Contact

Contact us at manhhighschoolbasketballreport@gmail.com

MA-NH AAU Girls Hit The Road In July

RI Breaker and Andover High School guard Natalie Gomez Has Game

This July some of the top AAU programs from Massachusetts and New Hampshire will set out to test themselves against some of the top talent around the country. Many of the young ladies on these teams are aspiring to earn a scholarship to play college basketball. Programs such as New England Crusaders, NH Lady Bombers, NH Rivals, NH Shooting Stars and the Rhode Island Breakers will get a chance to showcase their talents at some of the nations best tournaments.

The New England Crusaders who have been one of the most consistent programs in the area have an extremely talented squad this year. With great depth and size they can compete with just about anyone at the elite aau level. The Crusaders are lead by a group of talented juniors who all have a chance to make it at the division 1 level. The Crusaders front court of Danielle Walczak and Karima Gabriel are as dominate as any front court around. Walczak a 6’2 Forward from Oyster River High School uses her physical strength and nifty footwork to get around defenders for easy finishes. She has extremely good footwork and a great set of hands . Walczak over the past year has also proven she can step out to 15ft and knock down an open shot. Gabriel is a 6’2 forward from Manchester NH. Gabriel has vastly improved her game over the past year to solitify herself as a legit division one prospect. She has great length which she uses to disrupt shots on the defensive and to rebound the basketball. Her offensive game is a work in progress, but none the less she has improved greatly over the past year and her best years are to come. Gabriel oozes with potential. With another year of high school left to polish up her skills, this young lady is destined to be an impact player at the next level. 6' small forward Nikki Taylor flat out does it all for the Crusaders. One of the most versatile forwards in New England, Taylor can score in a variety of ways. Taylor can knock down the three ball as well as score it by putting the ball to the floor. Taylor uses her physical strength to overpower opponents while getting to the rim. She plays with great intensity and she has all the intangibles to be a great player. The Crusaders will sure to be tested this July as they will attend the USJN in Washington D.C. and the prestigous Nike Nationals which are held in Georgia.

The NH Lady Bombers have built their reputation on being one the grittiest and hard working teams around. The Bombers squad is made up of mostly NH Girls from the Northern region of New Hampshire and have certainly lived up to their blue collar reputation. At times on the national level the Bombers at first glance look outmatched by their opponents. But don’t be deceived by looks as the Bombers make up for their lack of size and athleticism with smart, hard nose in your face basketball. The Bombers depend on their basketball I.Q., hard work, determination, and their ability to knock down open shots. This has proven well for them this Spring. The Bombers are lead by two very talented juniors. Katie Cullerot is a 5’9 shooting guard from John Stark High School. Cullerot has the ability to knock down shots from just about anywhere on the court. She also has good handle and can beat defenders off the dribble. As a result she has the ability to score in bunches. Maggie Crisman is a 6’1 forward from Bow High School. She is a multi purpose player who has the ability to play every position on the floor. Crisman is very smooth and has a great touch from out beyond the three point arc. She is a flat out scorer who presents match up problems for opposing teams. She uses her height and frame to over power defenders on her way to the basket. The Bombers will have an extensive travel schedule this July as they will be attending Tournaments at Penn State, Baltimore, and Atlanta.

The NH Rivals have come on the AAU circuit in full force. In just its first season the Rivals have solidified themselves as a force to be reconed with on the AAU circuit. The Rivals are lead by a cast of talented forwards who thrive off of their versatility. Kellie Macdonald is a 6 foot junior forward who has the ability to beat defenders of the dribble and also strecth the defense out with her 3 point range. Macdonald thrives in the transition game and is able to beat her defender down the floor for easy baskets. Madeline Blais is a 6 foot silky smooth forward from Exeter High School. Blais has established herself as one of the best players on the New England AAU circuit. Blais has the ability to score in bunches and in an array of different ways . She can beat of the dribble and get to the rim, and she also utilizes her great size to shoot over the top of defenders with pull ups and runners in the lane. Savanna Butterfield is a 5'10 junior from Londonderry High School. Butterfield is a high flying forward who has the ability to take over games. With her size and quickness Butterfield poses match up problems for many of the opponents she faces. She uses her quickness to beat bigger and slower players off the dribble and her size and great jumping ability to post smaller players. Butterfield is also an excellent rebounder and defender. The Rivals will be playing in Kentucky , Tennessee, Washington D.C this summer.

The Rhode Island Breakers were by far the most dominating team this past spring. They virtually won just about every time they stepped on the floor. It comes as no surprise as many of the top prospect from our region suit up for the Breakers. The Breakers front court are 6’5 , 6’4, 6’3 all of which are Division one prospects . But the catalyst of this team is it guards play. The Breakers are led by 5’8 junior guard Natalie Gomez from Andover High School, and 5’8 junior guard Gabie Polce from Central Catholic High School. Both Gomez and Polce are arguably the two best guards in Massachusetts high school basketball. Gomez, who is being recruited by many division one schools, is an electrifying guard who as the ability to dominate on both ends of the floor. Gomez has great speed and quickness, along with great ball handing skills makes her virtually unstoppable on the offensive end. Gomez displays great confidence and savy while on the court. She has proven to be a top prospect in New England. Gabie Polce, on the other hand, is a jack of all trades for this Breakers squad . She can shoot, pass, dribble, and cover on the defensive end. The word that describes Polce best is efficient. She is a great competitor who does not like to lose. She also displays very good leadership qualities on the court. The Breakers will attend tournaments in Kentucky, Tenn, Georgia this July.