City of Basketball Love

CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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With the state playoffs starting this weekend, we wanted to take a look at some of the area stars who could be in for a couple big weeks ahead. 

Here are just a few of the local standouts in the girls’ 5A and 6A brackets who folks around the state might be reading about en route to Hershey:

Anna Azzara (Sr. | G | Spring-Ford)
The Wright state commit poured in 24 in the district championship loss to PV. She’s her team's leading scorer and adds in about three steals per game on the defensive end. Azzara was a third team all-state selection last season.

Whitney Evans (Sr. | G | West Chester Henderson)
Evans is one of the area’s top unsigned seniors. The 1,000-point scorer has popped off multiple times for 30+ plus this season, helping carry the Warriors to a Ches-Mont title. She and her team have a tough first draw against Archbishop Carroll, but she’s sure to leave her mark on the game.

Grace Galbavy (Jr. | G/F | Perkiomen Valley)
The 6-foot wing has a litter of Division I programs interested in her. She pairs her length with guard skills and a strong shooting stroke. If she’s aggressive like she was late in PV’s district title win over Spring-Ford, the Vikings are tough to stop.

Ryann Jennings (Soph. | G | Conestoga)
The 5-10 guard is scoring the ball as well as anyone as of late, most recently a 35-point performance against North Penn in a third place game. It’s no surprise she added an offer from Drexel to her list shortly after the performance.

Molly Rullo (Jr. | F | Cardinal O’Hara)
Rullo, a 1,000-point scorer, was a first team All-PCL selection for the second straight year. The 5-10 wing/forward was also a second team all-state selection last season. Rulllo has a versatile game but she has to play big for a Lions team that doesn’t have much size.

Caleigh Sperling (Sr. | G/F | North Penn)
The 5-foot-10 Jefferson University commit showed her importance when she dropped 28 in a district quarterfinal win over Haverford last month. She’s a star who still does a little bit of everything for North Penn.

Sofia Vitucci (Sr. | G | Pennsbury)
Another uncommitted senior who has lit up opposing defenses for several years. Vitucci, a 5-foot-6 guard, has about as deadly a pull-up game as you’ll find. She can also get to the hoop and shoot from the perimeter — and play floor general when needed.

Brooke Wilson (Sr. | G | Archbishop Carroll)
The second half of a 1-2 punch with her older sister Taylor last season, Wilson took the reins this season and was named the Catholic League MVP. The Army commit is a 5-9 guard who can drive, shoot and sets the tone for her team defensively.

5A

Emilia Coleman (Soph. | G | Gwynedd Mercy Academy)
The AACA’s MVP links it all together for the Monarchs. Offensively, Coleman is GMA’s top scorer but also their main ball-handler and facilitator and she’s a very capable shooter playing off the ball. Defensively, her length and anticipation cause plenty of disruption out of the zone and she’s very good keeping a cover in front when the team switches coverages.

Sam Blumenthal (Sr. | F | Bishop Shanahan)
Blumenthal had a slow start to the season dealing with an illness, but like the rest of her team, the senior found her best level again at the right time. The Catholic University recruit is a powerhouse on the glass, using her strength and positioning at 5-foot-10 to win rebound battles on both ends. She’s also got an array of moves on the block and can even stretch the floor out a bit, which opens up some driving opportunities.

Emily Knouse (Jr. | G/F | Archbishop Wood)
Team needs prompted some of it, but Knouse’s game has rounded out across the board this season. She can still shoot with the best of them outside, but the junior can also get to the rim off the bounce and she’s able to score in the post as well. As Wood’s tallest rotation player, the St. Joe’s pledge has also had to guard up at times this season and she’s been a consistently strong rebounder.

Ava Renninger (Sr. | PG | Archbishop Wood)
“The General” for the Vikings, Renninger led the PCL in scoring and has churned out strong effort after strong effort all year. She’s 5-foot-6 but the FDU recruit is strong and very adept at getting into the post, draining her trademark midrange looks and hitting from outside. A first team All-PCL pick, Renninger has a highlight reel of dribble moves and a keen eye as passer.