10 Small School Freshmen Making Big Waves

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These ten freshies represent the smallest schools in New Jersey (Group 1 classification) and have kicked off their high school hoops career in a big way. Their efforts have landed them on my radar:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mariah Brown | College Achieve Central</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Four games in and Mariah is leading her team in points, rebounds, assists and steals. She's done it all to get them off to a 3-1 start, including an undefeated run at the McNair Tournament. With averages of 13.0 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.0 BPG &amp; 5.0 SPG, she couldn't have asked for a better start!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1566758' first='Peytan' last='Pugh'] | Bound Brook</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She quickly asserted herself as a dynamo freshman guard, recording four double-doubles and a triple-doubles in the first six games of the season. She ended 2025 with 21 points vs Union Catholic and began 2026 with 21 points against SPF. Her locked-in two-way game will get her very far!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1259141' first='Sydney' last='Tilton'] | Shore</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Her length has aided in scoring, rebounding and defensive efforts with averages of 13.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.3 BPG &amp; 2.8 SPG. She is quickly landing on everyone's radar with her stellar inside-out game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Valentina Kambitsis | Highland Park</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Valentina has already notched two double-digit scoring games [against Middlesex and Sayreville]. She's wasted no time getting going, proving to be a legit scoring threat from distance, going off for five triples in that 17-point outing vs Middlesex. The freshman is averaging 8.0 PPG and looking to make a big splash in GMC play this month.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1301651' first='Carly' last='Sibi'] | Boonton</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The zippy 5'0" score-first PG has proved troublesome for defenses. She wrapped up December averaging 12.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG &amp; 1.5 SPG, with double-figure scoring in five of six games. An assertive "go-getter" approach on both sides of the ball is making all the difference for the 5-1 Bombers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1262071' first='Kassidy' last='Ahmad'] | Newark Tech</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The shifty 5'7" guard is averaging a team-best 15.5 PPG through eight games to start the season. She's posted two-games with 20+ points and outscored the opposing team all by herself on two occasions (vs Empowerment Academy Charter &amp; Orange).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Alaina Damico | Pequannock</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Golden Panthers won five of their first eight games largely in part to a strong two-way effort by the freshman. In those eight, she averaged 9.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.4 APG &amp; 2.9 SPG and recorded a double-double and three other games in double-figure scoring. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hailey Abreu | Bard</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In four December games, the 5'6" guard averaged 7.8 PPG &amp; 4.0 SPG showing off commitment on both offense and defense. She had a season-high 13 points and 6 steals against Technology, nearly outscoring them all by herself in the 61-16 win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1567055' first='Ava' last='Antoine'] | Newark Tech</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ava wasted no time in her varsity debut, scoring in double-digits seven of the team's first eight games. A season-high 21 points came recently against American History to help Newark Tech get off to an 8-0 start. She's been rock solid on both ends, averaging 13.2 PPG &amp; 3.4 SPG.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Vanessa Fernandes | Newark Global Studies</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Vanessa has played it cool, calm and collected, averaging 12.6 PPG and helping her team roll to four wins in eight games. She struck 20 points twice already (against Becton &amp; Hillside) and is shooting the 3 ball well. She kicked off her highs] school career with an electric 8 steals vs Newark Fashion and Design &amp; matched that season-high once more vs Hillside a few games later.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->