PGH New Jersey Recruiting Update: 1/19

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We have a new recruiting update for you as of Friday, January 19, with some big developments on players, some offers and visits and everything in-between. There will be plenty of big time news to come and we'll be sure to have that covered on future recruiting updates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='325201' first='Mikayla' last='Blakes'] - Rutgers Prep (2024) set to commit on January 22</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is a big one. [player_tooltip player_id='325201' first='Mikayla' last='Blakes'], star guard at Rutgers Prep and the No. 1 prospect in our PGH New Jersey Class of 2024 rankings, is set to make her college commitment official on the SportsCenter Next Instagram account at 3:15 p.m. Jan. 22.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":841614,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/GEOH3sWXoAAMBZ3.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-841614" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blakes is down to her final seven schools to decide from, all Power Five programs and several who are national championship contenders this season. Current Pac-12 schools Stanford and UCLA, SEC programs Vanderbilt and Tennessee, and Big Ten programs Rutgers, Indiana and Wisconsin, are all possibilities for the highly-touted college prospect. With the Scarlet Knights still in the running, that means her staying in the Garden State is still very much possible.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='651517' first='Aleah' last='Sunkins'] - Franklin (2027) offered by Monmouth</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Arguably the best prospect in the Class of 2027, versatile talent [player_tooltip player_id='651517' first='Aleah' last='Sunkins'] is getting plenty of love from college programs, having just received an offer this week from Monmouth. To our knowledge, this is Sunkins' first college offer that she's announced on social media and just might be her first Division I offer so far, a much-deserved honor for her. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She's more than lived up to the hype in her first high school season, averaging 12.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG and well over two blocks a game in 15 games played for Franklin. We can only imagine how much more she'll improve and grow over time, becoming a top prospect not just here, but nationwide too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='667787' first='Jax' last='Edelman'] - Morris Catholic (2027) offered by Providence</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sunkins wasn't the only freshman in New Jersey to receive a college offer in recent days as Morris Catholic guard/forward [player_tooltip player_id='667787' first='Jax' last='Edelman'] received an offer from Big East power Providence on Jan. 16.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":841615,"sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/GD_9psFWkAAASb4.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-841615" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Edelman has already had her moments at the high school level, posting a pair of 18+ point performances for the Crusaders while currently averaging 6.9 PPG and 3.8 RPG as a starter on this team. Let's not forget 1.3 made three-pointers a game against top-level competition too. She's working her way up the totem pole and starting out on such a good team playing such good competition will only continue to help her growth and success.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='333550' first='Tatianna' last='Collins'] - Morris Catholic (2025) &amp; [player_tooltip player_id='601266' first='Kennedy' last='Brown'] - Morris Catholic (2026) visit Coppin State</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What perfect timing the St. James MLK Classic was for Morris Catholic as the proximity of being in the DMV helped a pair of Crusaders tour a HBCU program in Maryland. Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='333550' first='Tatianna' last='Collins'] and sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='601266' first='Kennedy' last='Brown'] took an unofficial visit to Coppin State on Monday, braving the winter elements to get some college exposure.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":841616,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/GD7TYQOWQAAptHN.jpg?w=768" alt="" class="wp-image-841616" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The two are significant contributors for Morris Catholic, with Collins being the second-leading rebounder on the team and a solid complementary piece in the frontcourt with [player_tooltip player_id='325219' first='Alexis' last='Rosenfeld'], and Brown currently being the fourth-leading scorer on the team as well as one of its best passers and defensive-minded guards. Really impressed with the work that Collins has done on the post, and Brown really has grown into a solid third guard presence behind the Pauldo twins.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->