Tag: Mark Gnapp

by Mike Pavlichko

Gill St. Bernard’s girls headed to first sectional final since 2014, thanks to 85-39 rout of Hudson Catholic in Non-Public North B

Forcing turnovers, avoiding their own, getting in transition, defensive rebounding, three-point shots.

All of those facets of the game went exceedingly well Thursday night for the Gill St. Bernard’s girls’ basketball team.

The top-seeded Knights topped fourth-seed Hudson Catholic, 85-39, in the semifinals of the Non-Public North B section of the NJSIAA state tournament, sending Gill to the title game for the first time in eleven years.

The last time they were there, they lost 78-74 to St. Rose of Belmar. They last won it in 2012, when they reached the now-defunct Tournament of Champions final, falling to Manasquan. They beat Morris Catholic in the sectional final that year.

Gill jumped out to a 10-3 lead, and was up 32-13 after one, 45-15 at the half, and they maintained from there. Balanced scoring was the story, as Gandy Malou-Mamel scored 16, while Tessa Lozner and Sidney Quinn each chipped in 13. And freshman Nadia Mikalainis came off the bench to score ten – all in the fourth quarter – including a pair of treys.

The Knights (23-8) move on to play the second-seed Montclair-Immaculate (19-9), which beat third-seed Saddle River Day at home, 68-56.

Click below to hear Gill St. Bernard’s head coach Mark Gnapp talk about the Knights’ win over Hudson Catholic:

by Mike Pavlichko

Gill St. Bernard’s girls take first Somerset County crown since ’14 with 68-48 win over Hillsborough

With four-time defending champion Rutgers Prep getting knocked out in the Somerset County Tournament semifinals last week, the one thing we all knew was there would be a new champion this year.

Would it be top-seed Gill St. Bernard’s, seeking its first title in eleven years? Or third-seed Hillsborough, which hadn’t won it since 2006, it’s last trip tot he title game?

Gill had beaten the Raiders twice this regular season, by 33 and 34 points. But they led those games by 13 and 14 at the half. So when Saturday’s title game hit halftime and Hillsborough was within four, there was at least the potential it could be different.

But it wasn’t as Gill came out with a 68-48 win to take the Somerset County title, their sixth overall, as heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

But while the Raiders doubled-down on Gill big and UConn recruit Gandy Malou-Mamel, and kept her relatively in check in the first half, the second say the Knights utilize 5-11 Maya Abramson more, which opened up things for Malou-Mamel. Even before that, Abramson had a big third, hitting a three to start then back-to-back buckets to gill Gill a double-digit lead for the first time.

Hillsbrough never led, and got the game to within a possession here and there, but could never quite get over the hump. And getting in foul trouble further stymied the cause.

Malou-Malel finished with 17 points, but had to work hard for every single one. Abramson added 14, including two treys, as did Sidney Quinn. Gill improved to 21-3 with the win.

Hillsborough falls to 20-6 with the loss, but they’ll open the state tournament as the No. 1 seed in Central Jersey Group 4, coming off their first-ever state title last year, in North 2, Group 2. Francesca Schiro scored 21 in the loss.

Click below for postgame reaction from Gill St. Bernard’s senior Maya Abramson and head coach Mark Gnapp, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Alec Crouthamel

Top seed Gill St. Bernard’s advances to Somerset County Finals with dominant win over Franklin

Gill St. Bernard’s, as the Somerset County Tournament’s top seed, was technically the “home team” but went into enemy territory facing off against fourth-seeded Franklin in Saturday’s semifinal matchup at the Warriors’ home gym.

No home-court advantage? No problem for the Knights.

Gill St. Bernard’s used a dominant frontcourt presence to down the Warriors 61-34, led by UConn-bound center Gandy Malou-Mamel’s 18 points and countless rebounds, getting second chances and starting fast-break opportunities from the rebounding game.

Armed with a 21-6 lead after the first quarter, the Knights kept their foot on the gas and went into halftime up 40-15.

With Franklin putting extra defensive pressure on Malou-Mamel in the second half, Sydney Quinn became the go-to scorer, finishing with 16 points. Against a strong Warriors frontcourt, Gill St. Bernard’s overwhelmed the interior and took over the game in transition.

The Warriors were led by junior guard Alissa Myers, who finished with 12 points hitting some big shots in the second half to try and mount a comeback. Forwards Aleah Sunkins and Precious Wheeler also played well for Franklin.

The Knights will face off against third-seeded Hillsborough, who defeated second-seeded Rutgers Prep, in the championship game, set for Saturday, February 22nd at Montgomery High School. The game will tip off at 1pm.

