NJSIAA Group 1 Final Recap & Top Performers
Sunday was a jam-packed day of championship games across the board in New Jersey as the Group 1-4 finals were held at RWJ Barnabas Health Arena in Toms River. We’ll be recapping the action from all four state final games…
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Continue ReadingSunday was a jam-packed day of championship games across the board in New Jersey as the Group 1-4 finals were held at RWJ Barnabas Health Arena in Toms River. We’ll be recapping the action from all four state final games held that day, starting with the Group 1 final between Shore and University.
RECAP
It was a strong showing from University from the jump, taking a commanding 17-8 lead after the first quarter and never turning back. In all but one quarter, University out-scored Shore by at least nine points, the closest being a five-point differential in the fourth. While Shore had itself quite the run after winning a sectional title, the firepower of the North Jersey giants in University was too much as the program won its third-straight Group 1 state title.
TOP PERFORMERS
Rylee Drahos Rylee Drahos 5'7" | CG Shore | 2023 State NJ (Jr.) – 5-9 SG/SF, Shore
Drahos finished off a spectacular junior season with a team-high 16 points in the loss against University. The guard had trouble scoring against a stout defense in University, but still played well overall, knocking down a three-pointer and recording four rebounds and three assists in the game. She’ll be back and better than ever as a senior, so watch out for her.
Conley Smolokoff (So.) – SF, Shore
The sharp-shooter had a near-identical game against University as she did against Wildwood, knocking down a three-pointer and scoring seven points on the day along with five rebounds. She looked good again shooting the basketball and needs to focus much more on continuing to improve and increase her shooting range as her three-point shooting can give her that extra dimension to add onto her game.
Destiny Bynum-Johnson (Jr.) – 5-10 G, University
Bynum-Johnson put the cherry on top of a a dominant season for her, posting a 29-point, 14-rebound double-double for University with five steals. The junior guard also knocked down four three-pointers in the game and played with tenacity and grit on the floor. Bynum-Johnson was the unquestionable leader of University that game and attacked the lane as well as she did shooting from beyond the arc. An impressive watch overall.
Kaylah Neal (Jr.) – 5-6 PG, University
Neal didn’t have the most prolific game offensively for University, but for where she didn’t score, she made up for it in a big way on the glass, hauling in 11 rebounds in the win. She was very active as a rebounder and really did an excellent job at boxing out to secure possession and then throwing an outlet pass to get the break going the other way on the floor. She’s going to be a key player in the Tournament of Champions.
Aaliyah Tillman (Sr.) – 5-9 F, University
Tillman has been one of University’s best forwards this season and is one of the program’s more steady rebounders. However, on Sunday, it was her offense that took over against Shore. The senior was one of just two players on University who scored in double figures as she finished with 10 points in the game. She commanded the lane well and did a fantastic job at driving into the paint, finding her space to score and capitalizing on it.
Paradise Fisher (Fr.) – 5-6 G, University
Fisher had one of her closest games to a triple-double this season, scoring nine points, hauling in 10 rebounds and recording seven assists for University in the win. Her six steals shouldn’t go unnoticed as well as the freshman played excellent defense and kept a potent Shore offense in check along the perimeter. Fisher made her living at the line in this game and did a fantastic job at drawing contact to give University more offensive opportunities.