage Bulldog run behind the play of Seton Hall bound guard Kadeidre Simmons and forward Aliyyah Hanford. Lady Lions uncharacteriscally succumbed to the Lady Bulldogs full court man to man pressure and cut the lead to 5. Antionette Bannister then hit a 3-pointer from the bleacher seats with under a minute left to put Potter House back up by 8.  Fans from both teams were heard loudly in the gym chanting “Lady Lions”!”Lady Bulldogs!”

 

Potter House held on for an 8-point victory. Phew! What a game!

 

SCORING SUMMARY:

 

POTTER HOUSE: Brittney Roundtree 20, Antoinette Bannister 12,

         Shelethia Stringfield 12, Hillary Fuller 9

 

SHABAZZ:               Alyesha Lovett 14, Desiree Simmons 10, Kadeidra Simmons 9,

                                  Hillary Fuller 9

 

                                                            GAME 6 RECAP

 

                        ST. JOHN VIANNEY 66                  ST. MICHAELS ACADEMY 50

 

New Jersey power St. John Vianney, showed everyone in the stands why they are a perennial power. This was a game that pitted a Vianney team which strength is in their half court game, against a very athletic St. Michaels team who’s currently ranked 5^th nationally.  Vianney led this game from the opening whistle to the last horn. After a close first quarter in which Vianney led by 2, they opened things up in the second quarter by knocking down several perimeter jumpers by a multitude of Vianney players, which help them to a 32 to 22 halftime lead. 

 

In the 3^rd quarter, St. Michaels appeared to have worn down the Vianney guards with their pressure defense.  Kentucky bound guard Jen O’Neill knocked down a pair of 3-pointers to help cut the lead to 5 by the end of the third quarter.

 

In the 4^th quarter Vianney figured out the St. Michaels amoeba defense and started dissecting them with their precision offensive sets. Guard Missy Repoli and Forward Jackie Kates scored a combined 16 of the 23 4^th quarter points.  Lady Eagles point guard O’Neil went down late in the game with an ankle injury. St. Michaels struggled from the perimeter.

 

In her first game of the season, Starr Breedlove, a transfer from Paterson Catholic showed flashes of brilliance by getting to the basket against the much disciplined Vianney defense.

 

This is St Michaels third loss in a row. They have not been playing well as of late, but I’m sure head coach Apache Paschall and assistants Lauren Best and Ron Kelly will get the ship right by the time the playoffs role around.

 

SCORING SUMMARY:

 

ST. JOHN VIANNEY: Missy Repoli 18, Teresa Manigrasso 15, Jackie Kates 15,

                                       Arron Zimme 10

 

