The high school basketball season in New Jersey kicked off and we had some big moments. Meanwhile some old faces showed up and a few new ones let it be known they are going to factors for years to come. The Top 10 had one team fall out and there is no movement at the top. It looks like not much has changed from the past 4 years as to who is the team beat. The Freshman class in the Shore Conference lived up to all the hype and the race for All Freshman is not going to be the blowout we had last year and POY just got Interesting.
*Make sure to check out our new feature…THE PLAYER VIDEO OF THE WEEK!
ST. JOHN VIANNEY- Zoe Brooks was unguardable this weekend and that’s what everyone will focus on. They won’t talk about the passing and just as important her rebounding and leadership all from the guard spot. Janie Bachmann showed why she s not side kick but a star. She did a little of everything. Julia Karpell? well all she did was save the day in the first half when SJV trailed by one. Karpell had two big three’s to close the half and ended the game with 16 points. She is ready to show she is a prime time star. Bre Delaney was solid as a rock on both sides of the ball and Ashley Sofikanich caused havoc with her length and size. The SJV bench of Mikaela Hubbard, Aleena Dinker and freshman Madison Kocis were outstanding. SJV took out another nationally ranked team, look for them to be Top 10 in the nation next week.
ST. ROSE– They had a solid week. They beat Shore and Top 10 Top and state ranked #17 RFH, then knocked out # 10 state ranked Gil Bernard. Maggie Cavanaugh was sensation all weekend. She had a 18-10 double/double at the Super Games on her way to MVP. Baby Jada Lynch had a monster debut against RFH with a dominating game while scoring 19 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. She clearly is on her way to becoming a star. Crackling Rosie Scognamiglio got into early foul trouble vs RFH but still managed to impact the win. She had 10 points in the Super Games win over #10 Gil Bernard. Cassidi Kruesi had 13 points in the Super Games and played all 32 minutes. She also is proving to be a glove on defense. Maybe that’s why Patriot school head coaches were asking about her. But it was Julia Whesper who was the biggest surprise of the weekend. She had 16 big points and 5 rebounds in the win over RFH. Coach Chambers #11 ranked team will crack the Top 10 this week and Taniyah Decker is not even in uniform yet. Emily Cavanaugh made her season debut on Saturday.
RED BANK CATHOLIC– The big question everyone has been asking, is what will Joe Montano do with his freshman babies? We got the answer this week, he is going to play them and they did not disappoint when he did. RBC raced passed Neuman-Goretti and Mount St. Mary’s. Casey Prior proved she is ready to run with the babies and was MVP at the super games. Meanwhile Tessa Carman looked like it’s going to be a all Shore season. Christina Liggo plans on joining her. But right now this team is all about the speed and shooting…and oh yeah the babies!
MANASQUAN– They picked up a monster win over Powerhouse Archbishop Carroll. They got the big win by showing they have the Manasquan tradition of never quitting. Led by Hope Masonious and her 14 points, 9 rebounds and 4 steals. Squan roared back in the 4th quarter to get the win. Olivia Shaughnessy said hello to the Shore basketball world with 17 points, 4 rebounds and 3 dimes. Future D1 guard McKenna Karlson had 11 big points and Katie Collins had 10 points, 4 rebounds 3 dimes and 3 blocks. Manasquan got the test they needed and passed with flying colors.
TRINITY HALL– They were the iron team this week. They played 3 games in 4 days. First they blew out Top 10 Holmdel, then got a easy win over Wall and finished the week with a win over state #15 Shawnee. Nina Emance, is clearly trying to make a early case for the Shore Conference player of the year. She was off the charts this week. But so was Siobhan Stapleton and most importantly the Trinity babies who were OUTSTANDING THIS WEEKEND. Niamh Stapleton, Whitney Hobson, Grace Feeney and Teagan Drennan proved it’s better to actually be one of the best freshman in the shore vs hype. Matt McCarthy is building a monster this year.
OCEAN TWP– This may be the most dangerous team in the Top 10. Eli Clark is flat out the best point guard in the business. Kayden Clark is a warrior and seems to deliver each night. Sofia Chebookjian may be underrated and that’s just fine by her. Gamila Betton is back and Jineen Ayyash is back this week. Freshman Caroline Baricillo is thinking All Freshman team. They beat up on Neptune and nobody wants to see this team not named SJV. They are one of the most well coached teams in the Shore Conference.
WALL – They lost to Trinity Hall on the road. But Emily Tvrdik was a real problem with 18 points Marisa Amite had 9 points and boat load of rebounds. Shayne Eldridge had 7 points in the opener and Wall is going to be a real problem all season. They clearly want to move up before the year is over. The parts are in place to do just that.
RUMSON- They had some highs and lows. The high is that Julia Corsentino scored her 1000th point. RFH was down by 23 points vs St. Rose and cut the lead to 5 in the final quarter before losing. They showed the Bulldogs are ready to fight for 32 minutes. The low was losing to Sparta without Brynn McCurry in the lineup. Ella Mason looks like she will be playing the role of Robin to Corsentino, Abby Boyle looks like a nice piece and Freshman Erin Ried had 8 point and 4 rebounds in game two vs. Sparta. This is a team that is going to look nothing like it looks right now. Expect RFH to move up before we get to the SCT.
HOLMDEL– They went 1-1 on a solid opening weekend. They lost to Trinity on the road and then had a bounce back win. Allison Cannon had 20 points, 4 rebounds and 5 dimes vs Newark Central. 6’4″ Mackenzie Teevan had a big opening weekend. She played outstanding vs Trinity Hall and then vs Central with a double/double (13 points and 10 rebounds). Alexandra Loucopoulos was sick in her game vs Trinity, but was just find vs Central as she dropped 16 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. This is a very dangerous team.
JACKSON MEMORIAL– They got a wins over Middletown North and Donovan Catholic by double figures. Chloe Messer led the way and they did all this without D1 player, Zoie Maffei. Isabella Finer looks like a impact freshman, she had 6 points and 7 rebounds on opening night. Then she had 5 points and 10 rebounds in game two. Jackson Memorial once again made a real statement to Ocean County.
WEEKLY AWARDS
PLAYER OF THE WEEK– NINA EMANCE- TRINITY HALL
Trinity Hall is 3-0 and she had 25 points vs #15 Shawnee. She once again proved she is the cookie monster averageing over 4 steals a game. If there was a defensive player of the week, it would be hers. She averaged 22 points, 6 rebounds and 4 dimes last week. She also since a message, POY GAME ON!
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK– ADDY “the bad woman” NYEMCHEK- RBC
She had 16 points on opening night and backed it up with 10 points vs Neuman-Goretti. She averaged 13 points 7 rebounds and 4 dimes for the week. She is officially playing catch me if you can for THE FREDHMAN OF YEAR AWARD
Image by Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media
COACH OF THE WEEK– MATT McCARTHY- TRINITY HALL
He challenged his team right out the gate with 3 games against ranked teams and won all three games.
TEAM OF THE WEEK- They beat 2 Shore Conference Top 10 teams and then knocked off state #15 Shawnee
PLAYER VIDEO OF THE WEEK
https://twitter.com/MackenzieTeevan/status/1604650880732643328?t=ArJDmJ-iyW9JKu6bDdd-eA&s=19
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