Local high school girls basketball players are getting ready for their most important weekend at the Hoop Group Championship at the Atlantic City Convention Center.

Four AAU teams are representing NEPA Elite in three age divisions at the marquee event that runs from Friday through Monday.

Recently, the NEPA 17U HGSL team coached by Kevin Clark competed at the Run 4 Roses Classic in Louisville at the Kentucky Expo Center.

Scranton’s rising junior Chrissy Jacklinski had three games in double figures to highlight a 2-2 record for the team.

Jacklinski scored a game-high 13 points and had six rebounds in a 61-31 win over Tulsa JYD, while Crestwood product Jackie Gallagher had 11 points and five rebounds in a 61-56 win over AUSA from Australia. Hazleton Area’s Kaitlyn Bindas had a combined 20 points in the two victories.

NEPA Elite lost to the Bay State Jaguars, 48-40. Jacklinski scored 10 points and had seven rebounds and two blocks, and Mountain View rising senior Addison Kilmer had four points, seven rebounds and three blocks.

In a 60-47 loss to Team Iowa. Jacklinski scored a team-high 15 points. Gallagher had 11 points and three rebounds.

Members of the NEPA Elite 17U Clark team also include Chenango Forks rising senior Maggie Warpus, who announced this week she received a scholarship offer from Northern Illinois; Scranton Prep’s Ava Fenton; North Pocono rising junior Ella Clementoni; and Valley View rising junior Cora Castellani.

The NEPA Elite 17U team, coached by Dave Scoblick will also compete in the tournament.

In the most recent tournament, the team went undefeated and averaged 67 points a game and won by an average of 27.0 points per game.

The roster includes rising seniors Dunmore’s Amanda Dempsey and Leena Conte, North Pocono’s Celia DeCesare, Abington Heights Lily Scoblick, Crestwood’s Keira Dougherty, Hazleton Area’s Alexis Reimold, Dallas’ Molly Walsh, and Central Columbia rising sophomore Quinlan Blake, who playing two years up in competition level.

Bell leads NEPA 16U

The NEPA 16U HGSL team, coached by Brian Haefele, finished 6-0 at the Hoop Group’s Jersey Shore Live Tournament in Neptune, New Jersey.

NEPA Elite fell behind, 21-8, in its first game against New York Grit Collegiate before coming back to win, 52-27.

In a 47-40 win over the Lady Sharks, Scranton’s Rhylee Bell scored 13 points, Dunmore’s Janaya Martin scored 12 points and had six rebounds, and Blue Ridge’s Abby Gerlinger had 10 points and nine rebounds.

Bell had a game-high 23 points and two assists in a 67-46 win over St. Mavericks. Janaya Martin added 14 points, and her twin, Janessa Martin, contributed eight rebounds, while Gerlinger had 11 points and seven rebounds, and Mountain View’s Aubrey Sanders scored 10 points.

Team members also include Montrose’s Sadie Jones, Dunmore’s Ali Steeves and Maddie Dempsey, and Owego Free Academy’s Marielle Searles.

NEPA Elite U15

The NEPA Elite 15U HGSL team, coached by Jess Rini will also be competing in Atlantic City.

Team members include North Pocono rising sophomores Anna Clementoni, Cameron Forgione, and Kayli McHugh; Wallenpaupack’s Fiona Shanaberger and Ashley Vanderputten; Valley View’s Mady Minelli; Dunmore’s Lizzie Mendola; Abington Heights’ Lavin Vecerkauskas; Dallas’ Riley Samanas; and Chenango Forks’ Jordyn Ericksen-Hrehar.

Clementoni earned honors as a standout player at the Hoop Group girls’ Jersey Shore event. In a 42-30 win over Shoreshots, Clementoni scored 16 points and had eight rebounds, and Vecerkauskas had 10 points and five rebounds.