ST. MICHAELS:          Jennifer O’Neill 13, Starr Breedlove 13, Brittney Webb 8

Random Thoughts and Second Thoughts
While in Phoenix for the Nike Tournament of Champions there was a rare day off. Some high School federations do not allow teams to play on three consecutive days. This off day happened to be my birthday so of course a celebration was in order. While checking into the plush Arizona Grand Resort the clerk noted my address and told me he was from West Chester Pa. He asked me if I was an Eagles fan. I replied..duh yes, of course. He informed me of a place in nearby Scottsdale called the Upper Deck where many Philadelphian exiles meet to cheer on their beloved “Birds”. I recruited my friend from Tennessee, Memphis Central Assistant Coach John Dawson to be my DD on my birthday. John is one of the true gentleman in girls high school and club basketball(he also helps with the TN. Flight program) Not knowing what to expect, but always prepared to show my Eagles colors anywhere,(I have attended 7 games at Giants Stadium) I popped my Eagles shirt on and headed out with JD. When I strolled into the place I thought I was in Philly, place was packed, both floors, with every type of Eagles jerseys you could imagine. E-A-G-L-E-S cheers were frequent, the “fly eagles fly” fight song was played after each Eagles score. The few San Francisco 49ers fans in attendance were treated with typical Philly courtesy, although no one threw a beer on them. Eagles won 27-13. A great way to spend my 22nd celebration of my 29th birthday..
Lots of time spent busting chops with the other talent Evaluators in attendance at the TOC. Especially New York Yankee fans, Dan Olsen + Vince Catanzaro ok so the Yanks beat the Phillies, but at least I won a steak dinner bet from Nike TOC director Steve Kozaki who happens to be a Dodgers fan. At times the evaluators outnumbered the college coaches, even the top bracket. I believe the reason to be twofold, first, half the country was buried in a major snowstorm, so many could not get out lf they wanted too, second many schools athletic departments have cut travel budgets(even the BCS schools).
Can UCONN be beaten this year? They are clearly the #1 team, and demolished the #2 team Stanford on Dec. 23rd. It was a close game at half, but Auriemma makes great halftime adjustments, and they buried the talented Cardinal. I still think Stanford is the only team with a chance to beat UCONN for the title.(however slight). A bunch of things have to go their way. They have to get Tina Charles in foul trouble, when she is in the game UCONN’s defense and rebounding is formidable. Without her, UCONN’s frontcourt will have matchup problems with the Appel,Ogwumike, and Pederson post lineup. I have mentioned the best player in college basketball. Maya Moore is that player. I have had allot of upfront and personal interactions with Maya, my Philly Belles teams were 0-4 against her club team Georgia Metro’s in 2006 , including a one point loss in the AAU National Championship game, an overtime loss in the semi-finals of Boo Williams and another defeat in the championship of the US-Junior Nationals in Washington DC. My team was very good, with great kids and parents, but like Auriemma said about Taurasi, they had Maya and we didn’t. Maya was a special player then, and is even better now. Maya is very gracious in victory, I just don’t know if we will find out this year if she is as pleasant in defeat.

OK so I did not get assigned to the Naples FL. Tournament. Instead I will have to watch Philly local teams Germantown Academy and Cardinal O’Hara play in the Scholastic Play by Play Tournament at Archbishop Carroll on Jan. 16th. I just don’t think I will be wearing shorts for this game. Here is the rest of the schedule for Jeremy Treatmans tournament. The marquee game is the matchup of defending Pennsylvania State Champions AAAA Mount Lebanon of the Pittsburg area versus AAA State Champions Archbishop Carroll. Some of the top players to watch in this tournament are Penn Charters Brianna Butler and Alesha Powell, Notre Dames Meghan McCullough(Penn), St. Basils Jackie Thompson and Jill Lynch(my personal favorite), O’Hara’s Natasha Cloud(Maryland) and Marykate Gardler, Germantown Academy’s super shooter Maggie Lucas(Penn State) Tory Theiroff(Drexel) and Alexa Gallagher . Mount Lebanon starts 5 D-1 players led by Madison Cable a junior whose stock has risen with her All Tournament performance at the Nike Tournament of Champions in Phoenix. Carroll is led by Erin Shields (St. Joe’s) a perpetual motion player who is an tough as they come. Council Rock-North’s Sarah Keily(American), Chester’s Karen Flagg ,Friends Central’s Talia East(Penn State) Peddie School boasts another in a long line of All-Americans in the versatile Haley Peters(Duke). Shipley’s 8th grade guard Tamiesha Alexander is exciting to watch, Abington boasts Emily Leer(Villanova), finally the 6pm gym 2 matchup pits two Division One post players against each other, Eastern’s Genevieve Okora (Richmond) vs Ryan’s Jess Koci (LaSalle).

10. JAN 16, 2010-10th ANNUAL GIRLS PLAY BY PLAY CLASSIC AT ARCHBISHOP CARROLL HIGH (PA)
Gym 1
Archbishop Wood PA-Penn Charter PA 12:00
Mt. St. Joseph’s PA-Spring Ford PA 1:30
Notre Dame PA-St. Basils PA 3:00
Cardinal O’Hara PA-Germantown Academy PA 4:30
Mt Lebanon PA-Archbishop Carroll PA 6:00
Council Rock North PA-Harvest Prep 7:30
Gym 2
Central PA-Chester PA 12:00
Friends Central PA-Radnor PA 1:30
Peddie PA-Shipley PA 3:00
Abington PA-Lower Merion PA 4:30
Archbishop Ryan PA-Eastern NJ 6:00

