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GUAA/Live at the Nook Notebook (Pt. 6) (April 21-23, 2023)

04/25/2023, 12:30pm EDT
By Josh Verlin & Sean McBryan

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin) &
Sean McBryan (@SeanMcBryan)

MANHEIM — The April live periods kept on trucking in Lancaster County, with a massive tournament taking place at Spooky Nook Sports — a combination of the first Girls’ Under Armour Association stop and the Select Events “Live at the Nook!” competition, with hundreds and hundreds of teams descending upon central Pennsylvania for three days of intense competition.

There were plenty of prospects to check in with. Here's the sixth and final part of our recruiting notebook, focusing on some local prospects:

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More Coverage: Day 1 Standouts | Day 2 Standouts | Day 3 Standouts | Notebook (Pt. 1) | Notebook (Pt. 2) | Notebook (Pt. 3) | Notebook (Pt. 4) | Notebook (Pt. 5) | Notebook (Pt. 6)

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Marisa Francione, 2024 Lady Runnin' Rebels

Isabella Casey, Marisa Francione + Caleigh Sperling
2024s | Lady Runnin’ Rebels 17U

It was a productive first weekend for the Lady Runnin’ Rebels, an HGSL (Hoop Group Summer League) squad chock full of area talent. The Rebels’ 17s went 2-2 in their first live period of the spring, beating SLAM Elite (Canada) and the Long Island Lightning and losing competitive games to very strong Gauchos and NJ ShoreShots squads. 

They capped the weekend off with a highly-entertaining game, falling to the Gauchos 89-82 in a back-and-forth contest that saw both squads playing at a high level on the offensive end and shooting at a strong clip. 

Casey (Germantown Academy), Francione (Conestoga) and Sperling (North Penn) were all contributing all game long for the Rebels in multiple watches this weekend, the trio part of a core that’s been with the program since its middle school days. 

“I feel like we improved a lot with each game, and the last game we definitely played our best and we played really hard,” said Sperling, a 5-9 wing guard who had 20 points, six rebounds and four steals against the Gauchos.

“It’s a lot of fun, but it’s definitely different,” added Casey, a 5-10 wing guard who contributed 19 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals. “A lot of the girls who played up last year are now in our division, so there’s a lot of tall girls, a lot of really talented players. It’s definitely a step up, but it’s a lot of fun to be that oldest group for the Rebels, it’s a lot of fun.”

It’s a group that’s got a variety of college colleges, with schools in Division I, Division II and Division III programs all courtside to watch them play. All of them are no-doubt college players, but with the lines between levels increasingly blurred, it’s more often about program fit, timing, relationships and more.

“I’m talking to a variety of different divisions and different regions of the country,” said Francione, a 5-5 point guard, who had 13 points, seven rebounds and four dimes against the Gauchos. “But keeping my options open right now.”

Francione noted that D-II West Chester and D-III Scranton were two of the schools that had been pursuing her; Casey mentioned high-academic D-IIIs Emory and Rochester, both in the UAA, and Sperling declined to mention which specific schools she’d talked to, only noting that there were “a few different ones” in contact.

They’re not the only ones on their squad who had a big impact this weekend: Henderson’s Whitney Evans made shots in Saturday and Sunday viewings, as did sharpshooting Taylor Koenig (Governor Mifflin), while Sofia Vitucci (Pennsbury) piled up assists and rebounds in those games. 

In addition to their final recruiting summers, they’re also prepping for big roles at their respective high school programs; Francione trying to lead ‘Stoga to a Central League title, Sperling doing the same in the Suburban One, Casey going to have to play her role helping the Patriots adjust to whoever their new coach will be following Sherri Retif’s retirement.

“[We’re] getting more confident,” Francione said, “I feel like that’ll help translate into my high school season for next year, and I think we can have a really good run for our high school season next year.” — Josh Verlin

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Mayah Alford (2024 | Books & Basketball GUAA 17U)

Alford spent her first two high school seasons on this side of the Delaware River at Harry S. Truman, which went 2-31 overall. The 5-10 wing averaged 4.4 points her freshman season and 7.0 as a sophomore.

A transfer to Trenton Catholic ensued and Alford made the most of the new opportunity; she averaged 13.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 4.5 steals per game as the Iron Mikes went 13-12.

Alford wants to continue the upward trend in winning and production as she heads into her senior season.

“I have the mindset of winning,” she said. “This season was the first year playing together but going into next year and playing all summer helps me see a lot of opportunities I have for myself. My mindset is to just go out there, play my hardest and do my job.”

Alford’s constant defensive activity was on full display as she sparked BBA’s comeback attempt against Colorado Basketball Club in an evening slate Friday. 

