Girls Jersey Live-IHA, Morris Catholic, Rutgers Prep Observations
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One last article on Girls Jersey Live 2023. Immaculate Heart AcademyAfter a 5-point loss in the Bergen County Championship to Saddle River Day, the IHA seniors put this team on their back to go on an epic run with wins…
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Continue ReadingOne last article on Girls Jersey Live 2023.
Immaculate Heart Academy
After a 5-point loss in the Bergen County Championship to Saddle River Day, the IHA seniors put this team on their back to go on an epic run with wins over Pope John and national powerhouse St. John Vianney to win the Non-Public A State Championship. A healthy
Zoe Brooks
Zoe
Brooks
5'8" | CG
St. John Vianney | 2023
State
NJ
may have changed that championship result, but what’s in the past is in the past and that will be part of the problem for IHA. Losing 3 seniors in D1 commit
Ava Naszimento
Ava
Naszimento
6'1" | C
Immaculate Heart | 2023
State
NJ
, D2 commit
Isabella Asencio
Isabella
Asencio
5'4" | PG
Immaculate Heart Academy | 2023
State
NJ
& D3 commit
Julia Schutz
Julia
Schutz
5'11" | SF
Immaculate Heart | 2023
State
NJ
, IHA will have some rebuilding to do. There have been rumors of a couple of backcourt transfers but going on what we know they may already have their next leaders in house. Taking over the PG position will be
Selena Cieszko
Selena
Cieszko
PG
Immaculate Heart | 2024
State
NJ
. She is not as physically strong as her predecessor, but she plays with a motor and knows how to run a team. She is a hardworking defender and a leader on both ends of the floor. Selena is very comfortable with the ball in her hands and distributing to scorers. She does a good job getting in the lane and finishing with a floater or initiating contact at the rim. If her 3-pointer continues to develop she can do a big part to replace the 900+ points that just graduated as she is their leading returning scorer.
Gianna Modica
Gianna
Modica
5'5" | PG
Immaculate Heart Academy | 2025
NJ
gave IHA some valuable minutes spelling Asencio and Cieszko last year and if they look to keep their 2 PG offense intact, she could be the one to step in. A patient offensive player, Gianna picks her spots offensively and is aggressive and vocal on the defensive end.
Sofia Valente
Sofia
Valente
5'9" | SG
Immaculate Heart | 2025
State
NJ
should be a more featured part of the scoring next year. After averaging just over 6+ppg as a sophomore, she could step into a high scoring place in this offense. She offers scoring versatility. She has a strong midrange game and the strength work inside and do the dirty work. I’d expect double figure scoring from her this year. With a team led by seniors,
Samantha Grella
Samantha
Grella
5'10" | SG
Immaculate Heart | 2026
State
NJ
did not get a ton of minutes as a freshman but when she was on the floor there wasn’t a drop-off in production. She is very active on the glass, a quick leaper and a good finisher inside. She has a nice lefty stroke from 3 and has been shooting it comfortably and with range all summer for the NJ Raptors. Grella is a long active defender and gets out in transition and fills lanes. These girls should lead IHA in the Post Big 3 era at IHA.
Morris Catholic
Talk about a team with an embarrassment of riches. Did this team really lose
Daniella Matus
Daniella
Matus
5'10" | CG
St. John Vianney | 2025
State
NJ
and possibly get better? I don’t think they added anyone as good as Daniella but they added a lot of talented pieces. Pope John’s loss will be Morris Catholic’s gain as
Madison Miller
Madison
Miller
6'3" | C
Morris Catholic | 2024
State
NJ
,
Kennedy Brown
Kennedy
Brown
5'8" | CG
Morris Catholic | 2026
State
NJ
and
Jacqueline Edelman
Jacqueline
Edelman
6'0" | SG
Morris Catholic | 2027
State
NJ
join a talented Crusader squad. Everything for this team starts and finishes with
Mia Pauldo
Mia
Pauldo
5'7" | CG
Morris Catholic | 2025
State
NJ
and
Mya Pauldo
Mya
Pauldo
5'7" | CG
Morris Catholic | 2025
State
NJ
. With Mya on the shelf after hand surgery, Mia was in total control of this team and everything they do. Her tempo is absolutely relentless, and she can beat offensively in every way possible. Over 1,000 points in just 2 years she should blow past 2,000 for her career. With D1 commit
Alexis Rosenfeld
Alexis
Rosenfeld
6'2" | C
Morris Catholic | 2024
State
NJ
also out with injury these games gave
Madison Miller
Madison
Miller
6'3" | C
Morris Catholic | 2024
State
NJ
extended time to get used to her new team. Madison looked good rebounding on D and getting a quick outlet while trailing the break and stepping into a bunch of 3-pointers. She has good hands and a soft touch. Morris Catholic likes to keep the middle open for the Pauldo twins to drive but with two 6+ footers you could see some twin tower hi-lo action this season. Miller is more polished offensively, but Rosenfeld is going to give you more on the defensive end and her athleticism makes her versatile in the rotation. She can guard the ball inside and out. Good luck rebounding against these two.
