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September 1, 2010

SARA OLSON IS IN CONTROL

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tiny Green @ 12:40 pm

I remember the first time I saw Sara Olson play; it was against Rumson in the TOC. She was playing the power forward position that day. She was so active and aggressive. I remember thinking to myself if she was 4 inches bigger she would be a hell of a post player. A year later I saw Sara Olson again and what caught my eye was that she was putting the ball on the floor and using moves off the dribble, again I thought to myself, this young lady could be a pretty good guard one day if she leans how to shoot the ball. Then last year I saw Sara Olson and she was burying three point jump shots from every where and they  I knew this young lady was going to be a division 1 player one day. That day arrived yesterday afternoon; SARA OLSON COMMITED TO NJIT, AND SHE WENT THOUGH THE FRONT DOOR AS SHE WILL ATTEND THE ALBERT DORMAN HONORS COLLEGE!
 

 

 

Know this about Sara Olson; she has had to believe in herself every step of the way in her journey to division one basketball.  At NBS our motto is “A DREAM IS WORK”. Sara has turned her dream into a reality. Her mother Kathy and dad Clyde have been her biggest advocates. Kathy worked extra jobs, bargained with trainers and was would travel any where to help her daughter get the necessary training needed to help fulfill her dreams. Her father Clyde supported her and made sure she heard a positive voice along the way. They are proud Sara was not afraid to reach for the stars. They are proud that Sara seems to get along with everyone and is open to changing.  But what they are most proud of is that Sara has made wise and tough decisions along the way, something most young people struggle with.  Taking the easy road is sometimes the best road for non committed players. Sara Olson wanted to be a division one player and she knew that 5’9” post players no matter how tough and aggressive they are, just don’t have division 1 futures.  So she worked on her guards skills and developed her game during the off season. She found herself in the gym with Don Hampton on a regular bias and worked on her body with an strength and conditioning coach. She was committed to being a total basketball player. She understood her high school team had no post players and she would be forced to play with her back to the basket many nights. She didn’t fight this because she knew she would work hard on her guards skills regardless of where she played during the high school season.  She did what was best for her high school team to win.  But she also was smart enough to work on her perimeter game when she had free time. She also made her best decision of all when she joined the Mary Beth Chambers Central Jersey Hawk team.  This was a team loaded with talent and most likely meant that she would come off the bench. You see this was one of those tough decisions young basketball players face all the time. The ego and pride are powerful things and Sara Olson’s was being tested. Stay with her AAU team start and save face or swallow her pride and think long term and play with the best against the best. She decided to play with the Hawks….GREAT Choice.

 

 

 

While playing with the Hawks Sara was treated to top flight coaching. She worked with likes of Joe Fagan and other local coaches. The Hawks exposed her to every form of coaching philosophy and her basketball IQ grew.  The Hawks who play an open style of play and share the ball allowed her to develop those all important guard skills. Then the Hawks did something for Sara that she took full advantage of….they gave her exposure to college coaches. She didn’t start for the Hawks but boy did she perform and this is the most important thing that any young lady can do in the summer! Sara showed she can do it all, she had a sweet shooting touch, a nice handle and then she showed that she could still post up smaller guards. Sara Olson was becoming the total package!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the start of Sara Olson junior Year Howell basketball was becoming a top ten and people were starting to take notice. The team had an up and down year and just could not find the consistence chemistry needed to play with the big boys. But Sara showed her perimeter skills had grown; she played the wing, post and even a little point guard. It seemed Olson was quietly becoming one of the most well rounded players in the Shore Conference. Because Howell couldn’t get over the top she was forgotten at times. But make no mistake opponents and coaches knew who she was.  It was around January that things seem to go wrong for Sara! Olson is a gym rat and kicking her out of the gym at times is the only way to get her to take time off. Sara who seems to never get enough of working out and getting up shots was starting to see her strong body betray her. Her knees seem to be sore and she found her recovery time was not as it had been in the past. Miss Olson was suffering from a little thing called over work! Not exactly what you see a lot of kids suffering from these days!  A coach’s dream player was over working her body and even had to miss a few games.  During the spring live recruiting period Sara was not 100% and a lot of people were concerned. But Sara moved forward and got though the spring with no bumps.  Then Sara was forced to make other one of those tough decisions. While everyone was getting ready for the summer live recruiting period, Sara did something that was tough for her to do. She rested her body and decided to get healthy. This was a risky decision.  Do you practice and get ready? Do rest so your 100%?… Sara chooses the latter and it paid off….another great decision!

 

 

 

 

 

This summer Sara caught the eye of a number of schools. The recruiting process is so unpredictable and knowing where you stand and picking a school is not easy. But one day I was sitting at home and my phone rang and it was Sara Olson. She said something to me that blew me away. She said “I just visited the college I want to attend, I just love NJT”.  I reminded Sara that NJIT is one tough COLLEGE to get into. She then reminded me like all the Central Jersey Hawks players, she was a great student. How good of student was she? Good enough to get into the ALBERT DORMAN HONORS COLLEGE at NJIT. This school is not for the faint of heart or kids trying to hide under the radar. This program brings only the very best students at the University together to interact and study together.  No wonder the kids in this program are considered the best of the best…well now Sara Olson is part of that special group.

 

 

 

 

Once Sara got healthy this summer and showed she was 100% it was a wrap as far as her recruiting. She had found the school she wanted to attend and that school wanted her.  Sara Olson made her easiest decision yesterday afternoon. She called NJIT and gave them a verbal. Her teammates all cheered and her AAU coach Mary Beth smiled and talked about commitment and how including everyone benefits a team and how Sara is a great example of this. Sara did things the right way during her journey.  She understood short cuts lead to short careers. She took responsibility for her development and she most importantly never doubted her ability and her dreams! Sara will thank a lot of people for her success over the next few days, but I hope she takes time and thanks the person that was most important to her success…..SARA OLSON!

 

 

 

 

 

 

MY THOUGHTS ON SARA OLSON VERBAL
 

First of all NJIT just got what I believe is the most underrated player in the Shore Conference. This is a player who will be a nightmare matchup for opposing teams. Sara can play the 3 positions and her strength and size will drive coaches mad trying to figure out who should guard her. Sara Olson is the total team player and one of the most positive kids you will ever meet. She simply never gets down on herself or teammates. I believe the NJIT has scored a major pick up in Olson. I felt there were two kids in the Shore Conference that college coaches were miss evaluating…Sam Guastella and Sara Olson! Both of these kids, I felt if picked up by mid majors could be dominate players at some point. Sara has only touched the surface her game. I believe she will be an ALL Shore Player and move into the NJIT rotation right out the gate. Now a few things about NJIT you may not know. First the campus is beautiful and most people do not know this! Next the home games are packed, and I’m talking outside of Rutgers and Seton Hall I would say they draw better than any women’s team in the state. Next Coach Margaret McKeon’s track record for building programs is amazing.  Next if you are wondering if she knows talent, think about this! Coach McKeon played at Christ the King and that school has produced a few good players I think!…lol…I believe with the academic advantages NJIT has and landing Sara Olson, NJIT will now be in position to recruit the Shore Conference in a very aggressive manner…..to learn more about this exciting coach..Read her Bio and trust me you will be impressed…..http://www.njithighlanders.com/coaches.aspx?rc=214&path=wbballsed

Sara Olson has found the perfect home.  I believe she can serve as a great example of those kids searching for success. She will remind those who are forced to play out of position, that you do control your future, if you are willing to take control….SARA OLSON IS NOW IN TOTAL CONTROL OF FUTURE!

Comments (4)

August 29, 2010

SUMMER RECAP

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tiny Green @ 11:01 am

The last days of summer are upon us and players are now preparing for the upcoming season. This summer was no different than most, as new players had a chance to bond and get to know their new teammates, coaches had a chance to see what freshman they may be able to add to their rosters and then most important of all the players had a chance to be seen during the live period. So I thought I review the highlights of the summer.

 

 

                               THE TOP 5 STORIES OF THE SUMMER

 

1.) The number one story this summer has to be the play of the US Hoops based NJ Demons. This group of young ladies had what can only be considered a dream summer for most. Playing against the best competition the summer circuit had to offer the Demons proved they are an elite group. Let me run some mind blowing facts by you! First the Demons played in the state AAU tournament; this was the only event they played in their age group all summer and if the results were any indication of what was to come, then thank god! Because this was a massacre, as the Demons crushed all teams in the u15 bracket. The Demons also won the all their games in the Central Jersey Hawks tournament and then even had the nerve to go play in the Ring City tournament and beat the Nike sponsored Shakena Richardson led Ring City team in the final. Yes! Nobody including your truly mentioned this amazing feat! If this is possible, this team believe it or not was almost forgotten despite all they were accomplishing along the way.

 

It only got better for this group this summer at the Junior Nationals in DC. The Demons led by Rich Leary played in the u17 gold division which is loaded with Shoe sponsored teams and big time recruits. In their game against the GA Pistons the gym was packed with college coaches, we are talking about the Tennessee’s, U Conn’s and Rutgers of the world and it was not their asst coaches sitting courtside. It was people with names like Summit, Geno and Stinger. The GA Pistons were led by what many consider the best guard in the 2013 class, Diamond Deshields. This team was made up of all big time players as it is a shoe sponsored team. This didn’t seem to matter to the Demons as they beat the Pistons by 2 points. A little side note to this game was that Deshields had 4 points and Michaela Mabrey had over 30 points. One Big East coach told me “Mabrey is the best guard I have seen in the 2012 class”.

 

The Demons lost only 4 games the entire summer, doing this against this type of competition is truly amazing! Including in those 4 loses was a 2 point defeat at the hands of the Briyona Canty led Gauchos. The Demons only had 5 players and each had to play the whole game. Now many people may believe this is the Michaela Mabrey show….WRONG!  Marina Mabrey who is only in 8th grade will be following her big sister to a big time college program one day. Katelyn Flaherty will be recruited by tons of Div 1 schools before her high school days are done. Annette Show also will end up at a Div 1 school and I have heard nothing but great things about Shaine Earle. These girls are all hard workers and will need thick skin as they will continue to dominate the competition over the next few years. They are only babies, one 8th grader, 1 freshman, two sophomores and Michaela. Since 3 of these players have already been offered ACC and Big East offers it won’t get any easier to win certain people over. But true basketball fans and coaches love the dedication and work ethic these young ladies have. They quietly go about their business as they did this summer and continue to rack up victories. Somebody once asked why I only use Mabrey’s last name. Let me help you out…LeBron, Jordan, Magic, do you get the picture? Some players are special and only need one name. The Demons summer can be summed up like this…A team of great players, but more importantly a team of GREAT KIDS!

 

2.) The second biggest story of the summer has to be the new queen of grassroots basketball. If you are a college coach and have not called Kristen Somogyi then shame on you! This woman has built the Roman Empire from the ground up. Her Cardinal program is blessed with great players as Liz Sharlow, Danielle Padavano, Lindsey Rowe and others. All the players in the program are developing and improving, why you ask? Miss Somogyi was smart enough to realize great coaching is part of all this, she hired top notch coaches. The Cardinal program has deep talent in every age group and this will allow them to be around for years. They now are a program everyone wants in their tournaments and college coaches know they must watch them play. I hope to do a feature on the Cardinal program next week if I can get Miss Somogyi on the phone! Until then we will just keep watching the best grassroots story in recent years!

 

 

3.) The Shakena Richardson and Shy Davis story come in next. Both these young ladies committing to Rutgers was huge. Richardson who is rated the 2nd best point guard in the country and Davis is rated the 15th best guard and both are superstars and if Rutgers can land Briyona Canty and a top 100 post player watch out. This could be the recruiting class that Coach Stringer needs to make another run at a national Championship!

 

 

4.) Rolling in at #4 is the Central Jersey Hawks. The Hawks who have written the blueprint for all AAU teams in the future ended their ten year run. Every player on this team will walk away with a Div 1 scholarship. Remember this is not a Shoe sponsored team. Aaron Zimmerman and Sara Olsen both will make decisions in the near future and KC Chambers and Sam Clark both sophomores have Div 1 offers on the table already! The Hawks have been so good for so long its almost strange that will be seeing a new version this fall….but remember it’s  still  Mary Beth Chambers behind the wheel….that means team play, great defense and college coaches following them around like love stuck teenagers!

