By Brian Deakyne | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com and Luis Torres | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Final State Ranking # 4 / Saddle River Day (25-2)
Saddle River Day’s season came to an end at the hands of Rutgers Prep, the state runner-up, in the Non-Public B final. However, it was still a successful season for coach Danny Brown and his team. The Rebels won the Bergen County Tournament and the North Jersey, Non-Public B sectional championship and were led by North Carolina signee Paulina Paris, who put together an All-State caliber season. Saddle River Day’s only losses came against St. John Vianney and Rutgers Prep.
FIRST TEAM ALL-STATE GIRLS BASKETBALL
Paulina Paris, Saddle River Day, Sr.
Paris, a North Carolina commit, was one of New Jersey’s best players this season, earning All-State honors for the second straight season. Paris averaged 22.9 points per game for the Rebels this winter, guiding her team to another Bergen County Tournament title and a Non-Public B state final appearance. She recorded double-figures in all but one game this season, including a season-high 37 points against Morris Catholic in the North Jersey, Non-Public B sectional final. She’ll end her career, albeit short at Saddle River Day, as one of the best in program history.
ALL-NON-PUBLIC GIRLS BASKETBALL FIRST TEAM
Paulina Paris, Saddle River Day, Sr.
SECOND TEAM
Dakota Corey, Saddle River Day, Sr.
ALL-GROUP 1 GIRLS BASKETBALL 3RD TEAM
Alyssa Craigwell, Secaucus, So.
NORTH JERSEY INTERSCHOLASTIC CONFERENCE IN REVIEW, 2021-22
Player of the Year: Paulina Paris, Saddle River Day, Sr.
One of the best players in the state this season and arguably the best pure scorer in New Jersey, Paris followed up her junior year at Saddle River Day with an even better one this season. The North Carolina signee helped the Rebels post a 25-2 record, while winning the Bergen County Tournament championship and the North Jersey, Non-Public B sectional championship.
Paris was at the forefront of Saddle River Day’s success. She averaged 22.9 points per game, knocking down a team-high 80 3-pointers, and emerged as a better playmaker for coach Danny Brown this season. She scored a game-high 37 points in the sectional championship with over Morris Catholic, coming up huge and denying any attempt of a comeback by the Crusaders.
Saddle River Day’s season came to an end in the Non-Public B championship game against Rutgers Prep, denying Paris and the Rebels a shot at playing in the final Tournament of Champions. The lone two losses for Saddle River Day this year came to St. John Vianney and Rutgers Prep, who finishes the season as the top two teams in New Jersey this year.
Team of the Year: Saddle River Day
A top-five team in the NJ.com Top 20 all season long, Saddle River Day came up short of the T of C, but still had a successful season, winning a county tournament and a sectional championship.
Paris put together one of the best years in the state, while freshman Faith Williamson became one of the best outside shooters in the state and made her mark in an early-season win over Red Bank Catholic. Senior Dakota Corey continued to be an unsung hero, playing extremely hard and providing leadership and toughness for the Rebels.
Senior Cierra Pearson provided playmaking and outside scoring, and sophomore Julianna Almeida did a lot of the dirty work inside and was a valuable part of the team. Saddle River Day did all of this without senior Saniah Caldwell, a two-time All-State player who missed the season after tearing her ACL.
The Rebels were a top-five team in the state all season long and played like it, especially Paris, during the entire season.
Coach of the Year: John Sterling, Secaucus
Secaucus was dealt two significant blows before the start of the year. The Patriots’ top two returners from the 2021 season, Mia Cruz and Daniela Peschetti, tore their ACLs playing soccer in the fall, leaving Secaucus with a ton of question marks and inexperience sprinkled throughout its roster.
It’s a credit to Sterling and the rest of the team that Secaucus had a ton of success this season, posting a 20-6 record and reaching the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 sectional final. Secaucus lost to University, the eventual Group 1 winner, in the sectional final.
Sterling built this year’s team around young players like sophomore Alyssa Craigwell, who averaged a team-leading 17.1 points per game. Freshman Gabriella Torrillo also had a solid rookie season, averaging 9.9 points per game and scoring 258 points, second behind Craigwell.
Secaucus will be one of the better teams in the NJIC next season if it gets everyone back healthy.
Team of the Year: Saddle River Day
A top-five team in the NJ.com Top 20 all season long, Saddle River Day came up short of the T of C, but still had a successful season, winning a county tournament and a sectional championship.
Paris put together one of the best years in the state, while freshman Faith Williamson became one of the best outside shooters in the state and made her mark in an early-season win over Red Bank Catholic. Senior Dakota Corey continued to be an unsung hero, playing extremely hard and providing leadership and toughness for the Rebels.
Senior Cierra Pearson provided playmaking and outside scoring, and sophomore Julianna Almeida did a lot of the dirty work inside and was a valuable part of the team. Saddle River Day did all of this without senior Saniah Caldwell, a two-time All-State player who missed the season after tearing her ACL.
