Prep Girls Hoops New Jersey's Players of the Week: 2/6-2/12

We are a bit late with the Players of the Week this week in New Jersey as we dealt with some illnesses around the Prep Girls Hoops New Jersey team, but now is as good a time as ever for us to put out our honorees for this week. It will be a more unique one as we explore a new format, honoring four players per region per week. Here's the Players of the Week in New Jersey for Feb. 6 - 12.   <h2>North Jersey</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='159079' first='Grace' last='Kowalski'] - Montville (2023)   The newest member of Montville's 1000 point club, Kowalski reached the feat against Chatham on Friday as she recorded her then fourth 20-point game of the season, scoring 21 points along with four rebounds, five assists and five steals. Not only did she reach 1000, but she's one of NJ's leading assisters, currently averaging 5.7 APG this season.   [player_tooltip player_id='321561' first='Emma' last='Starr'] - Northern Highlands (2023)   We've seen Starr take some massive strides in her game over the past two seasons, especially as a senior, and on Thursday, she joined the 1000 point club with a 14-point performance against Paramus. She's currently averaging a career-high 14 PPG this season for the Highlanders.   [player_tooltip player_id='321573' first='Annie' last='Ryan'] - Westfield (2023)   Ryan set Westfield history last week, becoming the all-time three-point leader for the Blue Devils on Wednesday against Rahway. She hit 3 en route to a 21-point night for Westfield, reaching 134 for her career. She's now at 136, with 95 of those coming since the start of her junior year.   [player_tooltip player_id='325185' first='Chloe' last='Vasquez'] - Pequannock (2024)   Vasquez is a rare example of a junior reaching 1000 total points, something she was able to do last week for Pequannock. She needed 23 points against Hanover Park to reach the milestone and she scored exactly 23, posting a double-double with 10 rebounds as Pequannock won, 40-28. Vasquez is just one 3-pointer away from 100 in her career as well.   <h2>Central Jersey</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='406949' first='Simone' last='Pintinalli'] - Notre Dame (2024)   Pintinalli hit a big-time game-winner for Notre Dame in the quarterfinals of the Mercer County Tournament on Saturday with just two seconds remaining as the Irish advanced on with a 44-42 win over Allentown. She finished with 14 points and 4 three-pointers, none more important than her last.   [player_tooltip player_id='482218' first='Casey' last='Miller'] - Bound Brook (2023)   Miller's last two seasons for Bound Brook have easily been her best and have put her on the map as one of the best pure scorers in the state. With nine 20-point games coming into Thursday's game against Delaware Valley, Miller added a 10th for the season, scoring her 1000th point in the process as she put up 29 points along with 10 steals.   [player_tooltip player_id='491718' first='Morgan' last='Matthews'] - Pennington School (2024)   The 1000 point scorers need some love, but wow did [player_tooltip player_id='491718' first='Morgan' last='Matthews'] have herself a week for Pennington School, having surpassed 500 total points for the season and 1000 in her career. She's now recorded 10-straight 20-point games and scored 23 points on 14-of-16 shooting from the line against Franklin to reach 1K...as a junior.   [player_tooltip player_id='482255' first='Zoie' last='Maffei'] - Jackson Memorial (2023)   Maffei is having herself quite the senior year and what a matchup she had on Saturday against Shore Regional. It turned out to be her best single-game performance of her career, a monster 32-point, 20-rebound double-double in a seven point win. She not only rivaled [player_tooltip player_id='155445' first='Rylee' last='Drahos']'s 32-point performance, but posted her first ever 20+ rebound game.   <h2>South Jersey</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='404202' first='Jada' last='Elston'] - Middle Township (2023)   Elston was massive in Middle Township's Cape Atlantic League quarterfinal matchup against Absegami on Saturday, pouring in 29 points in a 42-35 win. She set a new career-high two days prior with a 30-point game in a 13-point victory over Vineland, going an incredible 19-of-22 from the line while adding a double-double to her resume with 11 rebounds.   [player_tooltip player_id='134757' first='Gabby' last='Recinto'] - Cherokee (2023)   If you're nominated more than one time for an award during the season, you must be doing something right. Success comes with the best players and for Recinto and Cherokee, she helped carry the Chiefs to a fifth SJIBT title over the weekend, putting up an impressive 28-point performance against Cinnaminson in the quarterfinals and a 14-point performance in a 36-33 title game victory over Camden Catholic.   [player_tooltip player_id='481501' first='Kristen' last='Cortese'] - Lenape (2023)   Cortese has quietly had herself quite the season for Lenape and has turned into one of their better offensive threats and just overall talents. Last week, speaking of breakouts, she hit her 150th career three-pointer and posted a massive 20-point performance on Saturday in a 17-point win over Clearview.   [player_tooltip player_id='326414' first='Breelynn' last='Leary'] - Highland (2024)   Leary is steadily creeping up on 1000 career points with Highland, but last week, she hit another milestone in 100 career three-pointers, knocking down four in a close win over Timber Creek on Thursday. She scored 17 points in that game and also had her second 30-point game of the season on Tuesday against Triton, scoring 31 points.

We are a bit late with the Players of the Week this week in New Jersey as we dealt with some illnesses around the Prep Girls Hoops New Jersey team, but now is as good a time as ever for us to put out our honorees for this week. It will be a more unique one as we explore a new format, honoring four players per region per week. Here's the Players of the Week in New Jersey for Feb. 6 - 12.