City of Basketball Love

CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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ATLANTIC CITY — The 2023 grassroots season is almost at an end, but not before the girls’ edition of the Hoop Group Showcase League closes out its action with this weekend’s championships at the AC Convention Center. The four-day event got underway Friday with afternoon and evening rounds of pool play for teams who aren’t playing for HGSL titles, as well as showcase games for those who are (along with a few shoe company programs who are in town for the weekend). 

Here’s the second part of who stood out to the CoBL staff during Saturday and Sunday’s games; CLICK HERE for those with last names A-L:

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Ava & Bella Mazur (2024 | Jersey Gemz HGSL 17U)
It would have seemed wrong to break up the twin guards for their efforts in Saturday’s 59-38 win over the SI Bulldogs, given how most every play one of them made ended up finished by the other. Ava, who plays more of the point guard role, did that to a ‘T’ with eight assists in the morning session win, at least half of them going to her sister. Bella, who is a little more prolific putting the ball in the net, had that going with 16 points and was rolling in transition or slicing to the rim, her sister putting a couple on a platter for her to just drop in. The twins, who play at Mainland Regional, were also typically aggressive on defense, with Ava tallying four steals as a result of active pressure.

Alivia Mauz (2025 | Lady Runnin’ Rebels 16U)
The 5-8 point guard from Williamstown (N.J.) was really fun to watch on both ends of the floor in a quarterfinal win over NEPA Elite. Mauz has quick feet to stay in front and quick hands to help pry the ball away from opponents on the ball. She’s got some length, athleticism and anticipatory skills to jump into passing lanes as well. On the offensive end, she started the game as a distributor, helping feed Nadia Yemola (13 points, three threes). She can really handle the ball and used straight line speed and a change of speed to beat her defender and either take to the hoop or kick. She showcased her range as well with a triple.

Abigail McFillin (2027 | Comets 14U)
It seemed like whenever the Comets’ 14s needed a big play in their 15U quarterfinal win over NEPA Elite — a game interrupted by a fire alarm, which put the whole tournament on pause for 15 minutes — they got one from McFillin. The 5-7 guard, who’s about to start her freshman year at Archbishop Carroll, grabbed 11 rebounds, dished out four assists and grabbed two steals in addition to scoring 12 points, 10 of which came during the second half — including a couple key 3-pointers as the Comets held off a NEPA surge. McFillin had three offensive rebounds, and it seemed like each one was kicked out for a wide-open triple. 

Kiyomi McMiller (2024 | BBA Elite 17U)
One of the most electric guards in the high school ranks, McMiller showed her stuff in a 26-point outing for BBA Elite in a loss to Fairfax Stars’ EYBL 17s on Sunday morning. The 5-8 guard has handles like few others around, with a lightning-quick first step and ability to get to basically any spot on the court; even though that gets her in trouble sometimes, her ability to get her shot off —and connect — from wherever makes it tough to stop her from doing her thing. That included three 3-pointers in this one, one from deep, a gorgeous left-handed floater and a few other twisting, spinning finishes. 

Alicia Newell (2024 | Fairfax Stars EYBL 17U)
Newell went head-to-head with McMiller and more than held her own, leading the Stars to a 72-44 win with a 29-point outing of her own. The 5-9 lead guard from Elizabeth Seton (D.C.) High School, a first-team All-WCAC selection as a junior, was 12-of-16 from the floor, 3-of-4 from the 3-point arc and 2-of-2 from the foul line as she absolutely lit the nets on fire from the mid-range and deep. Exceptionally quick on her feet, with equally quick hands, Newell jumped passing lanes to nab five steals, getting a few easy buckets the other way; she also had three rebounds and two assists. 

Addison Nyemchek (2026 | NJ Shoreshots HGSL 15U)
The one-legged fadeaway that looked like the iconic Dirk Nowitzki shot was just the capper on a terrific performance against the Heat Hoops 16U side early Saturday morning. Nyemchek, listed at 6-foot but probably a couple inches taller than that, posted 17 points in her team’s narrow 53-52 loss despite a go-ahead score with 22 seconds to play. The Red Bank Catholic forward showed off a lot, including an ability to score inside, hit jumpers inside the arc, rebound, be disruptive defensively and even bring the ball up the floor. Nyemchek even attempted a three, while it didn’t go down, it seemed to fit right in with the rest of a well-rounded game.

Kathryn O’Kane (2025 | Heat Hoops 16U)
There was a brief moment near the end of the Heat’s 53-52 win over the NJ Shoreshots on Saturday morning where O’Kane put her hands on her knees and just took a breath. It was deserved as the point guard, a rising junior at Council Rock South, had poured about all she had into helping her team gut out the win in a really good game. It wasn’t just the points, scoring 12 of her 14 in the second half, it was the rebounding and the defensive pressure adding up just as much. Composed on the ball and an absolute pest defending it, O’Kane sets an expectation of energy that’s easy to rally behind and when needed, she’s there to make the big play as evidenced by her drive that lead to go-ahead free throws with 90 seconds left. O’Kane doubles as an attacking midfielder for CR South’s soccer team, so the more she has the ball in either sport, the more it seems to benefit her team. 

