NJSIAA Public Sectional Semifinals Recap: 2/24

<p>The playoffs are nearly finished up in New Jersey as sectional semifinals took place over the weekend, filled with shockers, surprises and great performances from players across the state. While we won't be able to talk about every semifinal game that has happened in the Garden State, here's a look at what happened during Friday's semifinal action.</p>   <h2>Giordano, Sweeney show out for Old Tappan, Sparta</h2>   <p>What a performance we saw from two of the best players in North Jersey on Friday, Old Tappan's [player_tooltip player_id='326665' first='Maya' last='Giordano'] and Sparta's [player_tooltip player_id='155447' first='Ally' last='Sweeney']. The two combined for 60 points in a relatively high-scoring game. While Sparta came away 62-45 winners, Sweeney's 27/5/5 statline is one to behold, and what an incredible game from Giordano, dominating down low with 33 points, shooting 7-of-8 from the line.</p>   <h2>McCracken continues fantastic sophomore season</h2>   <p>You simply cannot ask for a better game from a player and Wildwood's [player_tooltip player_id='414340' first='Macie' last='McCracken'] delivered and then some on Friday, a 25-point, 12-rebound double-double in a dominant win over Gateway. She's arguably been the most exciting sophomore in South Jersey and averaging a career-high 22.6 PPG this season, the excitement has translated into dominance. Let's not forget about her seven steals on the night either.</p>   <h2>Double-double madness between Boonton and Cresskill</h2>   <p>It might have been a low-scoring affair between Boonton and Cresskill, but both teams saw two fantastic double-double performances from [player_tooltip player_id='404226' first='Amanda' last='Tuohy'] and [player_tooltip player_id='489489' first='Erin' last='Fahy'], with Tuohy nearly missing a triple-double with nine assists as well. Boonton came out victorious with a 42-33 win as teammates <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='483097' first='Arianna' last='Jackson-Wach']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='483098' first='Jaden' last='Visioli']</strong> came up big later on.</p>   <h2>Shenloogian delights for Park Ridge</h2>   <p>Another exciting sophomore to discuss, Shenloogian has done her part to put Park Ridge on the map this season and she's now carried them to a North Jersey Section 1, Group I title game appearance, upsetting Passaic Charter as she scored 28 points in the win, her ninth 25+ point performance of the season.</p>   <h2>Stokes, Koss-Defrank both post triple-doubles</h2>   <p>Two different games on the day saw triple-double performances, starting with Ewing's [player_tooltip player_id='325195' first='Rhian' last='Stokes'], who posted her fourth of the season, all four including 10+ steals. The Blue Devils cruised to victory as Stokes finished with 21 points, 10 assists and 10 steals. She currently is averaging 6.6+ RPG, APG and SPG so far. Koss-Defrank her first career-triple double with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 steals, also getting hers the hard way for Glen Ridge in a 16-point win over Brearley.</p>   <h2>University dominates en route to another sectional final berth</h2>   <p>35-0. You read that correctly. University led North Arlington 35-0 after the first quarter in an eventual 55-point victory, with three players: [player_tooltip player_id='414304' first='Zakiyyah' last='Lindsay'], Aaliyah Tillman and [player_tooltip player_id='404234' first='Destiny' last='Bynum-Johnson'], all recording a double-double, and [player_tooltip player_id='414417' first='Paradise' last='Fisher'] and [player_tooltip player_id='873268' first='Ki-Lin' last='Thomas'] combining for 36 points in the win. University had 55 rebounds and 23 steals in the semis.</p>   <h2>Not one, not two, but three 30-point scorers</h2>   <p>Across Friday's semifinal games, we saw three different 30-point scorers, two of those three advancing to their respective regional final. We first begin with [player_tooltip player_id='482785' first='Neysa' last='Aguilar'], who posted a 32-point, 12-rebound performance with six assists for Middlesex, who won by 27 over Dunellen. Following her, in South Jersey, Woodstown's [player_tooltip player_id='525557' first='Megan' last='Donelson'] put up 31 in a 31-point win over Penns Grove, nearly out-scoring them on her own. Wrapping this up, we have Colonia's [player_tooltip player_id='325182' first='Taylor' last='Derkack'], who scored 32 in a thrilling four-point OT loss to Randolph. Special shout out to Randolph's Allyson Kuridizawho had 12 PTS, 8 REB and 6 BLK.</p>   <h2>No. 11 seeded Mendham reaches regional final</h2>   <p>The dream is very alive for Mendham, the cinderella darling of the NJSIAA state playoffs so far as the No. 11 seeded Minutemen defeated Chatham behind a masterful game from [player_tooltip player_id='489448' first='Lia' last='Manuel'], scoring 27 points along with six rebounds and three steals. [player_tooltip player_id='482807' first='Riley' last='Allen'] led Chatham in the loss as she scored 20. Five players across both teams finished in double-figures.</p>   <h2>Teaneck survives a close one against Montville</h2>   <p>Flat-out, what a game between Teaneck and Montville in the North Jersey Section 1, Group 3 semis, With [player_tooltip player_id='559047' first='Lexi' last='Carnegie'] scoring a game-high 22 points and [player_tooltip player_id='488845' first='Erin' last='Frazier'] and [player_tooltip player_id='325206' first='Demi' last='Simpson'] recording 10 rebonds each. Frazier had a double-double in the win as Teaneck won the rebounding battle, 35-22. For Montville, [player_tooltip player_id='159079' first='Grace' last='Kowalski'] led with 16 points and five steals. Montville had three players with multi-steal games and two with three or more assists in the loss.</p>   <h2>Ocean Township breaks 43-year sectional final drought</h2>   <p>What a better place to end this article than with history being made with Ocean Township as the Spartans reached their first sectional final since 1980 with a two-point win over Red Bank Regional. Who else but [player_tooltip player_id='488740' first='Eli' last='Clark'] to carry the freight for Ocean, scoring 19 points along with nine rebounds, three assists and two steals. Six Spatans steals made the biggest difference overall.</p>

The playoffs are nearly finished up in New Jersey as sectional semifinals took place over the weekend, filled with shockers, surprises and great performances from players across the state. While we won't be able to talk about every semifinal game that has happened in the Garden State, here's a look at what happened during Friday's semifinal action.