BBA trailed by 11 at the end of the first quarter and at halftime, but Alford took over the third quarter with multiple steals, a 3-pointer, and an and-one. She finished the game with nine points, four rebounds, and four steals.

Alford wants to improve offensively next.

“I know I can do more than backdoor cuts and catch-and-shoots,” Alford said. “I want to try and find my way to the basket and finish strong.”

The college interest should ramp up if she continues to have good showings with her BBA GUAA 17Us throughout the summer and parlays that into a successful season with Trenton Catholic once the winter comes around.

“We did go on a winning streak but when it got to the playoffs, the competition got heavier,” Alford said of her junior season with the Iron Mikes. “After that last game we played, we just all got the mindset that it was time to come together and improve for next season.” — Sean McBryan

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Ryann Jennings, 2026 Comets

Ryann Jennings (2026 | Comets GUAA 15U)

Jennings can tell the difference from a year ago. 

Even though the Comets’ 2026 group — which went 5-0 this weekend — is mostly the same from last summer, they now come in with a ton of high school experience. Jennings, who started all season at Conestoga, is one of several members of the roster who did the same at their schools, like Alexis Eberz (Carroll) and Megan Ngo (Upper Dublin), while others were their team’s sixth man, like Megan Rullo (O’Hara), playing what amounted to starters’ minutes. 

Everybody on the roster got significant playing time, and now they’re far from the middle schoolers they once were.

“Yeah, there’s been a switch, and it’s been a very positive switch,” Jennings said. “I’m very happy about how we all have progressed through our high school season. [...]. We’ve been waiting for this the whole year, now we’re here and it feels so good to be back and playing.”

Jennings, a 5-10 shooting guard, played well on Saturday evening with a 16-point, eight-rebound outing in a win over the WPA Bruins, knocking down a 3-pointer while also grabbing four offensive boards and scoring a bunch inside. She did so with about 20 Division I programs watching, a common sight this weekend even at the 15U games.

She’s not fazed by college coaches anymore, considering she and the rest of the Comets 15Us are playing under the direction of longtime Villanova head coach Harry Perretta, who finished his 40-plus-year career with nearly 800 career wins.

“It’s so nice to have,” Jennings said. “He’s such a good coach and [...] it’s so amazing to have him passing down what he knows, because obviously he knows so much.”

Jennings said her coaches and parents have gotten a few calls from colleges, mentioning that she’s been able to have conversations with Lafayette and Dartmouth — underclassmen are allowed to initiate conversations with college coaches — as she continues to improve for her sophomore year.

“I’ve been trying to work at coming up stronger with my drives,” she said, “because we’re going to play against bigger competition, so I want to work on my finishing so I can finish over taller people.” — Josh Verlin

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Brycelyn Stryckning (2026 | Comets GUAA 15U)
The 6-0 power forward is still working on her outside game, but when Mavs Elite sunk off her Sunday, she showed she’s been putting up shots.

Stryckning only hit one trey although many others narrowly missed; she pulled from long range with no hesitation and the form looked good.

“I’m still trying to work on it,” Stryckning said after the game, which she had seven points and six rebounds in. “I’m used to playing in the post. I’m trying to get more comfortable playing all around.”

The freshman from Caravel Academy said she wants to improve her dribbling and confidence on the perimeter, too.

Stryckning averaged 8.9 points and 8.0 rebounds during her freshman season with the Buccaneers; she led the team in blocks and rebounds and didn’t hit a single 3-pointer. That latter part of that statement would be a surprise to someone who watched her Sunday.

“I almost averaged a double-double and we made it to the Final Four,” Stryckning said of her high school season. “We didn’t win, but it was a good season. I learned how to play in the post more [than on the outside]. It was just more comfortable.”

She gets the opportunity to expand her game during AAU ball and has a legendary coach helping her in Harry Perretta, the Villanova women’s coach from 1978 to 2020, even if he’s fiery on occasion.

“I like the way he yells at us because it gives us an extra push,” Stryckning said. “It feels like when there’s something wrong, he knows how to fix it. We’re able to trust him to tell us the right thing.”

The Comets made adjustments defensively and handled Mavs Elite’s press better after losing the first quarter 12-10. That, along with the threat of Stryckning pulling the trigger from deep, aided the Comets in flipping the game around and coming out with a 52-42 victory. — Sean McBryan


Luca D'Andrea, 2026 Mid-Atlantic Magic

Luca D’Andrea (2026 | Mid-Atlantic Magic 15U)

The 5-9 guard might not get too much attention while playing prep ball for St. Hubert’s, which hasn’t gone to a PCL championship since 1992 or won since 1981.

The Bambies went 5-16 last season with D’Andrea averaging 4.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 2.3 steals, and a block per game. 