One of the things I hate about doing evaluations for the Blue Star Report is that every winter I have to leave my comfortable setting in beautiful Philadelphia Pa. and travel across the country. This year was especially disheartening to me because I flew out before the east coast was buried in two feet of snow. Now I am a team player, but having me attend this tournament in the desert, with temperatures venturing in the 70’s everyday is going above and beyond the call of duty. I missed that full body workout we call “shoveling”. But I did try to make up for it with all of my 16.oz. curls.
The top bracket of the tournament (Joe Smith) is where many of the country’s top teams get to see where they are on a national scale. The other brackets ore mostly West Coast teams looking for quality competition. Once again Tournament director Steve Kozaki put together an impressive lineup of top teams and future stars. Mater Dei of Santa Ana Ca. proved to be the top team. Not surprisingly, they also boasted the tournament’s top player, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis a 6’0 junior who is a scoring machine. The UConn recruit has taken her game to another level, she was always a fantastic shooter, but now her maturity shines through. Whenever the game is on the line, there’s Kaleena, making a big shot, getting a key rebound or finding an open teammate for an easy bucket. What sets her apart from most female players is her physical strength and ability to utilize it. That is why she is ranked #1 by the Blue Star Report. Here are some of the top players I saw.

2010
Chelsea Gray-St. Mary’s, if not for Mosqueda –Lewis, Gray would have been the top player here, 5’11 PG.. And can get her shot anytime, against anyone. Duke will be very pleased with this young lady.
Ariel Edwards –Christ The King –Ariel showed her versatility all tournament long, and will be an impact player at Penn State.
Afure Jemerigbe-St. Marys- Afure gives St. Mary’s and incredible 1-2 punch. She is a superior athlete, and gives Cal-Berkley another stud player.
Ashley + Brittany Wilson—Long Beach Poly -both quick, fast and tenacious, they along with teamate Ariya Crook-Williams give LBP opponents fits.
Ataira Franklin-Riverdale Baptist- Ataira was a one person wrecking crew for the Upper Marlboro MD. School. The Virginia recruit was on her way towards all-tournament honors, but her trip was cut short by a death in the family.
Kelsey Harris-Brea Olinda- Kelsey’s leadership and shooting ability helped Brea to a 3rd place finish. The Iowa State recruit will fit right into the Cyclones and coach Bill Fennelly’s style of play.
Aaryn Ellenburg- PG Bishop Gorman-NV. Lean, fast Oklahoma recruit knows how to run a team, and how to get her shot, explosive jumper, with a nice pull up.
Lauren Arbogast-6’1 Mount Lebanon Pa. She is a steal for Central Connecticut State, does all the little things to help make her team successful.
Jessica Babe-5’3 pg—read above!!

2011

Kaleena Mosqueda –Lewis—nothing more to say. Top player in class.

Isabelle Harrison- Hillsboro-TN 6’4. Isabelle is a major college prospect, she certainly misses her injured teammate LaKeisha Crouch(Xavier recruit) but has proven herself to be one of the top prospects in Tennessee.
Ariel Massengale –Bolingbrook IL. 5-6 pg. Has proven herself to be one of the country’s top point guards. She led her team to the championship game at the TOC last year. But they suffered a 1st game loss to Long Beach Poly by 22. Lots of top schools recruiting, UConn included.

Bria Smith-Christ the King- 5’9 wing, Bria played very well at the TOC. Her outstanding leaping ability lets her get to levels most girls can only dream of.

Bonnie Samuelson-6’2 Edison CA. Bonnie is following up her fantastic summer with a stellar high school season with Coach Dan Wiley and Edison High of Huntington Beach. A tall shooter who gets her shot off quick, she looks like she is filling out and getting stronger. Most of the top schools are recruiting her, including a reported offer from UConn.

Madison Cable-5’10 Mount Lebanon Pa. Madison is the top player and has the highest ceiling on her talented Mt. Lebo team. Shoots the three well, goes to basket with authority, and has impressive athleticism.

