Jersey Live – Friday’s North Jersey Game MVPs

<p>The baselines were packed with college coaches and the play on the court was top notch. These North Jersey players took home game MVP honors in Friday's games. (Any player who was a game MVP on a previous Jersey Live day that has already been covered is not included on this day's list.)</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Alivia Badurina - Old Tappan - Class of 2027</h2>   <p>Alivia was the Old Tappan HS MVP in a loss to St. John Vianney HS. She is a high level spot up shooter with deep range and is not afraid to take big shots in key moments for her squad. She fits the physical defensive philosophy of the Old Tappan team and plays with an edge. She was 2nd on the team in 3-pointers and 3rd in scoring as a junior helping her team to a runner-up spot in the Group 3 State Championship.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1831935' first='Lia' last='Barker'] - Hudson Catholic - Class of 2028</h2>   <p>Lia was the Hudson Catholic HS MVP in a loss to Caldwell HS. She is an aggressive guard who excels at pressuring the ball on the defensive end. She likes to get out and push tempo in transition and is just as comfortable passing ahead to open teammates as she is finishing at the rim. She also has the ability to knock down the long ball when the defense plays off. As a sophomore, she was 2nd on the team in assits and 3rd in points, 3-pointers and steals.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='676823' first='Anastasia' last='Bonfante'] - Morris Catholic - Class of 2027</h2>   <p>Anastasia was the Morris Catholic HS MVP against St. John's College HS DC. She is a quick guard who is active defensively at the top of the Morris Catholic defense. She gets steals and deflections and quickly turns it into points at the other end of the court. She shows shooting range well beyond the college 3-point line and actively finds open shooting spots when playing off the ball. She also shows the ability to get in the paint and distribute or finish. As a junior she was 2nd in assits and 3rd in 3-pointers and steals for a Morris Catholic team that won the Morris County Tournament and finished as the runner-up in Non-Public A. Anastasia is playing for the Gauchos on the 3SSB circuit this summer.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1569200' first='Jasmine' last='Bryant'] - Union Catholic - Class of 2028</h2>   <p>Jasmine was the Union Catholic HS MVP in a win over Montgomery HS. She plays much bigger than her size. She disrupts games defensively by blocking shots, getting steals and deflections and attacking the boards. She likes to get out and finish in transition and also likes to work around the rim in the halfcourt offense. As a sophomore at Union Catholic, she led the team in rebounds and was 3rd in scoring. She is playing for [program_tooltip program_id='774068' first='NJ' last='Panthers'] on the New Balance Lady P32 circuit this summer.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='835465' first='Olivia' last='Buckingham'] - Paramus Catholic - Class of 2027</h2>   <p>Olivia was the Paramus Catholic HS MVP in losses to Caldwell HS and Downingtown West HS PA. She is a long range sniper with excellent range. She consistently finds open spots along the arc and can shoot it even when the defense is closing out on her. She can also finish with a floater when run off the 3-point line. Defensively, she guards hard on the perimeter and does a good job getting in passing lanes. As a junior she led her team in points and 3-pointers, was 2nd in steals and 3rd in rebounds. She is playing for the Jersey Aces on the Puma circuit this summer.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='981852' first='Harmoni' last='Burgess'] - Arts - Class of 2028</h2>   <p>Harmoni was the Arts HS MVP in a win over Egg Harbor Township HS. She is a physical slashing guard, who is not afraid of the traffic or the contact on her path to the rim. She will body defenders to get where she wants to go on the court. She slashes to the glass with the ball and dives to open spots when playing off the ball. She crashes the offensive glass and powers right back up for buckets. Harmoni shows some long range ability which she will use when the defense plays off to protect against the dribble drive. As a sophomore for an Arts team that went 27-4 and won the Group 1 State Championship, she was 2nd on the team in scoring, rebounding and blocks. This summer she is playing for Books and Basketball on the Select Events Select 40 circuit.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tatum Caughey - Immaculata - Class of 2027</h2>   <p>Tatum was the Immaculata HS MVP in a loss to Union Catholic. Tatum is a spot up shooter with real range. She is patient getting her shot off, but, when given time to set her feet, she knocks them down. She will consistently run to corners and wings and is always shot ready on the catch. She is an active hand defender on the perimeter defensively. As a junior she hit 23 3-pointers and was 3rd on the team in steals. She is part of and experienced returning senior class looking to make noise for Immaculata HS.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='862966' first='Grace' last='Darling'] - Saddle River Day - Class of 2028</h2>   <p>Grace was the Saddle River Day HS MVP in a win over Cherokee. She is a smooth shooting wing with excellent length. She is not afraid to fire it from deep and she knocks them down at a high level. She uses her length to finish over defenders in her pull up game. She is patient and doesn't force the action and is willing to give it up to open teammates when she can't get her shot off. Defensively, her length guarding on the perimeter allows her to collect plenty of steals. As a sophomore she led the team in points, 3-pointers and steals and was 2nd in rebounds, assists and blocks. Grace is playing for the Jersey Gemz on the EYBL circuit this summer.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1634845' first='Kaylie' last='Fitzpatrick'] - Saddle River Day - Class of 2029</h2>   <p>Kaylie was the Saddle River Day HS Co-MVP in a win over Westwood HS. Kaylie switched high schools and AAU teams after her freshman year playing at IHA. She is shifty guard, who uses change of direction to get to the rim where she can finish in a variety of ways. She also has a confident pull-up game. She continues to work on developing her 3-point range. An injury limited her to 15 games as a freshman at IHA where she averaged 6ppg and 4rpg. Kaylie is playing for Books and Basketball on the Select Events S40 circuit this summer.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1259137' first='Jane' last='Freisen'] - Bernards - Class of 2029</h2>   <p>Jane was the Bernards HS Co-MVP in a loss to Cherokee HS. She is a long range threat for her team. She is shot ready on the catch and lets it fly with confidence. In the half court she is at her best re-positioning along the arc waiting for ball rotation where she can catch and shoot. She works hard as one of the perimeter defenders for the Bernards pressure D. She gets steals and does a good job finding ways to finish at the rim in transition. As a freshman on a 24-5 Bernards team, she was 2nd in points, 3-pointers and blocks. Jane is playing for the Jersey Gemz on the EYBL circuit this summer.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='913945' first='Annie' last='Gentile'] - Hudson Catholic - Class of 2029</h2>   <p>Annie was the Hudson Catholic HS MVP in a close loss to Gill St. Bernard's. She is a true PG. Dictates tempo and is always in control of the offense. She plays with extreme confidence and has some flash especially when dropping dimes to her teammates. She had her full bag on display at Jersey Live. Loves to connect in her mid-range game. She can step back and knock down the 3-pointer and continually has the defense off balance allowing her to create space for the jumper or blow by defenders and get to the rim. Annie is playing for Philly Rise on the EYBL circuit this summer. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1873071' first='Katie' last='Giebel'] - Bernards - Class of 2029</h2>   <p>Katie was the Bernards HS Co-MVP in a loss to Cherokee HS. Katie got minutes in 27 of 29 games for Bernards last season as a freshman. She shows the ability to shoot the long ball which is a big part off the Bernards offense. Her length makes her an asset to the defense as she can contest and block shots in and around the paint. With 2 of their top 5 scorers graduated, there should be plenty of opportunity for Katie to make an impact as a sophomore.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1303615' first='Giuliana' last='Huaranga'] - IHA - Class of 2029</h2>   <p>Giuliana was the IHA HS MVP in wins over Moore Catholic HS NY and St. Joseph by the Sea HS NY. She is a hard charging strong guard who gets to the rim and finishes with a high level of consistency and with both hands. She has great lower body strength to play through contact inside and out. She does an excellent job reading the defense and finding open teammates. She steps out and knocks down the long ball and fits right in with the IHA ball pressure defense. She was IHA's top weapon by the end of her freshman year and that should only continue going forward. As a freshman, Giuliana led the team in 3-pointers and assists, was 2nd in points and steals and 3rd in rebounds. She is playing for Exodus NYC on the EYBL circuit this summer.