 

 

5.) The final story of the summer is the Academic Elite Event, with 48 college coaches and just under 100 players participating, this event is now a must stop for college coaches in the future. To say this event was a hit is kind of like saying the Yankee’s have won a championship!  Rob Kennedy must be given props for this event. No doubt the Hoop Group could have put a more profitable event in the building. But Mr. Kennedy took one on the chin for the girls and it paid off big. The event will help hundred of girls over the next few years. Also not one coach or staff person was paid to work this event…props to those people, the girls trust me are grateful.  I hope to be part of this event for years to come.  The Isaacs Twins performance is still being talked about!

 

 

 

5 PLAYERS WHO RAISED THEIR STOCK THIS SUMMER

 

1.) Stephanie Isaacs – RFH- she has now proven she is an elite player. This summer everything came together for her. Some people say she is the most improved player in the Shore Conference along with her twin sister. Div 1 schools everywhere are watching!

 

2,) Nicole Isaacs –RFH – she may be the most explosive SHOOTER Coach Sourlis has had in years. Like her sister her improvement and performance this summer has been mind blowing.

 

3.) Liz Sharlow - Bishop Arh – now this name may seem strange on this list, but trust me her stock actually grew even more. She now has to be considered a top notch post player for many schools.

 

 

4.) Lindsey Rowe – SJV- she has gotten stronger and improved her ball handing over the summer. Nobody can question her scoring ability. But her defense has always been overlooked and now the only real question left is what level of Div 1 basketball will she land up at!

 

 

5.) Kaitlyn Schmid –Howell- now if this name surprises you then you weren’t paying attention. She may be among the top 5 points guards in the shore right now. She closed the door on a lot of so called great guards. Her ability to guard the ball is second to none and her three point shooting is just an added bonus. If I were a Division 2 school, I would close the door on her recruiting early. I believe if a Div 1 school took a chance on her it could pay off!

 

 

 

5        PLAYERS UNDER THE RADAR

 

1.) Carmerin Spahn- Freehold Boro- how we missed this young lady last year is anyone’s guess. She averaged 9 points a game as a freshman and nobody talked about it. She is blessed with size, savvy and wonderful basketball IQ. She better start wearing sunglasses because her future is really bright. This year she won’t go under the radar and everyone better learn her name…College coaches this former Demon player is a real old school sleeper!

 

 

2.) K C Hobbie- RBC – she had a great summer under Doug Thompson. The question is can she keep it up. Hobbie has all the tools to be an All Shore player. She is almost forgotten at times. Remember I will say it again. She will wind up at a nice Div 1 school!

 

3.) Morgan Thompson- Neptune- no player in the shore has made more sacrifices for her team that this young lady. This summer she got into a groove and proved it’s no fluke the way she can shoot the ball. Blessed with range from the Heavens she again will prove how important she is to the Neptune program.

 

 

4.) Tara Inman- Holmdel- she may have been the best two way freshman in the shore last season. She has now has added three point shooting to her already loaded arsenal. She has the ability to play 3 positions. This young lady will land on an All Shore Team at some point.

 

 

5.) Allie Minch –Holmdel- how can you average 16 points playing against top competition and go unnoticed. Well that’s what happened to Allie Minch as she continued her great play this summer. Minch must be considered an All Shore type candidate this year. A great worker who seems to get better each year…It’s time people start taking notice!

 

 

 

5 PLAYERS WHO CAN CHANGE THEIR TEAMS FUTURE

 

1.) Stephanie Mason –Jackson Mem- she is long, has shooting range and can handle the ball. Last season Coach Goodale had a quick hook when it came to Mason, this year she will need the gifted sophomore if Jackson wishes to continue its success.  Christa Evans and Hannah Missry are proven scorers, but it’s Mason that could that all important 3rd scorer for Jackson. This will mean allowing Stephanie to play though mistakes and build that all important thing called…. confidence. If the Jackson staff does this, WATCH OUT. Mason is very talented and could be the missing part to this team. Missry on one wing and Mason on the other….that makes Evans unstoppable!

 

2.) Morgan Barry -RBC- When the summer started St. Rose had to wonder if they had enough scoring coming back this season. Well problem solved because Morgan Barry can score and she has already done it in big games. She also has played in more big high school games that almost every player on the St. Rose roster. This could be the biggest asset she brings to the team! Some believe she may have been RBC’s most consistence guard last year. She can flat out shoot the ball and also give St. Rose addition speed in the backcourt. Think about this Diana Malanga, KC Chambers and Morgan Barry, what do you get? Three guards that can defend and make shots! St. Rose just got better my friends!

 

 

3.) Jess Macchi- Point Boro- thanks right you never heard of her. Now let me tell you this, she is going to be a great player one day. If she has a big year and becomes Kelly Hughes Robin, all hell is going break loose in Point Boro and this team may arrive a year earlier than expected. She is long, tall and can shoot the ball. This young lady is so underrated it is shameful. I say Jess has a big year and the Point rolls!

 

 

4.) Katelyn Flaherty – Manasquan – Michaela Mabrey was a one woman offense show last year, who never got to play at full strength last season for 32 minutes. Well that will all change this year…As the song goes “hang on, help is on the way” and that help is coming in the name of readymade freshman Katelyn Flaherty. She will bring toughness and a winning attitude. She has already played against some of the shore’s best players, so no worries there. She will allow Mabrey to rest at times while she takes over the offense. Think about a rested Mabrey in the 4th quarter…OMG THAT’S SCARY!

 

 

5.) Victoria Lesko – RFH- with the twins now established as proven scorers and Wilber and Cooper running the offense, all that Rumson is missing is a post player. That’s where Lesko the Boston College bound senior comes into play. If she plays defense, rebounds and makes opposing big come get her outside, RFH could be dangerous and I mean real dangerous of course not till March…it a George Sourlis team!

 

 

5   PLAYERS WHO WILL BE BETTER IN COLLEGE

 

 

1.) Chyna Golden- Neptune- Why? Because she has gotten better each year in school, why? Because she has added something to her game every year, last year it was her passing, the year before it was her up and under move. This year it will be her shooting range and ball handling. Why? Because her work ethic and mental toughness can never be doubted by anyone that knows her. Why? Because the University Pittsburg will feature her in the college game. Why? Because her family is a strong unit and will give her the support she will need to continue to develop. Why? Because Kevin Owens is a master at developing players….any more questions?

 

 

2.) Meghan McGuinness- Middletown South- Why? Because she can score and is so crafty. Why? Because she will be running off screens set by 6ft wide bodies in college and that means more room. Why? Because the whole world won’t be trying to just stop her. Why? The work ethic is almost over the top. Why? She picked a school that would’ve crawled on bloody knees to China to land her, this means they really believe in her!

 

 

3.) KC Chambers- St. Rose- Why? Because in college they will take advantage of her shooting skills and run her off screens. Why? Because hustle and plays on the wood are so valuable at the next level. Why? Because you can’t put a value on decision making at the college level, she is one of the best decision makers in the Shore Conference. Why? She is a pain in the A.. if you have to play against her. Coaches just love those types of kids. Why? She understands the game inside and out and if you don’t understand how important that is, then you never been a coach!

 

 

4.) Sy Davis-Neptune- Why? Her aggressive physical style of play could not have found a better home than Rutgers. Coach Stringers pressing, physical style of play is right up her alley. Why? She will be playing with maybe the best point guard in the country…oh yeah they are best friends. Why? Now she doesn’t have to worry about those tic tack fouls…she’ll be in college where they let you play. Why? Because she will continue to improve her shooting before playing in the WNBA one day.

 

5. Christa Evans –Jackson Mem- I don’t where it all started but she not a slow footed player. She is athletic and quick and I mean quick. She is strong as an ox and rebound as well as anyone in the state. Dare I say she is the best traffic rebounder in New Jersey?…she is no doubt on the short list. Now why is this important? Because big bodies that can rebound and run the floor are rare breeds. Why will she be better in college? They go inside out in college and allow you to be physical; this will benefit Evans in a big way. She will be a force in college and improve every year!

 

 

 

                                5 COACHES TRYING TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE

 

1.) John Brown –Neptune- People the man is trying to win the Triple Crown this year. The SCT, TOC and the National Championship, we should call what he is trying to do…THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM.

 

 

2.) James Young- RBC- he actually has people in this once grave yard playing year round. He has created a basketball atmosphere. He got his team in the SCT last year and really believes it’s not impossible to do it again..The man is doing a major rebuilding job and everyone is buzzing about it!

 

 

3.) John Turhan-Central Regional- the Bill Parcells of the Shore has built two programs and now he is doing it again. His Central team defeated Jackson Mem this summer and yes Missry and Evans played. So what does this mean? Of course nothing unless you building a program and use every positive to your advantage. People watch out he is doing it again and turning another program around, notice I said program not team. If he does the impossible and this is his third program he changes…where does that put in on the list of best coaches in the Shore? I’m not sure but his name would have to be called real EARLY!

 

 

4.)Joe Montano- RBC- this man has more guards that the president and that’s with two leaving who would have been in his rotation leaving the program. Joe Montano will have a very tough job finding extending minutes for all these guards and it may be impossible even for the master himself. Then he has the problem of finding a true point guard. Does he take a chance and give his untested but only true point guard Marie B the ball or does he let one of his many two guards again run the point. Joe has some big decisions to make. When you the Yankees of the Shore Conference people expect more and Joe is dammed if he does and dammed if he doesn’t. Hey Joe I have some advice….Keep Joe Montano Happy!

4.) Felix Romero-Manasquan- he has turned Manasquan from the Shore Conference punching bag to the puncher themsevles and alot of people don’t let it! Mansaquan is not a team you want warming up in your gym.Felix has changed this program around while people have taken some very unfair shots at him and his program, inculding yours truly himself! and he has stayed focused on the mission at hand..building the once laughing stocks into a powerhouse. He has done it by adding parts to his machine each year! He got the most important part in his first year. He found roles for his kids and now the impossible looks very possible. He’ll start the year off in my top ten and if things go well ,there could be a shore championship somewhere in the future….are you kidding me? Who would have THUNK it? Well nothing is impossible when you have a thick skinned coach, a smart and swerd AD and then you throw in one of the best players walking planet earth!

 

 

 

AROUND THE SHORE

 

The recruiting of Sam Clark is getting ridiculous, as the # 2 team in the country jumped into the picture as Stanford came calling. They may be surprised to know that they are not the only non east coast power who has called. Last week Notre Dame called and that is the school where her uncle the great Billy Paterno stared at! The Clark recruiting no doubt is going to heat up even more. Rutgers who has put the full court press on Sam, no doubt along with Monmouth will not go down without a fight. Advice to the Clark family move slowly and quietly!

 

 

Christa Evans announced that she is taking all five visits. I think this is a great move, as she will get to meet her future teammates and spend quality time on her future college campus. I like that Evans is taking her time and including her family. Why not take a few trips and see the world. What wrong with having a few great meals and meeting new and exciting famous people. Isn’t this the benefits of all her hard work? She most likely will never get this chance again!

 

 

Speaking of Evans and Clark, they are two kids who get it. Recently I watched them work out against each other. What did I see? Two kids patting each other on the back and encouraging each other. See folks it’s about sportsmanship, and they both come from great families who teach this. I will always root for both of these young ladies and their families.

 

 

Kelly Hughes grew a few inches this summer and worked tirelessly on her ball handling and I see another big year by the Pt Boro superstar who already has Big East offers on the table.

 

 

I am amazed by the lack of respect Middletown South is getting. People don’t you know by now the man running that program can flat out coach!

 

 

George Sourlis 5 seniors for the first time…hmmm

 

 

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

 

I admit I am not a fan of AAU basketball. It just seems to bring out the worst in people. My daughter didn’t start AAU until 9th grade. That was the best decision I ever made. If every AAU team was run like the Mary Beth Chambers Hawks team then I would be more of a fan. But the fact is they are not. There are so many players jumping for team to team, teams being AAU in name only and then the worst thing of all… coaches promising kids things they can’t deliver.  But what I am a fan of is people getting exposure and people donating their time.  This is where AAU earns its keep, so despite the many pit falls we need AAU basketball. Let’s hope things will continue to improve. I saw some great things happen this summer!

