Five Takeaways from the Tri-County Conference A Tourney So Far

We’ve been lucky enough to see many of the teams featured in the A bracket of the Tri-County Conference Tournament so far and they’ve impressed greatly. The final was set after Friday’s action, with Timber Creek and Clearview winning their respective semifinal games. Here are five takeaways from the bracket so far and things to look at for the future. <strong>1. Clearview is an incredibly dangerous team</strong> Clearview has played two tough teams on its way to the bracket final, defeating Williamstown and Wildwood by a combined 10 points. In those seesaw affairs, we saw a number of players step up for the Pride, like Emma Steidle, who has been producing the entire year at a high clip as a guard for Clearview. [player_tooltip player_id="325194" first="Ana" last="Pellecchia"] has been the go-to shooter for the Pride, especially in the semis against Wildwood, where she knocked down 3 three-pointers. The pieces are clicking at the right time for the Pride, who are going to be a force in the final. <strong>2. [player_tooltip player_id="319339" first="Imene" last="Fathi"] had herself a game in the semis</strong> There were two players that helped keep Wildwood in its semifinal game against Clearview, but none had a bigger impact than [player_tooltip player_id="319339" first="Imene" last="Fathi"], who scored a game-high 20 points, her ninth 20-point game of the season. She also knocked down multiple three-pointers in a game for the 13th time this year, hitting three in the loss. Fathi has turned on another gear it seems when watching her play as a senior because there aren’t many girls in the state who are as clutch as she has been. <strong>3. [player_tooltip player_id="319020" first="Amaya" last="Burch"] is apparently a triple-double machine now</strong> In one of the most unlikely performances we’ve seen when it comes to final stats, [player_tooltip player_id="319020" first="Amaya" last="Burch"], one of the most dominant players in the Tri-County Conference without a doubt, recorded a triple-double the hard way, with 19 points, 12 rebounds and 11 steals. You read that correctly, Burch had 11 steals in the game, one off her career-high of 12 that she put up earlier this season. If you need a player to watch out come NJSIAA tournament season, Burch is exactly that level of player. <strong>4. Timber Creek has proved to be a well-rounded, well-oiled machine</strong> The best teams are the most complete teams and when you look at Timber Creek, you see just that, and it’s not just the stellar play of [player_tooltip player_id="319020" first="Amaya" last="Burch"] either. Jessenia Edwards and Nai’La Bennett both scored in double-figures in the semifinal win, with Edwards recording her third double-double of the season. While Edwards is having a career year as a junior, Bennett recorded her eighth 15+ point game of the season in the win and has just been spectacular to watch. Fellow freshman Nicholle Green showcased her great ability to shoot from the perimeter, rebound and play stellar defense in the win as well, another great depth piece for TC. 5. Kingsway has no reason to hold their heads down after their semifinal run. The Dragons have had a recent run of tournament success in subsequent weeks, reaching the quarterfinals of the South Jersey Invitational Basketball Tournament and the semifinals in this tournament. Kingsway faced an absolute juggernaut in Timber Creek in the semis and just couldn’t keep up with their pace, but this team, despite being 12-11, is a surefire contender in the TCC. Olivia Ettore has been a welcomed sign of success for the Dragons and continues to shine as a senior. McKenzie Racobaldo and Savannah Crowding are quickly improving as this season continues, two more positive signs moving forward.