ALLY CARMAN - 2020 HOOP GROUP MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
Ally Carman's rise to stardom has been predicted. When St. Rose Coach, Mary Beth Chambers, was asked what she thought Ally Carman would look like in a few years, she answered with "what is she going to look like next year"....She was 100% correct. Because Ally Carman these days is the most dominating post player in the Shore Conference.
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AMAYA EVANS- SOPHOMORE-GUARD- NEPTUNE HIGH SCHOOL
The Improvement of Amaya Evans has been dynamic. Last year's-Hoop Group First Team All Freshman-member continues to shock everyone. She's known for her blazing speed and quickness. Amaya Evans this season added a deadly 3-point shot to her arsenal, making her one of the hardest players in the state to defend. Her showstopping performance vs. RBR was one of the best performances we have seen in a Neptune player in over a decade. Her 35 points was showcase of all her skill-sets: jumpers, drives, steals and off course crowd pleasing plays in transition. She more than doubled the amount of 3-point shots made from a year ago and shot a high percentage. She had 42 three's on the season. She had 269 points as a Freshman, and this past season she blew that out of the water with 383 points this past season. But what got lost in her improving season, was she had 96 steals compared to 48 a year ago! Amaya Evans just may be the best young guard in the Shore Conference these days. She's clearly on her way to ALL SHORE AND SUPERSTAR STATUS….
BROOKE HOLLAWELL- SOPHOMORE- GUARD- MANASQUAN HIGH SCHOOL
Brooke Hollawell spent her Freshman year trying to stay out of the way of Lola Mullaney and Faith Masonious. The D1 superstars did just about everything for Manasquan. But with their graduation, Manasquan needed players to step up. Nobody on the Manasquan roster stepped up quite like Brooke Hollawell. The Sophomore guard was electric at times this season. So electric at times...she carried Manasquan on her back; She increased her scoring average by 10 points, going for 3.0 points a game to 13.5 points. She did this in just one season, a remarkable feet by anyone's standards. She increased her rebounding from 66 to 99, and went from 28 steals to 48 steals this season. But more than anything it was her ability to raise her game up against the best of the best. Like 22 points vs RBC… 29 vs Marlboro… 23 vs RFH and 19 vs Manchester in the Group 2 State Final. Brook Hollawell was a sensation from the start of the season to the end. Her confidence has grown and the future D1 player has become an offensive force in the Shore Conference. There is no reason to believe she is not on the road to become another superstar player at Manasquan.
ABBY FERGUSON- SOPHOMORE – WING- HOLMDEL HIGH SCHOOL
It's easy to call Abby Ferguson one of the most improved players in the Shore Conference. But we better start calling Ferguson one of the most well-rounded player in the Shore Conference period. Abby Ferguson is not only one of the most versatile players, she is one of the most polished players. When Holmdel got off to a slow start this year, many were asking what's wrong with the team. There was nothing wrong, they just need Abby Ferguson in the lineup. And when they made that change, Holmdel and Abby Ferguson took off. There is no reason to even discuss Abby Ferguson's Freshman stats compared to this year. Because this year Abby Ferguson was maybe the most well-rounded wing player in the entire conference. She had 12 games with more than 8 points and 10 rebounds. She has 22 points and 7 rebounds in the state upset win over Hillside. She had a double/double vs Trinity Hall, 14 points and 8 rebounds vs Shore Regional… I could go on. But again, her versatility was what made her so valuable. Like her 4 blocks vs RBC in the biggest upset of the year! Her ability to guard centers and guards went unnoticed to some. She is a future Division 1 lock, leaving no question that Abby Ferguson is a future All-Shore and star in the making.
AMAYA BRAY- SOPHOMORE- COMBO- MANCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL
Her commitment to her craft cannot be denied and this year we got a peek into the future. When Manchester started the season, there was one question who was going to step up with the lost of two superstars seniors? The answer was Amaya Bray and she stepped up in a big way. She has gone from a face in the crowd to a future D1 players. Blessed with a college ready body and toughness you can't teach. Amaya Bray stepped up from the day one of the season and gave Manchester what it needed. Shooting, defense and ball handling. She opened the season with a 17 point performance and never looked back. Her 15 points vs Trenton Catholic in what was the biggest game of the year at the time, signaled to everyone she was the real deal. The real deal as in 269 points this season, compared to just 119 the year before. That toughness got her 112 rebounds and 48 steals compared to 68 and 35 the previous year. Stats are pretty but really don't tell the story when you talk about Amaya Bray. She just may be one of the best defenders in the 2022 class. She is easily one of the best rebounding guards. I guess you can call her a blue collar worker with talent. But make no mistake this future D1 guard is going to get better every year because of work ethic. She is a player who we have begun to see what she will be in the years ahead…which is a future ALL SHORE PLAYER
LUCY ALBERICI- JUNIOR- WING- RARITAN HIGH SCHOOL
The numbers are staggering and when you consider who she did it against, they become breath taking by anyone they're measured against. Lucy Alberici just finished off what may be the most impressive season in Raritan history. She had 382 points and 210 rebounds playing in the toughest conference in the state. To say she was spectacular this season is the biggest understatement of the year. She lead her team to 2 wins in the State Tournament. She had 33 points vs. higher seeded Metuchen. It did not matter...she saw double teams and game planning all season. Lucy Ablerici tallied her stats against everyone. It didn't matter if it was against top 5 teams in the state or top teams outside the Shore Conference, it simply did not matter. But more than anything else, what's been overlooked in Lucy Alberici, is her 60 assists this season. It's a staggering number because she did not play alongside another so called "star player". Lucy Alberici has improved her stats and team every year she has been in high school. What's more impressive, is she's done it with elite shot selection and unselfish play. Two things that are rare in today's big scorers. She is a blue collar pitbull and the sky's the limit….trust me, she's no-where near the finish.
EMMA BRUEN- ST. JOHN VIANNEY- JUNIOR GUARD
She had been a forgotten piece to the SJV machine in recent years. But this season, Emma Bruen proved she was ready for the spotlight. She went from part time role player, to starter this year. She has begun one of the best defenders in the state. Emma Bruen turned the lights out against some of the best players in the state this season. She also found time to get buckets when opposing teams slept on her much improved offensive game. Her improvement was shocking, as was her confidence. How about the fact that she tripled her average this season and posted an incredible line. When you go from 7 steals to 40 steals in one season...that's called improvement, or in the case of Emma Bruen: a problem for opponents. This season she checked every box a player could check. Unselfish play, elite respect for the ball and high IQ...all this is shaping up to make Emma Bruen a player who will be in heavy demand by college coaches this Spring... She has stepped up in a big way!