“We’re all motivated,” D’Andrea said. “I know we can do better because we have a couple of good incoming freshmen. We have two juniors Alexa Price and Caitlin Hunter coming back.”

Showcasing her skills with her Mid-Atlantic AAU team is a great way to bring more attention to her game and she did that Sunday afternoon in leading the Magic to a 39-33 victory over District One.

D’Andrea had 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks while playing all over the court; she has adequate length and size, but also has good body control and reigned-in athleticism that’s uncommon for a young player.

“My height helps because I can play underneath sometimes,” D’Andrea said of her versatile game. “That’s where I usually go with Hubert’s.”

She has more dribbling duties with the Magic than Hubert’s and that’s something she wants to work on heading into her sophomore season.

“I’m focused on ball handling,” D’Andrea said. “I have to be running the point more here.”

D’Andrea has no shortage of opportunities against high-level competition both in AAU and in the PCL against the likes of powerhouses Archbishop Carroll, Cardinal O’Hara, Neumann-Goretti, et. al.

“The competition definitely pushes me to work harder,” D’Andrea said. “I think if I just push myself and stay motivated, I can play in college one day. I just need to keep working hard.”

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Katie Tiffan (2024 | LGB Select 17U)

Tiffan and Spring-Ford had a great chance in winning their first state title since 2013 and appearing in the championship for the second time in two years.

If using the transitive property, the Rams fell to Cardinal O’Hara by three in the second round. O’Hara then beat Central York by 20 in the quarterfinals before losing to eventual champion Archbishop Carroll by one in the semifinals. If the Rams would’ve beaten O’Hara, it’s likely they would’ve been in the Final Four with the potential to win a title.

Now Tiffan — Spring-Ford’s third-leading scorer at 8.7 points per game — will be running it back with fellow classmates and rising seniors Anna Azzara (14.7 points per game) and Mac Pettinelli (9.1) to try and accomplish what Sarah Payonk and Co. did in 2013 and what Lucy Olsen, Emily Tiffan, and the then-freshmen trio nearly accomplished two years ago.

“Our biggest goal is just working by ourselves like shooting, defense, and footwork individually [during AAU],” Tiffan said of Azzara, Pettinelli, and herself. “Then we’ll all come together during high school. We all watch each other play during AAU. We’re all working as hard as we can.”

Tiffan, a 5-11 wing, plays on LGB Select and showed her all-around game with 10 points, six rebounds, an assist, and a block in a 38-29 loss to Become One Friday night.

That versatility is what makes the Spring-Ford trio so lethal; Tiffan averaged 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists with the Rams and is the ultimate glue girl. Azzara provides 4.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists and Pettinelli 6.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists during high school ball; they play for Comets GUAA.

The main areas Tiffan wants to improve are shooting and dribbling and she hopes she can show prospective college coaches more of her individual skill during the AAU season.

“It’s just improving my game,” Tiffan said. “I feel like AAU is where you get more looks from coaches so it’s more of an individual game. For Spring-Ford, or any school team, it’s more working together and as a team.”

Tiffan said her goal is to go Division I or II and said she’s been in contact with a few schools but isn’t mentioning them yet.

“I’m just going with the flow, but I want to get some offers during the AAU season,” she said.

In terms of location, Tiffan said she’d like to stay in Pennsylvania or go south, but she’s open to anywhere as long as she can also follow her interest in biology and environmental science.


Lily Milewski, 2025 Mid-Atlantic Magic

Lily Milewski (2024 | Mid-Atlantic Magic 16U)

It’s a big summer for Milewski, as the 6-0 forward from Conwell-Egan takes the step from underclassman to upperclassman, as she and the Eagles aim to make a breakthrough in the Philadelphia Catholic League — no small task.

She’s spending the summer working on expanding her game from the post out to the perimeter, knocking down a 3-pointer from the wing as part of an 18-point, eight-rebound effort in a win over the Syracuse Nets on Sunday afternoon. She’s been playing with the Magic since her eighth grade days, and it was a group that played hard all game long.

“I like how we’re, it’s a fun group of girls, we’ll all nice and we’re unselfish,” she said. “We know how each other plays and what their advantages are.”

Milewski’s more than just a post, as she showed in her ability to push the ball upcourt on the break and finish the layup as well as knock down that jumper, but she’s certainly at her best around the rim, where she’s got good hands and doesn’t give up on rebounds. 

Right now, she said, she’s not hearing from any colleges, but no doubt it won’t be long before small-college types start hitting her up. In the meanwhile, she said, she’s working on improving her shot and handle so she can more effectively drive to the bucket in the half-court — Josh Verlin


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