NJSIAA State Tournament Preview from the North – Group 1

<!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">North 1 Group 1 Preview</span></strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I think this section comes down to the top 2 teams but if the ball bounces the right way, some interesting things could happen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">The Favorite</span></strong><br><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#1 - Park Ridge</span></strong><br>This section is theirs to lose. They are the defending champs and have the top player in the section. Senior Hartford commit [player_tooltip player_id='414430' first='Allie' last='Shenloogian'] has done everything for this team in her career and would like to end it with back-to-back sectional titles. She is already in the top 50 all-time scorers in NJ basketball, and she routinely fills the stat sheet averaging 8+rpg, 7+spg and 3+apg. Allie can shoot it and get to the rim, and she converts steals into points with regularity. Park Ridge did not lose a game to a team in this section all season. They have a solid supporting cast with juniors Lori Graham (8+ppg, 3+apg) and [player_tooltip player_id='671400' first='Kate' last='Broderick'] (5ppg, 6+rpg). Everyone plays their role, but it all runs thru Allie. We'll see if anyone in this section can lock her down.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">The Contenders</span></strong><br><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#2 - Mountain Lakes</span></strong><br>Mountain Lakes lost to Park Ridge by 15 in the sectional final last year and they are looking for revenge this season. Their top 3 players are back led by senior Abigail Hawes (16+ppg, 4+rpg and 4+spg), sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='832357' first='Shea' last='Sutter'] (8+ppg, 8+rpg, 3+spg and 2+apg) and senior Kaylin Oey (8+ppg, 6+rpg, 2+apg). Add in 6rpg from junior Kristine Squeglia and you have a lot of players making major contributions. Abigail is a versatile inside out scorer who is 1 point away from 1,000 for her career and will surely get it in her regular season finale against Morris Knolls on 2/22.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#3 - Cresskill</span></strong><br>After graduating 1,257-point scorer Erin Fahy and top shooter Julia Hasenstab from last year's team, Cresskill responded with more regular season wins this year than last year. They have 5 players making major contributions and only 1 is a senior. The leaders of this team are junior [player_tooltip player_id='1134549' first='Aya' last='Catran'] (11+ppg, 37 3-pointers, 2+rpg), freshman [player_tooltip player_id='1199467' first='Zohar' last='Catran'] (10+ppg, a team high 43 3-pointers, 4+rpg, 2+apg), junior [player_tooltip player_id='1134556' first='Charley' last='Quinn'] (9+ppg, 21 3-pointers, 2+rpg, 2+apg), senior Catlin McGee (6+ppg, 5+rpg) and sophomore Maya Joshi (5+ppg, 6+rpg). With, possibly the most balance team in this bracket, Cresskill is a force in this section right now and they will be back for more next year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#4 - Waldwick</span></strong><br>Like Cresskill, Waldwick has a strong 5 contributors to a team that played a very tough early season schedule to prepare themselves for the postseason. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='601410' first='Lyla' last='Stokes'] leads this offense, and she sits at 967 career points with 1 regular season game left this season. It's likely to see Lyla go over 1,000 career points early in the state tournament. She is a versatile scorer who can get downhill and has a strong mid-range game. Lyla (13+ppg, 6+rpg, 2+bpg, 2+spg) is joined by junior Kyra Rahulatharan (9+ppg, 6+apg, 2+apg, 2+spg), senior [player_tooltip player_id='583956' first='Hailey' last='Zirpoli'] (8+ppg, team high 49 3-pointers, 4+rpg), senior Julianne Greenfield (6+ppg, 25 3-pointers, 3+rpg) and senior Lucy Castaneda (5+ppg, 6+apg, 4+rpg, 3+spg). These 5 girls bring experience to the postseason. They split with Cresskill this season but fell twice to Park Ridge. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">The Sleepers</span></strong><br><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#5 - Hasbrouck Heights</span></strong><br>This is a team that has experience, youth and 5 contributors and that can be a dangerous combination in states. After starting the season 0-5, Hasbrouck Heights has gone 15-5 with one regular season game left. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='832358' first='Gina' last='Minichiello'] (18+ppg, 8+rpg. 3+apg, 2+spg) has scored in double figures in 23 of 25 games and is the leader of the offense. Also making waves on this team are senior [player_tooltip player_id='414433' first='Paige' last='Sonzogni'] (9+ppg, team high 32 3-pointers, 4+rpg), freshman Ashley Shine (6+ppg, 6+rpg), sophomore Amaya Veras (4+ppg. 2+rpg) and freshman Rayna Ialama (3+ppg, 5+rpg). If this group can rise to the moment they could make some noise in this section.