So it may seem like the season is miles away but the high school basketball season is right around the corner. They are some things that are becoming very clear at least to me. The fall AAU season for the most part is moving at a fast pace The high school fall leagues are in full swing. Just remember fall games and AAU games at this time a year don’t tell much of a story. While you will get the parents bragging about fall games, we know they mean nothing. When freshman play great in a fall game it clearly doesn’t mean much at the end of the day. Me, I look for which kids have shown improvement and which teams look tight. These are the things that transfer into a season.
THE THINGS I KNOW RIGHT NOW…
RBC IS COOKING!
First, I know that no program has changed it!s culture more than RBC. That’s because there freshman have energized there program. Not with their talent or work ethic but rather with there attitudes of team first. This group of seniors and babies have been a perfect mix, giving RBC something it has been missing the past 3 years, CHEMISTRY. But what has truly changed at RBC is the attitude off the court. The younger players are clearly committed to following the older players lead. JOE MONTANO’S decison to play just the freshman in the fort league and coach them was a stroke of genius. It allowed the kids to get to know him. He got to know his babies and the upper- classmen cheered them on. All resulting in kids playing for each orher vs competing against each other. Nobody has had a more productive fall this year, than RED BANK CATHOLIC to this point
WHO ARE THE BEST PLAYERS ….RIGHT NOW.
Zoe Brooks is leading the charge…
Right now there is no doubt in my mind who the best player in the Shore Conference is these days. That would ZOE BROOKS by a long shot. The guard has been nothing short of spectacular this fall. She is a level above everyone. She now is in soectacular shape physically and apprears ready to take on the the leadership role at SJV. But her new found strength and passing skills is what makes her different. The Gym Rat had the ultimate summer playing for the Philly Rise and then being invited to the the TEAM USA TRAILS. This could be a record breaking season for ZOE. Brooks who committed to NC STATE appears very motivated to be the State and Shore PLAYER OF THE YEAR. If there was any doubt where the bulk of rhe talent in New Jersey resides. All these players will certainly play D1 basketball if they choose.
40 DIVISION 1 Players right now….
These players have either committed or have a D1 offer on the table or D1 coaches have expressed STRONG INTEREST. Keep in mind this list is just those players currently being heavily recruited. This list will certainly grow as kids gain recongition this season… there are a number of projected as D1 players not on this list. NO FRESHMAN are added.
- *means committed or has a offer
** means mutiple schools( key word mutiple) D1 schools have express strong interest. Certainly a offer is coming at some point.
*Zoe Brooks- SJV- Senior
*Nina Emance- Trinity Hall- Junior
*Janine Bachman- SJV- Senior
*Deyvn Quigley- Manchester-Senior
*Emma Carman- RBC- Senior
*Julia Karpell- SJV- Junior
*Julia Cosentino- RFH- Senior
*Camryn Gardner- RBR- Junior
*Katie Collins- Manasquan – Junior
*Christina Liggio- RBC – Junior
*Hope Masonious- Manasquan – Junior
*Makayla Hubbard- SJV- Senior
*Maggie Cavaugh- St Rose- Senior
*Rosie Scoganamiglio – St Rose- Senior
*Tessa Carman- RBC- Sophomore
**Eli Clark- Ocean Twp – Jr
*Casey Prior -RBC- Senior
*Brianna Delaney- SJV- Senior
*Ashley Solfkanic– SJV- Senior
**Tanaiyah Decker – Donovan Catholic- JR
*Gabbie Ross- Donovan Catholic- Sr
*Josie Munson- RBR- Senior(decision not to play D1)
**Allison Cannon- Holmdel- Junior
*^Megan Sias- Toms River North- junior
**Siobhan Stapleton- Trinity Hall- Junior
**Carlie Lapinski- Manasquan- Junior
**Kayden Clark- Ocean- Sophomore
**Aleena Dinker- SJV- Sophomore
*Caroline Polloway- RBR- Sophomore
**Emily Cavaugh- St. Rose – Sophmore
PLAYERS WHO STOCK IS FLYING UP THE CHARTS...
Camryn Gardner is rollin in the money…
There are kids who stock grow year to year. Then there are kids who you just don’t know about. There are those who are popular and hyped up by their inner circle. But often there is no truth or substance to their game or recruiting status. There are two players whose development jumps of the page these days, along with their recruiting status. Camryn Gardner of RBR is now a HM lock. Her improvement over the last 2 months has been shocking. In gyms loaded with HM and P5 talent. She has been exceptional in every area of the game. That my friends is real talk. The physical growth, improved deep shooting range and strength has been a game changer for GARDNER. She has done something few in her class have been willing to do. She has challenged herself vs tve best competition and is a total gym rat. Now the payoff is coming in a big way. There is a case to be made she is the #1 forward in the 2024 class right now.
