North Non-Public A & B – Preview and Players to Watch
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In just over 3 months, NJ girls high school basketball has gone from tryouts to lose and go home. We’ve seen 64 games over 2 days in North Groups 1-4 with 9 upsets including #16-Livingston taking down #1-Paterson Eastside in…
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Continue ReadingIn just over 3 months, NJ girls high school basketball has gone from tryouts to lose and go home. We’ve seen 64 games over 2 days in North Groups 1-4 with 9 upsets including #16-Livingston taking down #1-Paterson Eastside in North 1 Group 4. Today starts the state tournament for Non-Public A and Non-Public B. Here are the players and teams to watch in the North.
Non-Public A
Contenders
#1-Pope John comes into States on a 12-game winning streak with a 22-4 overall record and youth leads the way for the Lions. Sophomore
Addy Platt
Addy
Platt
5'11" | SG
Pope John | 2026
State
NJ
is leading the team with 15+ppg, 7+rpg, 4+apg, 3+bpg and 2+spg. Fellow sophomore
Mia Washington
Mia
Washington
5'11" | PG
Pope John | 2026
State
NJ
has upped her scoring in her 2nd year. Already one of the top defenders in North Jersey she is averaging 14+ppg with a team high 26 3-pointers and also 3+rpg. Freshman
Kaitlyn Platt
Kaitlyn
Platt
5'9" | SG
Pope John | 2027
State
NJ
is averaging 9+ppg, 6+rpg and 3+apg. She has upped her scoring lately scoring in double figures in 11 of her last 15 games. Junior Katie O’Keefe averages 6+ppg, 2+rpg and 2+apg and is 2nd on the team with 17 3-pointers.
#2-IHA has won 5 of their last 7 and enters States at 14-9. Senior floor general Selena Cieszko Selena Cieszko PG Immaculate Heart | 2024 State NJ leads the Blue Eagles with 14+ppg, 2+apg and 2+spg. She is also averaging 3+rpg and her motor is what makes IHA go. Junior Sofia Valente Sofia Valente 5'9" | SG Immaculate Heart | 2025 State NJ is averaging 13+ppg with a team high 59 3-pointers and also 3+rpg. Sophomore Samantha Grella Samantha Grella 5'10" | SG Immaculate Heart | 2026 State NJ leads the team with 5+rpg while contributing 6+ppg. IHA has experience and has played in many tough games, but they will need a 3rd scorer to step up to compete with #1-Pope John.
#3-Holy Angels is 16-6 and has won 7 of their last 9 games. They may have the most dynamic scorer in this section in senior Samantha Serrano Samantha Serrano SG Holy Angels | 2024 State NJ . With over 1,300 career points she leads the team with 26+ppg, 69 3-pointers and 4+spg. She also averages 7+rpg. Senior Celeste Harper Celeste Harper 5'7" | PG Holy Angels | 2024 State NJ leads the team with 2+apg. She is 2nd on the team with 12+ppg, 29 3-pointers, and 2+spg. She also averages 5+rpg and is a lock down defender. Junior Daria Coll leads the team with 9+rpg and also averages 5+apg and 2+apg. An IHA vs Holy Angels semifinal matchup is very likely with IHA having won the previous meetings by 3 and 13 respectively.
#4-Newark Academy is 17-8 and has won 7 of their last 9 games. They have 2 dynamic players that combine to score over 70% of their team’s points. Senior Central Connecticut commit Dagny Slomack Dagny Slomack 5'5" | SG Newark Academy | 2024 State NJ has scored over 1,400 points in her career. She leads the team with 19+ppg, 63 3-pointers, 4+apg and 4+spg. She is also 2nd on the team with 4+rpg. Senior Katerina Dakos Katerina Dakos 5'8" | SG Newark Academy | 2024 State NJ is over 1,100 career points. She leads the team with 5+rpg and 1+bpg. She is 2nd on the team with 17ppg, 18 3-pointers, 2+apg and 2+spg. Their offense against the defense of #1-Pope John would be a very interesting semifinal matchup.
Sleepers
#10-Montclair Kimberley is 14-10 and has won their last 5 games. They have senior leaders in
Aeryn Curren
Aeryn
Curren
SG
Montclair Kimberley | 2024
State
NJ
and
Salange Bell
Salange
Bell
SF
Montclair Kimberely | 2024
State
NJ
. Curren leads the team with 15+ppg, 35 3-pointers and 2+spg while also averaging 4+rpg. Bell leads the team with 8+rpg and 2+apg while also averaging 12+ppg and 2+spg.
