With NBA All-Star Weekend in full swing, NYPost.com girls basketball beat writers Marc Raimondi and Joseph Staszewski got to thinking. What if they were to draft something of a New York City girls basketball fantasy all-star team? How would it break down? Who would be selected?
Below, they draft their teams followed by their would-be coaches based on personal preferences. Each of their teams has 12 roster spots with three guards, a wing and a post filling out in the starting lineup.
Raimondi won the coin flip and had the first pick.
DRAFT ORDER
1. Bianca Cuevas, Team Raimondi
Raimondi: To me, this is a no-brainer. There’s no better player in New York City right now. Cuevas is electric, can shoot the lights out and has seemingly unlimited range. Very few players can guard her off the dribble – and she’s only a sophomore.
2. Darius Faulk, Team Staszewski
Staszewski: The key to any team is its point guard. There aren’t many more versatile than the West Virginia-bound Faulk, who has already been on two state Federation Class AA title teams. She can score, dish, rebound and defend. Late coach Apache Paschall use to call her “the engine.”
3. Aaliyah Jones, Team Raimondi
Raimondi: Faulk would have been my next pick, but I’m more than fine with this sophomore stud. Not only is Jones a threat to penetrate or drain 3-pointers, she’s also best friends with Cuevas. The chemistry should be immediate and the two together will be a nightmare to defend for any team.
4. Sierra Calhoun, Team Staszewski
Staszewski: Calhoun, one of the top players in her class, is showing signs of stardom. The sophomore just dropped 30 points on Nazareth, scoring inside and out. She is long, athletic and has multiple double-digit rebound games. There is nothing she can’t do on a basketball court.
5. Brianna Butler, Team Raimondi
Raimondi: Keeping with my Exodus trend, I’ll take Butler. But really, can anyone blame me? This is actually a steal at No. 5 – the girl is a McDonald’s All-American. She’s an exceptional shooter, has all the fundamentals and is extremely strong down low. I love her game.
6. Fannisha Price, Team Staszewski
Staszewski: The Marshall-bound Price is the city’s most skilled post. She is an unstoppable force on the low block and can step out and hit the open jumper. Her passing ability and hands make her perfect for a team that relies on ball movement. Price showed how clutch she is against St. Anthony’s and Bergtraum.
7. Maria Backman, Team Raimondi
Raimondi: At the beginning of the season, I would have talked about upside here. No longer. Backman is the real deal right now and emerging into a potential high Division I player. She doesn’t get a ton of shine playing at Spellman, but watch her this summer with New Heights. The college coaches will be flocking.
8. Christina Rubin, Team Staszewski
Staszewski: The Iona-bound guard is arguably the city’s best shooter. Teams looking to play zone beware. There are few players harder on themselves and that kind of passion is contagious. Rubin is an underrated defender and rebounder and will never fold under pressure. Oh and she’s hit eight 3-pointers in a game.
9. Rayne Connell, Team Raimondi
Raimondi: I have my scoring, I have my shooting, I have all of that highlight reel stuff with Cuevas, Jones, Butler and the like. Now, bring me some defense, toughness and strength. Is there a better guard for that in New York City than the UPenn-bound Connell? I think not.
10. Shequana Harris, Team Staszewski
Staszewski: Every team needs a breakdown guard and Harris is the epitome of that. She is quick and strong enough to get into the paint at will and is a shutdown defender. The UNC Charlotte-bound Harris is a streak shooter and consistent rebounder. There are not many other players I would want on the floor with the game on the line.
11. Jenice Winter, Team Raimondi
Raimondi: How can I pass up Winter, our esteemed NYPost.com diary writer? Not only is she an excellent writer and very cerebral, the VCU-bound wing can play a little bit, too. Winter is a super athletic, not afraid to do the dirty work and – best of all – a leader.
12. Krystal Pearson, Team Staszewski
Staszewski: With some need for some versatility off the bench, Pearson can deliver it. The Truman senior can play the post and dominate the paint or step out and hit 3-pointers. She is a matchup nightmare and is only getting better.
13. Brittany Lewis, Team Raimondi
Raimondi: Lewis is not a high-profile kid – she’s going to college at Pittsburgh for pharmacy, but basketball. But if you’re looking for a rebounder and clutch performer, you can certainly do worse than the Bishop Ford senior. No one has made more clutch free throws in their career.
14. Aaliyah Lewis, Team Staszewski
Staszewski: Your backup point guard should be a ball of energy, instant offense with the ability to run a team. The highly touted junior is every one of those things. Lewis is a streak shooter who is impossible to keep out of the lane.
15. Imani Tate, Team Raimondi
Raimondi: I could use a little more rebounding on my team and Tate can absolutely jump out of the building. There aren’t many better athletes in the city than the Bishop Loughlin star. Her offensive game has emerged this year, too – I can see her being an unsung star on my team.
16. Carolyn Gallagher, Team Staszewski
Staszewski: Gallagher has gone from underrated to a rising star and is the city’s most efficient offensive players. Put stars around her and she is a matchup nightmare. The junior excels in pressure situation and a nearly perfect free throw shooter in the fourth quarter.
