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Here is what Gazette staff members saw last week at summer basketball games.

Monday, June 8

Girls: Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Northwest, Quince Orchard, Whitman

Boys: Blake, Northwest, Paint Branch

Susan Russell scored 21 points, Caroline Kahlenberg dished out 10 assists and Kat Barth had five steals as the Whitman girls cruised against Magruder at Churchill High Monday night. The Vikings looked in mid-season form as they have a wealth of talent and experience returning in the aforementioned three-year starters.

Magruder on the other hand, is struggling to find another scoring option to compliment rising junior Amanda Witmer. Colonels head coach Erin Borsody hopes that sophomore guard Hannah Chase's ball handling repertoire will allow Witmer to move freely off the ball.

Colleen Kelly takes over for longtime Quince Orchard girls coach Dennis Drown in the winter. But for now team parent Dave Cook is trying to get the Cougars to gel over the summer after losing All-Gazette second-teamer Jessica Kramer to graduation. On Monday, Leah Dagan, Jocelyn Cook and Danielle Wetherspoon shouldered the offensive load.

Northwest will also welcome a new head coach in Rob Smith, who led the Jaguars girls volleyball team to their best record in school history last fall. Meghan Moeltner and Katelyn Porter provided offense in the Jags' loss to Good Counsel.

Northwest's boys won seven of their last 11 contests this season, and seem to be headed in the right direction: The Jaguars regrouped to beat host High Point in a Rock Summer League game after watching an eight-point lead dwindle in the final five minutes.

Rising seniors Will Lee, a feisty inside-outside threat, and 6-foot-7 Andrew Duruji will be players to watch next winter.

Paint Branch's own 6-foot-7 rising senior Rycourt MacAuley and small forward Devon Gallman looked to be an impressive scoring tandem in the Panthers' matchup with Duval. Rising junior guard Jeff Keane, a starter over the winter, showed his long-range shooting touch.

With rising seniors Max Hedgepath and Nathan Dalgetti sidelined with knee injuries, Blake's younger players earned plenty of time against Long Reach.

Wednesday, June 10

Girls: Magruder, Quince Orchard, Whitman, Wootton

Ordinarily the word would have a negative connotation, but it is the reason why Wootton guard Iris Cheng dominated her team's summer league basketball game against Magruder on Wednesday: She's a pest.

The smallest player on the court all night, Cheng scored in bunches with almost mechanical efficiency: harass a ball-handler, steal the ball, drive in for a layup. Rinse, lather, repeat. She is one big — figuratively — reason the Patriots should be one of the county's premier teams. Just as importantly, they return two other rising junior starters: guard Jessica Welch and 6-foot-3 center Gabby Flinchum.

In the first half of the night's doubleheader at Churchill High, Whitman cruised to a double-digit victory over Quince Orchard. Like Wootton, its point guard is the sparkplug; Kahlenberg, set to begin her third year as a starter, ran the show to perfection.

It's tough to say what they will look like come December, but the Vikings pushed the tempo almost non-stop on Wednesday, with swings Barth and Russell flying down the court for transition buckets. The only salvation for the Colonels was Witmer, the team's leading scorer a year ago. She made perhaps the move of the night, a sweet right-to-left crossover before jump-stopping into a five-foot floater off the glass.

Thursday, June 11

Girls: Blake, Walter Johnson

Boys: Blake, Bullis

Because practice time is limited and the winter season has long since passed, summer league games can at times be quite painful to watch. Blake's Ryan Frazier made his team's game against Bullis more enjoyable.

With his team trailing by as many as 17 points in the second half, Frazier put on a clinic that featured quick drives to the hoop and long-range jumpers as the Bengals came back to win. Frazier scored 17 in the second half, including the game-winning 3-pointer over two Bullis defenders while fading to his right in the final few seconds.

Frazier is certainly a player to watch come next winter. As are Taylor Miller and Brandon Hedley (13 points), who seemingly knocked down every open look Bullis allowed, and Matt McGugan, an undersized forward who held his own in the paint.

The Bengals could use a true point guard, however. Blake committed numerous turnovers against Bullis' press.

Except for the final stages, the Bulldogs looked good, trapping and pressing all over the court. A couple of bench players from last season, Avery Wilmore and Andre Hodo, look ready to fill much larger roles this winter.

Wilmore split the point guard duties with returning starter Ryan Wright. Hodo is an athletic big man who can slash to the basket and clean the glass.

A gentle reminder of how seriously to take summer leagues: The 5:30 p.m. game at Wootton between Whitman and Rockville's girls is cancelled because no scorekeeper shows up. Whitman ends up scrimmaging itself; Rockville only brought five girls anyway.

Over to Blair, then, where Walter Johnson plays small private school Spencerville Adventist Academy. Good news for Wildcats fans: There is another Skywalker.

All-time leading scorer Alex Chili's little sister, Maddy, is a rising freshman. Looks like older sis was a more polished shooter at the same stage in her career, but Maddy shares Alex's length and should play varsity next winter.

Center Roya Hakimzedeh has a great first half against Spencerville finishing around the rim. She has good size, and if the Wildcats find her in the paint, could be quite an asset.

The nightcap at Blair features Blake against Archbishop Carroll. No real surprises for the Bengals. Christine Weithman's braced left knee looks fine; don't be surprised to see her among the county's leading scorers in the winter. But in this game, Gabi Hall is even better, popping up all over the court and scoring hustle points. Hall and Weithman also have a good understanding on cuts to the hole.