AAU Beat
11U Regionals - 2009
12U Super Regionals - 2009
by Jim Charles
April 20, 2009
Revised material added April 21, 2009
They're going to Nationals! It's the Delaware Angels 11U team! The Angels won all five of their games on the weekend.
(Photo courtesy Delaware Angels. Used by permission.)
This year, over the 11 and 12 year old age groups, encompassing both the A and B Brackets (4 divisions overall), a grand total of just 3 teams (representing just 2 clubs) from the First State participated in 11U Regionals/12U Super Regionals in Thorofare, New Jersey. Back in 2005, when I founded the Wilmington Tigers, I was told by more than one basketball person, “Jim, there are too many clubs already! We don’t need another one.” Yet, if that’s true, where are all these clubs when Regionals comes along? In 11U and 12U, A or B Bracket, we saw zero teams at Regionals/Super Regionals from the Delaware PAL Wildcats, the Lady Sharpshooters, the Sharks, the Express, or the Ignitors, just to name a few. Now, I don’t know for sure whether any or all of those clubs are even fielding 11 or 12 year old teams, so, for them, the question might be a bit unfair, but I do know that historically, those two age groups tend to be the ones with the most players – the most team representations – in all of AAU. So where are the teams?
Well, the one nice byproduct of Delaware teams staying home (or playing in other inconsequential tournaments over the same weekend) was that it was a relatively easy task to track the 3 Delaware entries for DGB.com. For the record, the three home state participants were the 11 and 12U Delaware Angels and the 11U Wilmington Tigers. For the Angels, it is especially noteworthy that the club is only in its first year or existence, technically. (Many of the girls that comprise the Angels today played last year under the Team Crossover Elite Lady Warriors banner.) What the Angels have been able to accomplish in terms of setting up their organization and in drawing much of the premier player talent in the area is nothing short of phenomenal.
As proof that the Angels are “all that”, their 11U team posted a perfect 5 – 0 record at Regionals, thereby winning their bracket outright. This team is so good and exciting that their games should be televised. And, I think they stand a fair chance of advancing far at Nationals. If they can keep most of the lineup together, stories of their success will be written year after year, well into the future.
The
11U Tigers team is coached by Mark Grubb. After much deliberation, Coach Grubb
decided to enter his team in the ultra-competitive A Bracket, the only
team from Delaware -- 11 or 12U -- to do so. Given the fact
that his team was probably playing beyond their own skill level and that their
exit in the double-elimination A Bracket was hasty, Grubb feels that one
worthwhile result is that his players saw the kind of competition that’s out
there, and that they will hopefully use the experience to redouble their own
efforts toward improving both individually and collectively. In short, for his
team, this year’s Regionals weren’t entirely for this year, but rather as
a beneficial “rite of passage” to a stronger future for his squad.
DelawareGirlsBasketball.com exists to promote players and teams from the Diamond State. The two clubs that took part in this year’s 11 & 12U event at Thorofare made us genuinely proud, regardless of how they finished in the tournament, or whether or not they qualified for Nationals. They went. They played good teams. They displayed their talents for all to see in what is the most important tournament of the year in their age groups. Coaches and players alike are only to be commended.
As for those teams who stayed home or played elsewhere, especially in the 11U age group, we can only ask why? Why would you decide it was in your players best interests not to enter? And this we ask not to be confrontational or out of any hostility. I’m sure there are good reasons to skip Regionals. We simply need it explained to us so we can understand the decision because right now, we don’t. As it was Super Regionals for 12U, it was slightly less imperative for Delaware 12U teams to be there. Still, it would've been nice. Great facility. Easy to get to.
Angels 12U Super Regionals Aggregate Statistics
(courtesy Mike Hackendorn)
Four games:
- Lower DelCo 47 / Angels 27
- Angels 62 / Collegeville Jaguars Blue 39
- Angels 55 / Collegeville Jaguars White 34
- Comets 56 / Angels 34
POINTS:
- Hannah Gladnick 30
- Sabrina Hackendorn 26
- Claudia Seemans 25
REBOUNDS:
- Hackendorn 47
- Rachel Liskewycz 17
ASSISTS:
- Emma Matthew 9
- Hackendorn 8
- Seemans 6
STEALS:
- Hackendorn 19
- Laura Hurf 11
- Seemans 9
- Matthew 9
BLOCKS:
- Hackendorn 8
- Maddy Waegele 5
Angels Summary
(courtesy Dale Seemans)
Our U11 team won the tournament and qualified for the National Tournament. They went 5-0. Adrianna Hahn had 23 points in the final game for the U11.
