Returning Defensive Masterminds in South Jersey

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lockdown defense is the name of their game. Let's take a look at some returning defensive stoppers ready to wreak havoc yet again this season:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cam DiMeo | Palmyra</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cam put her best foot forward in Year 3 racking up 106 steals in 26 games, good for 4.1 SPG. It was her best season across the board, but especially defensively. She recorded seven games with at least 6 steals, including a career-high 9 vs Moorestown Friends. In two postseason games (and the first appearance of her career), she averaged 4.0 SPG.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='601420' first='Taylor' last='Bass'] | Pennsville</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Taylor's two-way game caused a lot of headaches last season! She totaled the most points and most steals of any year to date. With 105 steals in 28 games, she swiped the ball from opponents at an average of 3.8 SPG. She crossed the 250 mark for career steals and recorded ten games with at least 6 steals and a season-high 8 steals twice [vs Schalick and Overbrook]. The senior will now look to eclipse 300 steals and possibly even reach 350 before it's all said and done.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1190944' first='Ava' last='Scurry'] | Schalick</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ava brings a lot of dominance to Schalick's front court! In Year 3, she blocked 60 shots in just 24 games, good for 2.5 BPG. She also averaged a cool 2.1 SPG, making her defense felt in all areas on the floor, from the perimeter to the paint. A career-high 10 steals came against Salem Tech in early January, while a season-best 7 blocks came a few games later vs Overbrook. Entering her senior year, she stands at 152 blocks and 100 steals for her career.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Brooke Gathman | Toms River East</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the leading shot blockers in the Shore as a freshman a season ago, Brooke was a formidable rim protector racking up 97 blocks in 28 games (3.5 BPG). She recorded 9 games with at least 5 blocks, including an impressive six-game streak from mid-January to early February. With her knack for turning back opponents, she could very find herself reaching 200 blocks by season's end!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1134560' first='Brooklynn' last='Bell'] | Lacey</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Turning up the heat in Year 3, Brooklynn tallied 94 blocks, more than double that of her sophomore season. She wasted no time either, swatting 7 shots in the first game of the season vs Point Pleasant Beach and making a statement right away! A career-best 9 blocks came a few weeks later vs Lakewood as she tore through the season at an average of 3.4 BPG. She'll look to eclipse 200 blocks at some point in January and possibly flirt with 250 for her career.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1191907' first='Maddy' last='Schwartz'] | Seneca</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With a whopping 132 steals in 22 games last year, Maddy was among the top in the state. At a clip of 6.0 SPG, she took it to every single opponent and made life Hell! She set a career-high 13 steals vs Triton in February and then bested that two weeks later with 15 vs Highland. Supremely scrappy hands and excellent anticipation caused chaos for others! She enters her senior campaign with 232 steals to her name and a great chance to add 100+ more!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='671949' first='Olivia' last='Watkins'] | Lenape</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Liv had a career year as a junior, recording triple-digit steals (101) en-route to averaging 3.7 SPG. She tallied at least 5 steals in eight games and recorded a career-high 9 steals in a win vs Williamstown. She was spectacular in the postseason, upping the pressure defensively and averaging just under 5.0 SPG in four games. She will likely eclipse 200 steals for her career at some point this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Keiara Sellers | Paul VI</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coming off a 27-1 record last season, Kei steps into Year 3 invigorated! Her clutch defense was a big part of their success, averaging 3.1 SPG and putting up a career-best 9 steals [vs Gloucester Catholic] in the process. Playing one of the most difficult schedules of any team in the state, Keaira did a phenomenal job locking down the best player on the opposing team. She is well on her way to surpass 200 career steals before season's end.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='831437' first='Khalia' last='Lewis'] | OLMA</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Averaging 1.9 BPG &amp; 2.3 SPG, Khalia made her presence felt last year as a sophomore. She set a career-high 6 blocks vs Millville and tied a career-high 5 steals vs Lower Cape May. She was also one of the best rebounders in the state, pulling down double-digit averages, a lot of them being defensive boards. She is on her way to passing both 100 blocks and 200 steals before March.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='835932' first='Alexa' last='Regan'] | Immaculata</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blocking shots at a clip of nearly 4.0 per game, Alexa certainly locked down the paint last season and turned back opponents looking for easy buckets. She totaled 96 blocks in 26 games and recorded a career-high 9 blocks just six games into the season vs North Hunterdon. She also had six other games where she posted at least 6 blocks. An equally big junior season could see career totals of 200+ blocks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ida Ramos | Moorestown Friends</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ida more than doubled her production from sophomore to junior year, going from 56 steals to 128. At 4.6 SPG, she made life tough for opponents in the BCSL and beyond. She recorded four games with at least 8 steals, one of them a career-best 10 vs Maple Shade. Already with 203 steals to her name, eclipsing 300 could very well be in the cards for the hard-nosed guard.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->