Morris County Tournament: Players to Watch in First Round
Photo by The Daily Record The Morris County Tournament has finished their preliminary round and will play the first round on Saturday. The field has been cut to 16 teams and there will be eight games to see who will…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingPhoto by The Daily Record
The Morris County Tournament has finished their preliminary round and will play the first round on Saturday. The field has been cut to 16 teams and there will be eight games to see who will move on and still have a chance at the title. There will be plenty of talent on the floor Saturday. Here are some of the key players to keep an eye on as the big day approaches.
Emma Wax (2020) | Montville
Montville is a perfect 15-0 heading into this tournament. It is no surprise that they are the top seed and favorite to win it all. Wax has been their leader on the floor since the beginning of the season. She is scoring 16.5 points per game this season and has been the team’s leader in assists. Wax has been scoring from all over the floor this season and that will continue in the Morris County Tournament.
Maddie Hartnett (2020) | Chatham
Chatham will enter the tournament off a loss to West Morris. That loss snapped a long winning streak. They will be the second-seeded team in this tournament led by Hartnett. She is one of the best shooters in the county as she has knocked down 52 three’s this season. Hartnett is scoring 16 points per game and has scored in a multitude of ways. She will have Chatham as one of the favorites to win this tournament and a team that can be a threat to Montville.
Karin Brett (2020) | Villa Walsh
Villa Walsh began the season 2-2 but has won 11 of their last 12 games. Brett has been a huge reason why. The senior is averaging 12.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game this season. She is also one of the best defenders in the county with five steals per game. Brett is the type of player that can carry a team come tournament time.
Amanda Nwankwo (2023) | Jefferson
Jefferson has just one loss this season and it came to Villa Walsh. They might have a chance to seek revenge if all goes right in the tournament. Jefferson’s freshman sensation has been the team’s leading scorer this season. Nwankwo is scoring 10.3 points per game in her first high school season. She will need to show up big time if Jefferson wants to make a deep run.
Hannah Kelly (2020) | St. Elizabeth
St. Elizabeth has suffered losses this season to some of the top teams in the state including Gill St. Bernard’s and Rutgers Prep. Kelly is scoring 13.3 points per game this season to lead St. Elizabeth. They will enter the tournament as the dark-horse team that can make a run. They will enter as the six-seed and have a chance to make some real noise led by Kelly.
Tyonna Bailey (2023) | Morris Catholic
It has been an up-and-down season for Morris Catholic to date. They have a dynamic duo on the court led by Bailey. In her freshman season, Bailey is averaging 16.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game in her rookie campaign. She is a player that is made for tournaments like this one. Morris Catholic features Bailey and Jayden Watson who is averaging 14.5 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. This will be one of the most interesting teams to watch.
Brielle Junda (2020) | Hanover Park
Can Hanover Park make a run? It will be hard considering they are a very low seed and will be taking on Chatham in round one. Heading into the game, they are a team that you have to prepare for. Junda is averaging just under 16 points per game this season. She is joined by Olivia Cosenzo who has been effective scoring and rebounding the ball. This is a team with talent but has been inconsistent throughout the season.