Upset Potential 1st Rd Playoff Games in North Jersey

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The following five opening round matchups stand out for different reasons; individual talent, close seedings, upset potential, etc. Let's dive in and explore why the lower seeds in these pairings have their sights set on causing an early upset:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Section 2, Group 4: (7) Bridgewater-Raritan vs (10) Watchung Hills</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Watchung Hills is battled-tested and hungry for playoff success. The Warriors boast a "big 3" in Eleni Esposito (10.7 PPG), [player_tooltip player_id='1247947' first='Ava' last='Parra'] (10.1 PPG) &amp; Riley Hall (8.7 PPG), with the latter two just freshmen! Parra and Esposito are proven 3-point threats who combine for nearly four triples per contest. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1767009' first='Alysha' last='Yang'] adds strong contributions of 6.7 PPG &amp; 3.2 APG, including reliable shooting from distance. She also gives a boost defensively, averaging 1.7 SPG. Freshman forward [player_tooltip player_id='1767033' first='Hailey' last='Seubert'] chips in across the board, averaging 4.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG &amp; 1.4 SPG. With weapons across the board and big wins under their belt already this season, these ladies are sure to bring the heat on Tuesday!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Section 2, Group 2: (6) Hackettstown vs (11) Hoboken</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hoboken had a stretch of nine consecutive wins In January, something they'll use as fuel and motivation heading into this matchup as the underdog. The Redwings feature lots of talent on both offense and defense, starting with do-it-all senior [player_tooltip player_id='600930' first='Emma' last='Conway']. The 5'9" forward is averaging 15.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.1 APG &amp; 2.3 SPG and showcasing her all-around hoops prowess. A pair of freshmen in [player_tooltip player_id='1644429' first='Felicity' last='Dallara'] and Jasmin High chip in 7.5 PPG and 7.1 PPG, respectively, with High also asserting herself on the glass and pulling down just under seven boards per contest. Another freshman, Patricia "PJ" Brown, leads them in steals, averaging a furious 3.7 SPG. With a year of varsity experience on her resume, sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1202363' first='Samayah' last='Blanks'] might just be their x-factor in this one. She's recorded six games in double-figure scoring, has dished out dimes beautifully and has imposed her will on defense also, averaging a steady 6.8 PPG, 2.3 APG &amp; 3.0 SPG. Blanks is also their second best 3-point shooter with reliable range and consistency. This is a blue-collar crew with a never-say-die mentality.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Section 1, Group 1: (7) Hasbrouck Heights vs (10) Kinnelon</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A very young team, Kinnelon will lean on underclassmen [player_tooltip player_id='1133832' first='Kylie' last='Whalen'] (13.3 PPG) and [player_tooltip player_id='1208624' first='Gia' last='Scicutella'] (9.3 PPG) to lift them over a very tough Heights squad. This dynamic duo will seek help from a fellow sophomore, [player_tooltip player_id='1199635' first='Olivia' last='Kurzecki'], who is averaging 11.1 PPG and also provides a tremendous boost on defense with 3.4 SPG. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='1767138' first='Taylor' last='Mulch'] leads the Colts in 3-pointers (1.3 per game) and is a weapon defensively, picking pockets at a clip of 2.5 SPG. If either leading scorer goes cold or gets into a bit of foul trouble, Mulch can fill in and do a great job keeping points on the board. If a crucial stop is needed, she can do that too! 6'0" senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1767139' first='Kelly' last='Donaldson'] is a big presence inside and on the boards, averaging a team-leading 9.0 RPG. She's tallied eight double-digit rebounding games this season and will look to increase that total on Wednesday. Second-chance points are important and Donaldson could be the difference-maker in this one.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Non-Public B: (4) Villa Walsh vs (5) Eastern Christian</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Eagles will have a go at Villa Walsh twice, once on Friday to end the regular season and again in the first round of states. This could be just what the doctor ordered for a team that boasts one of Non-Public B's leading scorers in [player_tooltip player_id='835195' first='Addison' last='Fleming'] (17.7 PPG) and a rising talent in sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1109441' first='Audrey' last='Heerema'] (4.9 PPG, 7.0 RPG &amp; 1.4 SPG). Along with freshman Madison Rodriguez, these three make up EC's leading 3-point scorers. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1767237' first='Caroline' last='Pringle'] paces them with a steady all-court game (6.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.0 APG &amp; 2.6 SPG) and could be the most important piece to the puzzle! Her contributions and all-out effort makes this team go! They've won eight of their last ten and are bursting with confidence.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->