PGH NJ 2021-22 Team Preview: Summit

Basketball, like most sports, is a game of momentum and a game of runs. That also includes winning streaks and losing streaks as teams will either progress or regress over time. Summit experienced both sides of the coin in the spring, starting out the season 10-2, including an 8-1 record within a nine-game stretch, before dropping the last two games of the season to Westfield and Morristown-Beard. It was a rough end to an otherwise fantastic season that finished up with a 10-4 overall record and seven double-digit victories in the process. This team has seen some notable changes coming into the 2021-22 season with four impact seniors graduating in the spring. Summit has the depth to cover those losses, but it will be very interesting to watch what head coach Thomas Kenny has in store this winter. Prep Girls Hoops New Jersey continues its season preview series with a look at Summit, a program in potential limbo with budding superstars waiting to break out. Senior [player_tooltip player_id="319314" first="Olivia" last="Lawlor"] is the main focus and key piece for Summit this season after a fantastic junior year that put her in the conversation of the best forwards in North Jersey. Lawlor averaged 16.9 PPG while nearly putting up double-double numbers overall, leading the Hilltoppers in scoring, rebounding and blocks. Her 2.8 BPG last season was amongst the best in the state. They’ll need Lawlor to continue to dominate on the floor and be the team leader that Summit needs. Alongside Lawlor is a number of bench pieces/fringe starters from last season’s roster. That includes a pair of seniors along with Lawlor, Jessica Penner and Laurel Zona. Both are potential big time perimeter shooter candidates, but their veteran presences will be key for the development and growth of this team this season. Juniors Stephanie Sexton and Samantha Mercurio are the "youngsters" in the starting lineup rotation, but were both key contributors for the Hilltoppers last season. Sexton and Lawlor are the top two forward options for Summit and while Sexton was much more of a bench piece last season, she’ll need to step up in a big way to take on more of the load of the forward position. It’s also added preparation for next season, when she’ll be the main forward option for this team. Junior Gillian Lustenberger and sophomore Emily Demm are both bench options and Demm is another backup forward Summit can go to, giving Lawlor some rest when needed. There is a lot of bench depth, but not a lot of bench experience. Seniors Norah Degen and Mary Kate Cahill have the most of the rest of the roster, but we really don’t know how many players will be part of the main rotation. It looks like, more or less, it will be in that 7-9 player range to start this winter, but that is something to monitor as the season goes. The lack of bench experience has potential to factor in when the season enters its final stages. For now, Summit is a complete team, but needs players to step up in big ways this season to compete with the field.