2026: Glue Girls

These hoopers help bring their respective teams together into a cohesive unit. They put in maximum effort and have a supremely detailed understanding of the game and overall sharp basketball acumen. Putting in the work behind closed doors, honing their skills and displaying leadership qualities, they know that with hard work and sacrifice comes results. This selfless will to win makes everyone around them better and builds unbreakable bonds and undeniable team chemistry.   [player_tooltip player_id='564268' first='Toni' last='Pernetti'] | 5'11" SF | Ramapo   Apart from Toni's versatility, it's her willingness to do it all and give the Raiders a multi-faceted, multi-dimensional player. Her inside-out game gets defenders all out of sorts trying to contain her. She can play and defend multiple positions, which, in turn, allows her teammates to play their designated and most comfortable positions. She is rarely outhustled or outworked, displaying intensity that her team feeds off of. As a sophomore, she ranked third on her team in points, second in rebounds, first in assists, third in steals and first (tied) in blocks. From offense to defense, she really does it all and does it quite well!   [player_tooltip player_id='601279' first='Talia' last='Shumate'] | 6'1" PF | Gloucester Catholic   On a team that was riddled with injuries last season, Talia held the Lady Rams down and put forth a tremendous effort on both sides of the ball. Beside standout [player_tooltip player_id='601413' first='Jahzara' last='Green'], she was assertive in the paint and especially on the glass; a strong rebounding force. With a tough-as-nails attitude, she helped GC make a run to the semis of South Jersey, Non-Public B while ranking second on her team in points and rebounds. Having a formidable interior presence who can also stretch the floor was crucial to GC's success last year. It was almost as though she made everyone around her better; more aware, more prepared and more confident.   [player_tooltip player_id='601517' first='Ava' last='Coyle'] | 5'3" SG | Shore   Ava is one of those players who can lead her team in scoring on any given night, but doesn't necessarily have to in order for them to win. Her numbers across the board are rock solid and last season, she helped the Blue Devils make a deep run all the way to the Group 1 State Final. She ranked fourth in points and rebounds while ranking second in steals. Her toughness is a source of inspiration for her teammates. One of the smallest on the court nearly every contest, she is totally unafraid to crash the glass and get down to scrap for steals and possession. She's super speedy and makes smart decisions in real time. I'm a big fan of her never-say-die mentality!   [player_tooltip player_id='559031' first='Daniela' last='Maletsky'] | 5'10" SG | Red Bank Catholic   Playing for the nationally ranked Caseys alongside some of the best players in the state (and nation, i.e. Addy Nyemchek), Daniela is ultra-dependable and can be relied upon to sink clutch shots and come up with crucial defensive stops. Not only has she been one of the best rebounding guards on this guard-heavy team the past two seasons, she's also one of the best and most stifling defenders! It doesn't matter whether it's a close fight or her team is up big, you'd never know the score just by watching her play, simply because it's 100% effort every single time. Pure relentlessness, a high motor and a positive attitude!   [player_tooltip player_id='600911' first='SondJane' last='Daudin'] | 5'7" PG | Thrive Charter   SondJane brings sheer physicality to the guard spot and some really clutch knock-down shooting! Whether she's starting or coming off the bench, she produces quality basketball in her minutes played. She will step into more of a leadership role with the graduation of four standouts from a season ago but remains the glue that holds Thrive together because of her ability to do so many things well, from stat production to the intangibles. She just wants to win, plain and simple, and will do whatever it takes to pull her squad together and chase dubs. I think we can all expect a big breakout from SondJane this season!   [player_tooltip player_id='601522' first='Carryn' last='Grand Pierre'] | 5'9" CG | North Star Academy   North Star has a lot of raw talent on their roster, but none is more locked in than Carryn. With the ability to totally take over and lead her team in every statistical category from the guard spot, she has established herself as this team's Swiss-army knife. This do-it-all demeanor helped NSA achieve a 19-8 overall record (13-0 in the SEC Independence) and QF appearance in North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4. She knows how to be assertive and lead, but also knows how to listen and be a total team player, which is something every team needs in order to be successful.   [player_tooltip player_id='601329' first='Briana' last='Holt'] | 6'3” C | University   On a team loaded with D1 talent, Briana played a very important role helping guide her team to a Group 1 State Championships last season. With every passing year (whether at Roselle or University) her production and efficiency has increased wonderfully. One thing you can count on is maximum effort every single game! She's capable of going off for a double-double on any given night, but more significant is her ability to adapt and gel with her teammates, whether upperclassmen or incoming freshmen. Briana's selflessness and the way she's trusted the process in her development has paid dividends for herself and the Phoenix as a unit.   [player_tooltip player_id='601336' first='Nikki' last='Costantini'] | 5'8” SG | Hunterdon Central   Nikki is the defensive anchor and glue for the Red Devils, leading them in steals last season as a sophomore and coming dangerously close to leading as a freshman! With a sharp focus, she puts forth solid two-way guard play. And while Nikki can certainly tally some points for her squad, she really gives them the biggest spark by locking down and racking up steals, which can, in turn, ignite fast break opportunities. She notched a career-high six steals three times last season! When she's wreaking havoc on defense, it makes everyone else want to lock in and apply that same pressure. It gets them riled up! It gets them going!

These hoopers help bring their respective teams together into a cohesive unit. They put in maximum effort and have a supremely detailed understanding of the game and overall sharp basketball acumen. Putting in the work behind closed doors, honing their skills and displaying leadership qualities, they know that with hard work and sacrifice comes results. This selfless will to win makes everyone around them better and builds unbreakable bonds and undeniable team chemistry.