Mass Frenzy rules Northeast Elite College Showcase

Here's a press release from the Mass Frenzy AAU program regarding their performance at the RI Breakers Northeast Elite College Showcase tournament at the Community College of Rhode Island in Warwick. This is historically one of the best and deepest tournament fields in the Northeast and it attended by almost every major AAU program and scouted by most college programs in the region.

U16 Team - Northeast Elite College Showcase

The U16 “FIA Forever” Farewell Tour made its first stop of the season at the Notheast Elite College Showcase in Warwick, RI. This is historically one of the best and deepest tournament fields in the Northeast.

In Game #1 the U16 team faced a very solid Mass. Lady Warriors team. The Frenzy girls jumped on their opponents early and never let up with a relentless offensive and defensive attack. They dominated from tip-to-finish, finishing with a convincing 79-43 victory. The offensive attack was led by Jenna Klaes (Amherst Reg.) and Katie Eckert (Lee, 15 points each) and Kaitlyn Veit (Holyoke Catholic, 14 points). The team combined to make 8 three pointers. Kathryn Donnelly (Northampton, 7 points) Abeni Davies (Smith Academy, 8 points) and Mariah Lesure (Amherst Reg., 5 points and double-digit rebounds) played impressive games on both ends of the floor in the victory.

Game #2 had the Frenzy facing the host team the RI Breakers. The game was played at a much slower tempo than Game #1. The FIA crew led by 10 at the half thanks to a strong 14 first-half points from Jenna Klaes. The Frenzy withstood a late charge by the Breakers to hold on for a workman-like 47-42 victory. The team received balanced scoring from Justine King (Ware, 9 points), Abeni Davies (7 points), Kiley Cleveland (Palmer), Mariah Lesure, and Katie Eckert (5 points each) in the win.

Game #3 was against a pesky Team Connecticut squad. The Frenzy forced Team CT into living and dying on the perimeter. Team CT made 5 three-pointers to hang around in a game the Frenzy could never seem to put away despite leading throughout. In the end, the Frenzy won 50-45. The scoring was led by Mariah Lesure (11 points) and Katie Eckert (9 points). Catie Brighenti (Athol) played some terrific hard-nosed defense and contributed 5 key points in her first game of the season.

The tournament concluded with a match-up against the CT Starters. With intense defensive pressure and strong rebounding, led by Katrina Caulfield (Palmer, 6 points) and a relentless fast-break attack the Frenzy jumped out to a 34-16 half-time lead. Although the pace slowed in the second half, the U16’s hung on for a fairly dominant 55-39 win. Justine King led the Frenzy with 11 points. Other scorers of note were Katie Eckert (9 points), Mariah Lesure and Abeni Davies (8 points), and Kaitlyn Veit and Catie Brighenti (5 points each).

Overall a tremendous undefeated weekend for the entire team.

U15 Team - Northeast Elite College Showcase

The U15 Mass Frenzy team enjoyed continued success in its second consecutive 4-0 weekend at the Northeast Elite College Showcase. Outstanding individual and team defensive and offensive performances proved too much for opponents. The Frenzy truly out-toughed their opponents on many different occassions.

In the first game, the Frenzy faced the Providence Exodus team. There was a very balanced offensive attack with all seven players getting into the scoring action. The Frenzy used tough full court defense and a flurry of early offense to lead 37-16 at the half. They also withstood a very strong push by the Exodus at the end of the 2nd half to win 53-40. Sarah Whitestone (Wahconah HS, 15 points) started the surge having 13 of her 15 points in the first half. Kristen Ferola (Amherst HS, 9 points), Nicole Demarchena (Amherst HS, 8 points) and Tara Dooley (Lee HS, 8 points) led the offensive attack for the Frenzy.

In the second game, the Frenzy faced a very tough South Central Sharks team. The matchup was very tight throughout, the Frenzy led 24-23 at the half. Key three point shots by Whitestone (15 points) and Ferola (8 points) along with timely rebounds and steals, led to a 47-44 Frenzy win. Again all seven players scored led by Whitestone, Demarchena (10 points) and Ferola.

The third game of the weekend proved to be the toughest matchup to date in this young season. The Frenzy were pitted against a very talented Bay State Magic Elite team. After facing its first deficit at the half of the season, 22-25, the Frenzy came out with intensity and a new game plan to pull out a 48-46 victory. Led by outstanding pressure defense from Dooley (3 points) and Kristin Calvo (Frontier HS, 2 points), the Frenzy went on a 6-0 run to begin the 2nd half and never let go of the lead from there. Led by pressure defense, balanced scoring, 9 players scored, and a breakaway layup by Whitestone off of an inbounds with under a minute left kept the Frenzy undefeated. Laura Anne Dinan (Monument Mountain HS, 17 points) and Lauren Halla (Frontier HS, 10 points) led the scoring. Dinan kept the Frenzy in the game in the first half scoring 12 of her 17 points.

In the final game, the Frenzy faced a very scrappy CT Shamrocks team. Again, balanced scoring, defensive pressure and a great end of both halves led to a 45-38 victory. The Frenzy had 8 people score and were led by Dooley (11 points), Whitestone (10 points) and Calvo (7 points).

The U15 girls will be back in action April 18-19 at the New England Elite College Showcase.

Press releases for club and AAU teams featuring area high school-age players can be emailed to jpignatiello@gazettenet.com for publication on the high school sports blog.