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1232429' first='Charlotte' last='Hunzinger'] - Pingry - Class of 2028</h2>   <p>Charlotte was the MVP for Pingry HS in a loss to Xaverian HS NY. She has great size in the middle and uses it to her advantage. She proved to be very comfortable with her back to the basket and has high level footwork in the post where she can finish with both hands. Charlotte has a high release point on her turnaround and mid range jumper making them tough to disrupt. When needed, she can shoot it from beyond the arc. Defensively and on the glass she is a force. She attacks the rebounds high and gets excellent position underneath. She contests a multitude off shots making it difficult for opponents to score inside. As a sophomore, she led Pingry in points, rebounds and blocks and was tied for 2nd in steals. She is playing for United NJ on the Select Events Power 24 circuit this summer.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1192843' first='Ava' last='Illuzzi'] - Secaucus - Class of 2028</h2>   <p>Ava was the Secaucus HS MVP in a win over Montgomery HS. She is a strong guard that plays inside and out. She attacks the rim with good body control and angles and finishes over and through bigger defenders. She has deep range on the 3 ball and is not afraid to let it fly. Ava's handle is solid and her strength allows her to protect the ball against pesky defenders and she consistently finds open teammates for buckets. Defensively she is very opportunistic and reads passing lanes very well getting lots of steals. After two years at Secaucus, she is already over 100 3-pointers and just 74 points away from 1,000 for her career with a high probability of eclipsing 2,000 for her career. As a sophomore, this 4-sport star led Secaucus in points, 3-pointers and assists and was 2nd in rebounds and steals. Ava is playing for the Jersey Aces on the Puma circuit.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1201447' first='Elena' last='Kearns'] - Caldwell - Class of 2028</h2>   <p>Elena was the Caldwell HS MVP in a win over Hudson Catholic HS. She fits right in with the Caldwell high pressure fast paced style. She sprints out in transition and fills lanes where she can finish with either hand. In the half court offense, she has the ability to find spot along the perimeter to shoot it to help space out the defense for the attacking Caldwell guards. Defensively she thrives in the pressure style and gets a lot of steals and run outs. As a sophomore for the Group 2 State runner-up, Elena was 2nd on the team in blocks and 3rd in 3-pointers. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='835485' first='Addison' last='Keenan'] - Caldwell - Class of 2027</h2>   <p>Addy was the Caldwell HS MVP in a win over Paramus Catholic HS. Addy proved why she is NJ's top PG in the Class of 2027. She is absolutely relentless at both ends. She is constantly putting pressure on the opponent, whether it's attacking the rim, stepping back from 3 or guarding from end line to end line. Her motor is rarely, if ever, matched and her attitude and tight handle allow her to get wherever she wants on the court whenever she wants to do it. As a junior she led her team to a runner-up spot in the Group 2 finals and she led her team in points, 3-pointers, rebounds(tie), and steals, was 2nd in assists and 3rd in blocks. Addy should go over 2,000 career points as a senior and is playing for United NJ on the Select Events Power 24 circuit this summer.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='835471' first='Jasmine' last='Kelleher'] - Bernards - Class of 2027</h2>   <p>Jasmine was the Bernards HS MVP in a win over Central HS CT. She is a high IQ guard who displays an effortless shooting stroke. She is comfortable spotting up at the 3-point line and, when given space, drains them. Defensively, she plays with a ton of effort and is disruptive. She gets a lot of steals and deflections on the perimeter and turns them into layups at the other end. As a junior on the 24-5 Bernards squad, she was 2nd on the team in steals and 3rd in points, 3-pointers, assists and blocks. She is playing for the CJ Hawks this summer.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Suhani Kumar - Secaucus - Class of 2030</h2>   <p>Suhani was the Secaucus HS MVP in a loss to Princeton Day HS. She provides athleticism and multi-levlle scoring versatility to a Secaucus team that went 18-10 last year and returns 4 of their top 5 scorers in 2026.