The New York Post’s PSAL girls basketball beat writer Marc Raimondi breaks down the PSAL ‘B’ Girls Basketball Showcase, scheduled for Saturday at the HS for Construction (94-06 104th Street, Queens).
SCHEDULE
11 a.m. – Fannie Lou Hamer vs. Environmental Studies
1 p.m. – Bedford Academy vs. Bayard Rustin
3 p.m. – Goldstein vs. Edison
5 p.m. – Lafayette vs. Bushwick
Fannie Lou Hamer Panthers
Head coach: Debbie Smith
Record: 15-0 Bronx B East
Player to watch: Aneesha Brown
Environmental Studies Eagles
Head coach: Eugene Downs
Record: 16-2 Manhattan B West
Player to watch: Ilene Potts
Outlook: One of the more balanced scoring teams in the ‘B’ league, Environmental Studies has had to get more out of Ilene Potts lately due to the absence of second leading scorer and leading rebounder Ashley Leslie. Coach Eugene Downs has also asked more out of Francesca Then, who is averaging 8.8 points per game. Country Manuel and Shaiya Smith are also solid rebounds for the Eagles, who fell in the ‘B’ quarterfinals last year.
Fannie Lou Hamer’s Aneesha Brown, a forward, can fill the box score like few others. She’s averaging 27.3 points and 24.5 rebounds per game. It isn’t just one-girl show for the Panthers either. Shaniqua Frazier and Shaquana Maxwell both score more than 15 points per game. Frazier is also the team’s best 3-point shooter and leads Hamer in assists.
Bedford Academy Panthers
Head coach: Kendra Nelson
Record: 12-0 Brooklyn B North
Player to watch: Kai Jackman
Bayard Rustin Titans
Head coach: Phil Sylvester
Record: 10-1 Manhattan B West
Player to watch: Pamela Sosa
Outlook: Pamela Sosa does a little bit of everything for Bayard Rustin. She leads the team in scoring, rebounding and is third in assists. Cheryl Osborne is the only other Titans player averaging double figures and she and Taina Vargas are big on the boards. Osborne also leads the way in assists.
Shadaeya Green is the only Bedford Academy player averaging double figures. The Panthers have a multitude of weapons and they’re almost impossible to scout for. Dakara Spence, Kai Jackman, Briana Perlmutter and Acire Polight are all averaging more than seven points per game. Perlmutter and Jackman do the heavy lifting on the boards and Polight is the team’s top playmaker.
Goldstein Dolphins
Head coach: Adrian Buchhalter
Record: 12-0 Brooklyn B North
Player to watch: Brittany McDonough
Edison Inventors
Head coach: Jason Greenberg
Record: 14-1 Queens B East
Player to watch: Alexirain Domenech
Outlook: First-year coach Jason Greenberg has Edison playing its best basketball in years. The Inventors press with the intention of running teams out of the gym. It has worked to perfection so far. They don’t have any superstars, but Kiamesha Pearson, Alexirain Domenech and Shaneila Cleghorn are averaging double figures in points per game. Domenech is also excellent on the boards and Nikki Gloria is a pass-first point guard.
Beating Goldstein will be a tall order for Edison. The Dolphins were the ‘B’ title runners-up last year and returned almost their entire squad. Point guard Brittany McDonough is one of the best players in the league. She’s a dazzling passer, has a great handle and can drain 3-pointers. Don’t sleep on Chrissy McKeever or Nora Elbassiony, though. Goldstein has the deepest backcourt in the ‘B.’
Lafayette Patriots
Head coach: Kareem Benson
Record: 10-1 Brooklyn B South
Player to watch: Alaka Albert
Bushwick Tigers
Head coach: Kenya Wade
Record: 10-1 Brooklyn B2 East
Player to watch: Lisa Torres
Outlook: Bushwick’s Lisa Torres presents a tough matchup for the opposition. She can shoot, score and create for her teammates. The key for the Tigers has been getting a consistent second and third scorer. Shanique Dennis has filled the role of the former, but Bushwick doesn’t have anyone else averaging double figures in points per game. The Tigers do have Abigail Dominguez, their top rebounder, to wipe the glass.
Lafayette doesn’t have Essence Hopkins or Jodyann Pitt anymore, but the Patriots still find themselves on the short list of the best teams in PSAL Class B. Credit has to go to head coach Kareem Benson and assistant Jahar Vann. But the biggest reason is Alaka Albert, one of the most improved players in the entire city. She averaged 4.8 points per game last year as Lafayette won the ‘B’ title. Now? Albert is pouring in 26.6 points and 19.8 rebounds per.
