With an emphasis on local schedules this season — and no state tournament — NJ Advance Media is breaking down every conference with players to watch in 2021.
Here are the players worth keeping tabs on in the New Jersey Interscholastic Conference:
Camille Arias, Manchester Regional, Sr.
Arias is one of the top shooters in the NJIC and returns this season after averaging 9.4 points per game. She made 52 3-pointers last season.
Saniah Caldwell, Saddle River Day, Jr.
Caldwell is one of the top juniors in the country, and for good reason. Caldwell averaged 20.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5 assists and 6.1 steals per game last season. She sits just outside the top 60 in ESPN’s HoopGurlz recruiting rankings for the class of 2022.
Amanda DiMase, Wood-Ridge, Sr.
DiMase is the leading returning scorer on a Wood-Ridge team that was competitive and had a 18-9 record. DiMase paced the team, averaging 12.4 points per game.
Samantha Eckert, Wood-Ridge, Sr.
Eckert averaged a double-double last season for Wood-Ridge, scoring 10.4 points and grabbing 10.2 rebounds per game. She’ll look to put up those same numbers entering her final season of her high school career.
Janai Hawley, Leonia, Jr.
While Leonia struggled last season, it wasn’t because of Hawley. She averaged a double-double, scoring 10.6 points and grabbing 13 rebounds per game.
Ella Madden, Park Ridge, Jr.
Madden returns after averaging 9.7 points and 6.5 rebounds last year as a sophomore on a Park Ridge team that finished with a 19-8 record.
Ella Marchesani, Saddle Brook, So.
Marchesani was solid during her freshman year for Saddle Brook. She scored 297 points, an average of 11.9 per game, and looks to build on it this season.
Harmony Marquez, Rutherford, Jr.
Marquez should be among the top players in the NJIC this season. She broke out a bit during her sophomore campaign, averaging 11.3 points and 7 rebounds per game.
Carley Martin, Lyndhurst, Sr.
Martin is the ranks third in the NJIC for returning leading scorers, not including players from Saddle River Day. Martin averaged 16.2 points per game last season and made 115 2-point baskets.
Francesca Matraxia, Becton, Jr.
Matraxia was Becton’s leading scorer last season as an underclassman and will look to build on her 11.4 points per game from last year.
Paige McGuire, Hasbrouck Heights, Sr.
McGuire returns after leading Hasbrouck Heights in points with 261, an average of 10 per game.
Colleen McQuillen, Cresskill, Sr.
The leading returning scorer in the state of New Jersey this year, McQuillen is coming off a fantastic junior season where she averaged 25.4 points per game. She has already surpassed the 2,000 point career scoring mark. McQuillen also pulled down 8.3 rebounds per game.
Colleen McQuillen (33) of Cresskill dribbles after grabbing a rebound and is fouled by Amy Maurer (15) of New Providence during the NJSIAA North Jersey, Group 1 girls basketball semifinal between New Providence and Cresskill at Ramapo High School in Franklin Lakes, NJ on 3-12-20. Cresskill won 38-30.Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media
Viviana Mendez, Weehawken, Jr.
Mendez returns after helping lead Weehawken to a 17-10 record last season. Mendez averaged 6.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game last season.
Aly Novick, Glen Rock, Sr.
Novick led Glen Rock in scoring last season as a junior at 9.6 points per game and made 37 3-pointers as well.
Paulina Paris, Saddle River Day, Jr.
Paris transferred to Saddle River Day from Albertus Magnus High School in New York, and she brings a great basketball pedigree with her. A point guard by trade, Paris is ranked as the 43rd best player in the class of 2022 by ESPNW’s HoopGurlz rankings.
Cierra Pearson, Saddle River Day, Jr.
Pearson averaged 9.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while playing 21 games last season. Pearson is another highly recruited player for coach Danny Brown’s program and holds multiple Division I offers.
Daniella Peschetti, Secaucus, So.
Livia Ramos, Ridgefield, Sr.
Only Colleen McQuillen averaged more points per game last season for returning players that played in the NJIC last season than Ramos. Ramos averaged 19.6 points per game for a Ridgefield team that went 10-15.
Lyndsey Ross, Secaucus, Sr.
Niamh Tobin, Cresskill, Jr.
Bigger things are expected out of Tobin this season to try and help McQuillen on the offensive end. Tobin averaged 5.7 points per game last season.
You can reach Luis Torres at ltorres@njadvancemedia.com and you can follow him on Twitter @LFTorresIII.
