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College scholarship offers pour in for 2 Delaware freshmen teammates

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College scholarship offers pour in for 2 Delaware freshmen teammates


The ninth graders ‘make plays that other kids don’t make’

Banks lives in Delaware and Brown lives in suburban Philadelphia, but the two have been playing together for several years on AAU travel teams that compete on the regional and national level.

So it’s natural that despite their geographic differences, they wanted to play together in high school.

Even after a double-overtime defeat to defending state champ Sanford, Ursuline’s two freshman phenoms exuded effervescence. (Cris Barrish/WHYY)

GG’s dad Freddie Banks says it’s no accident that the duo chose Ursuline, an all-girls Catholic school in Wilmington that’s a perennial Delaware basketball powerhouse. The Raiders have won 17 state titles, far more than any other school, but none since 2017.

Ursuline also was the proving ground for two of the best female players to ever come out of Delaware — Val Whiting, who played in the WNBA a quarter-century ago, and current pro superstar Elena Delle Donne.

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“It’s a dream come true. It was calculated,’’ Freddie Banks said. “They’ve been playing together like the last five, six years. So we thought it’d be a great idea for them to play in Delaware, build a legacy” and prepare for college and perhaps even the Olympics and the WNBA.

Freddie Banks sitting in the stands
Freddie Banks (blue sweatshirt) says having the girls play together in high school is a “dream come true.” (Cris Barrish/WHYY)

Kelli Brown, who drives her daughter to Wilmington every morning and works remotely while she’s in school and then practices or plays, said her family is grateful for the opportunity.

“It’s an honor and a blessing for her to be in the situation she’s in,’’ Brown said at the Sanford game’s halftime. “And to play with one of her closest friends, that’s another blessing. They already had chemistry growing up.”

Kelli Brown sitting in the stands
Kelli Brown drives her daughter from their suburban Philadelphia home to Wilmington, where she works remotely until her daughter’s day is done. (Cris Barrish/WHYY)

While the girls have big basketball aspirations, they are also eyeing the future once they hang up their colorful sneakers  — currently neon green for Banks and pink/orange for Brown.

Banks hopes to be a coach, Brown a pediatrician.

But for now, they’ll grace the courts and push each other while shooting for state titles and weighing their college offers.

Scoresheet at the end of the game
Banks and Brown dominated the scoresheet, scoring 55 of Ursuline’s 76 points against defending state champion Sanford. (Cris Barrish/WHYY)

No matter what the future brings, Noonan says it’s a joy coaching such talented players.

“It’s enjoyable to watch kids playing sports that they love and have passion for,’’ Noonan said. “They make plays that a lot of kids don’t make and that’s why they’re drawing so much attention.”

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Delaware

Reading man arrested for shooting in Delaware

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Reading man arrested for shooting in Delaware


A Reading man was arrested last week for a shooting earlier this month at a Red Roof Inn & Suites in New Castle, Delaware.

Erickson Acuapa, 21, of Reading, was arrested in Wyomissing for the shooting that took place June 16, Delaware state police said.

Acuapa was arrested by Wyomissing police and later extradited to Delaware and taken into custody by Delaware state police.

He was charged with assault, possession of a firearm while committing a felony, and reckless endangerment.

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According to a press release:

At 3:33 a.m. troopers responded to reports of the shooting at 1612 N. Dupont Highway.

When troopers arrived on the scene, they learned that a 20-year-old male victim had been taken to a local hospital for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the arm.

A preliminary investigation revealed that several people gathered at the motel after attending a local concert.

During this gathering, the victim and unknown suspect engaged in an argument. The altercation escalated, and the suspect fired a shot at the victim before fleeing the scene.

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An investigation by detectives identified the suspect as Erickson Acuapa.

On June 19, Acuapa was located in Wyomissing and taken into custody by the Wyomissing Police Department.

Following his extradition to Delaware, Acuapa was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $138,000 cash bond.



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Del. Supreme Court restores early voting access and permanent absentee voting

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Del. Supreme Court restores early voting access and permanent absentee voting


Delaware Supreme Court justices heard arguments in the case earlier this month.

Former judge and chair of the Delaware Republican Party Jane Brady argued the case on behalf of Hocker and the elections inspector. She said the state’s constitution specifies only one day that the election can be held, making early voting unconstitutional. She also argued that the language in the constitution requires voters to apply for an absentee ballot for each election.

“We claim that the statutes on their face are unconstitutional. They don’t comply with the language in the constitution,” she said. “Clearly, the drafters intended to address two issues: the time of the election and the manner of the election.”

Former U.S. Solicitor Donald Verrilli, representing the state, countered by arguing that both permanent absentee and early voting are employed in many other states across the U.S. and are consistent with Delaware’s Constitution and within the power of lawmakers to enact.

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“Article Five, Section One [of the state constitution] provides an express delegation to the General Assembly to prescribe the means, methods and instruments of election to further a whole set of important goals,” he said. “That seems to me to be a structural indication that the Legislature has broad power here to set the means and methods of elections.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.



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How bank fraud suspects targeted man in Delco grocery store parking lot

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How bank fraud suspects targeted man in Delco grocery store parking lot


UPPER CHICHESTER, Pennsylvania (WPVI) — Upper Chichester police hope the public can help them identify two people they believe targeted a man for bank fraud in Delaware County. There’s also concern there could be other victims.

On June 4, around 12:30 p.m., police say the pair followed the man out of the Giant in Aston and approached him in the parking lot.

One suspect claimed he dropped a $20 bill while the other was recording the interaction.

Police say the victim pulled out and opened his wallet and said the money wasn’t his. In the process, cards fell to the ground and the man’s personal information was possibly caught on video.

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A short time later, thousands of dollars were swiped from the man’s bank account, according to police.

“It’s horrible, there’s all kinds of things that are happening all different kinds of scams that are going around and people just need to be really, really careful,” said Jackie Kane of Aston Township, who was walking her dog near the Village Green Shopping Center.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, in the first quarter of this year, more than 30,000 cases of bank fraud have been reported nationwide. The tri-state ranked 8th overall for fraud, and people 70 to 79 were the most targeted.

“They’re too trustworthy too, older people,” said Cindy Robertson, of Ridley Park, who was shopping nearby.

“They should be careful, especially if they’re by themselves and they don’t have somebody with them.”

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Residents say it’s important to be aware of your surroundings and they’re also thankful the only injury in this case was financial.

“It’s frustrating, it’s frustrating people do that kind of stuff. That guy worked for whatever he has his whole life and somebody gonna steal it, that is not a good thing to do,” said Dave Bonavita of Upper Chichester.

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