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1259196' first='Summer' last='Lachac'] - Immaculata - Class of 2029</h2>   <p>Summer was the Immaculata HS MVP in a loss to Haddon Heights HS. She is adept at shooting the corner 3-pointer in their half court sets. She runs to open spots and has the length to shoot over the close out. Her length is an asset inside defensively, disrupting shots and cleaning up rebounds. As a freshman, she played in all 26 games and was 2nd on the team in blocks and 3rd on the team in rebounds. Summer is playing for [program_tooltip program_id='774068' first='NJ' last='Panthers'] on the New Balance circuit this summer. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1249693' first='Ellie' last='Majewski'] - Union Catholic - Class of 2029</h2>   <p>Ellie was the Union Catholic HS MVP in a win over Immaculata HS. She showed a full offensive arsenal. She attacked the rim and finished through traffic, scoed with pull-ups and floaters and stepped back and made 3-pointers. She also got out in transition for plenty of easy baskets. Her length is a problem on the defensive end where she blocks and alters a lot of shots in the paint. As a freshman at Union Catholic she led the team in points, 3-pointers, blocks and steals and was 2nd in rebounds and assists. Ellie is playing for the Jersey Gemz on the EYBL circuit this summer.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cecelia Mariani - Madison - Class of 2028</h2>   <p>Cecelia was the Madison HS MVP in a loss to Downingtown West HS PA. She is a scrappy aggressive guard who likes to play physical. She will go after steals in the half court and looks to pass ahead right away. She is patient in the half court and looks to spot and knock down the 3-pointer when given the opportunity. She also shows an excellent ability as a passer in the half court and transition. As a sophomore, on a Madison team that advanced to the North 2 Group 2 finals, Cecelia led the team in assists, was 2nd in 3-pointers and steals and 3rd in rebounds. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='816416' first='Emily' last='Mattson'] - Saddle River Day - Class of 2027</h2>   <p>Emily was the Saddle River Day HS Co-MVP in a win over Westwood HS. She is a shooter. Long range or mid range, she is not afraid to fire it up and she fits in very well with the Saddle River Day, score first style of play. They play fast and Emily does a great job running to spots for open looks. She does a good job getting out in transition for layups and is comfortable in a fast paced system. As a junior, she was 2nd in scoring and steals and 3rd in 3-pointers, points and assists. She is playing for Team Northeast on the Select Events Select 40 circuit this summer.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='651498' first='Melina' last='Miller'] - Gill St. Bernard's - Class of 2027</h2>   <p>Melina was the Gill St. Bernard's HS MVP in a win over Madison HS. She is a classic PG in the sense that she is pass first and always looks to get her teammates going. She drops dimes all over the place in transition and in the half court and she stands out when you watch this team play. She can shoot the 3 and finish in the paint both on dribble drive and with a nice fade away posting up smaller guards. With their leading scorer/team leader from last year lost to graduation, Melina will be the engine that makes this team go next season. As a junior, on a Gill St. Bernard's team that went to the Non-Public B finals, Melina led the team in assists and was 3rd in points, 3-pointers, rebounds and steals. She is playing for [program_tooltip program_id='714664' first='Team' last='Sharp'] on the New Balance Lady P32 circuit this summer.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1795479' first='Siena' last='Notaro'] - Madison - Class of 2027</h2>   <p>Siena was the Madison HS MVP in a win loss to Gill St. Bernard's HS. Siena is a deep ball threat whenever she touches. She has a smooth stroke and solid range beyond the arc. She does a good job finding open spots in the opposing defense. She guards hard on the perimeter and creates a lot of turnovers for her team. She does a good job turning those steals into layups at the other end. As a junior, on a Madison team that advanced to the North 2 Group 2 finals, Siena led the team in points and 3-pointers and was 2nd in assists and steals.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Paige Palmer - Old Tappan - Class of 2030</h2>   <p>Paige was the Old Tappan HS MVP in a loss to Franklin. Paige will slot right into the Old Tappan starting lineup as a freshman with her 6'2" frame. She shows the athletic ability to handle the ball and play outside while also having no problem going to work in the paint. Her versatility and athleticism is a true asset for a player of her size. Paige is playing for Philly Rise this summer.