Rutgers Prep with its Non-Public South B trophy after beating Wildwood Catholic at Seneca High School in Medford Lakes, NJ on March 1, 2023. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
When you talk to Rutgers Prep girls’ basketball coach Mary Klinger in the preseason, she’s quick to point out that the preseason is long. Specifically, 23 games long.
In her world, the regular season is the tune-up. They’ll play their Skyland Conference games, some other top Jersey schools out of league, and go to showcases like the John Wall Invitational in North Carolina to play nationally-ranked foes.
All that prepares her team for the real season: the postseason.
Well, their first postseason ended with their third straight Somerset County Tournament title, and now they’re looking for their next one in the state tourney, in Non-Public South B.
The top-seeded Argonauts (23-4) have won the last two titles in this section, beating Wildwood Catholic each of the last two seasons. Monday, they’ll face third-seed St. Rose-Belmar (19-9) in the Non-Public South B final down at Jackson Liberty High School. Central Jersey Sports Radio will have live play-by-play with Mike Pavlichko on the call beginning with pregame at 3:45 pm, tip-off at 4; click here to listen.
The Purple Roses are led by sophomore Jada Lynch, who’s averaging team-bests 15.1 points per game and 6.5 rebounds. She also leads in assists (89), blocks (11) and steals (62). Meanwhile, junior Cassidy Kruesi is scoring nine points a game and leads the team in threes with 48.
Expect a lot of shots from downtown in this one, if either team can find good looks. Rutgers Prep hits a lot of them, 159 this season in 27 games, an average of almost six per contest. The Purple Roses have hit 183.
Rutgers Prep is led by Vanderbilt-bound senior Mikayla Blakes, who’s averaging 20.7 points per game, and four others are scoring in double figures as well: sophomore GiGi Battle is at 11.7 a game, while sophomore Ava LaMonica and senior Chloe Escanillas are both averaging an even 11 points per game.
And that’s where the difference may lie. St. Rose has won low scoring games, averaging just 54.1 per game, but the Argonauts are averaging 71 per contest on the season. Although the Purple Roses scored a lot in the first two rounds of the sectionals – in an 82-11 win over St. Joseph-Hammonton in the first round and a 76-34 victory over Holy Spirit in the quarterfinals – they just eked one out against Ranney in the semis, 46-43.
Meanwhile, all but two of Prep’s wins this season have seen them score at least 60 points.
Click below to hear both head coaches preview Monday’s Non-Public South B Final:
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