Skill development, building team chemistry, and getting noticed.

Those are among the things that basketball coaches stress to the young players competing at Liberty High in the Steve Johnson Memorial Summer League, which finished up varsity play Monday night.

Wins and losses and statistics are more important during the high school season in the winter.

"A lot of these girls are freshmen and sophomores," said Westminster coach Dave Urban, who was filling in for Shawn Minnier. "We see a lot of these girls in the [junior varsity] league Wednesday night as well. It's all about playing at a higher pace, with more confidence and playing team defense and team offense. They have to go out and create and adjust to what their teammates are doing."

The league which features teams from six county high schools might be most important to the players at Winters Mill. The Falcons had nine players on their roster for the semifinal game the Blue Angels, and seven of them were freshmen.

"They are playing a lot of basketball and learning the game," said Winters Mill coach Dick Ebersole, who was filling in for coach Dave Wynne.

KEN KOONS/STAFF PHOTO

Winters Mills Veronica Paylor looks to pass against Marriotts Ridge during their game Monday in Eldersburg.

Winters Mills Veronica Paylor looks to pass against Marriotts Ridge during their game Monday in Eldersburg. (KEN KOONS/STAFF PHOTO)

League commissioner Barry Green agrees.

"The purpose is for the girls to get better every week," said Green, who coaches the Liberty varsity team. "They have to understand the philosophies of their coaches and schools, but also the synergy of playing with their teammates."

Many of the league's players were eager for Monday night's games.

It marked perhaps the biggest night of the summer with the playoff semifinals and the championship game both taking place.

The Blue Angels a travel squad comprised of players from five different counties cruised to the title, beating Winters Mill 67-11 in the final.

Guard/forward Jasmine Pickey led the Blue Angels, who finished the six-week season with a 11-0 record, with 12 points in the title game.

Guard/forward Addi Hill paced Winters Mill (5-6) with four points.

"We are glad we made the championship," said guard Allie Cullison, a rising freshman at Winters Mill. "I think our team has come a long ways."

KEN KOONS/STAFF PHOTO

Westminsters Natalie Dorsey moves the ball against the Blue Angels during their Steve Johnson Memorial Summer League semifinal game Monday in Eldersburg.

Westminsters Natalie Dorsey moves the ball against the Blue Angels during their Steve Johnson Memorial Summer League semifinal game Monday in Eldersburg. (KEN KOONS/STAFF PHOTO)

Winters Mill cruised to a 43-18 semifinal win over Marriotts Ridge (6-5).

Natalie Berry (6 points), Cullison (6), Addi Hill (6), Gabbi Mancini (5), Veronica Paylor (5), Amaya Wells (5), Riley Morano (4), Chelsey Acha (4), Audrey Larsen (1), and Tamyra Timmons (1) accounted for the Falcons' scoring.

Winters Mill jumped out to a 8-2 lead and led 24-12 at halftime in a game which has 20 minute running halves.

The Falcons quickly turned the game into a blowout in the second half.

In the other semifinal, the Blue Angels beat Westminster, 51-19.

Urban praised the play of guards Mallory Phillips and Nicole Roberts and forwards Sophia Diehl and Emily Hynson.

The Owls finished 6-5 in the league, which also featured county teams from Century (1-9), Francis Scott Key (5-5), Liberty (4-6), and South Carroll (2-8).

The boys league concluded last Monday, with Liberty taking the championship in defeating Glenelg in the finals.

The annual summer league was renamed in 2014 in honor of Johnson, the Lions' former boys varsity basketball coach who died in 2011.

tworgo@baltsun.com

410-857-7896

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Basketball: No summer vacation for annual Liberty hoops league ... - Carroll County Times