Kennedy Brown
Kennedy
Brown
5'8" | CG
Morris Catholic | 2026
State
NJ
and
Jacqueline Edelman
Jacqueline
Edelman
6'0" | SG
Morris Catholic | 2027
State
NJ
will have to be comfortable shooting the 3 as the Crusaders are losing 130 3-pointers between transfer and graduation. Brown is much more comfortable slashing off the 3-point line than shooting it from there but her consistency from three has developed. I don’t know if that is Edelman’s game yet, but she is going to give you effort all over the court. With her height and length, she will develop into an asset in the rotation for this team.
Bliss Vimbor
Bliss
Vimbor
5'10" | SG
Morris Catholic | 2024
NJ
knocked down 35 3’s as a junior and will have to ramp up that production to help replace the shooters Morris Catholic has lost. Coach Billy Lovett certainly has a lot of toys when everyone is healthy. Finding the right mix will determine if they repeat as Non-Public B State Champs.
Rutgers Prep
Losing a D1 do it all player like
Katie Ledden
Katie
Ledden
6'0" | SG
Rutgers Prep | 2023
State
NJ
is never fun, but somehow watching
Mikayla Blakes
Mikayla
Blakes
5'8" | SG
Rutgers Prep | 2024
State
NJ
just makes you think everything is going to be alright. Against Ewing, she did everything on the offensive end. She ran the offense, positioned her teammates, played with patience, distributed the ball when the D swarmed her and scored at will in one-on-one situations. Defensively, she plays fantastic team defense and is always in the right place. I’d sleep easy at night if she was running the show for my team. As she chases 2,000 career points in her senior year, she is surrounded by talent as they look to get back to the Non-Public B State Championship game.
GiGi Battle
GiGi
Battle
6'0" | CG
Rutgers Prep | 2026
State
NJ
did not have her best game against Ewing but the bright side of it all is that she got every shot she wanted. They just weren’t falling for her. However, GiGi should be the other main source of scoring for Rutgers Prep after scoring nearly 300 points as a freshman. She has a physical frame and uses her body well inside. She is strong off the bounce and scores at all 3 levels.
Chloe Escanillas
Chloe
Escanillas
5'10" | CG
Rutgers Prep | 2024
State
NJ
was spotting up at the 3-point line and getting open shots all game long. If she can build on the 37 3-pointers she made as a junior she will be a perfect complement to Blakes and Battle. At 5’10” she has the length to get inside and rebound too. When Blakes takes a rare breather or moves off the ball to get more points,
Ava LaMonica
Ava
LaMonica
5'9" | PG
Rutgers Prep | 2026
State
NJ
comes in and runs the show for Rutgers Prep. She is a very good offensive facilitator and when she gets the chance to get downhill, she uses her body to create space and finish. She is an excellent offensive rebounder, and you can see her dash to the glass when shots go up. Defensively she is a key part of a strong press for the Argonauts.
Leah Crosby
Leah
Crosby
6'1" | SF
Rutgers Prep | 2025
State
NJ
adds a lot of height and length to this squad. She had over 500 points and rebounds in 2 years at St. Thomas Aquinas before transferring to Rutgers Prep. Leah looked like she was still trying to find her place with the new team, but you can tell the talent was there and when she figures it out, she will be a key piece to their success this season.