Super Essex Conference 2021 Season Recap Pt. 1

It’s been quite a ride this season in New Jersey, but a season of high school girls basketball was played to the delight of programs and fans across the state. Prep Girls Hoops has been covering the season in-and-out across the state, and now, PGH NJ’s 2021 season recap series takes us to the Super Essex Conference, where we begin in the American division. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="134624" first="Tara" last="Johnson"] - G/F, University</strong> Johnson had a spectacular senior season for University as the program went 12-2 in the shortened 2021 season. She averaged 15.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG and 1.0 BPG &amp; SPG this season, a dominant player throughout. On a senior-heavy squad like University had in 2021, Johnson was the perfect person to lead from the top of the key. Johnson showed off a nice combination of inside and outside success, not relying on the three-ball as much with a fantastic inside presence. She really shined in the interior, able to create space for herself and dominate against some of the best competition in the conference. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="134630" first="Kiley" last="Capstraw"] - G/F, West Orange</strong> Capstraw’s presence on West Orange is just continuing to grow as she showcased arguably her best season in 2021, averaging 19.8 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.4 APG, 2.8 SPG and 1.7 made three-pointers a game. She was one of the most dominant players in the conference in 2021, showing off an impressive 1-2 punch of stellar outside shooting and a strong inside game. Capstraw made her opponents work on the offensive end, playing a stout, tough defense, and carved them up on offense with an ability to get into the lane to score as good as anyone out there. She’ll be back to continue her superstardom next season for West Orange. <strong>Bukky Akinsola - G, Montclair Immaculate</strong> Montclair Immaculate got a massive boost with this season’s freshman class, but Akinsola was the senior leader that was able to help the team gel together as once, and she had a great send-off season. Akinsola averaged 10.9 PPG, 1.5 made threes a game and 1.1 SPG during the 2021 season. She and Tahirah Kelley led Montclair Immaculate in perimeter shooting this season, a pair of senior guards who were as dominant as they come from beyond the arc. Akinsola in particular was the perfect definition of the complete package in a player and she’ll for sure be missed on the team going into the 2021-22 season. <strong>Olivia Weiss - G/F, West Essex</strong> This West Essex team has a significant amount of firepower coming back next season, starting with Weiss, who led the team in scoring and rebounding in 2021. She averaged 14.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.2 made threes a game and 1.3 SPG during the season. We really got to see Weiss develop more as a shooter, improving her scoring averages as she matured into her sophomore season, building off her success as a freshman. That also translated into her all-around game as she improved in the battle of the boards and continued to play a strong perimeter defense. Expect big things out of her going into her junior season for West Essex. <strong>Trinity Haskins - G/F, East Orange</strong> Haskins has made quite the impact over her now three seasons at East Orange, but in 2021, we saw the most dominant version of her yet. She averaged 19.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.3 APG, 2.3 SPG and 1.5 made three-pointers a game. She’s a player who’s consistently filled the stat sheet over the past several seasons, and her overall game took a step forward, especially in the three-point shooting department. Haskins averaged more than one made three a game for the first time in her career, which has really taken her game up a level. She’ll be relied upon more in that department as well as in the rebounding department come next season. Continue to follow Prep Girls Hoops for more season recaps of the 2021 New Jersey high school basketball season.