Five Overlooked Defensive Anchors in the Shore Conference

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These five hoopers might not always attract the attention and coverage they rightfully deserve, but make no mistake about it... they understand the assignment every single night!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='856918' first='Madison' last='Sciarrino'] | Freehold Township</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's not often that a guard can wreak some havoc blocking shots, but that's exactly what Maddi has done this season. Whether it's locking down the perimeter or dropping down to protect the rim, the senior has had her best season defensively. To this point, she's recorded six games with at least 3 blocks and eleven with at least 3 steals. She's using every bit of her size and long arms to tally 1.6 BPG &amp; 2.8 SPG.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='671408' first='Isabella' last='Finer'] | Jackson Township</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bella is a big reason why the Jags are currently 7-1 in the Shore- A South. The 6'0" forward has been locked in defensively, putting together some big performances as her senior campaign has rolled on. A season-high 5 blocks came against Holy Cross out of Maryland, a stat she hit again vs Point Boro a few weeks later. She's also been wicked pressuring the ball, accumulating 51 steals in 19 games, good for 2.7 SPG. Her inside-out defense was absolutely clutch in wins over Manchester Township, Donovan Catholic, Point Boro and Barnegat. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1731572' first='Savannah' last='Jackson'] | Ranney</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Credit to the 5'7" guard for playing bigger than her size to reject a ton of shots this season. She recorded 2 blocks in seven games and has been dynamic in Ranney's rebuilding year. Her athleticism and fearlessness anchoring the paint was a deciding factor in a close win over Wall (3 blocks). Sav has been a bright spot for the Panthers as they navigate through an arduous schedule. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='871388' first='Emma' last='Christensen'] | Central Regional</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defense has been the name of the game for the Golden Eagles in their undefeated run in Shore's C South division. Emma has imposed her will both at the perimeter and inside the paint to prevent opponents from scoring much at all, holding opponents to less than 20 points in eight games. Her versatility has been huge, using every bit of her quickness and near 6-foot frame to impact the game en-route to 2.0 BPG &amp; 4.5 SPG.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1134560' first='Brooklynn' last='Bell'] | Lacey</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A no-nonsense shot-blocking machine, Brooklynn has been the ultimate anchor for the Lions. She turned up the heat in Year 4, putting on a defensive clinic against teams such as Raritan (7 blocks, 4 steals), New Egypt (6 blocks), Toms River South (9 blocks), and Southern (8 blocks). She already doubled her steals total from last year, swiping 44 of them in just 21 games and showing major improvement. Averages of 3.7 BPG &amp; 2.0 SPG have kept her team competitive this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->