South Jersey Group 3 Playoff Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2024-2025 NJSIAA Girls Basketball Playoffs have arrived. The sectional playoffs will start on February 26. We're six days away!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Which teams have the best chance to make it out of their section?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>See my full preview and prediction for the South Jersey Group 3 bracket below.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Seeds</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>1- Cherry Hill West</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>2- Moorestown</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>3- Absegami</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>4- Toms River East</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>5- Clearview</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>6- Hammonton</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>7- Mainland</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>8- Timber Creek</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>9- Lacey</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>10- Ocean City</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>11- Shawnee</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>12- Triton</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>13- Delsea</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>14- Toms River South</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>15- Seneca</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>16- Winslow</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Favorite</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cherry Hill West (18-4): </strong>This is perhaps the most competitive bracket out of all of the groups in the region. After Mainland rolled through the sectional playoffs en route to the Group 3 state title in 2024, South Jersey Group 3 is wide open. However, the clear favorite is top-seeded Cherry Hill West. The Lions are led by one of the best sophomores in the state, [player_tooltip player_id='835898' first='Kirsten' last='Gibson'], who's averaged nearly 18 points per game this winter. Senior and new 1,000-point scorer [player_tooltip player_id='583703' first='Julia' last='Lewis'] excels from mid-range and at the free-throw line, and the Lions also get a consistent contribution from senior [player_tooltip player_id='583706' first='Molly' last='Bovell'], who's nearing 800 career points. All put together, Cherry Hill West is the most well-rounded team in the section and it will be the Lions' trophy to lose as they'll have home-court advantage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Contenders</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Moorestown (17-7): </strong>In the two times Moorestown faced top-seeded Cherry Hill West this season, the Quakers fell short by a combined seven points. That rightfully stings, but there's a chance they can get payback in a potential sectional final matchup. [player_tooltip player_id='601276' first='Analyse' last='Intenzo'] has been dominant for the Quakers all season long, scoring her 1,000th point earlier this month as only a junior. She leads the team with 372 points and 117 rebounds. Classmate Julia Blong, who is committed to Rutgers for lacrosse, has knocked down 44 three-pointers this winter while senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='583708' first='Rima' last='Takla'] also contributes in all categories. Similar to Cherry Hill West, the Quakers have a dynamic trio that has been on fire all season long.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Absegami (19-7):</strong> Any team that has a player like [player_tooltip player_id='414395' first='Reese' last='Downey'] on its roster can't be counted out. The senior 2,000-point scorer has averaged 23 points per game this winter as Absegami looks bound to record a 20-win season. The third-seeded Braves may not have a lineup filled with game-changing players like Cherry Hill West or Moorestown, but Downey is in a league of her own and has the ability to lead Absegami to a sectional title. To be exact, Downey has scored 49.7% of the team's total points this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Underdog</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Clearview (12-11):</strong> The fifth-seeded Pioneers have a lineup filled with underclassmen and have certainly taken their lumps this season. Led by junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='827087' first='Juliette' last='Mirigliani'] and junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='852760' first='Brett' last='Foster'], Clearview recently fell to ranked Woodstown 52-48, in the first round of the Tri-County Tournament Flight A bracket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top Five Players</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='414395' first='Reese' last='Downey'], Absegami</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='835898' first='Kirsten' last='Gibson'], Cherry Hill West</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='601276' first='Analyse' last='Intenzo'], Moorestown</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='583703' first='Julia' last='Lewis'], Cherry Hill West</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='827087' first='Juliette' last='Mirigliani'], Clearview</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Projected Final</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Cherry Hill West </em></strong>vs. Moorestown</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Note: Predicted winner in bold.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->