South Jersey Non-Public B Playoff Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The playoffs are almost here. We have four days until the Non-Public B action starts on Friday, February 28.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Check out my preview and predictions for the South Jersey Non-Public B 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- Gloucester Catholic</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>2- Rutgers Prep</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>3- Wildwood Catholic</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>4- Ranney</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>5- Holy Spirit</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>6- Calvary Christian (Old Bridge)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>7- Holy Cross Prep</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>8- Timothy Christian</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>9- Koinonia</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>10- Moorestown Friends</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>11- Stuart Day</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>12- St. Joseph (Hamm.)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Favorite</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gloucester Catholic (21-4):</strong> In 35 years as head coach, Lisa Gedaka has never won a South Jersey title, according to SJIBT founder Mike Hallahan. This may be the best shot for South Jersey's all-time winningest coach. Gedaka notched her 700th victory in 2024. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='601413' first='Jahzara' last='Green'] leads the Rams with 449 points scored so far this winter and recently set a school-record 42 points in a 78-45 conference victory over Wildwood. [player_tooltip player_id='959812' first='Amanda' last='Eggers'], a sophomore in her first season playing varsity basketball after an injury derailed her rookie campaign, has been the team's top sharp-shooter with 55 three-pointers. As the top seed, the road to the sectional title will run through the narrow gym at Gloucester Catholic.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Contenders</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rutgers Prep (18-5):</strong> Junior trio [player_tooltip player_id='559046' first='Ava' last='LaMonica'], [player_tooltip player_id='601341' first='Sophia' last='Georgiades'], and [player_tooltip player_id='559030' first='Ava' last='Frith'] have each heavily contributed to the defending South Jersey Non-Public B champions' success. LaMonica is averaging 13.7 points per game, while Georgiades and Frifth are averaging 11 and 9.5 points per contest. The final may very well come down to a 70-mile bus ride for the Argonauts.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wildwood Catholic (21-5):</strong> A traditional South Jersey powerhouse, Wildwood Catholic has accomplished yet another 20-win season. Even more impressive, all six of the Crusaders' losses have been by nine or fewer points. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='1048715' first='Lola' last='McGonigle'] is averaging nearly 16 points per game and has 409 total points so far this winter. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='564266' first='Lily' last='King'] (286) and freshman [player_tooltip player_id='1124977' first='Dani' last='Daley'] (270) are the other top scorers on the team. Does anything stand out? Yep, a talented lineup filled with underclassmen. It'll certainly be no easy task for Wildwood Catholic to knock off second-seeded Rutgers Prep on the road in a potential semifinal matchup, but with this lineup, don't count the Crusaders out.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Underdog</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Holy Spirit (18-9):</strong> The Spartans have been inconsistent throughout the season but have come on as of late. Holy Spirit captured two huge upset wins over Absegami and Wildwood Catholic in the Cape-Atlantic League Tournament to clinch a berth in the final when it suffered a 10-point loss to Middle Township, the top seed in the South Jersey Group 2 bracket. With 1,468 career points and counting, senior [player_tooltip player_id='525308' first='Sabrina' last='Little'] recently set the school's all-time scoring record. Expect the Spartans to stay competitive in this bracket with a chance to surprise a higher seed. Holy Spirit will host St. Joseph (Hamm.) in the first round of the tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top Five Players</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='601413' first='Jahzara' last='Green'], Gloucester Catholic</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='559046' first='Ava' last='LaMonica'], Rutgers Prep </em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='1048715' first='Lola' last='McGonigle'], Wildwood Catholic </em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='525308' first='Sabrina' last='Little'], Holy Spirit</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='959812' first='Amanda' last='Eggers'], Gloucester Catholic</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Projected Final</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Gloucester Catholic</em></strong> vs. Rutgers Prep</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Note: Predicted winner in bold.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->