Six Under-the-Radar Players
contributed by Amit Batra There is no secret that New Jersey is a hotbed for basketball. A ton of high school girls basketball players go on to play for some major Division I programs. There are also players who go…
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Continue Readingcontributed by Amit Batra
There is no secret that New Jersey is a hotbed for basketball. A ton of high school girls basketball players go on to play for some major Division I programs. There are also players who go under-the-radar and whose impact isn’t necessarily acknowledged on major outlets. Let’s take a look at some under-the-radar players in the Garden State.
Haleigh Schafer, Absegami High School: Schafer had a strong junior season where she finished in double figures in every game but four for an Absegami team that finished 17-11 overall. She had two 30-point games to her name, including a season-high 35 against Millville this past January. She also plays strong defense, racking up multiple steals per game. Schafer showcased her ability to rebound – finishing with three double-double performances on the season.
Brianna Montajes, Middlesex High School: Montajes took a big leap from her sophomore season to her junior year in 2019-20, averaging nearly 14 points per game. She has shown the ability to do it all with rebounding, hitting shots from the perimeter, getting to the foul line, dishing out assists and stealing the ball. Montajes had a seven-steal performance in last season’s opener against Piscataway. Middlesex had a strong season at 24-3 – starting with a 21-0 record – and Montajes had a lot to do with it.
Meghan Pedrani, Somerville High School: Pedrani had a very productive season for a Somerville group that finished 20-8 in 2019-20. Pedrani was a big reason why. She showcased her ability to score, rebound, distribute and make plays on defense. One of her best performances came in a nine-point win over Immaculata in January when she went for 29 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Pedrani knocked down three triples in that game, too. Expect Pedrani to do more of the same as she enters her junior season.
Grace Soltes Grace Soltes 6'1" | PF West Morris | 2022 State NJ , West Morris Central High School: Soltes had a strong sophomore season with the West Morris Central Wolfpack. With a 30-point game to her name, Soltes showcased her ability to not only score but rebound as well. The WMC playmaker totaled 12 double-double performances on the season. Soltes also had five four-block games in 2019-20.
Brooke Hollawell Brooke Hollawell 5'6" | PG Manasquan | 2022 State NJ , Manasquan High School: Make sure to remember the name Brooke Hollawell Brooke Hollawell 5'6" | PG Manasquan | 2022 State NJ . The junior made a splash last season for Manasquan. She had good offensive numbers as a sophomore, and you expect that production to continue. Hollawell put in a season-high 29 points in a 66-60 win over Marlboro last December.
Tara Johnson Tara Johnson 5'9" | SG University | 2021 State NJ , University High School: Johnson was a scoring machine for a University team that finished 24-2 and captured the Essex County Tournament championship. Johnson, a guard, will be a senior this year and should be in for quite the season. She has shown the ability to score, facilitate, rebound and make an impact on the defensive end. One of her finest performances was a 29-point, 10-rebound, seven-assist and five-steal outing in a win over West Essex last season.