CHAMPIONSHIP PREDICTION
#2-IHA at #1-Pope John
Non-Public B
Contenders
#1-Morris Catholic had their 23-game winning streak come to an end when they lost their last game to nationally ranked Long Island Lutheran (NY). They have beaten every NJ opponent they have played, and they have a deep roster of talent. It all goes thru twin juniors
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
. Mia has scored over 1,500 career points and leads the team with 20+ppg, 82 3-pointers and 5+apg. She also averages 3+rpg and 2+spg. Mya leads the team with 2+spg and is 2nd on the team with 15+ppg, 51 3-pointers and 4+apg while also averaging 3+rpg. Manhattan commit, senior
Alexis Rosenfeld
Alexis
Rosenfeld
6'2" | C
Morris Catholic | 2024
State
NJ
leads the team with 8+rpg and 1+bpg while also averaging 7+ppg. Senior USC-Upstate
Madison Miller
Madison
Miller
6'3" | C
Morris Catholic | 2024
State
NJ
is averaging 7+ppg and 5+rpg with 21 3-pointers in 16 games. Sophomore
Kennedy Brown
Kennedy
Brown
5'8" | CG
Morris Catholic | 2026
State
NJ
is averaging 7+ppg with 24 3-pointers, 3rpg and 2+apg. Freshman
Jacqueline Edelman
Jacqueline
Edelman
6'0" | SG
Morris Catholic | 2027
State
NJ
is averaging 6+ppg with 30 3-pointers and 3+rpg. Junior
Tatianna Collins
Tatianna
Collins
5'9" | CG
Morris Catholic | 2025
State
NJ
is averaging 5+ppg and 4+rpg.
#2-Montclair Immaculate is 23-4 and winners of 11 straight games. A deep roster has propelled them this season. Junior Nila Giraud Nila Giraud 6'0" | PF Montclair Immaculate | 2025 State NJ is 93 points shy of 1,000 for her career and leads the team with 15+ppg and 10+rpg. She also has 26 3-pointers. Senior Brenae Jones Brenae Jones 6'1" | C Montclair Immaculate | 2024 State NJ leads the team with 2+spg and is averaging 10+ppg and 8+rpg. Senior Mia Lewis Mia Lewis CG Montclair Immaculate | 2024 State NJ is averaging 8+ppg with a team high 33 3-pointers. She is also averaging 2+apg. Junior Camille Wiley Camille Wiley 5'9" | CG Montlcair Immaculate | 2025 State NJ leads the team with 3+apg and also is averaging 8+ppg, 3+rpg and 2+spg. Sophomore Nilah Rivera Nilah Rivera 5'5" | PG Montclair Immaculate | 2026 State NJ is averaging 7+ppg, 3+rpg and 2+apg and fellow sophomore Lena Most Lena Most 5'5" | PG Montclair Immaculate | 2026 State NJ is averaging 5+ppg, 3+apg, 2+rpg and 2+spg.
#3-Gill St. Bernard’s comes into states at 23-4. They have a ton of length and talent in their starting 5. Junior UConn commit Gandy Malou-Mamel Gandy Malou-Mamel 6'6" | C Gill St. Bernard's | 2025 State NJ leads the team with 16+ppg, 10rpg and 2+bpg. Senior 1,000-point scorer and BU commit, Brooke Baisley Brooke Baisley 5'10" | SF Gill St. Bernard's | 2024 State NJ leads the team with 43 3-pointers and 3+spg. She is also averaging 14+ppg, 6+rpg and 3+apg. Junior Navy commit, Sidney Quinn Sidney Quinn 6'2" | PF Gill St. Bernard | 2025 State NJ is averaging 10+ppg, 6+rpg and 3+apg. Junior Maya Abramson Maya Abramson 6'0" | SF Gill St. Bernard's | 2025 State NJ is averaging 9+ppg, 5+rpg and 2+apg while junior Tessa Lozner Tessa Lozner 5'7" | PG Gill St. Bernard's | 2025 State NJ leads the team with 6+apg and is averaging 8+ppg, 3+rpg and 2+spg.
#4-Saddle River Day is 21-3 and has won 11 straight including their 8th straight Bergen County Tournament Championship. Senior Navy commit, Julianna Almeida Julianna Almeida 5'9" | SG Saddle River Day | 2024 State NJ is 38 points shy of 1,000 and is averaging a team high 16+ppg and 7rpg while also averaging 3+apg. Senior Princeton commit, Cristina Parrella Cristina Parrella 5'10" | SG Saddle River Day | 2024 State NJ leads the team with 58 3-pointers and 4+apg while also averaging 16+ppg and 4+rpg. Junior Faith Williamson Faith Williamson 5'8" | PG Saddle River Day | 2025 State NJ is 25 points shy of 1,000 for her career. She is averaging 13+ppg with 53 3-pointers, 2+rpg and 2+apg. Junior Brooke Braen Brooke Braen 5'5" | PG Saddle River Day | 2025 State NJ is averaging 8+ppg with 29 3-pointers, 3+rpg, 3+apg and 2spg. Ultimately, I don’t think the Rebels have the depth or coaching experience to win this section.
Sleepers
I just don’t see how a team outside the top 4 can make noise in this section.
CHAMPIONSHIP PREDICTION
#3-Gill St. Bernard’s at #1-Morris Catholic