17. Erica Juarbe, Team Raimondi
Raimondi: I don’t know how Gallagher slipped that far in this draft and I don’t know how I didn’t choose her. But I like my pick here. On my team, Juarbe isn’t going to score many points, but she’s going to bust her butt defense and guard the opposition’s best wing. She also brings more rebounding and toughness.
18. Kaitlyn Astel, Team Staszewski
Staszewski: The MSIT star was an outside-the-box pick, also her more than 1,500 career points is not to be taken likely. She is long, athletic and a high quality kid who could end up finishing games if she gets hot. Astel contributes on both ends, plays hard and can score in multiple ways.
19. Mei-Lyn Bautista, Team Raimondi
Raimondi: I was waiting on a pure point guard to run my team and one of the best freshmen in the country fell right in my lap. Bautista’s passing and court vision is uncanny. Can you imagine her feeding Cuevas, Jones and Butler for baskets? Staszewski is going down.
20. Africa Williams, Team Staszewski
Staszewski: Williams is good enough to start for this team when she is going well, but it’s come in spurts this season. The Fordham-bound junior led the PSAL’s top division in scoring the last two seasons with 29 points a game to go along with eight boards and four assists. She can go off at anytime.
21. Brittany McDonough, Team Raimondi
Raimondi: I’m a sucker for pure point guards and there might not be a better one – class for class – in the city. The Goldstein star, who has a scholarship to Chestnut Hill next year, is an incredible passer. Her anticipation and court vision are unparalleled, though many don’t see her in PSAL Class A.
22. Amani Tatum, Team Staszewski
Staszewski: There are just special players you want to take to war with you and Tatum is one of them. The junior is one of the city’s fiercest competitors, who can rally a team on the court. She is a breakdown guard who can take a hit in the lane and does all the intangibles it takes to win.
23. Sadie Edwards, Team Raimondi
Raimondi: We dropped the ball for not taking this star earlier. Memo to people doing the national rankings: Edwards is a top-100 player in the 2014 class. If Nazareth wins a second straight Federation title, she’ll be a big reason why. She’ll also be a go-to girl on Team Raimondi.
24. Brianna Fraser, Team Staszewski
Staszewski: There are few better young posts in the city. She and Price already have chemistry. The 6-foot-2 Fraser is active on the glass, a defensive presence and has a sweet shooting touch. She can dominate at times and is only getting better.
COACHES
Team Staszewski
Bob Daggett, Curtis
Staszewski: The former St. Peter’s head man is already considered by many the best girls basketball coach in the city. A team with this much talent will need a system and structure that will spread the scoring around and Daggett’s sets do just that. Faulk will have no problem running them. This group is filled with high-character and hard-working players who need to be challenged. Daggett’s meticulous high-energy practices will be something this bunch will thrive in.
O’Neil Glenn, Kennedy
Staszewski: Consider Glenn the defensive coordinator, not that Daggett couldn’t do it. The Kennedy head man gets a commitment to hard-nose, gritty defense each year from his bunch. This is a group that will buy into that philosophy and be an absolute nightmare for opposing teams. Also, if anyone thinks about getting out of line, Glenn will get them back in line.
Team Raimondi
Ed Grezinsky, Murry Bergtraum
Raimondi: With talent, he doesn’t lose. Just look at those 13 straight PSAL city titles. Even when he doesn’t have as much talent as the rest, Grezinsky has shown the ability to win it all. His scouting prowess is legendary. Grezinzsky is omnipresent in gyms all over the city. That’s the kind of dedication ad preparation I’m looking for in a coach.
Lauren Best, Nazareth
Raimondi: There are a ton of Nazareth and Exodus players on my team, so what better person to have on the bench than Best. She’s shown the ability to handle egos, an attribute she learned from her mentor, the late Apache Paschall. Best has also played the game at the high school and college level – she knows her way around the court. It’s also great to have a female presence out there.
ROSTERS
Team Raimondi
Guards
Mei-Lyn Bautista, Mary Louis
Rayne Connell, Christ the King
Bianca Cuevas, Nazareth
Sadie Edwards, Nazareth
Aaliyah Jones, Bishop Ford
Brittany McDonough, Goldstein
Wings
Brianna Butler, Nazareth
Erica Juarbe, Lincoln
Imani Tate, Bishop Loughlin
Jenice Winter, South Shore
Posts
Maria Backman, Cardinal Spellman
Brittany Lewis, Bishop Ford
Team Staszewski
Guards
Kaitlyn Astel, McKee/Staten Island Tech
Shequana Harris, Murry Bergtraum
Darius Faulk, Nazareth
Aaliyah Lewis, Bishop Ford
Christina Rubin, Moore Catholic
Amani Tatum, Archbishop Molloy
Africa Williams, Banneker
Wings
Sierra Calhoun, Christ the King
Krystal Pearson, Truman
Posts
Brianna Fraser, South Shore
Carolyn Gallagher, Archbishop Molloy
Fannisha Price, South Shore
So who do you think would win? Raimondi or Staszewski?
