North Jersey's X-FACTORS | Prep Girls Hoops

With the NJSIAA state tournament just a week away, we turn our attention to some of North Jersey's often overlooked and underappreciated players who might just be the key to their respective teams make a deep run in the playoffs. Each of these hoopers bring something different to the table and play crucial roles on their squads.   [player_tooltip player_id='651485' first='Kaitlyn' last='Platt'] | Pope John   It's rare to have a freshman be your x-factor... unless that freshman is [player_tooltip player_id='651485' first='Kaitlyn' last='Platt'], of course. Like older sister Addy, she is long, athletic and versatile. Her ability to score the ball efficiently at multiple levels gives this Pope John team a reliable offensive weapon who can really pile on the points. She is also fantastic on the glass, totally unafraid to go up against much taller players to fight for rebounds and possession. Her versatility was the difference-maker in a 48-34 win against North Star Academy in mid-January (12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals) and a 51-40 win against Randolph in early-February (19 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 steal). As this team's third leading scorer and second leading shot-blocker, Pope John will count on her strong two-way game to make a deep run in Non-Public A.   [player_tooltip player_id='591478' first='Tessa' last='Lozner'] | Gill St. Bernard's   Tessa runs the point smoothly and confidently with the ability to effectively create for others and also knock down big buckets on her own. Her defense and court vision will be two major keys to GSB's success this post-season. She applies pressure on defense that leads to speedy, quick-hitting transition offense. She scans the floor, finds open teammates and threads the needle wonderfully, racking up impressive assists in the process. Her post-entry passes to UConn commit [player_tooltip player_id='591477' first='Gandy' last='Malou-Mamel'] all season long have been well-timed and excellently executed. Tessa has achieved double-figure assists in four games this season and leads her team with nearly 7 assists per contest!   [player_tooltip player_id='855986' first='Regan' last='Lynch'] | Leonia   This multi-sport stud has been an interior force for Leonia all season long. At 5'8", she is an undersized, yet strong center who is not easily moved off her base. She has pulled down rebounds with authority for the Lady Lions, acting like a safety net under the rim and providing her teammates with second (and third) chance scoring options. At just over nine per contest and with eleven games in double-figure rebounding, she has truly been a force. It's this ferocity that the sixth seeded Leonia will need if they want to make some noise in Group 2!   [player_tooltip player_id='588007' first='Adrienne' last='Taylor-Kamara'] | West Orange   Adrienne is a player whose teammates and coaches can rely on to make an immediate impact. She is solid on both sides of the ball and commits to playing aggressive and being locked in from the first whistle to the last. She was the difference-maker in big regular season wins versus Chestatee (GA) (16 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks) and Newark Central (10 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals). She's a well-balanced scorer who can really stuff the stat sheet and be relied upon to make big plays in crunch time. The Mountaineers will need her aggressiveness and uptempo play heading into Group 4 play starting Wednesday.   [player_tooltip player_id='601520' first='Allison' last='Snyder'] | Glen Ridge   Not only can Allison fill up the stat sheet, she is one of the state's premier shot-blockers at nearly 5 per game! With one triple-double already under belt this season (12 points, 10 rebounds, 11 blocks) she put everyone on notice to what she is fully capable of on both sides of the ball. Standing nearly 6'0" tall, the Ridgers will rely on her length and fierce rim protection as they look to make a splash in Group 1 play. Whether it's running the floor and getting ahead of the pack, swatting shots, intercepting passes or dishing out dimes, Allison will serve as this team's do-it-all secret weapon who is capable of lifting her team past dangerous opponents.   [player_tooltip player_id='855989' first='Dyshana' last='Austin'] | Newark Central   Much of the focus on this Blue Devils squad goes to [player_tooltip player_id='325186' first='Faith' last='Fedd-Robinson'] (and rightfully so) because of her dominance and jaw-dropping numbers, but they have a quiet assassin in Dyshana who can surely light it up! She is their leader in 3-point baskets who makes defenders pay when given even just a small window of space. Her hot shooting and blue-collar defense was the difference-maker in a close 56-51 win against West Essex (20 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, two 3-pointers). As Newark Central goes for Group 2 glory, Dyshana's terrific two-way game will be a major factor in their ultimate success.   [player_tooltip player_id='835502' first='Hailey' last='Conklin'] | Colonia   Hailey is a dynamic freshman that has PUT IN WORK for Patriots through 25 games thus far. She gives them a solid fourth scoring option and notable defensive presence. With four games in double-figure scoring, she has proved she can pile on the points and in a number of ways too. She's quick on the attack, can pop from the mid-range and is fully confident knocking down the long ball. Hailey is a fearless freshman who has embraced the biggest moments against the toughest teams and if second-seeded Colonia wants to make a deep run in a stacked Group 3 bracket, her fearlessness and sharp execution will be heavily relied upon.   [player_tooltip player_id='600927' first='Tatyanna' last='Watson'] | Bayonne   An absolute fireball of energy, Taty plays with a ton of bounce and tenacity on both ends of the court. While she can light it up and electrify with her scoring, it's her hard-nosed, suffocating on-ball defense that may be what carries Bayonne to a Group 4 title this post-season. She has a knack for picking pockets and igniting the fast break, giving her team multiple chances per game to put points on the board. You know what they say after all, defense wins championships.

With the NJSIAA state tournament just a week away, we turn our attention to some of North Jersey's often overlooked and underappreciated players who might just be the key to their respective teams make a deep run in the playoffs. Each of these hoopers bring something different to the table and play crucial roles on their squads.