5 Defensive Dogs Ready To Feast

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you want a lockdown defender, it's safe to call on any one of these five to get the job done. They get stops and make crucial plays for their respective teams, yet have flown under the radar for quite some time now! After a great showing at The Fort in August, they head into the 2025-2026 high school season with a ton of momentum and sky-high confidence.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1352567' first='Aniya' last='Celestin'] | Teaneck</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6'0" Forward is poised for a big junior year. Last season saw a strong effort in her sophomore campaign, averaging a near double-double while playing only the second half of the season (transferred from Nyack in NY). She does a great job both anchoring the post and stretching out to the perimeter to cause disruption. Defensive integrity makes for big boards, blocks and steals. She was the difference-maker in Teaneck's huge OT win over Rutgers Prep at The Fort, ultimately being named Game MVP. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1352568' first='BellaRose' last='Marino'] | Howell</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This hard-nosed senior Wing has a lot of versatility to her game. She stretches out and uses every bit of her 5'10" frame to make an impact and get stops, whether it's swatting shots or intercepting the passing lanes for steals. We saw flashes of defensive excellence last year in games against Raritan, St. Rose and Cherokee. She's light on her feet and does a great job sticking with the assignment and tracking down rebounds. BellaRose was named War MVP in Howell's win over East Brunswick, thanks to hard-hitting offense and gritty, in-your-face defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1352569' first='Caitlyn' last='Courtney'] | Red Bank Regional</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Caitlyn showed a ton of potential last season as a junior. In a tough games against perennial powerhouse Red Bank Catholic, she tallied 3 steals. Against a loaded and very tough Trinity Hall bunch, she grabbed 2 steals. Against a physical Howell team, she swatted 2 shots. Progress continues to be made, with a strong showing against Chatham earning her War MVP honors, thanks to fantastic all-court play including tenacious defense. Expect an uptick in production now in her final go-around with the Bucs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913960' first='Isabella' last='Jackson'] | Red Bank Regional</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bella might be all of 5'3" but she makes up for size with her scrappy play. She was one that really surprised me over the summer with her growth from just a year ago. She continues on an upward trajectory and has made some nice adjustments to her game, which has paid dividends. One of those adjustments is her focus on defense. Locking in early, she maintains intensity the whole way through with energy and commitment. A prime example was against Marlboro in Summer League. Lock down defense proved significant in RBR's gritty two-point win, earning Bella "Player of the Game" honors.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913947' first='Quinn' last='Smigelsky'] | Holmdel</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Glimpses of defensive greatness were on display last year in games against Union City (5 steals), Hightstown (3 steals) and powerhouse RBC (2 steals). The scrappy point guard keeps active hands and her eyes on the prize, ready to force turnovers. Quinn's impact was majorly felt in Holmdel's impressive win over East Brunswick at The Fort, earning her Game MVP honors. Her sophomore season should see much more playing time and production, considering the exponential growth her game has seen this summer. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->