Our U12 team, after losing to Delco, won their next two games and then lost in the semis to the Comets, who went on to win the tournament.
11U Delaware Angels Coach's Report
(courtesy Simeon Hahn)
After winning our bracket the playoffs offered considerable challenge. In particular our last game was against a very strong, athletic and tall team - the Mid Penn Motion. The game before was against a very athletic and physical Penn Jersey Team. It took everything we had to beat Mid Penn in the championship in the third game of the day. I can tell you Adrianna and Caroline were completely wiped out after the game - both fell asleep at the pizza restaurant and/or in the car on the way home. Renada played on a hurt ankle and actually missed school today. I was really proud of the girls for leaving it all out on the court and it was quite an accomplishment for the team, especially without Mica who gives us a little more height (though mid Penn's average height was bigger than Micah and they were not uncoordinated stiffs!) .
Now our plan is to continue to challenge ourselves by playing higher level competition in other AAU sanctioned events like a Super Regional and in tournaments.
Delaware Angels 11U
We want people to know how good Renada L'Italien is. So, we're gonna keep telling you.
Here she is powering her way by two Comet defenders to put up a shot.
This team has more high-quality guards than you can shake a stick at! Here's Shannon Tobin, who just recently came off the injured list.
Some backcourt players in Delaware have a fear of shooting the rock. Not Courtney Wallace. If she's open, she'll take it.
The incomparable Adrianna Hahn at the free-throw line. Carolanne Deal watches from the bench. In the far block is Claire Igo. In the near block, back turned toward the camera is Renada L'Italien.
All the above photos were taken during the Angels 41 - 20 win over the DVBA Comets, which was the Angels second game (and second win) at Regionals. Earlier, they defeated the Northeast Rockers by a similarly lopsided score.
*** Update ***: The Angels 11U went onto go an immaculate 5 - 0 and win their bracket outright!
If my calculations are correct, this team remains undefeated this year, boasting record of something like 13 - 0!
Wilmington Tigers 11U
A shot had come off the backboard, hit the floor hard, and was now bouncing high waiting for someone to grab it. The Tigers Emily Thiemann zeroes in on it.
Brittany McLean brings a great skill set to this Tigers 11U team. At this particular moment, she was playing point. But McLean isn't limited to just the one.
Aonyae Easterling lines up a free-throw. She is one of the best rebounders on the Tigers.
Lindsay Russell bringing it up.
This Tigers squad had a tough go of it at Regionals, losing their first two games. However, it bears saying that they were the only team from Delaware to compete in the A Bracket wing of the 11U Regionals. Big props to their competitive spirit!
Delaware Angels 12 U
You shouldn't play the game in a fearful state, yet try telling that to #31 of the Lower Delco Wildcats! Then again, who could blame her? The Angels were running something like a pick-and-roll to free Claudia Seemans (with ball) from her defender. Setting up the "pick" part of the deal was Sabrina Hackendorn (#20). Seeing this ahead of time, the Lower Delco player decided she wanted no parts of a collision with Hackendorn. Her facial expression is worth a thousand words!
Hannah Schlegel passes to Emma Matthews.
Maddy Waegele signals her openness to receive the ball.
Hannah Gladnick checks the scoreboard to see how much time is left on the clock as she gets ready to inbound the ball.
Cassidy Flanagan in her defensive stance.
Emma Matthews in the blocks for the Angels.
The above photos were taken at the Angels/Lower Delco Wildcats game, which was Super Regionals Game 1 for the Angels. Lower Delco would prevail in this contest, 47 - 27.
*** Update ***: The 12U Angels would come back to win their 2nd and 3rd games of the tournament. They lost their fourth and final game to the DVBA Comets, who, themselves, would go on to win the bracket.
Still, as the lone 12U team from Delaware, the Angels gave a fine accounting of themselves and played solid, competitive ball.
Any name mis-spellings, please email us. We'll fix it right away!