NJSIAA State Playoff Quarterfinals Recap: 2/23

<p>Thursday saw over 30 quarterfinal games take place around New Jersey with a number of upsets, upset bids and absolute chaos around the Garden State. While we won't be able to recap every game, here are some highlights from Thursday's action, a great day of girls basketball in the Garden State.</p>   <h2>Haddon Township defeats Sterling in low-scoring OT thriller</h2>   <p>If you would have told us there would be a final score in the playoffs with both teams scoring under 20 points, we would have thought you were insane, but Haddon Township and Sterling did just that and then some as the game went to OT. Freshman [player_tooltip player_id='600906' first='Kiersten' last='Callahan'] was the hero for the No. 6 seeded Hawks, hitting a game-winning three in OT for the three-point win, her only points of the game. [player_tooltip player_id='583462' first='Alli' last='Kamulda'] led HT with six points in the win while [player_tooltip player_id='406941' first='Bridget' last='Dickson'] led the No. 3 seeded Silver Knights with seven points.</p>   <h2>Cinnaminson continues dominance into semis</h2>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='325192' first='Devyn' last='Quigley'] might have put on an absolute show for Manchester Township, scoring 37 points in her final game of the season, but it wasn't enough to defeat the well-oiled machine that has been Cinnaminson. [player_tooltip player_id='481586' first='Rhochelle' last='Johnson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='404204' first='Brooke' last='Sztenderowicz'] combined for 36 points as four Pirates finished with six or more points in the win. Just a note about Quigley's season: she finishes 23 points short of 1,000 for the year and is just 321 points away from 2,000. She finished the season with a scoring averaging of 34.9 PPG.</p>   <h2>Rausch powers South Brunswick to double-digit win</h2>   <p>What a performance [player_tooltip player_id='404224' first='Katie' last='Rausch'] had herself in the quarterfinals for South Brunswick, one of two players on the team with 20 or more points along with [player_tooltip player_id='488998' first='Leilani' last='Pinder'], but she led all scorers with 27 points in a 76-64 win. Her 27-point performance was a career-high as she and Pinder combined for 51 points and 10 made three-pointers. Not to be out-done, but Long Branch had four players finish in double-digits in scoring, led by [player_tooltip player_id='488721' first='Leilani' last='Andrews']' 20 points and a 13-point, 17-rebound double-double from [player_tooltip player_id='488736' first='Alayah' last='Vincent'].</p>   <h2>Elston continues historic end-of-season tear for Middle Township</h2>   <p>It was almost too easy for Middle Township in a 74-29 win over Haddon Heights in the quarterfinals on Thursday, with [player_tooltip player_id='404202' first='Jada' last='Elston'] doing [player_tooltip player_id='404202' first='Jada' last='Elston'] things again, scoring a game-high 26 points for the Panthers. It's her fourth 24+ point game in her last five games as she's currently averaging a career-high 17.1 PPG for Middle Township this season. [player_tooltip player_id='488763' first='Hannah' last='Cappelletti'] also had herself a strong performance, hitting 2 three-pointers en route to a 10-point evening.</p>   <h2>Lenape comes back from 14 down to advance to semis</h2>   <p>Down 11 points headed into the fourth quarter and as many as 14 points in the second half, No. 6 seeded Lenape battled back to upset No. 3 seeded Toms River North in a 59-57 stunner. [player_tooltip player_id='481501' first='Kristen' last='Cortese'], one of Lenape's best shooters this season, hit the game winner with 0.3 seconds left, her second three-pointer of the game. [player_tooltip player_id='404209' first='Kaitlyn' last='King'] led Lenape in scoring with 19 points while Ava Doughtery and [player_tooltip player_id='484996' first='Sydney' last='DeShields'] combined to hit 7 three-pointers, scoring 23 total points. Toms River North put up quite the effort, with [player_tooltip player_id='482257' first='Julia' last='Grodzicki']'s 21-point, 10-rebound double-double and a 17-point night from [player_tooltip player_id='587873' first='Megan' last='Sias'].</p>   <h2>Glasser-Hyman, Misier, ball out for Hightstown</h2>   <p>The best players will show up and show out in the biggest moments, exactly what happened with [player_tooltip player_id='404218' first='Kyla' last='Glasser-Hyman'] and [player_tooltip player_id='325190' first='Abby' last='Misier'] for Hightstown in Thursday's quarterfinal game against Old Bridge. Glasser-Hyman scored a game-high 22 points along with five assists and eight steals while Misier put up a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double, recording six blocks and two steals as well. [player_tooltip player_id='844403' first='Penelope' last='Swarn'] also finished in double-figures for the Rams, who are headed to the semifinals.</p>   <h2>Craigwell reaches 1000 career points in blowout win</h2>   <p>We knew Secaucus junior [player_tooltip player_id='407040' first='Alyssa' last='Craigwell'] would be reaching the 1000 point pedestal soon, but on Thursday, she crossed the milestone off her list, putting up 28 points for the Patriots in a 48-33 win over Rutherford, her second-straight game with 28 points. She now has 13 20-point games on the year, currently averaging 19.9 PPG for Secaucus. Let's not forget to mention her seven steals in the win as well, not even leading the team as Daniela Peschetti finished with eight for the Patriots.</p>   <h2>Monroe upsets Howell for spot in semis</h2>   <p>All it took was a fourth-quarter comeback for Monroe, who trailed by 10 points at half, to secure its spot in the semifinals on Thursday. A balanced scoring effort led by [player_tooltip player_id='525414' first='Evangelina' last='Francisco']'s 12 points got the Falcons in business. Two finished in double-figures for Monrow: Francisco and [player_tooltip player_id='482795' first='Katelyn' last='Louro'], who had 10 points. [player_tooltip player_id='859818' first='Nicole' last='Turco'] and [player_tooltip player_id='404221' first='Haley' last='Higgins'] also had five points or more, showcasing some balanced scoring in a 38-29 win.</p>   <h2>Baylock, Murphy, help SPF upset Elizabeth</h2>   <p>The No. 2 seed in the North Jersey, Group IV tournament went down as No. 7 seeded Scotch-Plains Fanwood upset a 23-2 Elizabeth team, 57-50. [player_tooltip player_id='325204' first='Amanda' last='Baylock'], who recently scored her 1000th point, scored a game-high 24 points for the Raiders, with teammate Alicia Murphy scoring 17 points in the win. While in a losing effort, [player_tooltip player_id='587876' first='Alexandra' last='Koon'] had herself a game, posting a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double for Elizabeth.</p>   <h2>Double-double showdown ends in favor of Atlantic City</h2>   <p>Talk about a showdown of talent in the South Jersey, Group IV quarterfinals between Atlantic City and Williamstown. [player_tooltip player_id='321557' first='Nir' last='Nir Cherry-Montague'] and [player_tooltip player_id='397076' first='Iriona' last='Gravley'] had quite the 1-on-1 duel, Cherry-Montague finishing with 22 points, 18 rebounds and 3 blocks, and Gravley had 20 points, 13 rebounds and 2 blocks. However, great supporting play from Atlantic City's [player_tooltip player_id='827088' first='Bridget' last='Roach'], who had 13 points and four rebounds, and [player_tooltip player_id='481547' first='Sasha' last='Lemons'], scoring eight points, the Vikings stormed back in the second half for a 56-52 comeback win.</p>

Thursday saw over 30 quarterfinal games take place around New Jersey with a number of upsets, upset bids and absolute chaos around the Garden State. While we won't be able to recap every game, here are some highlights from Thursday's action, a great day of girls basketball in the Garden State.