Amber Orange-Westbury Christian-TX. 5’7 pg, Amber reads the game well, is quick, smart, and fast. Plays very a unselfish brand of basketball.
Ariya Crook-Williams-Long Beach Poly-5’6 pg. Ariya is finally healthy, and you can tell. Strong, and quick, she plays very physical, and can really put pressure on the other teams’ ball handler.
Sheila Boykin-6’1 Long Beach Poly-good frame, tough inside.
Theresa Worth-Seton Catholic 6’0 solid player, shoots well, plays hard, little sister of Christina(Vandy)
Shoushtari Ea 5’9 Laces CA. fast. athlete who can score in bunches,

2012

Morgan Tuck-6’2 Bolingbrook IL. Good range, goes to basket well, finishes well inside, still not 100% from injury suffered at USA basketball in June. Morgan is one of the nation’s top players in her class.

Jordan Adams- Mater Dei—6’1 guard who does everything well, she has the look of one of 2012 top prospects, very unselfish, I would like to see her become more aggressive offensively.

JeZhe Newton-6’3 Chandler AZ. Long athlete, runs well, good frame, good form on shot, has some range, ,I only saw her in an exhibition game, so I am not sure she gave it her all, but a very talented player, who has the ability to play anywhere.
Danielle Ballard-5’7. Memphis Central TN.-pg. led team to a near upset of St. Mary’s, great feel for the game, sees court well, a stat filler, often leading team in rebounds and assists. Goes left and right with speed, excellent timing on passes,

Keitra Wallace-Brea Olinda-5’11- tough, strong, aggressive undersized post player, scored numerous timely baskets for the 3rd place Brea team.
Aaliyah Whiteside-Memphis Central-5’10-wing, lean, fast, aggressive offensive player, can score inside with twisting moves, needs to rebound more.
Simone Westbrook-Desert Vista AZ. 5’8 strong,thick, athlete, outstanding offensive skills,
Jephany Brown-HD Woodson DC 6’0 strong, tough inside player, rebounds well, good athlete.
Courtney Walton-St. Mary’s AZ. 6’3 nice post moves, gives size to this young and talented team.
Jeanier Olukeme-Brea Olinda-5’11 very fast, very athletic, good hands, high ceiling, plays much bigger, very tough defensively because of length, quick enough to cover guards. Needs offensive skill work.

2013

Diamond DeShields- Norcross GA. 6’1 guard, the new wow player of high school basketball, unlimited potential, can play point guard, plus jumps center(I did not see her lose that either) has the ability to finish at rim, athletically, I compare her to Maya Moore, she has a long way to go to reach that level, but the ability is there.
Kendall Cooper-St. Anthony’s CA. 6’3 center, big time potential, strong, good frame, runs well, good hands, will be one of the top recruits of 2013.
Kaela Davis-Norcross GA. 6’2 wing, outstanding prospect, good skill, does allot of things well, good pull-up, growing into her body, was slowed a bit by the flu, will be one of the top 2013 players when done.
Karlie Samuelson- Edison CA.5’10 guard-solid player, good frame, strong, good shooter and feel for game, can play all 3 guard positions, good court vision.
Nina Davis- Memphis Central TN.5’10 good athlete, smart player, good frame, good breakdown moves, uses size well,.

I am trying to talk Mike and Chris into sending me to Naples Florida for the week after Christmas. After all I still have my shorts out..

I was feeling pretty good at a recent tipoff luncheon when a visible figure in the women’s game — not a coach — nearly spoiled my appetite and my attitude when she said:

“Women’s basketball is more than a sport. It’s a movement.”

This comment was uttered without elaboration, and it was meant primarily for attendees to support their favorite teams. Harmless enough. But a few moments later, I wanted to cringe.

Perhaps it’s just me reading something into remarks that were never intended. But for some of its most zealous backers, women’s basketball can never be just a sport. There must be social significance attached, a cause espoused, a watertight ideology relentlessly declared. The games can never be about the games. They must carry with them the heavy meaning that the flagship women’s sport truly is a movement, that in fact it should lead that movement.

If you think I’ve been surrounded by four walls too long, you are right. I admit to having some cabin fever in recent weeks writing previews and preparing for the season. But I didn’t pull these ideas out of the thin air. Or any place else. In the brief time between a sizzling WNBA finals and the start of the college season, there was enough eye-rolling lunacy coming from the Sisterhood to last for a whole year.

It began with the suggestion that lower ticket prices for women’s basketball are discriminatory. If you want to examine the data for yourself, however, you’ll have to pay to read the full report. The Sisterhood isn’t going to make it easy to be held accountable.

