All-Non-Public 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-Non-Public returning players from last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><strong>1st Team</strong></span></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='559085' first='Addison' last='Nyemchek'] - Red Bank Catholic</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Playing a national schedule and some of the toughest NJ competition you can find, RBC finished with a 27-5 record, a Shore Conference Championship and 1-point loss in the South Non-Public A sectional final to Paul VI. RBC loses 3 seniors including Tessa Carman who is playing at Monmouth and 3rd team All-Non-Public Christina Liggio who is playing at Navy. They return a loaded senior class with 6 D-1 commits. Those players include Bucknell commit [player_tooltip player_id='559041' first='Tessa' last='Liggio'], URI commit [player_tooltip player_id='559043' first='Katie' last='Liggio'], UNH commit [player_tooltip player_id='719416' first='Scarlet' last='LeVake'], Harvard commit [player_tooltip player_id='559084' first='Sophie' last='Smith'], Army commit [player_tooltip player_id='559031' first='Daniela' last='Maletsky'] and D-2 East Stroudsburg commit [player_tooltip player_id='559040' first='Lola' last='Giordano']. The undoubted leader of this group is Addy. The Indiana commit is the clear front runner for NJ Player of the Year heading into the 2025-26 season. Last year, she led the team in scoring, rebound and steals. She was second in assists and blocks and 4th in 3-pointers. She scored in double figures in 27 of 31 games, had 5 games of 20+ points and had 7 double doubles. She also had a career high 24 points against Virginia Academy (VA) and Franklin. She is already over 1,100 points for her career and in her senior year she should surpass 1,600 career points, 750 rebounds, 350 assists, 125 blocks, and 300 steals. South Non-Public A has more talent than any section in NJ and RBC is the favorite to win it this year over Paul VI and St. John Vianney. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><strong>2nd Team</strong></span></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='601413' first='Jahzara' last='Green'] - Gloucester Catholic</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gloucester Catholic rolled to a 26-5 record and a #1 seed in the South Non-Public B section. They steamrolled through the competition to win the section before falling to Montclair Immaculate in the Non-Public B state finals. They return the entire roster from last year's squad including senior Niagara commit [player_tooltip player_id='789537' first='Jalyn' last='Moore'], senior [player_tooltip player_id='601279' first='Talia' last='Shumate'], sophomore Monet High and junior [player_tooltip player_id='959812' first='Amanda' last='Eggers']. The top returnee is Jahzara. The St. Joe's commit led Gloucester Catholic in points, rebounds and blocks in her junior year. She was also 3rd in assists and steals. She is already over 1,400 points for her career and will be chasing 2,000 in her senior year. She scored in double figures in 28 of 30 games last year, had 11 games of 20+ points and 4 double doubles. She also exploded for a career high 42 points in a win over Wildwood. With a full squad returning, Gloucester Catholic is the favorite to top Rutgers Prep and Wildwood Catholic in their section and the likely favorite to win the Non-Public B State Championship. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='789189' first='Brooke' last='Stagliano'] - Paul VI</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Paul VI went 27-1, won the South Jersey Invitational Tournament and lost for the only time all season in the Non-Public A State Championship to undefeated Morris Catholic. Paul VI loses three key senior player from last year's team in Kiyanna Blacks-Stewart who is now playing at Hofstra, 3rd team All-Non-Public Azanah Campbell who is now playing at Bryant and Anya George who is now playing at UMass. [player_tooltip player_id='789189' first='Brooke' last='Stagliano'] is one of three key returnees for Paul VI with the other two being UPenn commit [player_tooltip player_id='601275' first='Rachel' last='Thatcher'] and junior [player_tooltip player_id='676824' first='Keiara' last='Sellers']. In her sophomore season, Brooke lead Paul VI in scoring and 3-pointers. She was 2nd in steals, 3rd in assists and blocks and 5th in rebounding. She scored in double figures in 20 of 28 games, had 6 games of 20+ points, one double double and a career high 27 points in a win over Universal Audenried Charter (PA). She will likely eclipse 1,000 career points by the end of her junior season as well as 200 3-pointers, 200 rebounds, 100 assists and 100 steals. Always a tough section, Paul VI will look to defend their South Non-Public A sectional title against Red Bank Catholic and St. John Vianney.