There will not be a Blue Star Select team this summer according to program director Mike Flynn.
The New York Liberty Belles Elite was supposed to be a team which was merged from the remains of New York Elite, New Heights, and the Liberty Belles. Each of the parties had a lot to bring to the table to battle Apache Paschall and the new power of New York City, the New York Exodus which has become the première team in New York City. New Heights came off a very successful summer playing 15U and beating many national level programs in the 16U division as well behind Cece Dixon and Doris Ortega who attend Murray Bergtraum High School in New York. Murray Bergtraum will face Paschall’s St. Michael’s Academy team in the New York City Championship. New York Elite played at Nike Nationals last year when the Liberty Belles failed to field a team and returned All American Stephanie Dolson who has already committed to UConn. The Liberty Belles did not have a team last year but had one of the key ingredients to the alleged merger with a contract as a Nike travel team to give the newly formed New York Liberty Belles Elite team an in to Nike Nationals, or so they thought.
According to Bria Smith’s father, Bria Smith was never committed to this newly formed team called New York Liberty Belles Elite. When asked why her picture was used on an article to break the story about the merger he said, “I do not know, I guess people just assumed she would be playing with them.” When asked who Bria Smith will play for this summer he answered; “Bria will be playing for Mike Flynn and the Philly Belles this summer, it is my understanding both Doris Ortega and Cece Dixon will be playing with the Belles as well.” Mr. Smith noted that he was never contacted by anyone until Full Court called him today regarding Bria’s participation on a summer team this year. Smith said that Bria is currently working out with her trainer Jerry Powell and will be attending the Boo Williams Invitational in Norfolk, VA with the Philadelphia Belles.
When you type in www.nylibertybelleselite.org into you web browser you are directed to a website that has no mention of the Liberty Belles or any player or coach affiliated with their staff. This ingredient is important because that was New York Elite’s lock into Nike. According to Mary Thompson who is the director of girl’s grassroots women’s basketball for Nike, the New York Liberty Belles Elite or New York Elite will not be attending Nike Nationals. On the New York Elite website Nike Nationals is one of the scheduled events for the New York Elite club team.
While many feared the newly formed power in New York it seems the only one to fear on the court in the Northeast will be Apache Paschall’s New York Exodus who sport Bria Hartley and company and now the Philadelphia Belles who now have Doris Ortega, CeCe Dixon, and Bria Smith. The formation of those three players propels the Belles in to one of the top 5 programs in the country. Mike Flynn confirmed that it is his understanding that Smith, Ortega and Dixon will be playing with the Belles this summer.