Shore Conference 2021 Season Review Pt. 1

The Shore Conference is one of the biggest high school athletics conferences in the state of New Jersey, but during the 2021 high school girls basketball season, it also showed why it’s arguably the best. Competition was fierce and closely contested throughout, providing for some exciting finishes and allowing new players to emerge as superstars. Prep Girls Hoops has been closely following the conference this season, analyzing the best of the best, and in the first of our season recap series of the Shore Conference, PGH NJ will be going two pods at a time to examine the best of the best. Part one will focus on Pods 1 and 2. <strong>Caitlin Gresko - G/F, Howell</strong> While Gresko’s senior send-off wasn’t what she originally expected with the shortened season, she made the most of it for Howell, averaging 16.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 0.7 BPG, 1.1 SPG and 1.1 made threes a game. She helped to lead a strong, upperclassmen-heavy squad to an 11-4 record and 7-0 divisional record, bouncing off fellow senior Grace Leary to create a dangerous tandem. Gresko hadn’t had a season quite as dominant as 2021, so she truly saved the best for last. She finished her high school career just 25 points short of the 1,000 point club, and with a full season this season, she surely would’ve eclipsed it, but hats off to Gresko for showing out on the court the entire season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="155550" first="Rachel" last="Capua"] - G, Jackson Memorial</strong> Jackson Memorial was only able to play 10 games this season, and Capua was as dominant as anyone in the conference in 2021, averaging 24.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.3 SPG and 2.7 made threes a game for the Jaguars. It was a senior-heavy squad for Jackson Memorial, with Capua and Lexi Linton holding down the fort at the point and in the guard category. Capua especially took full advantage of the shortened season, posting a career-high scoring average in 2021. She was dominant with the ball in her hands, finding just about any way to score, and her three-point shooting prowess continued to shine through her play this season. Capua will be continuing her basketball career at East Stroudsburg University this fall, so we get treated to four more years of her on the court. <strong>Gabriella Ross - G, Donovan Catholic</strong> Ross was the best player on the best team among Pods 1 and 2 as Donovan Catholic finished the season with a 12-1 record, including a 6-0 divisional record. She averaged 16.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.7 SPG and 1.3 made threes a game for the Griffins in 2021, taking over as a sophomore. She showed significant growth from freshman to sophomore season, evolving into a pure-bred scorer who is effortless with the ball. Her three-point shooting is something to watch out for over the next two seasons, but it’s her inside game that will be interesting to follow. Ross is someone who shoots the ball well, but if she can combine that with driving into the lane more often with authority, there’s no stopping her across the state. <strong>Megan Sias - G/F, Toms River North</strong> Toms River North fielded a young squad during the 2021 season, and Sias quickly emerged as a player to watch in the conference for years to come after averaging 10.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.1 SPG and 0.8 BPG. Traditionally playing as a wing, Sias showed off her range in spurts during the season, but was incredibly successful on the defensive side of the ball, creating turnover after turnover to keep her opponents off-balance and uncomfortable on offense. Sias has three years of growth left to continue to develop her game, of which her outside shot will be one that a lot of people will be watching. Along with that, if she can continue to show a well-rounded game, she’ll be getting many looks from colleges in the near future. <strong>Alexis Voorhees - G/F, Brick Memorial</strong> Voorhees was a bright spot on a Brick Memorial team that struggled this season, going 4-8. Regardless of record, the senior balled out on the court in 2021, averaging 14.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.6 SPG and nearly 1.7 made threes a game. Voorhees was as dominant as they come on both sides of the ball, lighting the scoreboard up from the outside and creating scoring opportunities for herself inside the arc. The senior also was a defensive stalwart, moving around the court with ease and tracking defenders well. If the ball got to her player, she wasn’t letting them score at any cost, and most of the time, she would induce a turnover and an immediate scoring opportunity for Brick Memorial. It was the perfect senior send-off for Voorhees. Keep following Prep Girls Hoops as we continue to recap the entirety of the 2021 New Jersey high school girls basketball season.