War at the Fort - MVPs from the North

A great venue and the best summer league in NJ never disappoints. The teams playing at the Fort are there because they want to play the best and that is exactly what they get. In a great summer of action, here are the players from the North that garnered game MVP recognition.    Kaity had 19 points in a convincing win over Colts Neck and was also Game MVP in a win over Princeton Day. She will be a senior at Gill St. Bernard's this fall and part of a team that returns all but one player (Addy Platt - St. Joe's) this year and added a post presence that they lacked. Kaity is a powerful downhill driver who can muscle her way to the basket with regularity. She uses change of direction well on her dribble drive and moves well off the ball going to the rim and finishes well in traffic. She has averaged 16 3-pointers per season over the last three seasons and is a physical presence on the glass. Kaity should eclipse 1,000 career points and with a veteran, balanced roster, Gill could make some noise come State Tournament time and get right back the the Non-Public B Championship where they fell short against Gloucester Catholic last year.     Leayana is a long athletic wing who earned Game MVP honors for Teaneck in a win over Trinity Hall. After an injury riddled junior season that limited her to just 7 games, she is back at full strength and providing the Highwaywomen with a presence all over the court both inside and out. Leayana is a slasher who attacks the basket. When she's inside she has the length to score and rebound over opponents. With [player_tooltip player_id='1352567' first='Aniya' last='Celestin'], they will form a dangerous 1-2 punch inside. Though they lost two seniors from last year's N1G3 runner-up squad, they return plenty of experience for a strong season as Leayana approaches 1,000 career points.     Jadasia comes to Hudson Catholic from Snyder for her senior season and she is already solidifying her reputation as a strong inside presence. She had a 13 point 11 rebound double double in a win over Rumson-Fair Haven. She was a double double machine in her time at Snyder with 35 in 43 games. Jadasia will be a welcome addition for an experienced Hudson Catholic team.     Leah did exactly what St. Thomas Aquinas has come to expect from her in a win ovver Hudson Catholic. She had a 26 point 18 rebound double double and dominated inside. She has been a double double machine for St. Thomas Aquinas with 26 so far in her career. In her senior season she should eclipse 1,000 career points AND 1,000 career rebounds. The roster will look a little different this year with graduations and transfers but Leah will be the anchor for STAQ. She is long and has the ability to score over anyone inside. She has a strong mid-range jumper and is adept at cleaning the glass and intimidating opposing dribble drive opportunities.     Aniya is the inside force for Teaneck and she showcased her skills in a 16 point, 8 rebounds, 3 assisst, 2 steal, 2 block effort in a win over Point Boro. She has over 20 D1 offers and her ability to disrupt a game on the inside has college coaches excited to get her. She had 13 double doubles as a junior and averaged 2+bpg showing her ability to be a force on offense and defense. She is comfortable with her back to the basket inside and can guard the block as well.     Melina is the engine that makes the Gill St. Bernard's offense go. The Rider commit had 4 points, 6 assists, 6 steals and 7 rebounds in a win over Manasquan. She is a traditional pass first PG with great court vision. She will routinely get passes into tight windows allowing them opportunities to score all over the court. She averaged just under 6apg in her junior year and also knocked down 19 3-pointers. Her ability to take what the game gives her has made her one of the top PGs in the NJ class of 2027. She and her teammates have a shot to win the Non-Public B title this year.     Sydney moved to St. Thomas Aquinas last season after two years at North Brunswick and made an immediate impact. She is prepared to take the next step this season with several players lost to graduation and transfer. Sydney had 21 points in a win over Rumson-Fair Haven and did most of her damage in the 2nd half. She showed what people have come to expect from her game and that is the ability to stroke it from the arc and get downhill and finish at the rim. Her versatility paired with [player_tooltip player_id='865288' first='Leah' last='Kearney'] will create a dynamice duo for St. Thomas Aquinas and she should go over 1,000 career points before the calendar turns to 2027.     Amahli proved why she is one of the top 2029s in North Jersey in a win over St. Rose. She is a lockdown defender all over the floor. She does not back down from any challenge and she fills the stat sheet scoring, rebounding and looking to create for her teammates. Morris Catholic was the Non-Public A runner-up last year and, with the departure of their top three scorers to graduation and transfer, there will be plenty of opportunity for Amahli to increase her offensive impact on this team while maintaining her defensively disruptive personality.     Anastasia is a dynamic PG and the returning player in scoring, 3-pointers, assists and steals for Morris Catholic. She dictates tempo and dazzles in the full court and half court offense. She reads the game very well and gives her team whatever they need whenever they need it. Her ability to score at 3 levels and also distribute make her tough to guards. Combine that with her willingness to guard and you have a disruptive backcourt force for one of the top programs in NJ.     As a freshman, Samantha helped Colonia to a 20-4 record by leading the team in 3-point shooting and finishing 2nd in points and steals. She was Game MVP for Colonia in a win over Brick Township by showing off the diversity of her game. She scored inside and out, displayed a confident stroke from deep, willingly distributed the ball and mixed it up on the boards. She is eager to guard and helps disrupt the game on the defensive end. Having lost only one starter,Colonia brings back an experienced group that will look to be a force in N2G3.     Brooke moves to Gill St. Bernard's after 3 seasons at Sparta and will bring the interior presence this squad needs. She was Game MVP in a win over Trinity Hall and again with 17 points in a win over Red Bank Catholic by controlling the interior. She displayed good footwork on the block and worked hard on the glass. She adds a solid mid-range jumper to her interior game and joins a balanced and experienced roster that will look to take home a Non-Public B title.     Maeve earned Game MVP honors by knocking down a game winning 3-pointer with 3 seconds left in a 33-31 over Rumson-Fair Haven. Chatham loses their top scorer and head coach from last year's N2G3 Sectional Championship team, but returns a deep experienced roster and new coach. Maeve enters her senior year and her role will only increase with additional minutes available at the guard spot and the ability to knock down the long ball.     Sydney was Game MVP in a win over Chatham displaying the skills that should jump to the forefront of the Teaneck offense this year. When she gets going she is deadly from long range and uses that ability to draw defenders out and blow by them. She thrives in the fast-paced pressure scheme that Teaneck utilizes and will get steals and layups on their press. With Lexi Carnegie gone to graduation there will be an opening for Sydney to make an even bigger impact as a junior after leading the team in 3-point shooting as a sophomore.     Gianna comes to DePaul Catholic from Hudson Catholic this season. Her interior presence was on display in a convincing win over St. Thomas Aquinas. She joins a talented roster and her double double is the kind of effort DePaul will come to expect on a nightly basis. She is strong scoring inside with her back to the basket and off the glass. She has the ability to step out and shoot it as well which can create problems for opposing defenses. She joins a DePaul team looking to knock Morris Catholic off the North Non-Public A perch this season.

A great venue and the best summer league in NJ never disappoints. The teams playing at the Fort are there because they want to play the best and that is exactly what they get. In a great summer of action, here are the players from the North that garnered game MVP recognition.