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='651485' first='Kaitlyn' last='Platt'] - Gill St. Bernard's - Class of 2027</h2>   <p>Kaity was the Gill St. Bernard's HS MVP in a close win over Hudson Catholic HS. What she lacks in height as a wing, she makes up for in strength. Kaity is adept at keeping her dribble, changing direction and bullying her way to the rim to finish through contact. She is not afraid to attack the rim through any defender. Though she's most comfortable getting downhill, Kaity can also step out and shoot the long ball when given space. Her strength allows her to work the glass against taller opponents. Defensively, she's best off the ball looking to get in passing lanes. With the graduation of her sister who was last year's leading scorer, Kaity will have the opportunity to step into a lead role. As a junior, on a Gill St. Bernard's team that went to the Non-Public B finals, Kaity led the team in rebounds, was 2nd in points, 3-pointers, blocks and steals and 3rd in assists. Having, once again, changed AAU teams, she will finish out the summer season with NJ Rise on the Select Events Select 40 circuit.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Layla Pressley - Arts - Class of 2030</h2>   <p>Layla was the Arts HS MVP in a loss to Manasquan HS. She is a confident guard that is comfortable running the offense or working off the ball. She can step out and shoot or slash to to cup and get buckets both ways. Her versatility gives her to opportunity to have an instant impact on the Arts lineup. Layla is playing for Books and Basketball on the Select Events Select 40 circuit this summer.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1566758' first='Peytan' last='Pugh'] - Bound Brook - Class of 2029</h2>   <p>Peytan was the Bound Brook HS MVP in a win over West Orange HS and a loss to Pingry HS. She is a lightning quick guard who is tough to contain off the bounce. She is undersized but does an excellent job using her body in the paint find ways to convert. Play off off Peytan and it results in a a 3-pointer. She can pull up and knock it down or get into it off a dribble hand off. With PG skills all around she also sets up her teammates for baskets in half court and transition. Defensively she is a nightmare for opposing offenses. Whether pressuring the ball full court or getting in passing lanes, she can disrupt a game defensively as evidenced by her 254 steals last season which was just under 9 per game. Despite her size, she has no problems getting on the boards. As a freshman she led Bound Brook to the Central Group 1 finals and led the team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals and 2nd in 3-pointers. Peytan will go over 1,000 career points in her sophomore year and is spending this summer playing for the Gauchos on the 3SSB circuit.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='835225' first='Cameron' last='Roche'] - Westwood - Class of 2027</h2>   <p>Cam was the Westwood HS MVP in a win over Rumson-Fair Haven and a loss to Saddle River Day HS. She is a long wing that has the ability to shoot the long ball and drive to the rim where she can finish over defenders with her length. She rebounds well with her size and also can get in passing lanes defensively. Her size and athleticism combo is a problem for a lot of defenders. As a junior, she went over 1,000 career points and led the team in points, 3-pointers, rebounds and steals and was 2nd in assists. Cam is playing for [program_tooltip program_id='774068' first='NJ' last='Panthers'] on the New Balance Lady P32 circuit this summer. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='789188' first='Vale' last='Triana'] - Pingry - Class of 2027</h2>   <p>Vale was the Pingry HS MVP in a win over Bound Brook. She is a phyiscal forward who can mix it up on the block or play outside. She is comfortable handling the ball outside. She can shoot the 3-pointer, but shows more consistency attacking the rim or scoring in mid-range. Her ability to guard multiple positions with her size is huge asset to the Pingry squad. She is physical in all phases of the game and plays hard. As a junior, on a Pingry team that advanced to the North Non-Public A finals, Triana was 2nd on the team in points, assists, blocks and steals(tie) and 3rd in 3-pointers and rebounds. She is playing this summer for United NJ on the Select Events Select 40 circuit.</p>

The baselines were packed with college coaches and the play on the court was top notch. These North Jersey players took home game MVP honors in Friday's games. (Any player who was a game MVP on a previous Jersey Live day that has already been covered is not included on this day's list.)