Top Returners in the BCSL

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The preseason preview don't stop as we get closer and closer to the start of the high school girls basketball season in New Jersey. It's time to head to a new conference, this time, the Burlington County Scholastic League to discuss the top returning players for this coming season, and there's a lot of great talent to scour through.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='583460' first='Madeline' last='Wylie'] - Bordentown (2025)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wylie is entering a crucial senior season for her after finally finding her breakout campaign as a junior for Bordentown. One season saw her more than double her offensive production as a sophomore, establishing herself as a bonafide player within league and her team. She's the unquestioned leader of this program coming into this season and is a stalwart down low.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='600881' first='Madison' last='Adam'] - New Egypt (2026)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Adam is one of the foremost forwards to watch out for this coming season, a really solid player that had incredible growth in her productivity as a sophomore. Impressive body of work on the offensive side of the ball while maintaining composure down low. There are other pieces that are returning for this team, but she's going to be heavily relied upon in a leadership role to make things happen and rack up double-doubles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mikelle Smith - Moorestown Friends (2025)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Smith falls into the three &amp; D category, not at all a bad thing, but a product of great perimeter defense and just as good, if not better shooting. Her offense was predicated on the three-ball, something that might change drastically as MFS returns with a relatively young group in terms of game experience. However, she'll still be relied upon as someone who can get stops on one side of the court and get buckets on the other.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='600876' first='Hannah' last='Abele'] - Riverside (2026)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There were two standout sophomores that we could have gone with for Riverside, but we chose Abele, a great complement to teammate [player_tooltip player_id='600877' first='Natalie' last='Tkacs']. Where Tkacs dominates down low, Abele does the same from the perimeter, a great volume shooter, and an efficient one at that. She's done a great job at not just relying on the three to be successful offensively, able to drive into the lane or hit a midrange as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='600883' first='Amanda' last='Cech'] - Florence (2026)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Again, two great players to talk about with Florence in Cech and sophomore Jazmin Montigue, but we've gone with the sharp-shooting guard making a name for herself already. That guard/forward partnership and the production it will provide is going to be a fun watch, no doubt. Cech, in particular, is a jack of all trades on the floor, averaging nearly 16.0 PPG last season, along with 2+ threes a game. Very impressive player indeed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='878692' first='Akeelah' last='Lafleur'] - Westampton Tech (2025)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If we're talking about the best forwards in the league, Lafleur is firmly in the conversation, if not leading the conversation talks after what she did as a junior. What she did was average a double-double in her first season with the program at nearly 13 PPG and 11.5 RPG. That includes an absurd 6+ blocks per game and four triple-doubles, all via the blocks department. Truly incredible stuff with this standout forward.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='414317' first='Ava' last='Sztenderowicz'] - Cinnaminson (2025)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Numerous choices on this Cinnaminson team, giving some love to [player_tooltip player_id='835862' first='Gabby' last='Harvey'], [player_tooltip player_id='600878' first='Norah' last='Quinn'] and [player_tooltip player_id='871368' first='Shiloh' last='Moore'] in the process. However, we're focusing on the backbone of the Pirates roster, someone who's been a contributor and grown exponentially over the last three seasons. Sztenderowicz is a veteran leader going into her senior season, a key cog that gets things going for her teammates and steadies the ship at all times.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='414322' first='Molly' last='Frith'] - Holy Cross Prep (2025)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was big news when Frith announced she would be heading to Holy Cross after a strong freshman season at Delran. What she's done is turned herself into a must-watch star and one of the best shooters in the league, the region and the state. You don't just hit 150 threes in your career without being incredibly good at what you do. She's worked on herself, gotten that release point down and ran with it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='414319' first='Julia' last='Zimmermann'] - Holy Cross Prep (2025)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>HCP has not one, but two fantastic shooters returning for this season, the latter half of the duo being Zimmerman, who hit 50+ threes for the second-straight season. Great passer, strong rebounder for a guard, equally great shot-blocker/rim protector, and a solid defensive piece overall. Her player makeup is great. She plays with confidence, which shows, and with confidence comes production, of which we've very much seen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='583710' first='Sianni' last='Hill'] - Pennsauken (2025)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Patriot division might be the division to watch out for this season as three teams are going to be gunning for the top spot, beginning with Pennsauken. Two big pieces return, one in the backcourt and one in the frontcourt. The frontcourt piece, [player_tooltip player_id='583710' first='Sianni' last='Hill'], is our focus. A big contributor last season, Hill averaged in double-figures offensively while showing great potential on the boards and as a rim protector. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Jill Watson - Northern Burlington (2025)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Northern Burlington has some pieces returning for next season, perhaps none bigger than senior Jill Watson, a top-end perimeter shooter that posted career-high numbers as a junior. Averaging 16.5 PPG and 2.3 threes and steals per game, Watson excelled in a number of ways on the floor, really coming into her own as a scorer and a playmaker. Very excited to see where she takes her game up to this coming season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='414312' first='Qui-Mia' last='Wilkins'] - Pemberton (2025)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's hard to pin one player as a Player of the Year candidate, but truthfully, Wilkins is that player in the BCSL, an all-around monster, a 20-point scorer, fantastic defender, strong rebounder, impressive shooter and very solid post prospect. Her game is becoming incredibly well-rounded, able to affect the game in a plethora of different ways. Calm, composed, but still explosive, Wilkins is the player to watch in this league this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->