Tri-County Tournament Breakdown- Flight B

The complete TCC bracket for Flight B was recently unveiled, with First Round action kicking off on Tuesday! I'm here to break down the top contenders, as well as darkhorse teams and x-factors looking to make a big impact!   FLIGHT B SEEDS   (1) Williamstown vs (8) Cumberland, (2) Clayton vs (7) Delsea, (3) Penns Grove vs (6) Kingsway, (4) Triton vs (5) Glassboro   Williamstown notches a third consecutive, this time the top seed in the tournament's second tier. A difficult regular season schedule has prepped the Braves for a run to the Chip, starting with Cumberland in Rd 1. I don't anticipate any problems early on, with Williamstown having already dispatched Cumberland in January by 18 points. Superstar [player_tooltip player_id='414394' first='Alivia' last='Mauz'] is having the best season of her career, averaging a torrid 21.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg & 4.1 spg. She is arguably one of the best two-way guards in NJ's senior class and also one of the best 3-point shooters anywhere in the state, having knocked down sixty-two triples in twenty-three games! Seniors Callie Kozeniewski and Mia Pezzato are putting in work this season, averaging 6.7 ppg and 4.2 ppg, respectively, with junior McKenna Eaton also making notable contributions at 4.1 ppg. If a team throws a double (or triple) at Liv, you can count on these three to step up and help guide their team to a dub. 5'11" Peyton Wright has been cleaning up the glass all season long, leading the team with 5.7 rpg, including a season-high 17 rebounds against Clearview. They'll need her to pull down crucial boards which could swing the momentum if things get tight en-route to the Final.   SPICY FIRST ROUND CLASH   The 4-5 matchup is always one to watch for, but this one especially with Triton and Glassboro battling for a spot in the Quarters. Both teams have a trio of signature wins this season, with Triton knocking off Timber Creek, Delsea and Gloucester and Glassboro overcoming Ocean City, Woodstown and Penns Grove. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='835826' first='Melannie' last='Noel'] and junior Kaidan Henry have powered the Mustangs to many of their impressive wins, putting up 14.2 ppg and 12.2 ppg, respectively. Kaidan has proved unstoppable from long range, knocking down sixty-five triples so far, good for three per game! Melannie has sliced her way to the rim time and time again, putting this team on her back when things get dicey. She also leads this team in steals at 3.1 spg, proving she can play both sides of the ball equally as tenacious. Glassboro comes in as a very underrated 5 seed. They've proven tough in a rebuilding season, with sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='831439' first='Kezia' last='Brackett'] putting up big numbers across the board; 15.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.5 apg & 3.1 spg. She's not an easy task for any defender, with five 20+ point games so far this season. She does a fantastic job turning defense into offense, with a scrappy mentality guarding the ball at the perimeter. If Glassboro wants to upset Triton and make waves in this tourney, Kezia will need help from vet [player_tooltip player_id='583760' first='Tamia' last='Smith'] and rebounding machine [player_tooltip player_id='601508' first='Sianna' last='Wedderburn']. SiSi is pulling down a team-best 9.7 rpg and every single board could be crucial moving forward! Secret weapon [player_tooltip player_id='601507' first='Sanaa' last='Thomas'] has been riding a wave of confidence in Year 3 and has been consistent and reliable across the board, averaging 6.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.9 apg & 3.2 spg. For these reasons, Glassboro is my chosen darkhorse.   CLAYTON READY TO DO WORK   The Lady Clippers are well equipped for a run to the Championship game, with sensational senior [player_tooltip player_id='414351' first='Rainelle' last='Blocker'] leading the way with 17.7 ppg & 11.3 rpg. She hasn't been held to singe digits in scoring all year, putting up huge numbers and monster double-doubles along the way; 35 points & 26 rebounds vs Schalick, 26 points & 19 rebounds vs Pitman and an incredible triple-double vs Salem, 26 points, 13 rebounds & 15 rebounds. This team is more than just Rainelle, however, which will make them as a tough assignment for any team in the field. Senior Ava Delaney has been excellent, averaging 13.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg & 4.3 spg. Junior Deondria Smith is contributing 11.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg & 3.4 spg while freshie India Bryant is tallying 6.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg & 1.7 spg. The common theme on this team? All 5 on the floor share the ball! All 5 rebound! All 5 commit to playing defense! A total team effort night in and night out. A win over Delsea could set up a clash with foe Penns Grove, who'll they try to exact revenge on after dropping a late-January game.   X-FACTORS   [player_tooltip player_id='1190062' first='Elizabeth' last='Pflieger'] | Cumberland   With a nice shot from 3, Elizabeth will need to rely on her strengths if 8th seeded Cumberland wants a shot at upsetting Williamstown. If she can knock down a few early and team-leader Addison Weist can also get going, Cumberland will show fight and prove that they can hang with the top dog.   [player_tooltip player_id='1190063' first='Lily' last='Czubas'] | Glassboro   The freshman comes in averaging 4.4 ppg & 6.5 rpg, playing fearless basketball for a squad who might just make some noise next week! My hot take? If Lily can exceed her season averages and average a double-double in this tournament and her teammates do their usual work, Glassboro will have a legitimate shot to win the whole thing.   [player_tooltip player_id='1190064' first='Bella' last='Archer'] | Kingsway   Bella was a difference-maker when Kingsway upset Williamstown 45-42 in early January, chipping in 6 points on two big 3's. She was rock solid against Triton in the season opener, tallying 8 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals. Against teams in this field, she has shown up when it matters most.   SUPERSTARS IN THE FIELD   [player_tooltip player_id='414394' first='Alivia' last='Mauz'] | Williamstown   Averaging 21.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.8 apg & 4.1 spg for #1 Williamstown.   [player_tooltip player_id='831439' first='Kezia' last='Brackett'] | Glassboro   Averaging 15.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.5 apg & 3.1 spg.   [player_tooltip player_id='879771' first='RaNiyah' last='Wilson'] | Penns Grove   Averaging 22.4 ppg, 2,0 rpg & 1.0 spg for 3rd seeded Penns Grove.   [player_tooltip player_id='414351' first='Rainelle' last='Blocker'] | Clayton   Averaging 17.7 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.3 bpg & 5.8 spg for the #2 seed.

The complete TCC bracket for Flight B was recently unveiled, with First Round action kicking off on Tuesday! I'm here to break down the top contenders, as well as darkhorse teams and x-factors looking to make a big impact!