On the eve of the college season up popped a familiar bugaboo that activists simply cannot bear to contemplate: Female basketball players dressed up provocatively on the cover of their team’s media guide in . . . dresses.

The analyses ranged from the well-intended to the dreary to the downright depressing. Hoo boy, the folks at Texas A & M really have the agony aunts riled up something fierce. These young Aggies, we’re lead to believe, are contributing to their own marginalization. (Then they went out and marginalized Duke quite nicely.)

Don’t they know that there’s propaganda masquerading as “longitudinal research” (also available only behind a pay wall) that insists that this sort of thing just doesn’t work?

I’m not trying to be unfair to the activists and their media minions, because they do have some sympathetic guys who drink the same Kool-Aid. Indeed, they do very well to mimic the unhappy academic jargon that the outside world just doesn’t understand.

As their dog whistling lined up a fifth column to attack, they sincerely believed they were doing this on behalf of women athletes.

Yet the response from one player in particular, someone who’s struggled mightily to make it in the pro game, totally demolished these hardline notions. That a younger generation of players has moved beyond all this ought to be proof that the activism that has been necessary in the past has been an unqualified success:

“It’s not about sexuality at all. It’s a photo shoot. As women, we want to show both sides. I don’t understand why it has to be us trying to prove we’re not gay.”

Naturally, those sentiments have been ignored by their foremothers, intent on seeing women’s sports through a 1970s feminist prism that they’re either unable or unwilling to shake. Especially with so many “feminine archetypes” apparently still out there to destroy. (Why doesn’t Candace Parker realize she’s letting herself become marginalized too?)

This is just the problem: The development of women’s sports, and especially basketball, has largely outgrown these social critiques. Now the primary challenge they all face is their viability as business entities. What’s been created and nurtured over several decades, and after plenty of struggle, is on some thin ice.

The LPGA, which has been around for more than 50 years, has been reeling from a loss of corporate sponsorships and will stage only 24 tournaments next season. Women’s Professional Soccer is fighting some tough odds and the WNBA’s financial issues include the move of the Detroit Shock to Tulsa and a last-ditch sale of the Atlanta Dream to keep that franchise alive.

In addition to all that, perhaps the best women’s hoops team assembled on the planet — Spartak Moscow — is reeling from the assassination of owner Shabtai Kalmanovitch while another top Russian team, CSKA, ceased operations this season because of the global recession.

Now there’s marginalization. Media representations pale in comparison to the cold reality that for all the gains women have made in basketball, the pro game — the highest level of all — remains in a very fragile state. It ought to be flattering that concrete ideas on strengthening it are coming from most unlikely places.

As we’ve entered the period of Women’s Basketball 3.0, we’ve got to shed the notion that this sport is a movement. I agree that it is more than a sport in this respect — it has become a business, a very substantial one, that doesn’t need howling over a James Bond pose in a “virtual guide” to overshadow the real world that most female basketball players know.

Well here we are on the day where fax machines & scouting services seem to get more attention than any other time of the year

As I discussed last year this formula was created by myself, Mike, Kevin and our Blue Star team of consultants.  As we are awaiting to hear of more final commitments please email me directly if you have updates.  Presently you can go to the ‘blue star report’ section off of our homepage and then go to ‘Commitments By School” to see if we have all of the college’s commitments correct and updated.

Also remember – to bring in 5, 6, 7+ players is a lot of work, especially when you factor in trying to acquire quality. Gone are the days where if you sign one player, even if she is a Top 10 player that it would get you a Top 10 ‘class’ in the country. One player doesn’t make a ‘class’.

