Friday’s Finest: Top Performers from Dec. 15
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High school basketball is back and better than ever in New Jersey. The girls basketball season has begun, meaning plenty of high-flying excitement ready to present to you. We also had the start of the always-exciting Shore Games, featuring some…
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Continue ReadingHigh school basketball is back and better than ever in New Jersey. The girls basketball season has begun, meaning plenty of high-flying excitement ready to present to you. We also had the start of the always-exciting Shore Games, featuring some of the best teams in the state. Here’s a quick look at the best of the best from Friday’s games.
Allison Cannon Allison Cannon 5'10" | PG Holmdel | 2024 State NJ – Holmdel (2024)
What a game for the senior guard for Holmdel, the backbone of the Hornets. She put together a dominant performance against Marlboro, scoring a season-high 23 points, along with three rebounds, seven assists, three 3-pointers and an incredible nine steals. Cannon out-scored Marlboro on her own in a 55-20 win as Holmdel moves to 2-0 on the season.
Taylor Sofilkanich Taylor Sofilkanich 6'4" | PF St. John Vianney | 2026 State NJ – St. John Vianney (2026)
St. John Vianney started off this season with a bang, a 58-51 win over Dr. Phillips (FL), and it was the sophomore forward who led the charge with a 25-point performance down low. It’s a career-high for Sofilkanich, who scored just 80 total points as a freshman for the Lancers. She added in four rebounds, three blocks and four steals to her big day.
Taylor Derkack Taylor Derkack 6'0" | SF Colonia | 2024 State NJ – Colonia (2024)
When we saw 16 steals from Derkack, we had to do a double-take because she was just two rebounds away from a triple-double in Colonia’s season-opener. The future college star finished with 16 points, eight rebounds and those 16 steals, adding in four assists just for fun. Really solid all-around performance for the Patriots, a 50-point win over Camden to start the year.
Ella Mason Ella Mason 5'6" | PG Rumson-Fair Haven | 2024 State NJ – Rumson Fair-Haven (2024)
The threes were coming down hard for the senior guard for Rumson Fair-Haven as the Bulldogs escaped with a 43-42 win, hitting nine threes overall. Seven of those came from Mason, who finished with 21 points, all coming behind the arc, and is nearly a third of the way to her three-point total for last season already. Those 21 points were also a career-high for her.
Kiyanna Blacks-Stewart Kiyanna Blacks-Stewart 6'0" | PF Camden Catholic | 2025 State NJ – Paul VI (2025)
Blacks-Stewart was a big transfer pickup for Paul VI from Camden Catholic and she already had a big impact for the Eagles in a massive win over St. Rose. Facing a tough opponent and a 17-point performance from their superstar, Jada Lynch Jada Lynch 5'11" | SG St. Rose | 2026 State NJ , the Eagles had their own big-time game out of the junior forward, finishing with a double-double, 12-points and 10 rebounds, en route to a 58-49 victory.
Arielle Edwards Arielle Edwards 6'0" | C Hudson Catholic | 2027 State NJ – Hudson Catholic (2027)
Not every game that will be played will be pretty as Hudson Catholic grinded out a 29-25 win over Colts Neck at the Shore Games. Edwards had one of the most complete performances of the night and contributed well defensively to a win, finishing with six points and a game-high 12 rebounds. The freshman was really active on the boards and made the difference on the glass needed in a low-scoring affair.
Macie McCracken Macie McCracken 5'8" | CG Wildwood | 2025 State NJ – Wildwood (2025)
The junior has just made things look easy during her high school career, once again dominant on Friday. Wildwood strung together a 34-point win, and McCracken paced all players with 22 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals. Let’s not forget three 3-pointers too, not a bad way to start out her junior season for the Warriors.
Vanessa Kohler Vanessa Kohler SF Highland Park | 2025 State NJ – Highland Park (2025)
Have a season opener Vanessa Kohler Vanessa Kohler SF Highland Park | 2025 State NJ . What a performance from the junior out of Highland Park, who put on a show against Somerset Tech. She led the Owls with 23 points, six rebounds and five steals, adding on four assists and two made 3-pointers in a 50+ point victory. Kohler is no stranger to big performances, but everything was working in unison for her, no doubt.
Jackie Schels Jackie Schels 5'10" | SF Wallkill Valley | 2024 State NJ – Wallkill Valley (2024)
Schels’ performance unfortunately got overshadowed in a 34-point loss against Morris Tech, but a fantastic game for her deserves some praise. You don’t see 30-point double-doubles often, but Schels did just that, finishing with 30 points and 13 rebounds, sinking two 3-pointers and racking up three blocks and two steals. What more can you say about someone who scored nearly 80 percent of a team’s points in one game?