“It’s their time”: All is not lost for Gill St. Bernard’s girls, as Knights look to counter graduation losses with returning, new talent

The last time the Gill St. Bernard’s girls’ basketball team won the Somerset County Tournament before last year’s title was in 2014. But winning it again in 2026 will be quite the challenge.

Every year, it’s a challenge, of course. But this year in particular, considering the losses The Knights have endured to graduation.

First, there’s Central Jersey Sports Radio Player of the Year Gandy Maloou-Mamel, who’s now up at UConn. Then there’s Maya Abramson, Ressa Lozner, Sidney Quinn and Cassidy Moore, all moved on to bigger and better things in college.

And it was not just the pure talent that core had, but the fact that they all played together for four years, with the exception of Malou-Mamel, who spent three years at the Gladstone school.

So who will take the baton and run with it? The athletic and coachable Addy Platt (10.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 15 treys) is back for her senior season, and then it’s a “strong returning” group of juniors, of whom Knapp says “it’s their time to shine.”

Skilled, talented – and there’s that word again, “coachable” – about the next crop of future Gill stars

The point guard will be junior Melina Miller, who Knapp says is “really good at everything.” Addy’s sister Kaity Platt may have been “their best player this summer” and led the team in scoring in the off-season. He also likes junior Sadie Finn, a guard who can “defend, shoot, rebound, finish.”

Sophomore Nadia Mikalainis also is expected to contribute, as well as 5-9 incoming freshman Naima Morales Solivan.

Click below to hear Gill St. Bernard’s girls’ basketball coach Mark Gnapp preview the upcoming season with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

Gill opens its season Sunday against Westfield at noon, and will appear on Central Jersey Sports Radio on Thursday, January 29 at 7 pm when they visit Rutgers Prep.