Women's Hoops Hello: Nicole Munger
After pulling together a stellar 2014 class that's likely complete, Kim Barnes Arico and her staff are off to a great start on 2015 with the commitment tonight of Nicole Munger (who took an unofficial visit to Michigan earlier this month). Munger is a 5-8 combo guard out of Central Bucks West H.S. in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, in suburban Philadelphia. Blue Star has her ranked #67 in the country in the 2015 class. She plays AAU for the Philly Belles, so clearly newly hired assistant to the head coach Matt Bamford played a role here, as he coached the Philly Belles team Munger played on. But it's worth noting that Michigan was already recruiting Munger before Bamford's hiring.
That Philly Belles 15U team won a championship at the Nike Nationals event over the summer. Full Court posted a scouting report on Munger in this rundown.
Munger would have been another member of the all-motor team in North Augusta. From start to finish, game after game, there did not appear to be any drop in her energy level as she consistently played hard at both ends of the court. With a medium-thin build, she is not afraid to drive the key, often going left even though right-handed. She can spot up for threes but that does not appear to be her greatest strength. At the next level, she is probably more of a point guard but at this event played more off the ball due to Taylor Murray's presence.
With Barnes Arico implementing her preferred up-tempo style of play this season, it's clear from this evaluation why she'd be interested in Munger (and vice versa).
UPDATE: A local news article has been published on Munger's commitment: CB West's Nicole Munger verbally commits to Michigan. It says that Drexel, Saint Joseph's, Boston College, and LSU had also shown interest in her. Here's an excerpt:
"It was a big decision, but it was a really great one,' Munger said. "The school is beautiful and the education (Munger is considering business as a major) is amazing. Coach Bamford is a tremendous coach, but I have been looking at Michigan since the spring. Everything seems right there.'
Bamford was also a coach on Munger's AAU team, the Philly Belles. It was on the summer circuit where Munger managed to open eyes to her newfound shooting range and her undeniable intensity on the court. Many girls have natural ability, but not many have the hard work and passion of a Munger.
"Nicole is just an incredible kid who had an incredible summer with AAU basketball,' [Central Bucks West coach Terry] Rakowsky said. "Her team won the Nike National Championships. It is the way she plays the game that makes the difference. She is a great example for the other kids in the Bucks program.'
October 16th, 2013 at 11:13 PM ^
Great, put her at Offensive Coordinator.
October 16th, 2013 at 11:27 PM ^
October 17th, 2013 at 1:33 AM ^
October 17th, 2013 at 6:58 AM ^
As I mentioned last night, steps will be taken to discourage the over-the-top trolling. We really need to simply get on with the season and not dwell on this, especially in threads where it is not warranted and merely a distraction from the discussion at hand. Points are reset.
October 17th, 2013 at 10:47 AM ^
Jesus people we are 5-1.
October 16th, 2013 at 11:22 PM ^
October 17th, 2013 at 6:15 AM ^
October 17th, 2013 at 8:02 AM ^
Cool story Sis.
October 17th, 2013 at 3:10 AM ^
October 17th, 2013 at 12:55 PM ^
Any relation to Charlie?
October 17th, 2013 at 7:20 PM ^
we can blame her for tearing down Blimpie's. . . Yes we're all angry here in mgoblog land.
October 17th, 2013 at 1:16 PM ^
...the Philly Belles has been established (no surprise given the Bamford hiring). The Belles are an extremely successful AAU program and given KBA's east coast ties, we should see many recruits from Philly/Central Jersey in the upcoming years.
Another example of talent from that region is Katelynn Flaherty, a 2014 PG commit that Raoul featured here.
A comment from someone I know whose daughter is a 2014 DI commit and who played against Flaherty: "She will be your starting PG for at least 3 years. Not very big but attacks the rim and has unbelievable range on her jump shot."
October 17th, 2013 at 2:11 PM ^
Just to make clear for those who don't know, Flaherty did not play AAU for the Philly Belles. Also, for those interested in more on other possible Michigan targets from the Philly Belles, see this post of mine and the one below it in the women's hoops recruiting board thread. As I mentioned in the OP, Michigan had been recruiting Nicole Munger before Bamford was hired, and they also had expressed interest in Brianna Jones, a 5-9 wing out of North Babylon, New York.
One other thing I should have noted in the OP: Bamford also helped coach Munger at Central Bucks West, where he was the associate head coach for the girls team. He's also a Central Bucks West graduate.
October 20th, 2013 at 9:13 AM ^
Phillyburbs.com ran an item on Munger's commitment. Here's an excerpt:
Nicole Munger is defined by her intensity on the basketball court — an intensity that doesn’t just show up on game days.
“I have always said that she’s one of the few kids I would pay to watch practice,” coach Terry Rakowsky said of the Central Bucks West junior.
. . .
“It was a very hard choice because it’s the biggest decision I’ve ever made,” [Munger] said. “Every coach you talk to tells you that you’re just going to know when you walk on the campus.
“When we walked on the campus, we were blown away. It was everything we had talked about. We just really loved it. It was just it.
“The coaching staff is amazing. The head coach (Kim Barnes Arico) is awesome, and the team — I just felt so comfortable with them. An added bonus was the campus. The facilities are amazing.”