ALLISON CANNON, is maybe the best story of the fall.That’s because she has gone from a D3 player to a full blown MID Major D1 lock. She is a kid who has watched her stock soar. She gambled on herself by moving to the Shoreshots and she became a gym rat. The result is that she is now a serious problem for all. That’s because her combination of speed and shooting is so hard to find these day.. She is going to cause a recruiting war for her services.
MY TOP 6 STOCK RISERS
*notice almost each class is represented, showing the depth of the Shore.
Riley Wheeler- RBR- Junior
Christina Liggio-RBC- Sophomore
Katie Collins- Manasquan – Junior
McKenzie Teevan – Holmdel- Sophomore
Aleena Dinker- SJV – Sophmore
ERICA DISIMONE- MARLBORO- senior
WHAT’S GOING ON IN OCEAN?
I can tell you…
It appeared Ocean County was going to make a major jump in basketball a few years ago. Jenna Paul and Brielle Bisogno started the Ocean County D1 fire. Then the most talented player in NJ showed up in Destiny Adams. Ocean then had the best team in the Shore Conference and won the SCT and it looked like Ocean County was about to make their mark. Then Jackson Memorial kicked in with Kristina Donza who just willed herself to Navy. It’s seemed nothing could stop Ocean. Then when Angela Velez showed up and Gabby Ross joined her. It seemed Ocean was going to rival Monmouth County. But then it all went wrong and I will tell you why.
First the best guard in the county Paige Slaven left Donovan Catholic and went on to become 1st team All Shore at RFH. Then Angela Velez left Manchester to attend TCA after winning FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR. This hurt Ocean not because she left the school but more importantly she was a elite player that brought attention to the county. Hence young kids wanting to play. Next Nina Emmace did something that Ocean had hoped had stopped. She was the best incoming freshman in the County and left the county to attend Trinity Hall in Monmouth County. A bad sign for Ocean County. Next one of the best Freshman in the state Megan Sias tore her ACL. But a bigger problem is most OCEAN players do not travel and therefore do not see enough competition to grow.
Finally Ocean County for a hot minute had players training outside the county. This led to development. But many coaches did not encourage this out of fear there players would get recruited by elite programs. These days to the best of my knowledge only two underclassmen in Ocean County is on a high level AAU team, Devyn Quigley- Manchester High is the only senior to play high level AAU. The rest play a massive amount of games and train in low competitive environments. This is more the North Jersey and South Jersey model towards development. Now throw in Ocean county players in many cases play two sports and you have what has happen to Ocean Basketball. But remember Ocean is very capable of bouncing back again. Because TRN has a D1 player in Megan Sias and Donovan Catholic has the best point guard in the 2024 class in Tanaiyah Decker...BOTH UNDERCLASSMEN
OCEAN COUNTY D1 PLAYERS…
Current D1 players from Ocean
Deyvn Quigley– Manchester- Senior
Megan Sias– TRN- Sophmore
Gabbie Ross– Donovan Catholic- Senior
Tanaiyah Decker– Donvan Catholic- Senior
BABY TALK…
Here are the 12 babies who have delivered the goods this fall
KATIE LIGGIO- RBC
ADDY NYMCHECk- RBC
MADISON KOCIS- SJV
DANIELE MALESKY- RBC
LOLA GIORDANO- RBC
SOPHIE SMITH- RBC
TESSA LIGGIO- RBC
Synai Blychanton- RBC
CHARLOTTE BRADLEY- SJV
RILEY WHEELER- RBR
WHITNEY HOBSON- TRINITY HALL
TAYLOR SOFILKANICH– SJV
WHAT I KNOW ABOUT THE TOP 10 RIGHT NOW
2. RBC- Emma Carman making me think maybe?
3. St. Rose- Chemistry growing
4. Trinity Hall- There an army
5. Manasquan – It’s the fall who cares?
6. Holmdel – Sleeper alert
7. WALL- A threat to everyone not named SJV
8. RBR- JT will have lots of toys come December
9. RFH- The ones who matter are playing other sports… call me in December
10. Ocean Twp- But its the fall ranking …SORRY!
