State Rankings for Week of 3/12/13

NJ girls basketball power rankings (3/12/13)

by Gregg Lerner on Tue, Mar 12, 2013 at 6:44 PM  / Updated Tue, Mar 12, 2013 at 7:15 PM

Rankings

	RANK	TEAM	REC	LW	COMMENTS
	1	Shabazz	31-1	1	The Bulldogs claimed their fourth straight NJSIAA Group 2 state title with a convincing 71-44 victory over Willingboro. Naqaiyyah Teague not only scored a season-high 19 points, the senior guard was the catalyst of a perimeter exhibition with three of the six 3-pointers Shabazz hit.
	2	Red Bank Catholic	28-1	3	Abiding to its season-long principles of fierce defense and equal-opportunity offense, the Caseys picked up their first Non-Public A championship since 2007 by leading from start to finish in a 54-42 triumph over No. 6 Immaculate Heart. Junior forward Grace Fallon clicked for 17 points and sophomore guard Alex Barazotti added 10.
	3	Trenton Catholic	23-6	15	A significant jump for the Iron Mikes, you say? Darn right. With powerful showings in wins over Gill St. Bernard’s and Morris Catholic on the road to the Non-Public B crown that also happened to extend their winning streak to 12, they merited the leap 12 places. Junior guard Isis Young scored 33 in the 70-53 win versus Gill St. Bernard’s for the South Jersey sectional title and dropping in 21 on Saturday to key a 60-49 verdict over Morris Catholic.
	4	Gill St. Bernard's	23-5	2	The Knights’ campaign came to a close with the aforementioned setback to Trenton Catholic but should take no shine off a fulfilling season. Operating with just seven players, Gill St. Bernard’s won the Somerset County Tournament while boasting one of the most courted juniors in guard Taylor Rooks (26.4 ppg).
	5	St. John Vianney	18-11	6	A grueling schedule had perks for the Lady Lancers, who were able to groom seven freshmen in what the program demands. St. John Vianney dropped three meetings with rival RBC by a grand total of eight points. Senior Lyndsay Rowe picked up the slack in the absence of classmate Kat Egan, who was lost for the year on Jan. 3 with a torn ACL.
	6	IHA	28-3	5	It was a fruitful showing for IHA, which won both the Bergen County Tournament and North Jersey, Non-Public A sectional title. Senior point guard Samantha Wilkes, whose next stop is Villanova, was a commanding 6-0 floor leader. And, the future looks bright for the Blue Eagles based on the play of junior Lindsey Rogers, sophomores Caitlin Roche, Katia Oge and Alexandria Mesropyan and freshman Jordan Wilmoth.
	7	Rumson	21-9	9	Grace Stant, a 6-0 sophomore guard, offered tough defense to go with 16 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks in a gutty effort that helped Rumson outlast Point Pleasant Boro, 53-49, in overtime for the Central Jersey, Group 2 title. The Bulldogs were eliminated by Willingboro in the state semifinal.
	8	Pt. Pleasant Boro	26-3	4	Finalists in the Shore Conference Tournament and Central Jersey, Group 2, the Panthers played valiantly in both before bowing. Senior guard Kelly Hughes wrapped up her illustrious four-year run as the all-time leading scorer in the Shore Conference with 2,560 points.
	9	Morris Catholic	27-2	8	The Morris County Tournament champion, which had a 23-game win streak snapped by Trenton Catholic in the Non-Public B final, prided itself on sound man-to-man defense (33.0 ppg.). The Crusaders will bid farewell to multi-talented senior Sade Idera but bring back four starters in juniors Alexa Giuliano, Charlotte Schum and Anna Toke along with sophomore Kate Feeney. Freshman Rachel Mills is a prime candidate to fill the fifth spot.
	10	Middletown South	22-4	10	The Eagles went undefeated in the Shore Conference A North to successfully defend their division title and can be excited about what the future holds for 5-7 freshman guard Stephanie Karcz (10.1 ppg.)
	11	Pt. Pleasant Beach	25-1	11	Junior point guard Katelynn Flaherty pumped in 30 points and sophomore swing Marina Mabrey netted 26 to power the Garnet Gulls to their first-ever Group 1 championship with a 56-54 victory over Bloomfield Tech.
	12	DePaul	15-11	12	The Spartans, who rebounded from a 2-8 start, lose seniors Jade Walker, Brianah Ramos and Victoria D’Addario, but can take solace knowing the backcourt next season will be in the capable hands of junior Jada Hutchins and freshman Nikki Johnson.
	13	Phillipsburg	26-3	7	The Stateliners were dealt a harsh blow in the North 2, Group 4 sectional final when senior guard Loren Kaiser was lost to an injury in a 48-33 loss to East Orange Campus. Before her departure, Kaiser scored four points to become the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,420.
	14	Freehold Boro	23-6	NR	Senior guard Camerin Spahn, who has committed to NJIT, pulled down 15 rebounds, doled out 10 assist and hit two free throws with 10.9 seconds remaining in overtime to lift the Colonials to the first Central Jersey, Group 3 title with a 50-48 decision against Neptune. Two days later, Freehold Boro bowed to eventual Group 3 state champion Ocean City in the semifinals.
	15	Manasquan	20-9	NR	Under first-year coach Lisa Kukoda, the Warriors, the defending Tournament of Champions winner, were able to put together a strong encore. They fell to eventual champion Red Bank Catholic in the quarterfinals of the Shore Conference Tournament an were toppled by Rumson, 43-34, in the Central Jersey, Group 2 semifinals. Eva Hart, Courtney Hagaman and Samantha Sullivan will give Manasquan a strong foundation to build on next season.