Top Greater Middlesex Conference Guards – Gold Division
It’s finally here! The long wait for the return of high school girls basketball in New Jersey has finally ended as the 2021 season is getting underway. Across the Garden State, teams and players are getting their final tune-ups before…
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Continue ReadingIt’s finally here!
The long wait for the return of high school girls basketball in New Jersey has finally ended as the 2021 season is getting underway.
Across the Garden State, teams and players are getting their final tune-ups before the season, scrimmages with local teams and a few last pre-season practices.
Prep Girls Hoops is here to cover the excitement and competition this season throughout the state, and that includes this article, where PGH profiles the top guards in the Greater Middlesex Conference, specifically the Gold Division.
Izzy Maertz, Mother Seton: Maertz is arguably Mother Seton’s biggest impact player going into the 2021 season, coming off a junior year where she averaged 11.8 PPG, pacing the team. Her 1.8 SPG also led the team and as a returning senior, she’s the player to watch, someone who features as a guard and forward, allowing for a lot of versatility on the court. However, Mother Seton is primarily going to use her at the point to anchor this team with a lot of junior presence. Maertz’s veteran leadership, plus her explosive scoring x-factors will set her apart in 2021.
Jaylin Locasio, Piscataway Tech: Locasio’s presence for Piscataway Tech will skyrocket this season as the departure of several key seniors have left some big gaps to fill. She put up good numbers as a sophomore during the 2019-20 season, averaging 5.3 PPG, 1.2 SPG and 0.9 APG and made three-pointers a game. She’s one of just a few returning players who scored over 100 points last season and that impact on the court will be needed immensely for Piscataway Tech in 2021. Locasio has the potential to break out this season big time.
Kristina Akselsen, Calvary Christian: Akselsen is one of several impact seniors that Calvary Christian will be relying upon to bring veteran leadership and experience to an otherwise underclass-heavy program. She averaged 9.0 PPG, 2.4 APG and just under 3.0 SPG during the 2019-20 season, so she’s going to be pushing for a double-digit scoring average in 2021. Akselsen is a crafty player who can score at will. What’s going to stand out this season for her is the development of her outside shot. Calvary Christian lost a great perimeter shooter in Alyssa Paulson, so don’t be surprised to see Akselsen shooting more beyond the arc.
Taylor Gliese, South Amboy: Gliese is one of two junior standouts on South Amboy that is carrying the program going into the 2021 season, a program that struggled in 2019-20, going 3-18. She averaged 10.5 PPG, 1.6 APG and made threes a game, and just under 1.0 SPG. She’s a consistent scorer and is an all-around playmaker, someone who wants the ball in her hands in clutch situations and converts in those pressure-packed situations. Gliese will break out even more in 2021, scoring more at will, dominating from beyond the arc and making opponents extremely uncomfortable by playing lock-down defense.
Vidisha Maharana, Woodbridge Academy: Maharana played extremely well in her freshman season for Woodbridge Academy and is quickly turning into a leader in a very young program. She averaged 10.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.4 APG and 2.6 SPG and returns as the team’s second-leading scorer and best perimeter defender. She’s already shown an immense amount of poise and maturity and now as a sophomore, that success she had during the 2019-20 season will carry over in a big way. Maharana has double-double potential written all over her within the next two seasons and should average close to 4.0 APG over 3.0 SPG in 2021.
Continue to keep your eyes out for more player profiles and team previews from Prep Girls Hoops as the 2021 New Jersey high school girls basketball season gets underway.