Below you will find the recruiting class breakdown for 2010 based on the information gathered thus far (11am – 11/13/09)   I will be updating the list and will refresh the listing as we gather more player commitments. Enjoy -

1. Duke
2. Connecticut
3. Maryland
4. Louisville
5. Florida State
6. Oklahoma
7. Stanford
8. Kentucky
9. California
10. Syracuse
11. Florida
12. USC
13. Texas
14. Auburn
15. Boston College
16. Notre Dame
17. Oklahoma State
18. Georgia
19. Miami (FL)
20. Alabama
21. Penn State
22. Virginia
23. Ohio State
24. Vanderbilt
25. Tennessee
26. Xavier
27. Louisiana State
28. Kansas
29. Texas A&M
30. Mississippi
31. Seton Hall
32. Virginia Tech
33. Georgia Tech
34. Minnesota
35. UCLA
36. Michigan State
37. Illinois
38. Baylor
39. Middle Tennessee State
40. Providence
41. Wake Forest
42. Texas Tech
43. Purdue
44. Kansas State
46. Richmond
47. Duquesne
48. Northwestern
49. Washington
50. Charlotte

Honorable Mentions:  Creighton, Wisconsin, Tennessee-Martin, Georgetown, North Carolina State, Marquette, West Virginia, Arizona, DePaul, St. John’s, UCLA, Washington State, Oregon, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Colorado, Arizona, UNLV, South Carolina, Kansas State,

Below is the point breakdown that we use. As we await the final word on where some of the last few BIG “dominoes’ to fall you can see how it can impact and slide different programs up and down the list.

#1-5 player = 15 points, #6-10 = 14 points, #11-15 = 13pts, #16-20 =12 pts, #21-30 = 11pts, #31-40 =10pts, #41-60 =9pts, #61-80 -= 8pts, #81-100 = 7pts, #100-120=6pts, #121-150=5pts, #151-200=4pts, #201-250 3pts, #251+ 2pts. If players sign with a program that we did not have within our system then they get 1pt. If we had them in our system as a mid-major or major D1 prospect = 2pts, if evaluated as Low D1/D2/D3 level = 1pt.

This next article was posted in response to the NCAA Board approving some proposals and putting some in discussion for a vote in April.  A lot of people are affected by these “new” actions.  Unfortunately the impact of these rules haven’t been properly or totally vetted in the full basketball community.  Below is my commentary and response to the story posted at ESPN.  Things like this are the reason for YB21.ORG to become a reality and a necessity in these turbulent times.

 

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA has approved new rules on basketball recruiting intended to restrict money being funneled to third parties.

The governing body wants to limit access by coaches from outside the NCAA who run camps and try to enlist players.

Effective immediately, (1) coaches will no longer be allowed to employ a person associated with a prospective student-athlete at a camp or clinic, (2) make payments to nonprofit organizations that a person associated with a prospect has either a proprietary or financial interest in, or (3) use 1-900 telephone numbers for recruiting purposes.

Coaches found in violation of any of the rules could be suspended from coaching regular-season or NCAA tournament games.

The rest of the package, which includes legislation aimed at stopping so-called package deals, will be sponsored by the board of directors. Member institutions will be solicited for feedback, with a vote on changes expected in April.

“I do think it will pass,” Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe said. “It has the unanimous support of all of the commissioners and as commissioners, we represent what at least the majority of membership is feeling. We wouldn’t support this so strongly if we didn’t feel like it was something our members wanted.

“There’s been so much concern about the culture of men’s basketball and the unsavory influences. There are so many coaches who want to do the right thing but feel pressured to deal with these outside people. This helps put a stop to that.”

Because the proposed rule changes come with the support of the board of directors as well as the conference commissioners — Beebe, SEC commissioner Mike Slive, Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany and Conference USA commissioner Britton Banowsky attended Thursday’s board meeting to voice their support — they are expected to pass with only minor tweaks.

The proposals have met little resistance save for a suggestion that coaches no longer be able to hire anyone other than students and staff members from their respective campuses for camps and clinics.

The NCAA on Thursday also put in place a six-member committee to select a successor to the late Myles Brand as NCAA president. The group will be led by Oregon State president Ed Ray and is to meet Thursday night.

Ray replaces Georgia president Michael Adams, who is leaving immediately as the board’s executive committee chairman. Adams is believed to be a top candidate for the NCAA president’s job.

The NCAA also approved a $35 million addition to its headquarters in Indianapolis. WHERE DO YOU THINK THE MONEY CAME FOR THIS?  ESPECIALLY WHEN ATHLETES ARE GETTING JUST A SCHOLARSHIP?

ESPN’s Dana O’Neil and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

BOLD TYPE, UNDERLINES AND RED COMMENTS WERE PLACED ON THE STORY FOR EMPHASIS FOR THE READER TO CONSIDER