 

 

I hope every player is asking their High School coach to run an open gym and invite college coaches. Coaches are allowed out on September 15 and the NCAA is very clear about where open gyms can take place…high schools only!

 

 

Players please don’t sit around waiting for the 2 day October recruiting period. Start preparing now. Get to your trainers, start running, shoot, work on your ball handling, go play pick up…I don’t care what you do …but get ready.

 

 

Core Skill training at Hoop Group Headquarters is taking applications. The event only takes 40 kids and it meets on Tuesday and Thursday evening. You can get more information at Hoopgroup.com or call Dan Rose at 732 897 3196

 

 

I hope everyone is focusing on the most important thing….the start of the school year. Kids if you get off to a good start the rest will fall into place. You education is your best way to get notice by a coach and gain the respect of your teammates and coaches!

 

Oh yeah Shooting coach Dave Hopla is at the hoop group all this week. If you never have worked with him then you are missing out big time. You can stop in Monday if you are interested. I will no doubt stop in for a day or two!

 

 

 

Next week the Cardinal program and some REALLY BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS

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August 15, 2010

KATHRYN CAMPBELL A ROLE MODEL

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tiny Green @ 1:13 pm

I woke this morning and thought about the fact this is the last weekend me and my daughter will spend together for about nine months. I remember when we dropped Candice off at Colgate as a freshman. There were so many tears and believe it or not…Lots of doubts! You wonder if your child will be happy, you wonder if her roommate will be the right fit and you wonder if she will be able to handle the rigors of college basketball and school. Well it turned out Candice had no roommate and Colgate was the perfect fit. Many kids and family’s all across the state will be doing the same thing for the first time over the next 3 weeks. Trust me there will be lots of tears and worried faces. Many young ladies will start the best four years of their lives. One player who will be doing this is Kathryn Campbell of Wall.
 

She has been a role model for her sister and I can only call a dream daughter for her parents. Next weekend Kathryn and her family will load up the car and head to Ithaca College. She will be leaving her sisters who look up to her and know that she is special. Their home will not be the same without Kathryn. Nothing has every come easy for her, she always seem to have to do more and seem to never to get the love other great players seem to receive. She leaves a bucket of records at Wall high school and is the schools all time leading scorer. No player has done so much and has received such little recognition. When you play at Wall nobody really pays much attention. They forget the work and time and that goes into making a player like Kathryn. The college coaches don’t flock to Wall. Everything Kathryn accomplished on the basketball court is a credit to her parents and sisters. They watched as she continued year in and year out fight a battle for respect and acceptance. She never had an advocate and received little if any help along the way, but she never changed as a person.


  

When I tell you this is one of the all time great kids, I mean it! What makes a great kid? Character and mental toughness and this young lady has both. I remember when a local AAU coach told her that she could not play a certain level of basketball. This was one of the cruelest things an adult can do to a player with dreams. How did this young lady respond? She simply put it behind her and moved forward. When I called her about a div 1 school who had an interest in her, she told me “I’m a great student and I would never put basketball ahead of my education”. In case you don’t know Miss Campbell has won some pretty big academic awards along the way. She is just as good a student as she is a basketball player! She was one of only 5 Shore athletes to make the all Scholar Athletic team. People we are talking about the best Student athletes in the entire state! She drives her younger sister Kelly to the gym and supports her. She has taken all lumps along the way for her younger sister. Kelly will be one of the best guards in the Shore one day and her biggest fan and role model will be her big sister. The one that showed her toughness and character still count for something. If Kathryn seems too good to be true, it’s because she is one of a kind. She is one of those rare breed of kids who has been kicked around and not been given the chance to shine, but has not used it as an excuse. She knows in her heart, that she has been one of the best in the Shore. If she played at RBC, SJV or Rumson we would be calling her a superstar. But she has not let this stop her drive or desire to be the best. This summer she went to a pt guard camp, why you ask? Because Kathryn, is never satisfied and while many kids are all set for their college careers to start and are content, Kathryn is not.


  

My daughter had a chance to play with Kathryn this summer. All she kept saying to me is how talented and more important how she was such a great person. Once you meet Miss Campbell that becomes pretty clear. The Campbell family when they take their ride next week will talk of how hard  this road has been. They realize putting a child though college with 4 kids is not easy. But nothing has ever been easy for Kathryn or her family. Her parents never played the political games that so many parents love to play. They never kissed up to the so called important people. I’m sure they wonder at times, should they have moved to a basketball town? Maybe they should have found an AAU team that showcased their daughter more, maybe they could have rubbed elbows with the important people a little more! I say they did the right thing! The Campbell’s know that Kathryn in the long run will be successful. She blessed with the 3 Bs… BRAINS…BEAUTY…. AND SHE IS A BALLER! How can you beat that? She will always know that she did things the right way and was never a phony along the way! I hope Kelly and the Twins are watching, because your big sister has showed you, how to build an impeccable reputation and make your parents proud….Go be an All American Kathryn, because I believe you are that good. You will now create another great story in college, except this time the whole world will know about it. One of the all time great kids is moving on and I will assure you that her future will be full of greatness!

The NCAA has really tightened the rope on what an open gym is. Now all open gyms must be run by a high school coach. I would like to suggest every high school coach do one open gym a week. Maybe coaches can get together and figure out an open gym schedule. This will give kids a big boast in their recruiting. Remember the live recruiting period is only two days but open gyms you can many!
 

AROUND THE SHORE


 Cydney Mooney, made if official she has left RBC, she laced them up for Neptune in a summer league game against St. Rose last week. She had been thinking of leaving since June, I believe that this makes Neptune even a deeper team than last year. I also feel many of these young ladies leaving RBC is simply about playing time, kids are no longer willing to sit on the bench. RBC has so many guards that playing time for many good players may just not be there. Morgan Arnott, KC Hobbie, Jackie Cajigal, Grace Fallon, Mary Kate Brynes not to mention Caroline Corchran (my preseason pick for most improved player) and Mary Kate Caverly will be expecting playing time! Keeping them all happy will not be an easy Job for Joe Mantano. But it’s a problem am sure he is glad to have! So losing Mooney and Barry may be good thing in some ways, but bad in the sense that RBC is losing two players who would have played major minutes. But with Guastella, Hobbie and all the experienced returning played along with Fallon now on board RBC could have be very dangerous. 


 

If you are a rising senior and you don’t have a school yet. I suggest you attend as many events as possible in the fall. But make sure you prepare yourself!


  

I want to wish all those heading off to college good luck; it really is the best time of your life. Don’t forget the first day is always tough and things will not all go smooth.


  

Nothing but skills will begin its first weekend and those interested may go to the website nothingbutskills.com. NBS runs 7 straight weekends (Saturday-Sunday) with 2 hour sessions. Everyone is welcomed but the program is geared more towards advance players.
 

Comments (7)

August 12, 2010

SHORE UPDATES

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tiny Green @ 3:41 pm

There are so many things that I want to talk about, that I really don’t know where to start. I hope you all had a chance to read Josh Newman’s summer Top 10 teams. That was great conversation for a few days. Picking a Shore Conference Top 10 is not going to be easy this year. I do know this Neptune and SJV are very heavy favorites. I think the key to some of the other teams are how much impact the new comers will have on their respective teams. I feel Holmdel has a few impact kids coming in and Allie Minch is developing into an All Shore type player. So they could be very dangerous. Manasquan and Pt. Boro for my money are the two teams that have the biggest chance at moving up on the food chain. RBC of course looks to very tough with so much experience coming back and with Stud freshman Grace Fallon being added to the mix could make a charge. With the Isaacs twins playing like all Americans these days Rumson could be a real dark horse. It should be fun and I will give you my full break down of the top 10 in a few weeks. In the meantime post your top teams and give me your reasons in the comments section. I want to recap the Academic Elite first before we touch on a few other topics.

 

Some big stories came out of this event; none was bigger than the play of Stephanie and Nicole Isaacs who have played themselves into div 1 status. If you don’t think one event can change a kid’s life. Look no further than these two girls. How well did they play? At one point all eyes in the gym where on these two. They made shots from everywhere and from every conceivable angle. It was a performance that was almost hard to believe. 48 coaches left the building shaking their heads about what to do with these girls. Well 4 div 1 schools did know what do and now the twins will be making the recruiting rounds and just for good measure Nicole went out and knocked down 9 three’s in a summer matchup against RBC. Now what about Liz Sharlow? If anyone had any doubts about this young lady, they were all erased. Sharlow showed she can rebound with anyone and her ability to score is just off the charts. She must be considered one of the best post players in the state now. Middlesex County is back people! Now college coaches don’t forget you heard this here first…Marie Brynes of Rutgers Prep is a mid major steal and she is a big time student. Here is a kid that suffers from lack of exposure and has bounced around a bit on the AAU circuit, so some coaches have lost track of her! Coaches she is the answer to a lot of problems. The school that jumps on this kid is going to be very lucky at the end of the day. By the way Danielle Padavano of South Brunswick high school is about as skilled player I have ever seen for a young post player. She has every move in the book and bangs out jumpers like it no big thing. She will be one of the best in the state before she is done. Now get this, she may be playing alongside Sharlow next summer….wow. Watching Hannah Missy and Kelly Hughes play on the same team was a treat. Can you imagine if some college coach could somehow sign these two? That coach would no doubt begin holding out asking for a raise..lol Now everyone pay close attention. Morgan Barry’s decision to attend St.Rose is big and I mean really big and let me explain why. At Academic Elite she reminded me and a whole lot of coaches that shooters still rule. This young lady can shoot the ball and having Sam Clark in the post with her on the same side makes things real dicey for any opponent. Now here is something else she gives St. Rose… quickness and speed. Morgan Barry is in my opinion somebody any college can use, because shooters are a dying breed. Speaking of shooters, what about Morgan Thompson of Neptune? This young lady’s range is once she steps in the building. Morgan will no doubt find a nice home next year. Now people you are going to be shocked how deep Holmdel is next year. Shannon Nelson is about as real as it gets. This young lady knows how to play. Think about this, Nelson, Inman and Minch, not to mention freshman stud Cardaci, this is a very talented group of guards at Holmdel! This event also reminded coaches why KC Chambers is going to be one heck of a div 1 floor general. As one area local div 1 coach told me yesterday. We just love KC; she plays hard, understands the game and is so skilled. I guess that sums it up pretty much. Chambers may be one of the Shore conferences most intense and valuable guards to her team.  Now what was interesting at this event was all the talk of Lorena Hubbard the 6’3” incoming Neptune freshman and her fellow incoming teammate 6’2” Ivonya Crenshaw. There is no doubt both of these kids going to Neptune almost seems cruel and unfair to the rest of the Shore. They both are Div 1 players and both we be All Shore players before they are done. Hubbard I’m sure Rutgers will make a run at and Crenshaw is just downright the hardest worker maybe in that freshman class. Both played very well. Katelyn Smidth is clearly making it hard on some div 1 schools. This young lady is a gym rat and is playing as well as any point guard right now. The many div 2 schools that are fighting over her will need to be really good at selling. Because I believe that the right div 1 school is out there for this young lady and all it will take is for one coach to forget her size and pull the trigger. Smidth is maybe the most underrated guard in the shore these days. Now there were two players that showed up at this event that came out of nowhere and coaches were asking about them. Bailey Ott out of Pompton lakes just wowed the coaches and played great. This is a kid with a real future ahead of her. The other player was Cari Jenkins and I’m not sure where she attends school but somebody better find out real quick. This kid is for real. Both young ladies were so impressive. Then of course the great Annette Snow of Blair Acad showed she is clearly going to be heavy recruited one day. Annette is only a sophomore and has all the tools needed to be a dominate player. There were many other great players at this event, but none bigger than Sam Clark who basically came to the event to give it some star power. One last thing about this event, I really believe the University of Penn showing up with two asst coaches and following Jackie Kates may have been the final tipping point in her making a decision. This is a good lesson for college coaches. STICK CLOSE TO YOUR NUMBER 1 CHOICES! All in all this was a positive day for so many kids.

