The Best Players I Saw at She Got Game Shore Games

Teams from far and wide flocked to the Jersey Shore this weekend to compete in a loaded field that included national powerhouses and 5 star recruits. I had my head on a swivel at St. John Vianney H.S. all day Saturday and Sunday scoping out the extraordinary talent. Here are 10 players who left a huge impression on me:   Anaya Karriem | 6'2" C | West Orange   Anaya wreaked havoc on defense this weekend and asserted her dominance under the rim. She commanded the paint and with her long reach, disrupted passes and deflected a ton of shots. An absolute menace on the boards, she crashed the glass hard and pulled down rebounds with authority. The beneficiary of countless post-entry passes, Anaya used solid footwork and impressive post moves to attack the rim.   [player_tooltip player_id='559028' first='GiGi' last='Battle'] | 6'0" CG| Rutgers Prep   Every time I watch GiGi play, I'm blown away by her talent and array of skills. Her offense was clicking on all cylinders as she showed off the ability to efficiently score it at all three levels. Strong and confident off the dribble, she tore through the lane and finished through contact at a very high level. Her floater was wicked and hit just about every single time. Most impressive was her knockdown shooting from 15 feet. If she missed a jumper all weekend I wouldn't know! GiGi is the real deal.   [player_tooltip player_id='325188' first='Zahra' last='Alexander'] | 5'8" PG | Rutgers Prep   She might just be the state's best defender! Her incredible lockdown defense and ball denial was awe-inspiring. Excellent lateral movement and scrappy hands created a world of trouble for opponents as they simply could not get by her. She was a brick wall not easily swayed or moved off her base. On offense, she was explosive to the basket and fearless in her ability to initiate contact and get to the line. Zahra is TOUGH AS NAILS.   [player_tooltip player_id='414234' first='Azanah' last='Campbell'] | 5'9" SF | Paul VI   Azanah's two-way game was flat-out impressive! She seemed to be everywhere all at once; forceful on offense and pesky on defense. She was tough to contain whether she drove inside or popped from the perimeter. Smart with her dribble, she kept a low and tight handle which coupled with her speed, helped her escape traps with ease. From the first whistle to the last, her motor never quit and she maintained the same level of high energy throughout.   [player_tooltip player_id='488637' first='Shariah' last='Baynes'] | 5'6" SG | Paul VI   Shariah imposed her will early on and was a nightmare for opponents. Defensively, she applied intense ball pressure and scrappy hands created effective ball denial. She was a hawk on the perimeter, keeping the ball-handler in front of her at all times and forcing turnovers at a rapid pace. With the rock in her hands, she broke down defenders with her shifty handles and snaked her way to the rim with no fear. She was unguardable from the corners and knocked down 3's with consistency.   [player_tooltip player_id='824094' first='Mayah' last='Alford'] | 5'11" SF | Trenton Catholic   Dominance was the name of her game this weekend. She ran the floor hard and got buckets from just about everywhere. She established herself in the paint and outworked and overpowered defenders to score the ball at will. She also pulled it out and showed off her sweet stroke from outside, knocking down perimeter shots time and time again. She was a tough defensive assignment for anybody, no matter who they threw at her.   [player_tooltip player_id='333320' first='Christina' last='Liggio'] | 5'8" PG | Red Bank Catholic   Christina stood out to me as one of the best two-way players of the entire weekend. She was efficient scoring it at multiple levels and playing with a sense of urgency throughout; scored a ton of points on very few shots. She pushed the pace but never once got sped up or rushed to play out of her element. On defense, she stalked and suffocated defenders, making their lives an actual nightmare. The intensity she brought on both sides of the ball was unmatched!   [player_tooltip player_id='583951' first='Brooke' last='Braen'] | 5'6" PG | Saddle River Day   When you talk about the state's premier lockdown defenders, [player_tooltip player_id='583951' first='Brooke' last='Braen'] should be in the conversation. She showed up and showed out this weekend by playing gritty and tenacious blue-collar defense. She was not afraid to dive and scrap for 50/50 balls and forced turnovers at a rapid pace. Quick on her feet laterally, she hounded the perimeter and applied intense ball pressure, disrupting passing lanes and converting excellent defense to quick-hitting transition offense.   [player_tooltip player_id='333309' first='Daniella' last='Matus'] | 5'10" CG | St. John Vianney   Daniella's sharpshooting skills were on full display against Life Center Academy on Sunday. She drilled SEVEN 3's and was unguardable off the catch and shoot. Her quick release coupled with the fact that she needs little to no space to get off a good look is nightmare fuel for opponents. The way she sinks shots from deep makes the 1-2-2 zone defense look foolish and totally ineffective. A 3-point assassin!   [player_tooltip player_id='583758' first='Nila' last='Giraud'] | 6'0" PF | Montclair Immaculate   Although listed officially as a stretch 4, Nila's game is so wickedly versatile that she can play just about any position and play it well! She has the handles and speed of a guard, the size of a big and can score it effectively at all three levels. Her two-way game is dynamic and she can single-handedly take over a game. She brought the physicality and played bully ball, showing off her strength and sheer athleticism. A dangerous corner shooter, she buried teams from deep the same way she buried them on the glass. Trying to contain her may be an arduous task for just about anybody in the state.

Teams from far and wide flocked to the Jersey Shore this weekend to compete in a loaded field that included national powerhouses and 5 star recruits. I had my head on a swivel at St. John Vianney H.S. all day Saturday and Sunday scoping out the extraordinary talent. Here are 10 players who left a huge impression on me: