Interior Dominance: D1 MMU vs D1 CHS
MMU blew past CHS 65-37 due to their physicality and inside presence on both ends. Yet, guard heavy CHS showed flashes of what they’re capable of as well. Dig in! Brianna Brownell, 5’10 W/F – Mount Mansfield Union High School…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingMMU blew past CHS 65-37 due to their physicality and inside presence on both ends. Yet, guard heavy CHS showed flashes of what they’re capable of as well. Dig in!
Brianna Brownell, 5’10 W/F – Mount Mansfield Union High School Class of 2024
With 16 points and 10 boards, Brianna owned the interior on both ends. Brownell was relentless on the glass all game as she put a body on opponents and pursued the rock well to collect boards. A quick outlet and a coast-to-coast threat herself, Brianna displayed her open court abilities. Bri pushed the tempo off of rebounds with timely advance passes and a few drives to the rack herself. In addition, she dominated the paint offensively in the halfcourt. Brownell made wise cuts into the post for easy finishes and free throws, plus she collected numerous second chance points. In addition, Brownell’s inside out defense within the various pressure zones of MMU kept the paint secure. Bri bothered perimeter players with hardnosed D, nice closeouts, and forced turnovers. Brianna’s work ethic, physicality, and skillful post work helped catapult MMU past CHS.
Cherise Shamp, 5’11 W/F – Mount Mansfield Union High School Class of 2023
Near a double-double herself with 14 points, a bunch of boards, and numerous steals, Shamp impacted the game in so many ways. Cherise worked ballhandlers at the top of MMU’s zone press as she corralled ballhandlers into corner traps with wise positioning. Her length and active hands flustered opponents, which caused numerous faulty possessions and turnovers. Once out on the break, Cherise attacked the cup with nice finishes and made plays for others too. In addition, she demonstrated nice off-ball movement in the halfcourt. Cherise made instinctual cuts into the post, and with nice footwork, showed a nice baby hook and up-and-unders to counter. She also relocated nicely on the perimeter for kick outs and attacked the rim with a nice layup package on both sides of the rim. All in all, Shamp’s two-way ability and hustle gave CHS fits.
Allie Fullem, 6’1 F – Mount Mansfield Union High School Class of 2023
At 6’1 with good mobility and a strong frame, Allie too was able to feast in and around the bucket. Fullem contributed 10 points to the MMU cause, and most of that production came inside the paint with easeful baby hooks off of post ups. In addition, Allie must’ve had 5+ boards, using her size well to box out and clear the glass. Interestingly, Allie displayed some open court ability too, which I had yet to see. She’s a wise outlet, but she showed her ability to read the floor well and has the awareness to push the tempo without getting her pocket picked from behind by pesky guards. Lastly, her defense was all there. She protected the rim with straight arms and good verticality, and she showed some mobility on the wing as she rotated in MMU’s zone defense. Allie’s physicality pairs well with her mobility, making her a nice in-and-out forward.
Bella Schultz-Mitchell, 5’9 W/ F – Mount Mansfield Union High School Class of 2025
Bella transferred into MMU over the summer, but watching you’d think she’s been with this group for years. Schultz-Mitchell’s grit and grind playstyle fits right in with MMU’s hardnosed identity. Bella contributed nine points, but really, she did so much more. Her defense and hustle took CHS out of rhythm as she forced turnovers with good on-ball footwork, hustle, and timely rotations. In addition, Bella’s work ethic collected lots of 50/50 balls and secured boards, contributing to MMU’s huge advantage on the glass. And offensively, Schultz-Mitchell made sound reads as she slipped crisp passes into the interior. She also dropped in a few easy buckets herself, mostly off of second chance points. Bella is a great addition to MMU’s cause.
Ryleigh Garrow, 5’8 G – Colchester High School Class of 2023
Garrow is relentless, plain and simple. Ryleigh has great athleticism and work ethic, which manifests in lots of slashing to the cup and tough defense. Ryleigh has a keen sense of how to get by defenders. She has nice crossovers and hesitations which freeze defenders, allowing her to get outside their hips, and her first step covers a lot of ground. Moreover, she never shies away from contact, and she drew lots of fouls as she attacked the paint. In addition, Garrow showed nice poise as she handled MMU’s nonstop defensive pressure. Ryleigh used her body and footwork well to make space and demonstrated good awareness, avoiding corners where MMU likes to trap. Overall, Ryleigh’s leadership and poise guided CHS in a tough first outing.
Emma Litchfield, 5’10 G/W – Colchester High School Class of 2025
CHS’ leading scorer with 12 points, Emma was able to chip in a bit before being sidelined with what’s hopefully a minor injury. Litchfield showed off her range with a couple threes and she had some mid-range pull-ups as well. Naturally, she’s a guard or wing. But being CHS’ tallest player, Emma was tasked with the assignment on trying to contain MMU’s interior presence. Litchfield battled for positioning and boards around the paint and was able to collect a few rebounds with her length. However, she was outsized, and the game was called rather tightly, making it tough to quell MMU’s forwards. Ultimately, Emma will be a key piece for CHS so hopefully she’s able to bounce back from injury.
Lexie Litchfield Lexie Litchfield 5'6" | CG Colchester | 2026 State New E , 5’6 G – Colchester High School Class of 2026
Lexie got some run alongside big sister, and she looked quite poised for a freshman. Litchfield is a heady guard with good toughness. Matter of fact, Lexie showed no fear as she mixed it up with MMU’s tough forwards in her drives to paint and rebounding attempts. In addition, I was quite impressed with her ability to handle the ball against one of D1’s tougher defensive teams. Litchfield moved the ball quickly and made solid reads to find players in the gaps of the zone. I’m excited for Lexie’s opportunity to grow as a role player on CHS’ varsity team.