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#7 - Kittatinny</span></strong><br>At 18-7, Kittatinny is led by a senior 1,000 point scorer. That kind of leadership deserves attention in the states. [player_tooltip player_id='879788' first='Taylor' last='Hough'] (18ppg, team high 28 3-pointers, 6+spg, 5+rpg, 2+apg) has set career highs in every category this season and is looking to make some noise in states as a swan song. Helping Taylor out are junior Katie Sajdak (9+ppg, 4+apg, 3+rpg, 3+spg), senior Gianna Caruso (9+ppg, 4+rpg, 2+spg), junior Lina Hull (5+ppg, 5+rpg) and junior Reese Redden (4+rpg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">NORTH 1 GROUP 1 SECTIONAL </span><span style="font-weight: bold;text-decoration: underline">FINAL PREDICTION</span><br>#2-Mountain Lakes over #1-Park Ridge</strong> - Mountain Lakes finds a way to slow [player_tooltip player_id='414430' first='Allie' last='Shenloogian'] just enough and their 3-headed monster takes down the defending champs.<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">North 2 Group 1 Preview</span></strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No disrespect to the other teams but this is a two-horse race, and I believe the Group 1 North Champion is coming out of this section.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">The Favorites</span></strong><br><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#1 - Glen Ridge</span></strong><br>This is a balanced, veteran roster that has battled through a tough schedule with a first-year coach and EARNED themselves the #1 seed. Glen Ridge beat #2-University twice, took 1 out of 3 against North 1 Group 4 #1-West Orange, beat North 1 Group 2 #1-Glen Rock and #3-Mahwah, and fell just short against North 1 Group 3 #1-Demarest and #4-Ramapo. They will not be afraid of the moment as they look to avenge last year's sectional final loss to University. Glen Ridge is led by senior 1,100 career point scorer and MIT commit [player_tooltip player_id='583763' first='Riley' last='O'Sullivan'] (16+ppg, 7+rpg), junior [player_tooltip player_id='601520' first='Allison' last='Snyder'] (8+ppg, 4+rpg, 3+apg, 3+bpg, 2+spg), senior [player_tooltip player_id='808905' first='Katie' last='Powers'] (7+ppg, 5+apg, 3+spg, 2+apg), sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='835255' first='Caitlin' last='Hood'] (5+ppg, 4+rpg) and junior Annabel Koss-Defrank (4+ppg, 4+rpg). Riley is a force inside offensively and the rest of the offense runs off of her. Glen Ridge does a great job of playing the game at their own pace and if they advance, they get the bonus of hosting the sectional final.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#2-University</span></strong><br>University is not the #1 seed in this section for the first time in 5 years. The reason is, at 11-10, they have played a brutally tough schedule and had a couple of forfeit losses along the way. Make no doubt about it, this squad fully expects to be holding up the sectional trophy for the 4th consecutive season. They are led by senior 1,400 career point scorer [player_tooltip player_id='414417' first='Paradise' last='Fisher'] (16+ppg, 5+apg, 4+rpg, 4+spg), junior [player_tooltip player_id='601329' first='Briana' last='Holt'] (12+ppg, 8+rpg), sophomore Shanaa Manning (7+ppg, 3+spg, 2+apg), junior Taylor LaRue (6+ppg, 4+rpg), senior [player_tooltip player_id='414345' first='Aaliyah' last='Littles'] (8+ppg, 4+rpg) and senior [player_tooltip player_id='873268' first='Ki-Lin' last='Thomas'] (4+ppg, 2+rpg). They like to play up-tempo and get after it and they will overwhelm most teams in this section.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">The Sleepers</span></strong><br><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#3 - Secaucus</span></strong><br>Unfortunately, if you are not one of the top 2 seeds in this section, you are an underdog. That being said, Secaucus has a mix of veterans and youth on their roster, and they will not back down from anyone. They are led by freshman [player_tooltip player_id='1192843' first='Ava' last='Illuzzi'] (15+ppg, 44 3-pointers, 4+apg, 3+rpg, 3+spg), senior [player_tooltip player_id='414426' first='Gabriella' last='Torrillo'] (10+ppg, 8+rpg, 4+apg, 2+spg), sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='835467' first='Ava' last='D'Addetta'] (10+ppg, team high 47 3-pointers, 3+rpg), sophomore Julia Pozo (7+ppg, 6+rpg, 2+spg) and freshman Londyn Oquendo (4+ppg, 3+rpg). Led by a veteran coaching staff, they will pull out all the stops to keep games tight.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#5 - Arts</span></strong><br>Arts got handled in their early season matchup with University, but they have some scorers and can spread the ball around. Arts is led by freshman [player_tooltip player_id='981852' first='Harmoni' last='Burgess'] (15ppg, 7+rpg, 5+spg, 2+apg), sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='789184' first='Iyanah' last='Lafontant'] (11+ppg, 4+spg, 2+rpg, 2+spg), senior [player_tooltip player_id='1135294' first='Serenity' last='Muhammad'] (10+ppg, team high 25 3-pointers, 2+rpg, 2+apg, 2+spg) and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='835497' first='NicoleRai' last='Bogan'] (5+ppg, 3+rpg, 3+spg). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">NORTH 2 GROUP 1 SECTIONAL </span><span style="font-weight: bold;text-decoration: underline">FINAL PREDICTION</span><br>#2-University over #1-Glen Ridge</strong> - Glen Ridge gets a home game, but the third time is a charm for University this season as they put it all together and take home another North 2 Group 1 title.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="font-weight: bold;text-decoration: underline"><strong>Group 1 North Champion</strong> Prediction</span><br>UNIVERSITY</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->