All-Group 4 Returning Players

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Less than a month until tryouts. As we get ready for the 2025-26 season, let's take a look at the All-Group 4 returning players from last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">1st Team</span></strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='825463' first='Rhyan' last='Watt'] - West Orange</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>West Orange finished the season with a 26-8 record, an Essex County Championship and a 3-point loss to Hillsborough in the Group 4 State Championship. This team was led by a 3-headed monster. Unfortunately for West Orange, two of those players are gone with 2nd team All-Group 4 Anaya Karriem now playing at North Carolina A&amp;T and Kyley Gary-Grayson now playing at Coppin St. However, what West Orange returns is [player_tooltip player_id='825463' first='Rhyan' last='Watt'] last year's leader in scoring, 3-point shooting and steals. She was also 2nd in assists and 3rd in rebounds. Though defenses will be locked in on her even more in her junior season, Rhyan will have the opportunity to do even more this year. She scored in double figures in 33 of 34 games and had 20+ in 10 games including a career high 25 in games against Abington Heights (PA) and Morristown. She also had 4 double doubles in the 4 games in which she had double digit steals. She averaged 5+spg last year. Only 15 players in the entire state of NJ averaged more. She enters her junior year 201 points of 1,000 for her career. She will also go over 100 career 3-pointers, 250 rebounds and 300 steals. They landed Siena commit [player_tooltip player_id='559042' first='London' last='Caldwell'] as a transfer from now closed Montclair Immaculate who won the Non-Public B State Championship last year. West Orange's other returnees will be thrust into more prominent roles. If senior [player_tooltip player_id='1320515' first='Jordyn' last='Batts'], junior Kennedy Curry and sophomore Taraji Muhammad can step up then West Orange has a chance to hold off Morristown and Ridgewood to retain the North 1 Group 4 title.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='559132' first='Brielle' last='Alaba'] - Cherokee</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cherokee went 20-9 last year and, as the #2 seed, avenged to regular season losses to #1 Lenape to win the South Group 4 sectional title before falling to Hillsborough in the Group 4 semifinals. It was their 4th sectional title in the last 5 years. The good news for Cherokee is that they only lost one starter from last year's team. The better news is that they return BU commit [player_tooltip player_id='559132' first='Brielle' last='Alaba']. Bri led her team in scoring, 3-point shooting, blocks and steals last year as a junior and was 2nd in rebounds and assists. She scored in double figures in 25 of 28 games, had 20+ in 7 games and a season high 22 on three different occasions. Bri went over 1,000 career points during states and should chase 1,500 points, 150 3-pointers, 350 rebounds, 300 assists and 200 steals. Cherokee returns a strong supporting cast with junior Riley Anderson, junior [player_tooltip player_id='962705' first='Jordan' last='Arnold'], junior [player_tooltip player_id='959106' first='Abby' last='Ball'] and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='981845' first='Leah' last='Weiner']. This might be the Group 4 favorite heading into the 2025-26 season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='835906' first='El-Anita' last='Joe-Samuel'] - Lenape</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lenape went 24-6 last year including and earned the #1 seed in the South Group 4 section where they fell to Cherokee in the finals. They lost 2 key players from last year's squad in Lauren Caulden now playing at Stevenson and Alexa Henry. Lenape returns El-Anita for her junior season. As a sophomore she led the team in scoring, rebounding and blocks, was 2nd in 3-pointers and 3rd in assists and steals. She scored in double figures in 25 of 27 games, had 20+ in 8 games and had a career high of 27 in games against Woodbury and Burlington Township. She enters her junior year needing just 51 points to achieve 1,000 for her career. She is also 9 3-pointers shy of 100 for her career. She should also approach 400 career rebounds and 100 assist in her junior year. She will be joined on the floor by several key contributors including junior [player_tooltip player_id='1254372' first='Shelby' last='Croly'], senior [player_tooltip player_id='871349' first='Ryleigh' last='Nichols'] and senior Susquehanna commit [player_tooltip player_id='671949' first='Olivia' last='Watkins'] as Lenape looks to take the sectional crown away from Cherokee.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">2nd Team</span></strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='919624' first='Nawel' last='Ibazatene Lefebvre'] - Morristown</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coming off a Group 4 runner-up finish in 2023-24, Morristown entered last season having lost 3 major contributors. They responded with a 20-9 season and a trip to the sectional finals where they fell to eventual Group 4 runner-up West Orange. Nawel was the main reason Morristown was able to reload. She led the team in scoring and steals. She was 2nd in 3-pointers, assists and blocks and was 3rd in rebounding. She scoried in double figures in 26 of 29 games, had 13 games of 20+ points and had a career high of 36 in just her 4th varsity game. She should go over 1,000 career points in her sophomore season as well as 200 rebounds and 100 steals. Morristown returns a couple of contributors from last year including senior [player_tooltip player_id='672132' first='Caroline' last='Condon'] and senior Emma Balzano. Another big year from Nawel will have them in the hunt with West Orange for a sectional title. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">3rd Team</span></strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='871374' first='Sophie' last='Lane'] - Westfield</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coming off a losing 2023-24 season, Westfield rebounded with a 24-7 season earning the #2 seed in North 2 Group 4 where they tood down #1 seed Bayonne on the road before falling to West Orange in the Group 4 semifinals. They lose senior 2nd team All-Group 4 Catie Carayannopoulos, but they return a very strong roster including [player_tooltip player_id='871374' first='Sophie' last='Lane']. As a junior, the Gettysburg commit led Westfield in scoring and 3-pointers. She was also 3rd in rebounds, blocks and steals. She scored in double figures in 25 of 31 games and had 4 games of 20+ points including a season high 26 against Cranford. She enters her senior season 313 points shy of 1,000 for her career. She is also chasing 100 career 3-pointers, 500 career rebounds, 100 assists, 100 steals and 100 blocks. This Westfield team has a strong core returning including senior Scranton commit [player_tooltip player_id='601333' first='Megan' last='Logan'], junior [player_tooltip player_id='739542' first='Mairin' last='Fowler'] and junior [player_tooltip player_id='835824' first='Catherine' last='Oliveira']. Westfield should be the favorites to repeat as sectional champs, but they will have to fight off Plainfield and Bayonne. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='651517' first='Aleah' last='Sunkins'] - Franklin</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Franklin played one of the toughest public school schedules in NJ last season. They only finished 11-16 but made it to the semifinals of the Somerset County Tournament and Central Group 4 section where they lost in both to eventual champions Gil St. Bernard's and Hillsborough respectively. Franklin brings in a new coach this season as Jimmy Kreie joins from now closed Montclair Immaculate fresh off a Non-Public B State Championship. Franklin loses Precious Wheeler from last year's team but returns Aleah who produced at a high level against some of the best NJ had to offer last year. She led the team in scoring, rebounding and steals as a sophomore and was 2nd in assists and blocks and 3rd in 3-pointers. She scored in double figures in 23 of 27 games, had 8 games of 20+ points and tied a career high with 27 in a win over Union Catholic. She should easily eclipse 1,000 career points in her junior seasona as well as 700 rebounds, 100 blocks and 100 steals. Along with key returnees sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='981911' first='Nola' last='Bright'], senior [player_tooltip player_id='964995' first='Gianna' last='Mattia'], senior [player_tooltip player_id='601334' first='Alissa' last='Myers'] and junior [player_tooltip player_id='651521' first='Alivia' last='Stewart'], the pieces are in place for Franklin to make a run in the Central Group 4 section.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->