 

ELI WILBUR VERBAL TO TAMPA

 

 

I want to take a second to talk about the Eli Wilbur’s verbal to the University of Tampa. Now this is a kid who has worked her butt off over the years. She doesn’t have the natural ability that so many others have but she has heart and toughness. I remember watching Colts Neck give Rumson a beating at battle of the boardwalk. I had never seen George Soulias so upset with his team. But the one thing George had to admit, Eli Wilbur competed all night when her teammates hid that evening. Wilbur has always done little things, be in the right spot, make the right pass and is always ready to play. She is an example of what players can be if they learn the game. So many kids just play and never learn the game. Her father has been Coach Soulias’s right hand man for twenty years. He watched his daughter become a 4 year starter and become a real leader. It’s nice to see his daughter be able to continue her career in FLA where he and his wife will retire next year. Now he can follow his daughter for another 4 years. Make no mistake Eli is the leader of the Rumson team and George knows he can count on her. Tampa will find this out very quickly as well. At the Academic Elite a college coach and I were watching Eli and he said something very true to me. He said “you always need kids that care more about the team and winning than the coaches’ do, she’s one of those type kids”….coach I agree with you!  With a team loaded with scorers this year, Eli will find a way to kept everyone happy. She will make sure that the Rumson players know the history of the program and then most importantly she will expect more for herself than anyone else does….Good luck Miss Wilbur!

UPDATES

Christa Evans visited Rutgers University this week and make no mistake; this is a very important recruit for Rutgers. Coach Stringer’s team is in desperate need of a rebounder and scorer on the block. Evans solves both of these problems. Monmouth is still very much in the hunt for the services of Evans as well. Some people have asked me where this young lady is going and my answer is nobody knows and do you know why? The family has done a masterful job of slowing down her recruiting process and keeping all information inside the family walls….BRAVO!

Aaron Zimmerman is still thinking things over. She is in no rush and family believes that Arron should wait until she feels the time is right. She is on what I think is a very important visit this week. Zimmerman seems always to be forgotten but it’s nice to know the college coaches know who she is!

Here is the conversation I have with a local div 1 coach. It went like this! “Tiny why don’t the Shore kids what to stay home?” I said “they do want to stay home.” He said? “Well not one has picked a Jersey Mid Major school.” I said “why do you guys wait so long to recruit these kids?  Rutgers for example offered Davis and Richardson as sophomores. They offered Sam Clark and Kelly Hughes this year, same thing with Mabrey. Did you offer any of those kids yet? What about Hannah Missry?” His answer was “no!” I said “now you know why they are not staying home!”  Here is a few questions I have for area coaches, have you taken a player from a local program that can play for you to create good will?  Then don’t expect them to send you that All American when you want her 2 years from now! You can’t only take the studs, it’s a two way street. What about Guastella, Repoli, Kates, McGuinness, Evans, Golden, O’Rielly?  Do you really think you can recruit these kids starting in the summer before their senior year? When a school calls and asks me about Arron Zimmerman in August, all I can do is shake my head and go where have you been. Local Coaches start earlier and you have about 15 underclassmen you can offer right now. This is where the women’s game is light years behind the men…on the recruiting front. I know a school that could have this line up if they moved faster…Pankey, Sharkey, Guastella, McGuiness and thrown in any point guard you want. This group would tear the NEC apart! How do I know this? I was in the conference for 15 years. Look what APO, Mayrose are doing in that conference for example! The good news is the women will catch up with the men in recruiting at some point and when they do…WATCH OUT OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS WILL BE POWER HOUSES.

I want to address those people who are upset that I say the Shore is the best conference in America. The reason I say this is simple. ONE conference not a county will have over 15 players get div 1 scholarships. Do you know of any other conference on planet earth doing this? The answer is NO! This same conference will also have numerous girls go play div 2 and 3. This conference has 5 players committed to AAC and Big East programs. This Conference has two players who turned down big east offers. I know this for a fact! Do you of any one conference that the Big East extended 7 offers too? The answer is NO! This conference has 5 players going to Ivy and Patriot Schools. Do you know of other Conference that has 5 players doing this? The answer is NO! You see this is a well rounded deep conference. This conference had 6 teams in the top 20. Do you know of another conference doing this? The answer is NO! The last two TOC championships could have been played in a Shore conference gym and saved the state a lot of money. Why? Because, the schools playing in the TOC championship the past two years have been from the Shore Conference. Do you know any other conference doing this? The answer is NO! The Shore won more group championships than any other conference. The Shore may have the best player in the State in its conference. Notice I said may have the best. I have never said any player is the best with the exception of this one player and I don’t exactly think I’m going out on a limp saying this…she is rated the 5th best player in the country. Now what does all this mean? I say nothing because there are great players everywhere. The Grant Kid from New Brunswick, trust me and I have yet to see her play, would be one of the two or three best players in the Shore. How do I know this? Every major college coach I speak to says so! She is the main reason we invited Piscataway to battle of the boardwalk. We want people to understand that she is one of the very best not just in Jersey but the country. Just because something positive is written about somebody doesn’t mean somebody else is not special. I follow the Shore Conference. It where I spend my time, it’s where my friends and relatives live. Now people who believe I influence college coaches are hopeless, more importantly it’s so disrespectful to the families and kids who worked so hard to achieve their long term goals. It’s disrespectful to Coaches who spend countless hours traveling and watching these kids, trying to get the right kid. Not an easy job by the way. I fight with them about kids from time to time.  Sometimes we agree and sometimes we don’t. The big thing is don’t exaggerate what any one person outside of a coach’s basketball office says or doesn’t say. These coaches make their own decisions. Nothing I or anyone else says is going to change that. The Shore’s youth and development programs simply are better than most, so naturally there will be more talent developed weather some people like it or not!

 

I see stumpy got married so we have been without him for awhile and it’s killing me…lol. Let’s hope he is back at it soon. Don’t forget we still can follow Josh Newman on Twitter for some updates. I want to bring up an e-mail that Josh and I exchanged last week. As most of you know Josh writes for a newspaper The Asbury Park Press and his standards are much higher than mind. His facts must always be correct and he must pick his stories based on what his readers are interested in! He also has to get space from his editor. I feel Josh is one of the best at what he does and tires to get information out that we all can enjoy. Can anyone deny they couldn’t wait for those audios after games this season! If you notice there are no audios on this site and the reason is simple… it takes time, a lot of time, like waiting after games instead of going home. I’m sure many of you thing Josh just loves staying up to 2 and 3 in the morning because he loves his readers so much. I’m sure going home to a meal and a drink sounds like a horrible idea after games. The thing people need to stop doing is taking things personal the guy can’t write about every little thing people are doing and he can’t make everyone happy. I remember last year I picked 7 players on my ALL Shore Team Rob Kennedy laughed at me. He knew I was taking the easy way out. Josh did not have the choice, because he works for a newspaper! So he picked 5 and of course some people were going too be left off. You don’t think Josh would’ve have liked to chicken out like I did? He can’t he writes for a real newspaper and has to be responsible for everything he says. What he says and does actually counts for something….as Josh said to me….”Tiny it’s never personal.” I don’t know Josh well but I know this to be true about him!

 

Next week we will have a feature story about the Kristen Somogyi Cardinal program. We will learn about all her players and her coaches. How she built this grassroots programs into the new AAU powerhouse and has brought Middlesex County back to life

 

Also we check in the Mabrey led Demons and find out how their summer went!….

Comments (17)

August 8, 2010

JACKIE KATES” THE UTIMATE POINT GUARD

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tiny Green @ 1:12 pm

The actions and success of the family speaks for itself! The son was a star basketball player as a freshman at MIT. The other son was the valedictorian at Cornell. The mother is a graduate of Cornell. The father is a veterinarian and cares for race horses and is one the most knowledgeable coaches on the AAU circuit. Now there is also a little girl in this house and she has taken the main stage again and proves once more girl power is something special. She is the UTIMATE POINT GUARD and one of the best decision makers playing girls basketball anywhere on this or any other planet. She makes everyone around her better and then most important she is a coach on the floor! Her name is JACKIE KATES and she made another great decision this week….She will be attending what many believe is the best business school in this or any other country. That school….THE UNIVERSITY OF PENN.

 

When I think or Jackie Kates, I don’t think about a basketball player. I think about her family and the work ethic that they have. I think about Mitchell Kates a total gym rat and how many schools am sure are shaking their heads and wondering how they missed him. I could tell them all how that happened. He matured late and they forgot to factor in one little element when watching him. …THE HEART! MIT knew this young man was a hard worker. Guess what? He passed this trait along to his little sister. Jackie Kates is a worker at everything she does. How many kids would give up their weekends to prepare for the SAT for most of their summer? How many kids play a second sport and work at it as if it was their first sport? How many kids would sprain an ankle not once but in back to back years and play in the next game on one leg in big games where reputations are on the line? Yes do you remember when Kates got hurt two years ago and then played in the SCT championship at half speed? What about this year when again she was injured and played in the TOC championship game on one leg? What about this year in the State AAU tourney, she played with one hand and couldn’t shoot or dribble with the hand, she could only could pass and play defense. Two things she does better than any point guard maybe in the entire state! Yes I could go on forever about how tough and committed Jackie Kates is, but the thing that separates her from everyone….SHE NEVER HAS AN EXCUSE! Believe me this is rare in a players these days.

 

When Jackie Kates was a freshman at SJV many believed that she would be a good player. But nobody could have imagined this young lady would have the impact she had on this great program. Jackie has been the little engine that drives the SJV machine. Remove her from the SJV lineup and Coach Karpell’s team looks much different. Jackie Kates teammates can all thank her for being maybe the most giving player maybe in the Shore Conference. She sets up teammates up with lighting quick passes. She pushes the ball in transition slicing though defenses and creating easy layup and baskets for her teammates. Notice the theme here with Jackie…setting her teammates up! She doesn’t do it because thats her game, she does it because this is what her coach and teammates need from her in order to win! Her father taught Jackie how to be a winner. This is what is does better than anyone….WIN.

 

When Jackie was freshman people barley spoke her name. Alpo, Linney and follow freshman Missy Repoli were the scorers. But what people forgot is that Jackie Kates was the one that got them the ball. Miss Kates could have padded her stats or scored more. But she took the high road and thought team first. The fact that she got no love form the media and area coaches had to hurt and I’m sure there had to be some thought in her mind that she needed to score more. Don’t forget this is a family that watched a talented son go unappreciated until he got to college. Remember people tend to think the best players are the ones that score the most. But in Jackie’s sophomore year something started to happen that shocked even an old school guy like me. People started to notice if you want to beat SJV and slow down what was maybe one of the best high school teams ever…You better stop Jackie Kates! All SJV big scorers Manigrasso, Linney Repoli, Mabrey and the rest were all tied to one player…Jackie Kates. Opposing coaches and players figured it out and their scouting reports became more about slowing down Kates than anything else. It better to chop off the head of the monster better known as SJV! Well many teams tried to chop of the head and most failed. SJV won the TOC and remember that little story I told you about toughness. Well weeks before that many were calling the SJV team dead. This after they lost in the SCT final with Kates on one leg! We’ll “Miss No Excuses” helped SJV put it all back together and got SJV a state title. See Jackie is a winner and winners find a way. Jackie Kates found a way. She also showed high school players everywhere, scoring is great for getting your name in the paper; they will always be box score Junkies out there. But changing the game with defense, (oh did I for get to tell you Kates along with Katelyn Smidth is maybe the best on the ball defender I have seen the past 3 years) and passing is where point guards separate themselves from everyone else. I believe a lot of kids I Jackie case would have tried to force the issue and score more, people notice scorers. She clearly could have scored more and she proved that last season. But she was smart enough to know that is not what her team needed.  She did it by playing the game the right way!

 

This past season SJV had so many injuries it was hard to believe. But when Theresa Manigrasso when down with a torn ACL many where calling the SJV season a wrap. Manigrasso was having a POY type season when she went down. The SJV roster got thinner and lost a big time scorer. But what happen next is why Jackie Kates is the UTIMATE POINT GUARD. Kates changed her whole game. She when from playmaker who kept all the scorers at SJV happy to a scorer herself, she realized SJV needed points from her, so that’s what she gave them. Her scoring performance against RFH is still in my mind. She took a beating that evening yet when the game was on the line turned into a scoring machine. She proved again that she could do whatever was needed. Then when SJV lost to the senior led Colts Neck team. Nobody mentioned Manigrasso or other injuries, Kates and her teammates just played. They played right up to the TOC Championship game while other teams like Colts Neck went home. Yes SJV and Kates just refused to make excuses. In the Championship game an injured Kates along with Manigrasso on the bench lost to a great Neptune team. I remember before that game I predicted SJV would lose by 17 points. Some people where very upset with me. Some people called me nuts. What many people didn’t know was that I had spoken to Eric Kates or should I say Doctor Kates before that game. He told me Jackie would do her best…translation, Kates would not be 100%. I thought SJV would’ve had a small chance against Neptune with Kates…without her at 100% it was a pipe dream. SJV lost by 19 points.  Yet after the game when asked if she thought her injury affected her play, Jackie said I was moving fine….see no excuses!

 

I believe nobody runs a team better than Jackie Kates, no player gets her teammates more involved in the game. No player is more of an extension of their coach on the floor. Jackie Kates can beat you in so many ways. You need her to beat pressing defenses…it’s done…you need her to find shooters…it’s done…you need her to make big shots…it’s done….you need her shut down an opposing guard…it’s done…you need great decision making late in a game…it’s done.   But the real reason Jackie Kates is the UTIMATE POINT GUARD is because, she understands what a team needs and when they need it. This friend you can’t teach! Jackie Kates will lead SJV one more season and then move on to the U of Penn. She will be one of the best pt guards the Ivy League has ever had before she graduates. She will then do what all her family members have done….become very, very successful. Jackie now is considered a great player she was first team All Shore in the best girls’ conference in America and the personal goals now are really not that important. It’s more about going out on a high note this year. Jackie you have given every kid who plays the game the right way a little hope! You have shown us that the box score doesn’t always tell the whole story. Many players, parents and coaches will owe you for this one day! Many of us now see what a great player is from a different point of few now!

 

 

MY THOUGHTS ON JACKIE KATES GOING TO U OF PENN

 

 First let me say this, Jackie Kates made a life decision not a basketball decision. This young lady I believe could play anywhere. I have always felt Jackie belonged at an Ivy League school. It would have been nice to see her at Monmouth or one of our local schools, but in the end how do you say no to U Penn? I believe Jackie becomes an impact player from day one. I also believe she is playing for a coach that relates well to everyone and she will have this in common with her coach. I’m not sure U- Penn truly understand what they are getting. But trust me it won’t take long for them to figure out the every kid in their program just got a little better last week. Jackie elevates her teammate’s games. I happy this day has come for Jackie and the Kates family. I am happy Eric Kates was able to coach his daughter and teach her how to play the right way. I’m happy that Eric was also able to help so many other kids during this long journey, So many times parents who coach their kids destroy so many other while doing so! Not in this case, a good man that was tough and fair with kids has now watched his daughter fulfill her dreams. I’m happy Mrs. Kates got her wish and her daughter choose an Ivy school. She would not admit it, but this is what she wanted all along and was worried that Jackie would choose a scholarship school…Cornell would have made her happy but this will be just as goodJ. I’m happy her brother Mitchell is watching his little sister get all the credit that is coming her way which he deserved but didn’t get while in high school! He proved to Jackie this season anything is possible by being one of the best freshman in the country! Sometimes it takes special player to make other shine…Jackie is that special player and now she is shining like a STAR

 

 

UPDATES

 

Anybody notice the type Schools all of Mary Beth Chambers Hawk players are attending? Not a mistake people!

I will do my Academic Elite review on Wednesday. Some really good stories have come out of this event.

 

Liz Sharlow has to be the most in demand telephone number in New Jersey right now! I can’t keep track of how many calls and texts I have from coaches asking me for her number…coaches call Kristen Somogyi!

 

 There are no less than 5 div 1 players still left on the board and the list could grow to as many as 8 more. People that is a number that you can only shake your head at!

 

 

One thing I have finding almost bizarre these days is people writing on message boards how going to mid level div 1 school somehow takes away from a kids accomplishments. I saw in one case a person was talking about how his daughter was going to a big school and somehow he thought this made his daughter special or more important. He went as far as to say these kids only going to a mid level school why hype and not good! People I can’t make this stuff up. News flash being a great basketball player shows a person has a unique talent….that’s it nothing more! Anytime a young lady goes to any level of college basketball we should jump for joy. Do you realize how many girls play high school basketball? It was not long ago they did not have these opportunities. Many people think that div 1 is the only place good basketball is being played…you are very wrong…schools like Kean and NYU would beat a lot of teams at the div 1 level. In fact if my daughter had not attended Colgate, she most likely would have attended NYU. Playing div 1 or at big time school is great…but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. There are 3 players from the Shore that turned down Big East offers this year! Yet there are 3 that said yes! Different stokes for different folks! Message also to those parents writing on message boards…Trust me college coaches are afraid of parents who talk and gossip!

 

 

One last thing Josh Newman is on Twitter almost every day these days. If you need you daily fix I advise you to check him out. Many times he’ll just post on twitter if he doesn’t do a story!

 

UNTIL WENDESDAY…..

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August 7, 2010

MEGHAN McGUINNESS ONE OF THE BEST!

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tiny Green @ 9:42 am

Meghan McGuinness and Jackie Kates are rare breeds. They are what many schools like to call program kids. They will represent your program in a positive light both on and off the court. They are kids that make a program better just being part of the team. They also will do what they always done. Get better every year and sacrifice for their teammates and in many cases get the least amount of credit. Niagara University and U Penn are not just getting two off the wall great students, but they are getting warriors! Today we discuss one of them!

 

When Middletown South lost Danielle Pankey to graduation two years ago, many people expected Middletown South to sink to the bottom of the Shore Conference. What people didn’t know was that Tom Brennan is one of the best coaches in the State on either the boys or girls side. Coach Brennan knew he had a special player developing in Meghan McGuinness. He also knew if he built around her, his system would allow his team to compete every night. What Coach Brennan didn’t know was that Meghan McGuinness would become one of best players in the Shore Conference. What he didn’t know was that McGuinness would be the Hoop Group player of the week three weeks in a row, the first time that has ever happened. He also didn’t know that McGuinness played her best in big games. The end of her sophomore year Middletown South played Neptune in the SCT and that should have been a indication that something was brewing. She had 17 against the best back court in the country and more importantly showed she could play with anyone. That summer Meghan played for the Central Jersey Hawks, the most talented AAU team in New Jersey and led the team in scoring and helped the Hawks win the USJN championship in DC. This past season was a coming out party for McGuinness who was never considered a star. Yet the honor student who is ranked in the top 5 of her class needed to prove the summer was no fluke. So she simply went out and became one of the most valuable players in the Shore conference. Who could have believe that a team that lost Danielle Pankey who during the second half of her senior year became  the most dominate player in the Shore could possibly do what they did last season. Who would believe that MS would play a senior led Colts Neck team down to the wire in the season opener? Who would ever believe that MS would beat the #14 team in the state? Who would ever believe that MS would finish the year as the Shore’s # 4 team? Who believe they would make it back to the group 3 state final for a third year in a row? And nobody would have predicted this team to finish as the 19th ranked team in the entire state and McGuinness would become one of the leading scorers in the Shore Conference. Whoever believed they see a day when one player would single handily beat a Rumson team? All these things happened because a quite young lady named Meghan McGuinness willed herself into superstar status. She did it by living in the gym with Kristen Somogyi who worked on her shot. She did it by trusting Beth Chambers who supported her and she joined the Central Jersey Hawks when she was a not star. She listened to Eric Kates and learned the little things all good players need to learn. She was blessed to have Tom Brennan who understood that Meghan could be special. These people put her in position to become the wonderful player she is now.

Meghan believes in her teammates, she understands that sharing and moving the ball is important. She knows her teammates will work for her and in turn she does the same for them. Meghan was on my HOOP GROUP ALL FIRST TEAM. I was really torn about my player of the year candidate. I thought Meghan had a legitimate claim to this award. In the end I felt that her team just didn’t do enough in the SCT for her to clam the award. This year there will be a target on her back. Players and coaches now know that she is the key to Middletown South and will try and come up with game plans to stop her…..Good Luck! Miss McGuinness is now someone who knows she is among the best in the state, she will play her senior year in peace knowing she will be playing in the MACC conference for coaches who love her and she will do what she always has done…prove to everyone that she is special!

 

 

MY THOUGHTS ON MEGHAN McGUINNESS VERBAL TO NIAGIA UNIVERSITY


 This people is in my humble opinion is the best choice McGuinness could have made. The reasons are simple. The coaching staff at Niagara was smarter and worked harder than everyone else and made Meghan their number one choice from day 1 and they believe in her. Next by playing in the MACC her family gets to see almost every road game she plays as the MACC Schools are all from the tri state area with the exception of two. McGuinness will start or play major minutes as a freshman and before she is done will be an all conference type player.  Meghan’s ability to score is something all teams crave. Many times players need to dominate the ball in order to score. Coach Brennan has taught Meghan how to move without the ball. This is big because often time’s coaches don’t want freshman controlling the ball. Now here is something the Niagara coaching staff is going to be shocked about. Meghan McGuinness will be the hardest worker they have ever seen and the most prepared freshman they have in their program. Tom Brennan is a teacher and nothing they do at Niagara will catch McGuinness off guard. The Central Jersey Hawk program has exposed Meghan to almost every style of coaching as well!

 

The McGuinness family is close and her parents have done such a great job at raising this young lady. She is respectful to all and is a team player. She understands it’s not all about her! The dad who still speaks with an Irish accent and Mora her mom has always been supportive of Meghan. They understand love is important in a family and they also understand life is not always fair. Meghan had to overcome a lot to get where she is today. Remember it was not long ago Meghan was an after thought. They understand some people still don’t appreciate Meghan and that Meghan has had to have tough skin. But now that doesn’t matter because they can sit back and enjoy the ride! It been a long one and now the real fun begins…Meghan has been the perfect daughter, sister, student, teammate and friend and her mom and dad have been the perfect parents….Meghan a lot of people are wishing you good luck!

 

 

 

AROUND THE SHORE

 

The Academic Elite event was a shocker even for me. The event had 98 players from 10 states and 48 colleges attended the event. Many young ladies will benefit from the exposure. Morgan Barry for example of St. Rose no doubt helped stock. I expect many a school to be interested in watching her in September. Her father had the line of the day. While discussing why NJ starts the high school season so late. Somebody said because of football. Mr. Barry’s response…I didn’t know girls  played football….lol…you gotta love it! I will give you a full Academic Elite update tomorrow. There is another great point guard in New Jersey by the way. She is a stud and Somogyi just keeps turning out players.

 

One last thought regarding the Academic elite Event, shame on those coaches with elite type students who didn’t send their kids. No way was any other event more important for good students to attend….48 college coaches on two courts watching! Parents please wake up and do what is best for your daughter many of these AAU coaches are motivated by things that have nothing to do with your child’s best interest. Please explain how the two best AAU programs in the State, The Somogyi run Central Jersey Cardinals and the Beth Chambers Central Jersey Hawks teams are at this event and others are not. Please do not say this event was about making money because Mr. Kennedy loses money on this event every year. He could easily run a boys event and make three times the money. This event is run as a favor to me and to all the girls who play this great game. This event had no less than 20 div 1 players! High School coaches please stay on top of your good students so next year they don’t miss this event….Shame on those AAU coaches who did not give their kids their blessing! I am in the process of seeing if Mr. Kennedy would be willing to allow a September Elite event. Gym time that time of year is almost impossible…but I know Mr. Kennedy knows how much we all appreciate him…yes that was shameless sucking up!

 

 

The Isaacs twins right now are the hottest topic on the recruiting circuit. Their performance at the Academic Elite Event was show stopping and almost unreal. Every coach in the building was discussing these two. I recently spoke to Coach Sourlis and he said they are playing as well as anyone. How good is good you ask? Stephanie Isaacs had nine three’s in a game last week. People these two young ladies could change the balance of the shore and give George that dependable scorer he has lacked since Kate Miller moved on. I believe these two also are on the way to playing at a div 1 school as well….all eyes will be watching in September because they have no doubt have created a huge buzz for themselves!

 

 Lindsey Rowe is a future All Shore player. This kid is going to be a force at the Div 1 level one day. People are going to be shocked at how much stronger she has gotten.

 

Hannah Missry is simply a pleasure to watch. Say what you want about the US Hoops program. But they teach kids how to play. I believe this kid has a chance to play at a very high level of basketball one day. I also believe she will be on someone’s ALL Shore team as early as next year! If our local div 1 schools don’t know about her or have not offered her yet…Shame on them! She is only a sophomore.

 

Kelly Hughes is how do I say this…unreal!

 

Nikki Donahue is playing so well right now and I expect no less than 4 or 5 div 1 offers before she done. Now what shocks me is that bigs are so hard to find…Why are our local schools not closing the door on this kid…I will say it again…you will not sign this kid late mid majors…she will get over recruited late as all bigs do….Golden, Lesko, Sharkey, Guastella and now maybe Donahue when will this madness stop! By the way let’s see where Sara Olson who has been injured most of the summer ends up…want to bet she get over recruited late!

 

Ivy Harrington of Neptune may be the best kept secret in the Shore Conference.

 

 

MY FINAL THOUGHTS

 I wish all these kids who are picking schools the best of luck. Yet there is something odd about kids choosing schools early and earlier. Some of these kids have not taking official visits before picking a college. The colleges are pressuring these kids like never before. Many of these kids are making decisions out of fear!  The pressure to play well in July now has become just crazy. I believe coaches are only getting snap shots of what kids can really do. Don’t kids look better in their high school setting? I hope the NCAA will address this issue soon!

 

Let me say something about college coaches. Quinnipiac is not going to be very happy with what I’m about to say. Their asst coach Mountain is not going to be there very long. No asst coach right now is more in tune with who the best kids are like this guy. How good is he, I ran names of players by him nobody should know and he knew everyone. While everyone was buzzing about Sharlow, Mountain has been on her for months. He is simply way ahead of his peers right now when it comes to identifying talent He is also tracking kids much like Guastella who are under the radar but are studs. Then he is developing relationships with the right people and they all like him. I had an AAU coach tell me “If I get the chance I want to Send Mountain a great player one day….this is called getting it done. This guy will be at a big time school real soon! Just calling it the way I see it.

 

If you are an Ivy type student and you don’t look at Penn your missing one of the real treats and good guys in the business. Coach McLaughlin is not only one of the guys that gets it. But he understands what really matters to kids. Mike McLaughlin knows how to relate to people and I don’t care what anyone says this is the number one talent any coach must have! I will bet the house this guy has U Penn rolling and it’s not going to take long. Remember this is a guy that has worked his way to the top of his profession. He got his job though work not connections, go check out what he did at Holy Family! The man is Brilliant.

 

 

 

 

 

TOMMOROW THE UTIMATE FLOOR GENERAL….JACKIE “THE TRUE POINT GUARD” KATES

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July 25, 2010

THE HAWKS LAST RIDE

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tiny Green @ 11:23 am

Today one of the best running shows to hit to ever hit the state of New Jersey came to a close. The Central Jersey Hawks who have dominated the New Jersey AAU scene the past decade played there last game together as a group. The success of this group of girls started 9 years ago and the person behind this amazing run? Mary Beth Chambers! Mary Beth along with her close friend Cheryl Vota decided to start a team for a bunch of young wide eye girls. In their wildest dreams they couldn’t have seen what this fun project would become today…A decade of dominant play.

 

Aaron Zimmerman, Meghan McGuinness, Katiey O’Reilly Sara Olsen, Nikki Donahue, Missy Repoli and Jackie Kates if she chooses will all get free educations to division 1 schools this year. That’s over 2 million dollars my friend and that is a lot of cheddar. The person their parents should all start out thanking is one Mary Beth Chambers. The same Mary Beth Chambers who had a vision on what an AAU team should look like and play like. This is the woman who put her ego aside and brought in Eric Kates to be her on the floor coach while she did the substitutions so that nobody would lose focus of what was the most important thing….THE TEAM. She allowed her friend Cheryl to handle the book keeping and travel arrangements and the two raised money for uniforms and tournaments. They became one big family and figured out how to do it better than anyone else! They created a blueprint for the next generation of AAU coaches to follow.

 

While other AAU teams where changing players like the wind, Mary Beth Chambers and her Hawks kept the same core of faces year in and year out, oh they added and lost a player here and there but the core group never left her side. When other AAU programs played games to win, Mary Beth’s team played games to get better. While other AAU coaches trained their kids as their egos prevented them from bringing in outside coaches to help develop their kids. Mary Beth had coaches such as Joe Fagan, Dawn Karpell, Tamara Young, Joe Montano, Joe Roman, Dana Wynne and Spence Staggs come in and help with the development of her players. No resource to her kids was ever enough. She understood that building her kids skill sets was important to their futures. Mary Beth simply saw the big picture and that would become clearer each passing year.

 

Last year at the Shore Conference Championship I got into a shouting match in the stands with a division 1 coach. She said some of the Hawks players could not player for her team. I told her she was out of her mind and that every Hawk would start for her team. After a few coaches broke up the heated debate, I left and was pretty pissed off. I called Mary Beth and said I hope you never send a player to that school. She laughed and said “Tiny I can’t take things personal” and she didn’t. I soon came to learn 4 of her players visited this school. That coach called me back and said I was right and wanted me to know she miss evaluated the hawk’s team and was hoping to get one or two hawk players. How could I be upset with her, recruiting is not an exact science. What I found most interesting was she voiced her opinion out in the public and Mary Beth Still did not care. Mary Beth treats all her players the same and the rules don’t change for anyone. She wants every kid to know…Nobody is bigger than the team! That includes coaches and friends. I often would tell Mary Beth she needed to worry more about her daughter KC and she would respond…”Never Ever they are all my kids”. In a time when mothers and fathers coach their daughter’s teams to protect then or showcase them, Mary Beth and Eric Kates break the mode. They have been able to coach their children while still allowing their teammates to shine. This is rear and to be honest the hardest thing to pull off in AAU basketball. But Mary Beth has done it with flying colors! It because her philosophy has always been in order to keep the team together everyone must be involved.

 

The Hawks won the state AAU championship this year. They steam rolled every team and was never really challenged. Now Mary Beth would not admit this, but I know she wished that the girls had better completion because that’s how teams get better. The championship for Mary Beth was nice but she likes her kids to be challenged. Last year the Hawks won the USJN silver division as u15s playing in the 16/17 bracket and even Mary Beth had to a little shocked by this. I can’t think of a New Jersey team that has ever won a USNJ title in any bracket. Last year the great duo of Sy Davis and Shakena Richardson lost in the quarter-final of the bronze bracket which is considered the weakest group. My daughters AAU team had 7 division one players on its roster and couldn’t get pass the quarters. It’s clear trying to win a USNJ championship in any bracket takes a lot great play and some good luck. The hawks had all of that last year. Now Mary Beth Chambers would not admit this either! But The Hawks where a shell of themselves when they arrived in DC, injuries had put the entire trip into question. Lack of practices and injuries seem to put a damper on things. Yet they went 2-3 losing the 3 games by a total of 10 points combined in what I like to call the superman bracket. I believe the Hawks made this last trip for the good ole days. I think this trip was about memories and being together one last time. There really was anything left for this group to accomplish. The parents, kids and coaches knew this. This simply was a case of the heavyweight champ saying “we were the best and don’t you forget”

 

Now Mary Beth and Cheryl will have to do it one more year without being surrounded by familiar faces. They will start over after 9 years with the two remaining core faces, Sam Clark and KC Chambers. Mary Beth will have players lined up to join her next season. Let’s face it, she is a brand name now and coaches will follow any team she has like rock stars. She will find a nice coach if Eric Kates moves on to watch his daughter. The players and coach will all know one thing. They will be asked to play the game the right way…as a TEAM. She will make sure that development and passion for each other are a focal point. It will be a new start for Mary Beth and Cheryl who has never had a child on the team. Friendships and good relationships are hard to let go… Mary Beth had 9 years of the best!

 

MY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE CENTRAL JERSEY HAWKS

Look this is the best AAU team ever put together. It has nothing to do with wins and losses. I’m sure there are teams with more wins. It’s more about how the hawks ran their program. Many of these kids started out never touching a basketball. Sam Clark was a soccer player for example. Mary Beth Chambers, Eric Kates and Cheryl Vota understood long term development was everything. These kids did not start our winning every tournament that came later with development and teaching. Keeping a core group of parents and kids together this long is unheard of these days. But when you run the perfect program it can happen. Sure they added some players and dropped some players along the way. But the core kids were in it all the way. The Hawks played as a team and never let any one player get bigger than the team. Every player on this team will wear a division 1 uniform; I and everyone else will talk about this! But remember this… Every kid on this team is a great student! Think of the type of schools these kids are looking at Ivy’s and Patriot type schools. Some of these kids have said no to big east schools. This is because the Hawks and their parents see the big picture. Now the Hawks will walk off into the sunset. I will miss watching them play and long for another team to replace them. I hope this summer the Hawks throw a party and break out old pictures from year’s gone by. You know the ones when the basketball was bigger than the girls. The ones where girls are holding trophies that are bigger than there are. Let hope they break out the pictures of the parties in the hotels and we see the smiles on their faces. They can all tell old war stories and embellish the good ole days. You know when they all were so innocent and just wanted to do something for fun. I hope they have this party. You know the last Harrah with close friends and if they do, I hope am invited because I consider all of them my friends!

 

 

UPDATES

First let me talk about something I have firsthand knowledge about, teams leaving events early. This has got to stop. It’s is so unfair to other teams. When a team leaves early it forces people to pay for hotel rooms with their hard earned money, when they could have gone home. It forces the people who run events to pay people for jobs they don’t have to do. Then most important a player is prevented from playing in front of college coaches, people this so wrong. The NCAA and tournament people must prevent these people from playing in future summer NCAA events and send a message to people doing this. When my daughter’s team did this at Penn State I thought it was wrong. Then when most of my daughters teammates had picked schools or had a list of schools they would attend, they decided they would not play the second half of the summer, I decided that Candice would shut it down as well. But George Sourlis called me and said that I would be sending a bad message to Candice not finishing the summer. He was right and we went to DC and Mr. and Mrs. DePalo gave me a lesson on how an AAU team should act and behave. They did more to help me understand AAU basketball than anyone. They had seen it all and educated me from A-Z. What people forget is that everyone is tied together. When my daughters team decided not to play in the 2nd half of the recruiting period it almost prevented Danielle Pankey from getting a free education! She was the only junior on our team and lost an entire summer of exposure!

 

Speaking of the recruiting period let me talk about something else. I believe if a kid picks a school and wants to take the summer off…THAT’S GREAT! THEY HAVE EARNED THAT RIGHT!  But what I don’t like is when a player joins that team and quits because there worn out from playing or don’t want to spend the money. I think you either are in or out to the last day of the recruiting period which your teammates are involved in. Now I am not talking about kids leaving a team for other reasons, we all know AAU can be crazy. But not finishing because you tired or not wanting to spend the money…. IS NONSENSE

 

So let me bring up a few names of kids doing the right thing

Sy Davis and Shakena Richardson two kids who need more exposure like a hole in the head. Despite many people telling these kids to shut it down, they decided to keep playing so that maybe a teammate will shine and be noticed. This friends is a classy move as these kids have nothing personally to gain by playing. They are helping teammates

 

 

Sam Clark has nothing to gain by playing in the ACADEMIC ELITE EVENT. But she understands that she brings coaches from every level to any event she attends. She no doubt is attending this event along with Meghan McGuinness, Sara Olson, and Nikki Donohue as a way of saying thank you to Mary Beth Chambers. Sure they will be getting exposure but it about helping a teammate like KC Chambers who is only a junior. Everyone knows how hard these events can be when you are throw kids together who do not know each other.  KC playing with her teammates will make life a heck of a lot easier…Mary Beth has made a lot of very important contacts over the years that all hawk girls have benefited from…BRAVO TO THIS GROUP, CLASSY MOVE BY YOU AND YOUR PARENTS.

