No. 1 Rutgers Prep takes Skyland Conference Delaware Division title, tops No. 3 Gill St. Bernard’s, 51-44

Rutgers Prep may have been 20-7 a year ago, but the 2024-25 high school basketball season was disappointing for Mary Klinger’s squad. They were co-champs in the Skyland Conference Delaware Division, but failed to make the Somerset County Tournament final for the first time in a decade, and lost in the Non-Public South B title game.

This year’s team used it as fuel, though, and is already back on track.

The top-ranked Argonauts are now 15-2 after a 51-44 win Thursday night over third-ranked Gill St. Bernards heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio, one which gave the the Delaware Division title outright, finishing 4-0 in division play.

That’s Goal One entering the year. Then the county, then states. Even if head coach Mary Klinger had to be reminded of her team’s claim to the title after the game.

The first half was played as tight as it could be. No one led by more than five, there were seven lead changes, and six ties, the last being 24-24 at halftime.

But after that, the Prep defense tightened. Gill senior Addy Platt – who was tied with Prep senior Ava LaMonica for game-high honors at halftime with nine points – was held scoreless in the third quarter, and had just one second-half field goal. She finished with a game-high 17, including 6-of-6 at the line in the fourth quarter, but was hampered by foul trouble.

That’s because Prep was taking it to the tin more, looking for contact. And it worked. The Argos shot 8-of-10 from the foul line in the fourth.

LaMonica finished with 14 – and is eleven away from joining the thousand-point club, while sophomore Hailey Benbow led with 15, including three from beyond the arc.

Gill is now 14-4, finishing 3-1 in their division, and had its 12-game win streak – which ran back to late December – snapped in the process.

Click below for postgame reaction from Rutgers Prep senior Ava LaMonica and head coach Mary Klinger, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen: