Hoops for Hope holds 17th annual showcase, featuring the area’s top girls’ basketball teams

The 17th annual Hoops for Hope charity event will take place Sunday at Arcadia University, featuring some of the area’s top girls’ basketball teams and talent.

All proceeds from Hoops for Hope go towards the Morgan’s Message, a nonprofit devoted to helping student-athletes with their mental health. It was founded in memory of Morgan Rodgers, a former Duke lacrosse player who took her own life in 2019.

Here’s a look at each of the seven games.

The Mount (5-9) is going through a rebuild with the majority of last year’s starting lineup and rotation graduating. Senior forward Audrey Kukla is the team’s leader. Senior forward Emily Birmingham is a returning starter, and junior guard Audrey Rocks has taken on an expanded role.

Rustin (9-3) features senior guard Riley Stackhouse, daughter of head coach Lauren Stackhouse, the only returning starter from last year’s District 1 5-A champs. Seniors Kailey Barry and Gia DiMichele plus junior Sara Betchyk and sophomore Jenna Kraft have stepped into much bigger roles.

Haverford features do-it-all junior wing Rian Dotsey, who can play all five positions, plus senior guard Aniya Eberhart (Millersville), and senior forward Natalie Wright.

North Penn has had two quality wins at Neshaminy and Bishop Shanahan in the last couple weeks. The Knights feature Jefferson-bound Caleigh Sperling as well as Cincinnati soccer recruit Olivia Stone and fellow senior Kelly Donnelly.

The Central League frontrunners take on one of the best in the Inter-Ac as Conestoga and Notre Dame square off. The Pioneers, who are No. 1 in the District 1 6A rankings, are led by senior Marisa Francione, a Scranton-bound point guard and two-way player, while also having plenty of help from senior twins Isabella and Katrina Valencia.

Francione’s future collegiate teammate, Lizzie Halligan, is the only senior starter for the Irish, with a pair of junior guards — Chloe Knox and Catie Kelly — and a pair of freshmen — Riley Davis and Grace Nasr — rounding out the starters.

Carroll and Germantown share similarities in their roster makeups and style of play. Neither team plays a true post but love to play with a five-guard lineup full of players who can get a bucket and don’t mind playing tough inside.

The Patriots have that in senior point guard Brooke Wilson (committed to West Point) and sophomore guard Alexis Eberz, a Division I recruit, plus the three McFillin sisters, Felicity (senior), Maddie (junior), and Abigail (freshman).

GA’s got its own deep core including senior twins Jess and Jenna Aponik, Bucknell-bound Isabella Casey, and senior point guards Jessica Kolecki and Samantha Wade.

Archbishop Wood has picked up some big wins this season, including one over the highly touted McDonogh School (Md.). Now they’re taking on one of the best in District 1 — another group of Vikings, whose only loss came against powerhouse Gill St. Bernard (N.J.) in Florida.

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Both teams are deep with plenty of future college talent: Wood features senior guard Ava Renniger (Fairleigh Dickinson) and junior wing Emily Knouse (St. Joe’s) plus seniors Lauren Greer and Alexa Windish (Kutztown). Perk Valley is junior-heavy, though Anna Stein (Kutztown) brings some senior experience — juniors Quinn Boettinger (Navy), Grace Galbavy, Bella Bacani, Lena Stein, Julia Smith, and Grace Miley otherwise dominate the rotation.

Gwynedd Mercy (12-1) has been rolling ever since a mid-December loss to Villa Maria. But the Monarchs haven’t played anybody of Penn Charter’s caliber, which has two of the best local guards in junior Kaylinn Bethea and freshman Ryan Carter. The Division I prospects are a potent one-two punch for the Quakers; two athletic scorers who can handle and defend at high levels, with a number of multisport athletes around them to provide defense and toughness.

Gwynedd Mercy’s brightest spots are sophomore guards Bailey Balkir and Emilia Coleman, but they’ve also got solid contributions this season from junior guard Megan McDonnell.

The night ends with a District 1 battle. Villa Maria has proven it can hang with anybody and came within a few points of upsetting Upper Dublin in December. New Hampshire-bound Carly Catania, a 5-foot-11 wing, is their leader, though sophomore Sophia Tray, a multisport standout, also has had some big outings.

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Souderton relies on senior Brooke Fenchel (Messiah) to set the tone for a young group that starts two freshmen (Liv Herron and Kiera Fadden) and two juniors (Emily Dick and Jacquelyn Bermel).

This story was produced as part of a partnership between The Inquirer and City of Basketball Love, a nonprofit news organization that covers high school and college basketball in the Philadelphia area while also helping mentor the next generation of sportswriters. This collaboration will help boost coverage of the city’s vibrant amateur basketball scene, from the high school ranks up through the Big 5 and beyond.