Eight Players Who've Exceeded Expectations

As we approach midseason, these eight have stood out as ones who've risen to the occasion and helped their respective teams get off to blazing starts. They continue to boost their stock and impact the game in a major way:   [player_tooltip player_id='914269' first='Carmela' last='Arana'] | Stuart Day   Carmela's first year in Tartan threads is off to an impressive start. She continues to light it up as the games roll on, tallying three [consecutive] 20+ point games and scoring in double-figures in all nine games played thus far. Stuart Day is off to it's best start in over seven years, with her team-leading 16.8 PPG playing a major part in this early season success. The sophomore guard is also leading the way on defense with a team-best 4.4 SPG.   [player_tooltip player_id='1655304' first='Gabby' last='Evanski'] | South Amboy   A meteoric boost from sophomore to junior year has seen the 5'9" forward eclipse last year's totals in points, rebounds and steals just ten games in. She set a career-high 21 points on Dec. 15th vs Woodbridge Magnet and then bested that vs Woodbridge Magnet a few weeks later, scoring 22 points, part of an impressive triple-double performance. Her strong two-way effort has South Amboy off to a 10-1 start, with Gabby averaging [a team-best] 14.1 PPG, 7.3 RPG & 5.5 SPG.   [player_tooltip player_id='1655305' first='Addison' last='Troiano'] | Wildwood   The jump from freshman to sophomore season has been major, with Addi playing much more fearless basketball than this time last year. Both her offense and defense have greatly improved, helping Wildwood get off to a 3-0 start in conference play and 8-4 overall. She's tallied three games in double-digit scoring, including a career-high 21 points against Tri-County foe Woodstown. The 5'8" forward is stretching her scoring, incorporating the 3-pointer into her arsenal, and has been rock solid from the FT line. Her physical approach to the game has her averaging 5.0 RPG & 1.9 SPG, both second-best on the team.   [player_tooltip player_id='1267403' first='Eden' last='Avery'] | Newark Academy   BEAST MODE is the best way to describe Eden's game this season. Newark Academy is off to a strong 6-3 start largely in part to her 21.0 PPG & 13.7 RPG double-double average. She's also leading the way on defense with an astounding 5.3 SPG. The strong 5'9" forward has tallied five double-doubles and two triple-doubles in just nine games thus far.   [player_tooltip player_id='564267' first='Shannon' last='Looney'] | Manasquan   Shannon's upped her production in a big way, tallying eight of Squan's first twelve games in double-digit scoring, including a current streak of five consecutive. Her effort across the board is undeniable, averaging 2.6 RPG, 1.6 APG & 1.6 SPG to help get the Warriors off to a scorching 11-1 start.   [player_tooltip player_id='651498' first='Melina' last='Miller'] | Gill St. Bernard's   A breakout junior year was always in the cards judging by her phenomenal play this summer on the Select 40 circuit. GSB's schedule has been no cake-walk, with Melina playing some of her best basketball against the very best teams. She recorded a career-high 14 points in a tight win over Hudson Catholic, 12 points in an impressive win over Franklin and 11 points vs a strong Hillsborough group. Her growth this season isn't limited to just offense, as she's impacting the game in all areas with season averages of 9.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 5.2 APG & 2.2 SPG.   [player_tooltip player_id='914275' first='Allison' last='McAndrew'] | Trinity Hall   With just nine games under her belt this season, Alli has already tallied more points and steals than all of last season! She went off for a career-high 24 points vs Georgetown (MD) in the season-opener and followed that up with a 22-point, 11-rebound double-double vs Piscataway two games later. January has seen more strong performances, with 20 points vs Toms River East and yet another double-double, this time 14 points & 11 rebounds vs Howell.   [player_tooltip player_id='919624' first='Nawel' last='Ibazatene Lefebvre'] | Morristown   The talented sophomore has had to a carry a heavy load so far this season, already having tallied four 30+ point games and leading her team to an 8-3 start. She's shined bright against the best teams on the schedule, dropping a combined 59 points on Chatham (in two meetings), 24 on Pope John and 23 on Madison. Her two-way effort has been wickedly impressive and her contributions in stats across the board prove her case as one of the most versatile players in the state, regardless of class. Through eleven games, Nawel is averaging 23.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.2 BPG & 4.0 SPG.

As we approach midseason, these eight have stood out as ones who've risen to the occasion and helped their respective teams get off to blazing starts. They continue to boost their stock and impact the game in a major way: