ATHOL — The summer basketball season ended Wednesday for the Athol and Mahar girls basketball programs, capped off with an eventful overtime win for the Mahar B team.
While results mean rather little in terms of predicting the outcomes during the varsity seasons, there was plenty of development happening for both programs. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest takeaways of this year’s summer season.
Micalyn Mailloux should and will play a large part in Mahar’s offense this season
As a freshman, Mailloux averaged 4.2 points per game and came off the bench the majority of the season. If it wasn’t expected of her to start on this year’s varsity team, it should be now. Mailloux missed time during the summer season, but punished teams offensively when she played.
Mailloux contributed 19 points and 11 points in the final two games of the summer season. She began the season in similar fashion, with 11 points per game in the first two matchups.
Mailloux also contributed 14 points in a 39-18 win over Fitchburg and nine against Gardner. Mailloux looked like a better shooter than most of the competition and the odds are in her favor to provide that kind of offense during the regular season.
Emma Bacigalupo progresses nicely
Athol’s Emma Bacigalupo is more known more for her contributions on the softball field than the basketball court, but that doesn’t lessen her ability to play hoops. Bacigalupo had some big games during the summer season, bringing in 10 rebounds against the 2017-18 New Hampshire state champions Conant’s summer basketball team. She also contributed four points and three rebounds against Narragansett, which doesn’t speak fully to the contributions she gave underneath the rim down the stretch in Athol’s 24-21 win. Bacigalupo is entering the eighth grade, so she has a lot of room to progress still. But playing against tougher competition in the summer league showed that she has the confidence to compete against the best even if she struggles at times due to her age.
Natalie Belloli can play ball
Belloli will enter the ninth grade this year but plays with confidence far beyond her classmates. She’s fearless on the court, depicted by her buzzer-beating shot to send her team into overtime on Wednesday. She also defended players four years older than her and didn’t back down against any of them. Belloli’s confidence goes far beyond just her game against Gardner, too. All summer season, Belloli has played at 200 percent, running up and down the court, stealing the ball and creating plays. Belloli made some fantastic shots during the summer season, but also missed some easy jumpers and took some questionable shots beyond the arc. Belloli should eventually become a good player on the varsity team if she does not make it as a freshman, but Belloli can become an elite player if she hones in that energy and sures up her decision-making. If she minimizes forced shots and works into her strengths, Belloli can become a truly elite player with time.
Is Haylee Allen the real deal?
At one point this summer season, I had a conversation with Mahar varsity coach Larry Fisher about Allen. We both agreed that Allen improved immensely on the defensive side of the ball this season. But one thing Fisher was cautious about is that he had never seen her play like she had this summer season before. So, will this version of Allen be here to stay? She has the height to take on a traditional center role, playing as a ball hog on rebounds underneath the hoop. But Allen took iffy shots at times, often taking shots beyond the arc she shouldn’t have and shooting without even planting her feet first. Defensively though, Allen looked great at times, but was also pushed around. Which version of her do we get this season is still to be determined.
Jazmyn Vautour is ready to take over
Last year, as a junior, Vautour had seniors Hannah Paul and Kianna Reilly to rely on whether she used them. This summer season all but confirms Vautour is ready to take over the first option on the court. She had excellent rebounding abilities, generating 14 in the season’s final game, as well as a great shot beyond the arc. If she can play closer to the basket on the offensive side of the ball, Vautour will have the complete package.