Girls' Hoops Thread '24-'25

[ReturnOfTheGate]

Let's get some action going over here!

Practice starts in a little over two weeks and there are some changes to note in what should be an ultra competitive year at the top.

Of course, the Banks and Brown connection was fun while it lasted, but Ursuline has a couple of transfers coming in that should provide a spark.

St. E gets Skylar Bolden from Ursuline and Padua gets Sophia Baffone from St. Mark's. Ursuline, Caravel and Sanford are the immediate top three that come to mind, but St. E can't be discounted and Padua returns a LOT of a very good team along with Baffone joining the team, so that's a pretty easy top 5.

After that, you have A.I., Howard, Cape, Smyrna, DMA and a wide-open conference race in Flight A and the Henlopen South.

Should be a fun year ahead.

 

[Hoops down State 6]

Let's get some action going over here!

Practice starts in a little over two weeks and there are some changes to note in what should be an ultra competitive year at the top.

Of course, the Banks and Brown connection was fun while it lasted, but Ursuline has a couple of transfers coming in that should provide a spark.

St. E gets Skylar Bolden from Ursuline and Padua gets Sophia Baffone from St. Mark's. Ursuline, Caravel and Sanford are the immediate top three that come to mind, but St. E can't be discounted and Padua returns a LOT of a very good team along with Baffone joining the team, so that's a pretty easy top 5.

After that, you have A.I., Howard, Cape, Smyrna, DMA and a wide-open conference race in Flight A and the Henlopen South.

Should be a fun year ahead.

Went Capes playday yesterday at Cape.. Ursuline Banks got hurt tweaked ankle vs Cape. Ursuline still handled Cape easily.. Cape just doesn't has the guards at all.. Re just spot up shooter.. Padua looked good against QueenAnnes MD. Padua moved the ball very well and had easy shots.. Padua then played Cape and looked really tired and barely won by 2.. My top 5.
Sanford, Ursuline, St.E, Caravel and Padua..

 

[J12]

No surprise here, but I have a repeat of last year's Chip w/ Ursuline & Caravel running away from the Delaware competition. I do believe that the gap will not be as big as last year from those other Top 5 teams mentioned above by @Hoops down State 6 though.

I heard that the point system was tweaked in favor of the downstate teams this year though, so if that is true then it will be interesting to see how the seeding is affected at the end of the season bracket-wise.

 

[ReturnOfTheGate]

We get an early matchup of two of everyone's top 5 tonight - Ursuline at St. E. Will be very interested to see how that goes.

 

[ReturnOfTheGate]

Quick takeaways from last night's Ursuline/St. E game:

I don't think GG is long for this state. Her talent demands tougher competition, especially when refs are still calling basic spin moves a travel.

The new pieces for UA will take time to develop, but Sanai Johnson being a steady option at point guard helps and Jasmine Butler/Naiya Murphy give Noonan some GSW "Death Lineup" style matchups to benefit from

St. E has some talent, but zero seniors. This team might be built for a '26 title run, but they'll likely spend this year finding themselves.

 

[J12]

Cape beats St. Mark's 62-32 at the A.I. Tip-Off Tournament & Smyrna beats host A.I. 85-50, two downstate teams making early season statements & will meet in the championship of the tournament on Saturday. I was surprised to see that A.I. scheduled Smyrna in the first round of their own tournament. Smyrna also has 7 freshmen on their roster, so their future could be bright.

 

[ReturnOfTheGate]

Lucky hasn't been scared to schedule heavy the last couple of years, so Smyrna that early didn't surprise me. Now they know they have a ways to go.

Smyrna and Cape on Saturday (and they play again on Tuesday) should be interesting.

 

[Hoops down State 6]

Cape beats St. Mark's 62-32 at the A.I. Tip-Off Tournament & Smyrna beats host A.I. 85-50, two downstate teams making early season statements & will meet in the championship of the tournament on Saturday. I was surprised to see that A.I. scheduled Smyrna in the first round of their own tournament. Smyrna also has 7 freshmen on their roster, so their future could be bright.

Oh boy if Pat Woods had pulled off the administration to allow KJ Johnson from Beacon Middleschool last year.. that is in 8th now at Frederick Douglas in LewesDE.. To play varsity at Cape .. I would had Cape at 2 pushing Ursuline.. She is a monster .. I watched her play them same 7 freshmen now at Smryna.. She destroyed all 7 of them easily in 7th grade.. Cape will definitely be ready next year ..

 

[ReturnOfTheGate]

Smyrna came back and won their matchup at the A.I. tourney yesterday, they play again at Cape on Tuesday. That extra game is likely going to have some important tournament seeding implications.

 

[J12]

Oh boy if Pat Woods had pulled off the administration to allow KJ Johnson from Beacon Middleschool last year.. that is in 8th now at Frederick Douglas in LewesDE.. To play varsity at Cape .. I would had Cape at 2 pushing Ursuline.. She is a monster .. I watched her play them same 7 freshmen now at Smryna.. She destroyed all 7 of them easily in 7th grade.. Cape will definitely be ready next year ..

I don't think I could put anyone at #2 over Caravel...they beat Ursuline in the regular season last year & only lost to them by 1 in the Chip, they return 4 starters off of that team & with Taytay leaving Ursuline they probably have the toughest backcourt in DE unless Ursuline has another guard that will step up w/ GG as they usually reload each year. I have not yet gotten a chance to see KJ play, but hear she is the truth.

 

[J12]

Smyrna came back and won their matchup at the A.I. tourney yesterday, they play again at Cape on Tuesday. That extra game is likely going to have some important tournament seeding implications.

I saw Cape got their get back in Tuesdays matchup w/ a 67-57 win over Smyrna & that one counts more considering it was a conference game, so huge win for Cape in that Henlopen North that will probably come down to Cape & Smyrna. I'm not sure how defending Henlopen North Champs Dover looks this year yet, but I see they have Caravel at home on Thursday.