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='666727' first='Nilah' last='Rivera'] - Montclair Immaculate</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Montclair Immaculate went 21-9 last year. With news of their school closing it's doors at the end of the 2024-25 school year, these young ladies took their #2 seed in the North Non-Public B section and went on a run that ended with a Non-Public B State Championship. As a junior on a team with 2 seniors who are now playing D-1 in Nila Giraud at Albany and Camille Wiley at LIU and two other juniors who are now D-1 commits in [player_tooltip player_id='559042' first='London' last='Caldwell'] to Siena and [player_tooltip player_id='559076' first='Jayah' last='Curtis'] to UPenn, Nilah led her team in assists and steals. She was also 4th in 3-pointers, points, rebounds and blocks. She scored in double figures in 12 of 29 games with a career high of 21 in a win over University. With her school closing she has moved on to Arts High School in Newark, NJ. Arts went 18-8 last year and, though they lost Serenity Muhammad to graduation, they return 3 of their top 4 scorers in sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='981852' first='Harmoni' last='Burgess'], junior [player_tooltip player_id='789184' first='Iyanah' last='Lafontant'] and junior [player_tooltip player_id='835497' first='NicoleRai' last='Bogan']. Add Nilah and this team could make some noise in North 2 Group 1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='559135' first='Stella' last='Lockhart'] - St. John Vianney</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. John Vianney went 22-7 against a very tough schedule last year. As a #4 seed in the South Non-Public A section they fell in the semifinals to eventual champ Paul VI. They lost 3 seniors including Aleena Dinker who is now playing at Carnegie Mellon and Brooklyn Taylor who is now playing at Saint Michaels College. They return their top 4 scorers from last year which includes UPenn commit [player_tooltip player_id='559039' first='Madison' last='Kocis'] and Duke commit [player_tooltip player_id='559037' first='Taylor' last='Sofilkanich']. Last year's most decorated player was Georgetown commit [player_tooltip player_id='559135' first='Stella' last='Lockhart']. As a junior she led her team in rebounding. She was 2nd in scoring, 3-pointers, blocks and steals and she 3rd in assists. She scored in double figures in 19 of 29 games, had 4 games of 20+ points, 3 double doubles and a career high 25 points against Bayonne and Red Bank Regional. Stella will go over 1,000 career points in her senior year and should also achieve 600 rebounds, 200 assists and 150 steals. With a strong group of seniors and a talented junior class led by [player_tooltip player_id='651478' first='Tatum' last='Sharpe'], St. John Vianney has the talent to make a run in states this year. </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='559046' first='Ava' last='LaMonica'] - Rutgers Prep</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rutgers Prep went 20-7 and fell to Gloucester Catholic in the South Non-Public B sectional final. They return their entire roster from last year as they look to prove there is life after Mikayla Blakes. Ava will have a strong supporting cast including top NJ sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='981918' first='Hailey' last='Benbow'], senior BU commit [player_tooltip player_id='601341' first='Sophia' last='Georgiades'], senior NYU commits [player_tooltip player_id='559030' first='Ava' last='Frith'] and [player_tooltip player_id='601401' first='Natalia' last='Valdez'], junior [player_tooltip player_id='651515' first='Hannah' last='Fraser'] and senior Endicott commit [player_tooltip player_id='559134' first='Cali' last='McCoy']. As a junior Ava led the team in scoring, assists and steals. The Buffalo commit was 2nd in rebounds and 5th in 3-pointers. She scored in double figures in 19 of 27 games, had 6 games of 20+ points, two double doubles and a career high of 26 in a win over Glen Ridge. As a senior she will go over 1,000 career points. 500 rebounds, 200 assists and 200 steals. They will battle Gloucester Catholic and Wildwood Catholic for the South Non-Public B sectional title.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->