Fiona Reckner (2025 | Heat Hoops 16U)
Reckner scored just three baskets in the Heat’s one-point win over the NJ Shoreshots HGSL 15U team in Saturday’s early-morning opener but there was no way the Bucks County-based squad was in the game without her. Yet another of Council Rock South’s arsenal of versatile players, Reckner was a facilitator with four first half assists, two of them netting three-point goals, converted an and-one of her own, plucked a steal and splashed a pull-up jumper to punctuate it and when the Shoreshots started playing her to pass in the second half, she went to work on the glass by grabbing several critical boards late in the tight win.

Kesley Rhyne (2026 | Boo Williams EYBL 15U)
Fresh off her first Division I offer, picked up just a couple days ago from Siena, Rhyne was on fire as Boo Williams beat NEPA Elite’s 14s in a win on Saturday afternoon. The 5-9 left-hander was 6-of-12 from deep for 18 points, pulling up with significant range from all around the arc, needing just a split second to release a high-arcing shot, and her misses weren’t by much. Ultra-confident in her game, Rhyne also grabbed four rebounds and dished out three assists to show she was more than just a gunner, playing with the ball in her hands and making plays on the move. 

Zya Small (2027 | NEPA Elite 14U)
An athletic, 6-1 wing forward, Small is the centerpiece of an impressive young group out of Northeast PA, which has been playing up at the 15U level almost all summer — save for winning the 14U Nike title in Chicago earlier this month. Small showed why she’s already got three high-major offers with a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double on Saturday afternoon in a loss to Boo Williams’ 15s; she grabbed five of those rebounds on the offensive end, putting in good effort to come up with loose balls, and she moves really well for her size, able to go to either hand around the rim, though she’s working on developing her game out to the wing.

Caleigh Sperling (2024 | Lady Runnin’ Rebels HGSL 17U)
It’s been a terrific weekend for the Runnin’ Rebels 17s, who are in Monday’s championship, and their depth has shined all tournament long — no more so than in a crushing 59-24 win over the NJ Demons in the 17U semifinals. Sperling, the versatile North Penn wing guard, has been the most consistent performer, putting up 11 points, four rebounds and three steals in the quarterfinals followed by 11 points, two assists and two boards in the semifinals, but the high number of honorable mentions is proof of how many of the Rebels have played well this weekend: special mention to Whitney Evans (West Chester Henderson), who knocked down all three of her 3-pointers while adding four rebounds and three assists in the semifinals.

Liana Thomas (2026 | Syracuse Nets HGSL 15U)
Thomas was into double-digit rebounds before the end of the first half of a quarterfinal win over Lone Wolf as her long arms helped her vacuum offensive boards. The 5-11 forward put together a modest offensive output with six points but she has really good touch with her offhand and likes to kick out to open shooters. She finished with 12 rebounds and three blocks, rebounding the ball high and staying straight up on the defensive end. She slides well when guarding outside too. As she figures out her role on the offensive end and adds some aggressiveness to her game, she will certainly be a player to keep an eye on.

Sophia Topakas (2026 | Mid-Atlantic Magic HGSL 15U)
As a freshman on a deep Archbishop Wood roster this past winter, Topakas’ varsity role was limited to spot minutes finishing out wins where the Vikings were up big. Playing in her age group this summer, the 5-foot-7 guard looks like yet another piece who will be a contributor for the Warminster-based PCL power at some point. In a low-scoring game against Lone Wolf HGSL 15U on Saturday, Topakas provided a jolt to spark some life into the Magic for their 33-26 win. The guard had a couple nice drives to the rim, slicing like a scalpel through the defense to spin one in off the glass and she found other lanes to contribute too with three steals, four rebounds and an assist on a much-needed three in the first half.

Honorable Mentions
Morgan Matthews (2024 | Jersey Gemz EYBL 17U), Maddison Maynard (2024 | Penn Fever HGSL 17U), Lil Metrick (2025 | Heat Hoops 16U), Allison O’Hanlon (2024 | Albany Capitals 17U), Zoe Osby (2026 | Fairfax Stars EYBL 17U), Zeynep Ozel (2024 | Jersey Gemz 17U EYBL), Emily Panaro (2026 | Mid-Atlantic Magic HGSL 15U), Janie Preston (2025 | Lady Runnin’ Rebels HGSL 16U), Tegan Simms (2027 | Penn Fever HGSL 15U), Madison Siggins (2024 | Penn Fever HGSL 17U), Sadie Shores (2024 | Fairfax Stars EYBL 17U), Sophie Smith (2026 | NJ Shoreshots HGSL 15U), Riley Stackhouse (2024 | Delco Goats HGSL 17U), Sofia Vitucci (2024 | Lady Runnin’ Rebels HGSL 17U), Sam Wade (2024 | Jersey Gemz HSGL 17U), Precious Wheeler (2025 | NJ Demons HGSL 17U), Carolina Williams (2025 | Albany Capitals HGSL 16U), Sydney Worsham (2025 | Elevate Elite-Richmond HGSL 16U), Nadia Yemola (2025 | Lady Runnin’ Rebels HGSL 16U), Emma Yogis (2026 | Mid-Atlantic Magic HGSL 15U), Reese Zemitis (2024 | Mid-Atlantic Magic HGSL 17U)