NJ Spring Classic: Can’t Miss Games

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These are some games you DO NOT want to miss at Multi Sports Kingdom in Manalapan this weekend. With over 100 teams in all classifications competing in this May live period tune-up, it can get a little overwhelming trying to find the MUST-SEE action! I can assure you, these Jersey girls will be putting on a show you won't want to miss:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"24px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:24px"><strong>17U</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Empire State Blue Flames P24 vs NJ Rise Masonius</em> | Saturday, May 10th at 1:25 pm | Court 1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>ESBC's [player_tooltip player_id='559824' first='Charlotte' last='Bradley'] has seen a surge in confidence and looks better than ever before. Her playmaking in the back court is clicking on all cylinders, from scoring to dishing. With plenty of weapons on this loaded squad, the world is her oyster when it comes to facilitating. One of those options us 6'1" forward [player_tooltip player_id='789549' first='Sienna' last='Drullinsky'] who does a terrific job imposing her will in and around the paint. Long arms catch the ball up high, reaching over defenders for lay-ins at the rim. Sienna can also stretch out and pop from the perimeter, an area of her game she's gotten more comfortable with in recent times. Look for dynamic, slashing point guard [player_tooltip player_id='601267' first='Mia' last='Washington'] to zip around the court and get to the cup. She has stellar size at 6'0" and a motor that stays hot from start to finish. When she gets that blazing first step past a defender, consider it money just about every time. NJ Rise is a guard-heavy squad with a plethora reliable scoring options, especially from long range. [player_tooltip player_id='601517' first='Ava' last='Coyle'], the smallest on the team, might just be the most lethal from 3. When she gets going, it can become quite the task to contain her. She's capable of knocking down multiple triples per contest and from several feet behind the arc, too! A blur in the open court, she pushes the tempo and does a terrific job of speeding up the pace beyond the opponents' comfort zone. A longer guard at 5'10", [player_tooltip player_id='559031' first='Daniela' last='Maletsky'] has all the tools to make life miserable for Empire State. With a smooth mid-range jumper and knack for scoring through contact, she can quickly turn the tides and swing momentum in favor of the Rise. If the game gets close, I want the ball in her hands!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>[program_tooltip program_id='714664' first='Team' last='Sharp'] Blue vs My Sky Elite</em> | Saturday, May 10th at 9:05 am | Court 6</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With [player_tooltip player_id='671389' first='Sage' last='Reed'] and [player_tooltip player_id='600896' first='Jillian' last='Carter'] controlling the back court and Swiss-Army knife [player_tooltip player_id='835821' first='Sarae' last='Croley-Battle'], at times, playing positions 2-5, there's lots of firepower on this Sharp squad. At just under 6'0" tall, SCB does a great job commanding the paint on both sides. She rebounds the ball at a high level and goes up strong on second chance opportunities. She's an anchor defensively who prides herself on getting stops, whether it's disrupting the perimeter or swatting shots inside. And speaking of defense, there may not be more active hands in this matchup than Sage's. She can light it up on offense, surely, but it's her scrappy, suffocating ball pressure that can really deflate the opponent. Jahnae Lembrick is yet another weapon on both sides of the ball, coming off a career-year at Plainfield. She is riding a wave of momentum and building confidence with every passing weekend. If she can break the primary defender down with her dribble, the possibilities are endless because she possesses superb court vision, a crafty layup package and the ability to pop from 18 feet+ consistently. Guard-heavy on both sides, this game is sure to bring lots of speed and lots of slashing buckets.