Top Returning Shot Blockers

Some of the top returning shot blockers and rim enforcers are back for another year. Shot blocking takes timing, leaping ability and great instinct, and New Jersey girls basketball has some terrific players who you don’t want to go up against and challenge. Let’s take a look at the top returning shot blockers heading into the 2021 season. <strong>Anisha Able, Barringer: </strong>Able finished with 115 blocks in 19 games for 6.1 blocks per game, tops in the state last year. The crazy thing was that she was only a sophomore last season. Able put up some terrific performances with five double-digit blocking games. She had 10 blocks against West Side, 12 blocks against Newark Central, 11 against Orange, 14 in another meeting with Newark Central and 12 against Shabazz. She finished with four triple-doubles that included blocks. <strong>Jamiyah Alston, Piscataway Tech: </strong>Alston made the most of her time on the court, recording 85 blocks in 17 games of action, good for five blocks per game and second in the state. After missing the first month of action, Alston made an immediate impact both offensively and defensively. She had six blocks each in games against Wardlaw-Hartridge, Linden, East Brunswick Tech, Woodbridge Academy and East Brunswick. Alston had seven blocks in games against Perth Amboy Tech and Woodbridge Academy and finished the season with a nine-block performance against Middlesex. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="159450" first="Maddison" last="Vaughn"], Roselle: </strong>Vaughn had a solid junior season for Roselle with 112 blocks in 24 games, good for 4.7 blocks per game, which tied for fourth in the state. Top performances came against Roselle Catholic (12 blocks), Somerset Tech (11 blocks), Hillside (9 blocks), Rahway (8 blocks) and Highland Park (8 blocks). <strong>Katy Gashler, Westwood: </strong>Gashler, a University of Rochester commit, finished with a state-best 146 blocks in 31 games of action for a 4.7 blocks per game average. She recorded at least two blocks in every game last year as a junior. Gashler had 11 blocks against Glen Rock and 10 blocks against Northern Highlands. She had two triple-doubles and was a force on offense and on the glass all season. <strong>Caileigh Walsh, Gill St. Bernard’s: </strong>Walsh, a Northwestern pledge, finished with 4.6 blocks per game for Gill St. Bernard’s. A complete force in the paint with her ability to score despite double or triple teams, rebound and make an impact defensively, Walsh is a top senior to watch this year. She had some memorable shot blocking performances, including 11 against Hunterdon Central, eight against Sparta and six each against Hillsborough, Payne Tech, Montgomery, Hunterdon Central (second meeting) and two six-block performances against Rutgers Prep. <strong>Other Names: [player_tooltip player_id="155446" first="Tianna" last="Whitney"], Edison; Maya Fenyk, Woodbridge Academy; Elizabeth Shover, Palmyra; Catherine Pettegrove, Voorhees; [player_tooltip player_id="134641" first="Alana" last="Robinson"], Pope John; [player_tooltip player_id="134616" first="Ariel" last="Jenkins"], Stuart Day; Erin Martin, Morristown-Beard</strong>