Senior Spotlight: Under the Radar PG’s

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the world of girls' basketball (and sports in general), where the spotlight often falls on the most hyped prospects, these hoopers are poised to take center stage this season in their respective senior campaigns. They command the back court and have been diligently refining their skills and pushing their limits in the off-season. With the 2024-2025 season just around the corner, these newly minted seniors are ready for their last hurrah.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='414299' first='Janiyah' last='Capers'] | 5'3" | St. Dominic</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Playing alongside standout [player_tooltip player_id='414298' first='Alyssa' last='Stridiron'], she has done a fantastic job the past three years upping her production and helping SDA notch wins over quality opponents. Allowing her to run point frees up Alyssa to line up 3's and decimate opponents around the perimeter. The opposite is also true, where Alyssa can run point and dish out some sweet dimes to Janiyah slashing in transition or lurking out behind the arc. Both are versatile at the guard spot, and that versatility is something Janiyah has worked on with every passing year. She enters Year 4 ready for her breakout! With a dangerous two-way game, she stays committed on both ends of the floor, looking to make her presence felt in every way. She has a great chance to eclipse 500 career rebounds (currently at 343) and 200 career steals (currently at 151).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='583712' first='McKenzie' last='Palek'] | 5'8" | Middle Township</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She's the engine that makes this team go! Watching the Panthers play, it almost seems as though there's several of her, because she's everywhere all at once! Need buckets? She's your girl! Need lockdown perimeter defense? She's your girl! Fearless rebounding from the guard spot, she does it! Sweet dimes in transition. she dishes 'em! She brings the energy and fierce competitive nature, reminiscent of Marina Mabrey. She plays freely and is a tremendous leader who her teammates can rely on when games get tight and tense!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='525308' first='Sabrina' last='Little'] | Holy Spirit</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A fiery lead guard, Sabrina can score it just as efficiently as she can pass it! After a breakout last season, she enters her final year ready to build up on that success. She continues to elevate her two-way game and should be recognized as one of the scrappiest guards in the CAL. With averages of 16.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.9 apg and 3.1 spg as a junior, her savvy PG skills wreaked havoc across the board. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if she led the CAL in scoring this season because she's THAT dynamic!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='827088' first='Bridget' last='Roach'] | Atlantic City</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Having played alongside Quanirah Cherry-Montague for two seasons, Bridget expanded her skillset while learning from one of the best players to ever come out of Atlantic City, male or female. Last season, Bridget led a young Vikings squad to a South Jersey, Group 4 appearance, posting season averages of 12.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg and 3.5 spg. She commands the court from the PG spot, establishing herself as an excellent facilitator, efficient mid-range scorer, fearless rebounder and scrappy defender. She scans the floor wonderfully looking to facilitate, but if the defense locks down on her teammates, she has the confidence to take it herself and score at a high level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='583951' first='Brooke' last='Braen'] | Saddle River Day</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the graduation of All-State players Cristina Parrella (Princeton) and Julianna Almeida (Navy), Brooke steps into new territory in her senior campaign. She'll play a more prominent role for the Colonial Rebels as the lead guard running the show alongside [player_tooltip player_id='583948' first='Isabella' last='Pedone']. Her electricity is tough to contain, especially when igniting fast breaks by playing stellar defense. Her assists can come at a rapid pace, as can her 3-pointers. She is a multifaceted, high energy point guard ready to make waves this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='414399' first='Celina' last='Bussanich'] | Pascack Valley</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Although she's a 1,000-point scorer, Celina doesn't get the buzz she rightfully deserves! She goes about her business quietly and just flat-out gets the job done! From scoring at a high clip to showing off tremendous court vision and whipping passes to teammates, she has a deep bag of tricks on the court. I would classify her as a true scoring point guard with lethal range! She was one of only a select few across the state to score 400+ points and drain 70+ 3-pointers last season as she led her team to a postseason appearance in Group Group 3. Get familiar with this senior's name because you'll be hearing a lot of it this winter!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->