 

 

CHYNA GOLDEN she signed with Pittsburg and her teammates from Neptune did not have a post player. So what did Chyna do? She went and played with then the 2nd half of the summer. Showed up for every practice and gave her all…Please tell me why she would do this. She has nothing to gain! But she cares about her teammates and friends.

 

All these kids have something in common; they are making a sacrifice for somebody other than themselves. Every kid is tired this time of year. Many have either picked schools or have narrowed their list down. I know of a kid going to Nationals in DC and then off to Baltimore and finally making her way back to ACADEMIC ELITE. This kid I can tell you has to be tired and remember this family will be laying out money because at NCAA events there are not free rides or discounts. I only wish more kids and their parents would see the big picture!

 

The Academic Elite has a few open spots left. College coaches can call Thursday evening about rosters…I would like to thank Rob Kennedy for making this event happen. Good luck to the coaches and young ladies.

 

 

 

 

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July 21, 2010

JUNIOR ELITE

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tiny Green @ 4:36 pm

Tomorrow the second half of the recruiting period will begin and for many with dreams of playing in college this will be there last chance to show they belong in a college uniform. Last weekend some of the best young players in central jersey took the floor at Hoop Group headquarters and one thing was made clear…central jersey basketball is in good hands.

 

 

The Junior Elite Program featured some of the best rising 7th, 8th and 9th graders. The event left no doubt that the talent in central jersey runs very deep. Some big stories came out of this event which was watched closely by The National Recruiting Report. One the top college basketball recruiting services in the country. The service had a chance to evaluate players’ agility, ball handling skills and then their shooting ability before the games took place. This took a toll on many players, while others were totally prepared. One player who shocked everyone was a 8th Grader!

 

Caty Ebner was a last second invite to the Junior Elite and she took full advantage of her opportunity. She simply stole the show! This young lady who already stands 6ft tall caught the eye of everyone in the building. To say this young lady’s potential is unlimited would an insult to her. During the footwork and agility part of the program jaws dropped. Caty looked and moved like a guard. Her quickness for a girl her size and age was something rarely seem at this young age. Light on feet and possessing lighting feet she seemed to relish all the agility drills. Then when the ball handling drills took place everyone in the building was sold on this young lady. There is no doubt if you are college coach this is a kid you must dial in on now. She is coachable and more important so darn talented. Like all young post players she will need time. But don’t forget she will play four years for one of the best in this or any other country. You guessed it, she will lace them up for George Sourlis one day.  This is serious stuff folks because nobody prepares a kid for next level like Sir George! Ebner I believe before she is done will be one of the great ones. To have a kid with this upside come to this event is almost unheard of these days. She currently plays for the Russ Olsen led Wildcats. If I were Russ I wouldn’t let her too far out of my sight. National Recruiting Service people told me “This is a kid if you are a college coach you must starting tracking the day she gets to high school”…. I agree with them one hundred percent.

 

Now this event was full of surprises and let me start with a few point guards that everyone will hear about in the coming years. I will start with Victoria Cardaci; the girl can do it all and is a sure fire Div 1 player someday. She will attend Holmdel high School and right away will become one of the best freshman point guards in the shore conference. Now she is tough as nails, can beat anyone off the dribble, sees the floor as well as any guard this side of Jackie Kates and then does something all great point guards do…DEFEND! Holmdel my friends just got a stud.  Now think about this guard rotation next year Inman, Cardaci and Minch. That three goes to war against anyone.

 

Now there was another guard everyone was talking about…KAITY HEALY. She is the daughter of Colts Neck coach Jeanne Healy and people she has learned her lessons well. She will only be in 8th grade next year. But her understanding of the game is scary! If you want to teach your guards how to run pick and roll go watch this kid play. If you want to teach your point guard how to run a team and direct traffic, then go watch this kid play. If you want to teach your point guards how to lead a team….Go watch this kid play. How good is Healy you ask? She will be playing at a Div 1 school one day that’s easy to see. The real question is just at what level. She reminds me of Brooke Hampton and is so crafty it really is something to see. She sees things that most guards at the high school level could never dream of seeing. Her work ethic is nonstop and you can tell she is from the Don Hampton School because like all of Don Hampton’s players…she guards you to death.  Now think about this… at 5’5” and not even close to be done growing this kid could be one big strong point guard one day.  Her agility and foot work was off the charts. I believe Healy is a future ALL SHORE PLAYER. I also know that Colts Neck rebuilding program will get done a little quicker once she arrives on campus. I say this to all the local div 1 schools, start recruiting this young lady now…doesn’t wait!

 

 

Now there were some other real surprises that came out of this event and believe me I wasn’t the only one who got caught off guard by this. The Darby twins Samantha and Sydney were outstanding for two days. Both young ladies showed quickness and a real feel for the game. Both have the ability to shoot the ball and get to the rim. They are from Wall and are gym rats. I see both of players being impact players as freshman. They will be 8th graders next year and will have a full year to get even better!  Now think about this, the gym was loaded with talent and Sydney made the ALL STAR TEAM. These are two girls many a high school will want to have in their program!

 

 

How good is Trevana Bennett? Well the National Recruiting Service says she is no less than a mid major player right now and they project her to be a Major College player before she is done with her high school playing days. People this young lady is the goods. She is 5’10” can shoot threes, post up, fast, quick and plays every possession like it’s her last. People I am going to say this and people are going to get upset. Kristen Somogyi’s Cardinal program has the best young talent in the state. It now has to be a must stop for every college coach. I am shocked that I have never heard of this kid prior to this weekend. Now get this! Kristen Somogyi works for kids. She called me and told me I was making a big mistake not inviting this kid. She told me I would understand the moment I see her play…boy was she right. Trevana will be attending Gil Bernard and they are picking up a special player. How good is this young lady? Put her in the Shore Conference and she starts for every single team!

 

Now there were some players at this event to be honest we all know about and expect big things from, but some interesting storylines were attached to them. Iyonna Crenshaw just was unstoppable at times and just crushed everyone in her path. The national recruiting service rightfully so called her one of the best freshman they have seen in the state. Iyonna makes Neptune scary. At 6’1” and still growing she can put the ball on the floor, makes threes and has a post up game with every move in the book. The college that signs this kid one day will be getting the total package. She plays hard all the time and works in every drill. This kid could one day be a player of the year candidate in the Shore Conference she is that good. Do not be surprised if she starts for Coach Brown right out of the gate.

 

Grace Stant is simply in my humble opinion the most compete rising 8th grade player I have seen. She is tall and lean. Tough as nails and can do everything. If you want your shooting guard to have scoring ability, to be a tough rebounder and then have length. Well then you are looking for Grace Stant, she gives you all of that and more. If you have a breakaway layup be careful she is known for chasing down opponents and blocking their shots much like Lebron James. You leave her open for a three and she will bury it. Already 5’10 and still growing Stant will terrorize the Shore for 4 years. The Sourlis sisters…Fisher…Hyduke…Miller are the 5 greats most talk about when discussing the Mount Rushmore of RFH women’s basketball…Well they better make room because Grace Stant will be joining them. This young lady has a work ethic and the genes to go along with it. Remember her father was a baseball player at Florida. Grace is the classic big shooting guard and college coaches will be lining up for days one day for her services. Message to Seton Hall coach Anne Donavan and Rutgers coach Vivian Stringer get going now you’re going to have some heavyweights chasing this kid one day!

 

Lorena Hubbard at times showed flashes why big east schools have already shown an interest in her. Her upside says that if she works hard and stays focus she could be the most dominate player in the state. Now the question is can she put it all together before her career is over. Miss Hubbard is a nice kid who many people are expecting so much from.  I believe once she get to Neptune and is under the wing of one of the hardest workers ever…Chyna Golden! She will learn how to work and improve each year. This is a kid we should all root for. She will no doubt play div 1 basketball but I for one would like her to dominate. By the way the Neptune talent is just insane!

 

 

Now you ask want player did you know was good but blew you away this weekend? Alex Barazotti shocked everyone by making the All Star Team! The Howell residence and 8th grader blew the scouting services away with her passing and scoring ability. Alex picked up her game in a big way on Sunday. Everything she touched turned to gold. The scouts loved the fact that she showed everything a guard of her size needs to do to be successful. She buried threes and made every move off the dribble you could think of. I saw Alex at the AAU state tourney and this young lady has added ball handling and passing to her game. I’m not sure where she will attend high school but somebody getting a really good player!

 

 

The play of Allison Spaschak and Lauren Vostal was somewhat of a surprise because they are not household names. Well they are now after this weekend. The person I feel sorry for is Kristen Sharkey, because if her cousin Allison had been at Southern last year, Southern would have been a much different team. Allison Spaschak is old school, nothing fancy. She defends, takes care of the ball and takes no prisoners. She battled everyone all weekend and took a back seat to no one. She also showed a nice shooting touch, quickness and excellent ball handling skills. I look for her to start right out the gate at Southern next year. Allison plays for the Stafford Stars AAU program so exposure is coming a little late. She no doubt will make the pain of graduation at Southern a little easy to take next year!

 

Lauren Vostal making the ALL STAR TEAM was shocking to everyone except her. This kid has a swagger and showed it during the one on one drills. She plays hard and understands the game. What is surprising is that she doesn’t look it, but she is every inch of 5’10”. She is long and makes big plays. I love kids that get things done and she gets things done. It could be a steal or a rebound. Now get this…She is only in 8th grade and no doubt made her bones this weekend. If wall could convince some kids to stay home they could turn their program around in a big way. Vostal and the Darby Twins would be a great start. Vostal has not decided where she will attend high school but again this is another player we and other have missed the boat on…college coaches would be wise to know this name!

 

All in all this was an outstanding event. The 7th and 8th grade classes are loaded. I counted no less than 14 div 1 players. It clear players like Kelly Campbell and Nicole Morris are special and will be future superstars. Nicole Morris’s play in the All Star Game was amazing for such a young player. She had not one but two show stopping moves. The 7th and 8th grade classes are so deep we would be here for a hour trying to sort out who is the best of the entire group. Stephanie Lesko has greatness written all over her. I believe she will be a 6’2” shooting guard one day. Christa Lebbers who is one of the most improved players I have seen this year, played with the big dogs and was outstanding. Only in 8th grade this kid has a big upside and bright future. When asked if she wanted to play in her age bracket she laughed and said no, then went out and backed up being moved up, by performing great.

 

 

AWARDS

When picking the award I took in the words of Jim Hill former Division one college coach and the scouting services.

 

 

BEST PLAYER IN THE EVENT

IYONNA CREWSHAWN…At times she was a women playing against little girls and must be considered a candidate for freshman of the year in the shore conference next season.

 

 

MOST TALENTED PLAYER IN THE EVENT

GRACE STANT- nobody has the total package like this kid. Her left hand can use some work but remember she only going into 8th grade. Think Sir George is licking his chops!

 

 

BEST POINT GUARD IN THE EVENT

VICTORIA CARDACI will one day be considered one of the best pure point guards in the shore.  She is Holmdel bound

 

PLAYER WITH THE BIGGEST UPSIDE

 ARE YOU KIDDING? CATY EBNER and nobody made a bigger splash than this young lady. One weekend doesn’t make a career but it sure can create a buzz and everyone was buzzing.

 

BEST 7TH GRADER

 

KELLY CAMPBELL was great the entire weekend and the scouting service said that she will one day be special!

 

MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER IN THE EVENT

HANNAH MILLER-Yes she is the great Kate Miller’s younger sister. She also made the all star team and played well all weekend.

 

ALL JUNIOR ELITE TEAM

This was not easy and remember we picked this group based on this event.