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"24px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:24px"><strong>16U</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>NJ Bulldogs vs SI Diamonds Green</em> | Saturday, May 10th at 3:35 pm | Court 4</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Competing in the NXTPRO League on the PUMA circuit, the Bulldogs have plenty of talent to showcase this summer. Forward [player_tooltip player_id='959154' first='Nariah' last='Henderson'] gets busy on the glass, dropping in buckets and pulling down strong rebounds. Even at 5'10", she gets up over much taller girls, showing off hustle and hops! Small, yet scrappy guard Mia Marabuto brings firepower on offense and has quite the canon from 3-point range. After a breakout sophomore season at Monroe, she is bursting with confidence and ready to make a big splash. She's one the defense can easily lose if not locked in, because she's so quick and always looking to get to her spots around the perimeter. At the 1 is true point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1202425' first='Ava' last='Krzywdzinski'], ready to showcase her exceptional court vision. She's able to find teammates through the smallest gaps in coverage, dishing out dimes left and right! She makes sure EVERYBODY EATS! She's a total spark of energy, and when she's not facilitating, you can catch her slicing through the lane for quick layups. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>United NJ P24 vs Empire State P24</em> | Saturday, May 10th at 12:20 pm | Court 1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lots of Jersey girls clashing in this one! These two teams are stacked with talent, so this may end up being the game of the event for 16U. For ESBC, 5'10" Addi Valdez jumps out immediately as someone who can give United fits. She does a fantastic jobs getting set around the arc to drain triples and also plays big in the paint, chipping it put-backs and popping 12-15 foot jumpers. She's hard to stop in transition, running the floor with authority and using a strong dribble and nifty footwork to get to the basket. In her first sears with Empire (moving from the Jersey Gemz), [player_tooltip player_id='835246' first='Ella' last='Peck'] sure knows a thing or two about scoring. She's dynamic at the 2, establishing herself not only as a devastating 3-point but also a legitimate two-way threat. The defense will have to pressure her if they don't want to see 3 bombs dropping at a furious pace. At 6'0", [player_tooltip player_id='981847' first='Alexa' last='Caunedo'] is the tallest on the squad and will look to get on the glass and rebound on both ends. Defensively, she poses a tough matchup because she can disrupt the passing lanes up top and also set up shop inside and protect the rim. United is the longer of the two teams, that's for sure. 6'2" [player_tooltip player_id='868732' first='Brooke' last='Shust'] commands the post and does a phenomenal job attacking the glass and deterring guards from comfortably driving to the basket. She sets nearly impenetrable screens for her teammates and uses physicality to her advantage. Both 5'11" and versatile, [player_tooltip player_id='651477' first='Lissy' last='Lyons'] and [player_tooltip player_id='651478' first='Tatum' last='Sharpe'] do a terrific job playing off one another. They are locked in at the wing/forward positions and are well equipped to score inside-out efficiently. Long arms will make a big difference on defense, whether guarding up at the perimeter or using their size to protect the paint. Versatility is the name of their game! I'll be seated for this one!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"24px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:24px"><strong>15U</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>NJ Rise Conroy vs New Heights</em> | Saturday, May 10th at 3:35 pm | Court 6</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rise will have to do battle against a tough NYC team Saturday afternoon, so they'll need to be clicking on all cylinders. While they're loaded at the guard spot, they will bring in weapons off the bench and keep strong rotations. [player_tooltip player_id='914278' first='Kelsey' last='Nitche'], [player_tooltip player_id='913947' first='Quinn' last='Smigelsky'] and [player_tooltip player_id='914274' first='Avery' last='Wallace'] can pace the game and provide scoring from distance while also using their dribble to penetrate and slash to the rim. Standing 6'0" in the front court, [player_tooltip player_id='913932' first='Elaina' last='Kraybill'] and [player_tooltip player_id='913934' first='Alexis' last='Amistad-Borowski'] will see plenty of opportunities to score inside and will have to use every bit of their frame to box out strong and rebound against a taller New Heights squad. Keep an eye on 5'7" guard Georgia D'Angelo (NJ Rise) who is poised to have a breakout at some point this season... and it could be during this very weekend! She can alternate between the 1 &amp; 2 if called upon and isn't afraid to crash the glass against much bigger foes. If Georgia runs the point, you may see lots of dimes dished to [player_tooltip player_id='914274' first='Avery' last='Wallace'] around the perimeter, a small, fiery guard who can light it up from deep. Grab some popcorn for this one because it's sure to be a battle!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->