Heading into its sixth year of operations, the Mass Huskies program has been climbing higher each summer. In 2016, the Huskies will take a big leap forward when they join the ASGR Summer League.
“There were a number of reasons why we felt it was a good move,” said program director Hank DeSantis. “There were already some New England teams in the League, and they all extolled the virtues of the League. We are familiar with their competitors, and when you look at how they run events, it’s not even close. The people with the All Star Girls Report consistently do a tremendous job, and we wanted to be a part of that.
“We already get our players a ton of exposure with the coaches in New England, but the League is going to give us great exposure nationally. When you look at the number of coaches they draw to their events, that’s really important to the players.”
The Huskies’ roster for 2016 is loaded with talent. The program’s Class of 2017 group is led by Shannon Murphy (6-1, F), and DeSantis also noted that Mya Thompson (5-10, F) and Caitlyn Boermeester (5-7, PG) were prospects who would be competing on the next level.
“Shannon is a versatile athlete with an inside-outside game,” the coach said. “She has a lot of the intangibles the college coaches like, and she has played very well in a number of big games at national events.
“Mya is a long athlete who can be effective down low or on the perimeter. Caitlyn is a point guard with good vision, but she is also a versatile scorer.”
DeSantis said that the Huskies’ 2018 was particularly impressive, with as many as eight players in the class being at the scholarship level.
“We really have a lot of good players in that class,” he said. “Katie Kirsch (5-10, F) is a tough competitor who knows how to use position inside, but she can also run the floor, handle the ball and shoot. She is very talented.
“Carly Christofori (5-5, PG) is a scoring point guard who can get to the rim, and she has a nice outside shot. Darby Leie (5-8, WF) is an athlete who can get to the rim, and she is a tough, hard-nosed defender. Jenny Call (5-10, F) is a tremendous shooter. She can also attack the basket, and she is a very good defender.”