 

.1. IYONNA CREWSHAW

2. GRACE STANT

3. VICTORIA CARDACI

4. TREVANA BENNETT

5. KAITYN HEALY

 

 

MY FINAL THOUGHTS-

This event was great as I said earlier but we all must remember, there were some real heavyweights missing. Grace Fallon, Marina Mabrey and Katie Beriont in my opinion have to be included in any Junior Elite list. All three would have made this event even bigger! I also feel I saw some things that will affect the future of the Shore Conference. No doubt Neptune will get the biggest shot in the arm with Hubbard and Crenshaw. But Cindy Napolitano showed that she may be able to give St. Rose some valuable and needed minutes this season. She is a very good shooter and stays within her game. Something all young players need to learn. I also feel Sam Sabino after a rocky start on Saturday stepped up big time on Sunday. Where Sabino ends up at school in my opinion will affect a lot of kids and programs. Catharine Phipps was destroying the 7th and 8th grade group on Saturday and would have moved up if she had not missed Sunday’s program.

 

 

 

Recruiting updates.
Academic Elite is shaping up into a huge event for college coaches and players. It still time to sign up. The rosters will be done on Friday July 30th at noon and the event will start at 4pm. The list of schools attending is a who’s who. Remember underclassmen are encouraged to attend this event. Many schools like Quinnipiac College for example are only looking at 2012 kids. Also coaches please help your kids and get them to this event. The kids deserve the exposure and attention

 

 

Nikki Donahue is becoming a real hot item and now has officially joined the ranks of another Shore Div 1 player.

 

 

Now here is a big story that everyone is missing, Jasmine Jackson of Old Bridge committed to Georgetown. Now you ask why that is big. Middlesex County has not had this type of commitment in god knowns how long. It now opens the door and lets people know Middlesex County is back. It also will motivate kids work hard and stick with it. The county will be a force again in a year or two.  This clears the way for other players to be taken serious. Congrats to Jasmine for breaking down doors and open doors for many kids in the future. I’m sure Papa and Mama Jackson are very proud. Also don’t forget Georgetown is one of the best schools in this country…wow the total package!

 

Morgan Thompson may join ranks of div 1 player real soon. Two division 1 schools have shown interest in the shooter.

 

Isaac Twins have been having a big summer and look for them to also join the div 1 ranks as no less than 3 division one schools have shown interest in them.

 

I was talking to a division one coach recently and I committed how the 2012 in the Shore Conference will not be as strong as this year and he responded. Tell that to the school that gets either Mabrey or Clark….lol he’s got a good point there. The recruiting of Sam Clark could simply be crazy if it’s not handled right. This is a quiet kid and I hope the process doesn’t ruin her enjoyment during the next 2 years. College coaches can be very aggressive when it comes to this type of player. The Shore 2013 class is stacked and it going to be interesting how many div 1 players will come from this class. Think about this you got Hannah Missry, Kelly Hughes, Tara Inman, Lindsey Rowe, Kat Egan just to name a few. It’s going to be another big number!

 

I will say it again the Demons led by the Mabrey sisters may be the least talked about great team around. I will give a detail update on this team next week. I am also amazed how people will not leave this group of kids alone and try and down play everything they do… I guess when your great people try and knock you down. They also only talk about the great ones. Its funny these kids are gym rats and never say or talk about anyone yet people are always in their business. OH WELL….Guess they will do what they always do take it out on opponents on the court. Hey I guess it’s true…..If you can beat them ..talk about them!

 

Christa Evans is taking her time and including her family in her recruiting process. Her father and Mother want her to enjoy the process and not be in a hurry. Christa believe me they will all wait on you….Mr. Evans so many coaches are hoping your daughter attends the Academic Elite. Your daughter will also help a lot kids by being in attendance. She is a coach’s magnet. Last year at Academic Elite Miss Evans jumped in the national spotlight.

 

Jackie Kates again will be on stage at the Academic Elite Camp and I believe a war could break out in the stands..lol. One college coach told me Miss Kates was the best player for the Hawks in FLA. I believe the Kates will not make a decision until October now that is just an opinion. I have not spoken to the Kates family. I do know this many kids are making decisions without ever seeing a team practice or spending real time with their future teammates. This is can lead to problems sometimes. I also think the school must recruit the player and not the other way around.

 

The best camp in my humble opinion is on Aug 2-6 at the hoop group…NOTHING BUT SKILLS…IF YOU WANT TO CHALLEGE YOURSELF…COME DOWN AND JUMP IN!

 

PRINCESSS FOOS WHEN AM I GOING TO SEE YOU AGAIN…THE WORLD WAITS? KEVIN COACH K NEEDS YOU…KEPT WORKING!…  MEGHAN YOU  DID A GREAT JOB AND WE ARE ALL PROUD OF YOU…THAT’S ALL Foos! SEE YOU ALL AT ACADEMIC ELITE!

 

 

 

 

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Stars Shine at Hoop Group Elite

Filed under: Uncategorized, Elite Camps — Jay Gomes @ 9:48 am

From beginning to end, the Hoop Group Elite Camp’s first day was a success. A smooth, but incredibly long-lasting and exhausting registration was followed with the immediate start up of drill stations. While the registration process seemed as if it were never ending, it was worth the wait to see the highly anticipated prospects, ranging from rising freshman to seniors, finally take the court. A series of drills were demonstrated by participating coaches. Upon rotating from station to station, including skill development from fixing the sweet jumper to sharpening a player’s handle, the tryout teams were finally put into effect.

Several facilities will be used during the Elite Camp’s existence. From Albright College’s main gym floor to tennis courts-turned outdoor basketball courts, you couldn’t blink your eyes without seeing a ball shot up in the air. While roaming throughout the evening, attempting to gain a full grasp on my setting, it was evident that I was in the presence of superb talent.

Although outstanding overall talent was distributed from court to court, it would be big men with incredible athleticism that caught my eye first. The norm for power forwards and centers is to make their presence felt in the paint. The Hoop Group Elite Camp is proud to have players that feel they need to go above and beyond their responsibilities. Swooshing from beyond the three point line as well as skying-high for acrobatic ally-oops, were attributes found on a consistent basis for a solid group of players.

As the camp’s prospects were selected into their respective squads on Monday night, it will be easier to solidify the talented group of players that will be become Hoop Group’s Next Star…. 

As the names Maurice Harkless, Derrick Randall and Shaquille Thomas all listed under Team 1 for the Hoop Group Elite Camp, I already knew I was in for a great session of basketball. Following an hours-worth of drill stations, the games finally began. As anticipated, Team 1 would play well in the first match-up against Team 2 and Kadeem Jack, Derrick Gordon and Jose Rodriguez.

A back-and-forth affair in the early going, Randall would send Team 1 home with the victory following a dominating performance in the post.

It would seem hard to beat the type of start I got off to by watching several future Division I prospects battle it out on the outdoor courts, but I would be given another opportunity to watch great basketball as the day continued.

Traveling from Albright College’s Bollman Center to its Rec Center, along with the sun-drying outdoor courts on campus, competition at the Elite Camp never missed a beat.

As Elite Camp continued, the more college coaches poured in to watch the exquisite prospects play first hand. Benches were filled by every nearby court with college coaches, scouting their possible player for the future.

On the camp’s final day, the intensity was as high as ever before. Led by Kamari Murphy, Team 6 would defeat the Team 1’s deadly trio of Harkless, Randall and Thomas.

In the Top 20 All-Star, Kadeem Jack was awarded MVP. Maurice Harkless was voted as Most Outstanding Prospect of the Elite Camp based on his terrific performance during camp. 

Courtesy Ray Anczelowicz GothamHoops.com

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July 12, 2010

JUNIOR ELITE INVITATIONS

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tiny Green @ 10:10 am

As players and coaches all over the country gather in hot gyms, fans, parents and friends sit on pins and needles. Some players have big decisions to make about their choice of college.  Then there are those who are hoping that somebody will notice their skills and get them on the radar. Then you have the juniors who know this is the biggest summer of their young basketball careers, this is the time when they get on the radar. Some will have all their dreams come true and some will have their dreams shattered. Then there is the group of young ladies watching it all and hopefully they are learning….THE PROCESS STARTS EARLY.

 

 

The invitations were sent out yesterday and no doubt some very good 7th, 8th and 9th graders were missed. But for those who have been able to get on the radar, this weekend will be a measuring stick. At 9am on Saturday morning the hoop group will the place were a reputation can start. The gathering of the best players of the future will do battle. Most of these kids will played against each other for years to come. Many will leave on Sunday afternoon and begin the start of new friendships. The JUNIOR ELITE CAMP is the brain child of Rob Kennedy of the Hoop Group and a great idea it is indeed!

 

 

Fans of the Shore and other area’s will get a chance to watch their team’s future. How good is this collection? The rising 9th grade class has no less that 7 div 1 players. The rising 8th grade group very well may determine the future of Shore Conference basketball this class will rival this years senior shore class! The rising 7th grade class has no less than 2 players who will battle for player of the year honors one day. Many high school coaches will be hoping that some of these young ladies will attend there school one day.

 

 

I like these types of events, its give a kid a chance to create a buzz before they get to high school. It allows fans, high school coaches and local writers to see a kid themselves rather than have to deal with the hype that follows many kids before they play their first high school game. It teaches kids that the difference from one great player to the next is not that great and many will find this out at the JUNIOR ELITE EVENT. There no doubt will be a player many people will be surprised how good she is. I am very interested to see which the players will embrace the challenge. I also can’t wait to see the smiles and happy faces of the proud parents!

 

 

There is no charge to the general the public for JUNIOR ELITE …great move by the hoop group. I believe almost every kid in the event will play varsity as freshman. Every kid in this event will play in college and no less than 14 future division 1 players will be on display. The ALL STAR GAME WILL BE 1.30 ON SUNDAY CHOSEN BY THE COACHES. The post event awards will be given out after the ALL STAR GAME.

 

 

 

SPECIAL NOTE:

 

I want to say to those kids who belong in this event that were not invited. I am very sorry it’s hard to know who every talented kid in the area is! If I missed you I ask you to please e-mail me so that I can follow you at a later point in time!

 

 

College coaches we will post an evaluation page on the website of all players after the event…Please do not request information…. Thank you

 

 

 

UPDATES

 

The Central Jersey Cardinals finished 4th at the nations and lost in the semi finals at the Gym Rats. It clear this is the team of the future in the area. I will say it again. Kristen Somogyi is now a big player in grass roots basketball. Think about this for a second…Lindsey Rowe…Liz Sharlow (now one of the most recruited post in the state)…Danielle Pardovano all play in her organization and all underclassmen…WOW

 

 

The Central Jersey Hawks went 5-1 at Penn State and lost yesterday in FLA. The Hawks are really banged up with Katie O’Reilly and Sarah Olson limited because of injuries, now Missy Repoli, and Nikki Donahue who many believe has been the Hawks best player this summer are out for the rest of the FLA trip and maybe for the summer.

 

 

 

Speaking of Lindsey Rowe, well she along with Kelly Hughes made the first team all Gym Rat team. This my friends with all the talent in that event is no easy feat. People get ready for one of the biggest recruiting battles you will see in a long time when it comes to Miss Hughes. Everyone talks about the shooting but it’s the passing and defense that college coaches are in love with.

 

 

A story that nobody seems to be talking about for some reason is the Mabrey lead Demons. This team blew though the State Tournament and a few weeks ago beat the Richardson and Davis Ring City team. People the Mabrey girls are as real as it gets and make no mistake Manasquan in two years will be the team in the Shore to beat. The young Mabrey is special as her big sister… The M&M sister will be coming to your town soon and I give you one bit of advice….get their early! Speaking of the Demons I saw Rich Leary Yesterday…the guy doesn’t seem to age and that smile…priceless. The guy has done so much for girls and boys!

 

 

 

 

Kaityln Schmid of Howell and the Central Jersey Hawks played great last weekend. The Hawks went 4-2 and Kaityln who runs the show has added scoring to her already pressure style defense. She averaged double figures for the weekend. I believe she will make a very good college player and will tell you why later this week.

 

 

 

Morgan Thompson of Neptune stock is rising and I’ve had no less than 2 division 1 schools ask about her. Morgan who is a great shooter played outstanding at Penn State.

 

 

 

Most kids who have not verbally will no doubt be waiting for the July recruiting period to end. The NCAA is thinking about passing a rule on when schools can now offer a player. Players seem to committing earlier and earlier.

 

 

I will give a full update on recruiting and what schools are involved with what kids later this week…

on last thing….princess and lady foos…ya the best!

 

 

 

           

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