Philly Belles’ 17U Team Features Three NJ Prospects

There are many different AAU programs for New Jersey girls basketball prospects to choose and among the best are the Philly Belles. There are a handful of Garden State girls scattered in the Belles program and after taking a look at the 16U team, here’s a quick preview of the NJ standouts from the 17U team. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="325194" first="Ana" last="Pellecchia"] - 5-9 SG, Clearview (2024)</strong> Pellecchia is the No. 21 prospect in our 2024 prospect rankings and off the bat, this lefty has become one of the best perimeter shooters in South Jersey. As a sophomore, she knocked down over two three-pointers a game and blew past her career-high for scoring, averaging just under 17 points a game. Pellecchia brought with her offensive stability for Clearview and she’s done a fantastic job at creating her own shot and carving out the lane for her teammates. We don’t want to group her into the 3&D category as while she averaged three steals a game this season, she’s much more of a complete player, though she excels at both shooting and defense. Pellecchia has great potential to fill out the stat sheet even more this winter, so stay tuned. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="321571" first="Emma" last="Steidle"] - 5-6 SG, Clearview (2023)</strong> Steidle is the No. 32 prospect in our 2023 prospect rankings and is even better of a shooter than what Pellecchia was this season for the Pride. She was knocking down three-pointers at a ridiculous pace, nearly 3.5 a game. In one year, she was one three away from doubling her output from the two previous years, which just shows what kind of a lockdown shooter she was on the floor. Fifty-five percent of her scoring came from three, and while some cannot keep up that pace, Steidle has the form and composure to do just that. She’s as effortless of a shooter as they come and isn’t confined to one specific spot on the court to shoot. Pick a spot behind the arc and she’ll knock it down. That reliability has been incredibly crucial for Clearview and we’re looking to see this summer how she’s able to round out the other aspects of her game. <strong>Ashley Sofilkanich - 6-3 PF/C, St. John Vianney (2023)</strong> Sofilkanich will be added to our 2023 prospect watch list after showing steady improvement as a junior for the best program in the state. She missed seven games in the middle of the season, but has returned back to form as a potential double-double machine. From watching her play, it still seems like she’s getting her feet under her and has shown great glimpses of what we think she can be as a forward. Sofilkanich has a lot of raw talent with a 6-3 frame and excellent shot-blocking abilities. Naturally, a player of her height and wingspan really excels on the defensive side of the ball, but Sofilkanich is nimble with the basketball on offense and makes a living in the paint. The more she gets feeds in the middle, the more she’s going to capitalize on them.