Click below for postgame reaction with Gill St. Bernard’s Gandy Malou-Mamel and head coach Mark Knapp, presented by the Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

No. 2 Gill St. Bernard’s girls dethrone No. 1 Rutgers Prep at home for first win over Argonauts since 2014

In the last two dozen matchups, there were some close ones – like last year’s Somerset County Tournament final – and some not-so-close ones, like this year’s first meeting back on December 17th in Somerset.

They’ve met in the state tournament, and still the result was the same: Rutgers Prep over Gill St. Bernard’s.

Not Thursday night.

Fresh off a 67-54 win at then No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas while ranked No. 4 last week, the now-No. 2 Knights picked up their second signature win of the season against a Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area team, knocking off top-ranked Rutgers Prep 64-27, returning the favor after the Argos beat them 72-39 in Gill’s season opener down in Somerset.

But up in the Hills, the night belonged to Gill.

They had doubled up Prep by the end of the fourth-quarter, ahead 14-7, and never threatened to give the lead back, taking a 36-17 lead into the locker room.

How big a deal was the win?

Gill’s last win over Rutgers Prep came in the 2014 Somerset County Tournament final, 74-47. The win snapped a 24-game skid in the series for the Knights.

It was also the Argonauts’ first loss to a Skyland Conference school since the 2019 SCT final, when they lost to eventual Tournament of Champions winner Franklin. They had won 67 straight against Skyland foes and 54 in a row against Somerset County schools.

And it was head coach Mark Gnapp’s first win over Prep as Gill head coach, now in his sixth season in Peapack-Gladstone.

Three Knights finished in double figures, as Addy Platt and Gandy Malou-Mamel – the UConn commit who was nominated this week for the East side in the McDonald’s All-American game – each finished with 17. Cassidy Moore finished with 15.

Rutgers Prep’s high scorer was Ava LaMonica, with ten.

And while it likely means a new team at the top of the Bellamy & Son Paving girls’ basketball rankings for the first time since CJSR’s inaugural season in 2021 – Prep had been No. 1 in all 43 weeks of the Top Ten – it should make for an interesting SCT seeding meeting when it comes time to fill out the brackets a week from next Monday, on January 27th.

Rutgers Prep falls to 9-3, 5-1 in the Skyland Delaware Division, while Gill improves to 11-2, 4-1 in the Delaware.

Click below to hear Gill St. Bernard’s head coach Mark Gnapp talk about the win with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

by Mike Pavlichko

Another big win for Gill St. Bernard’s, as No. 4 Knights win at No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas, 67-54

In a tight game for the first half, No. 5 Gill St. Bernard’s took control in the second, and came out of North Edison Sunday night with a third signature win of the season.

The first came over state-ranked St. John Vianney in the opening game of the Holiday Hoopfest at Paterson-Kennedy over the holidays, 61-44. The second was in their finale at show showcase, a convincing 66-41 victory over St. Rose, a day after No. 1 Rutgers Prep – which beat Gill on December 16th – lost to the Purple Roses.

And now, a third, thanks to big second halves from seniors Sidney Quinn and Gandy Malou-Mamel.

With five ties and five lead changes in the first 16 minutes, the game was back-and-forth. Each team would make a run, and the other would counter.

After the break, Gill did a better job rebounding, and looked crisper with their passes. They flustered the Trojans.

Quinn hit a pair of dagger threes in a ten-point third quarter to help erase a four-point halftime deficit, and give the Knights a 47-37 lead, a 14-point swing.

And in the fourth, it never got closer than seven, thanks to another three and a couple of foul shots from Quinn, but also seven points from Malou-Mamel, who got better looks in the low post with Quinn’s made threes helping stretch the STA defense across the floor.

The non-conference win puts Gill at 9-2 on the season, while St. Thomas falls to 9-3, suffering its first loss to a New Jersey team this season. Their others came in showcase games to New York squads Moore Catholic and Monsignor McClancy.

Things get no easier for Gill this week, as they visit No. 3 Hillsborough Tuesday, then play the home end of their two games with No. 1 Rutgers Prep up in Peapack-Gladstone on Thursday.

Click below for postgame reaction from Gill St. Bernard’s head coach Mark Gnapp:

by Dom Savino

Experienced Gill St. Bernard’s ready for big year, latest battle with Rutgers Prep

Experience. Talent. Chemistry. Depth.

The third-ranked Gill St. Bernard’s girls basketball team has all the components needed for a big year.

The Knights (1-0) will play their first New Jersey game of a highly-anticipated season Tuesday at 6 pm in Somerset against a familiar foe: Rutgers Prep. You can hear the game on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with pregame coverage starting at 5:45 p.m. Mike Pavlichko and Dom Savino will call all the action; click here to listen.

The Knights are looking for even more after last year’s 24-5 campaign, highlighted by a run to the North Jersey Non-Public B semifinals and a runner-up finish in the Somerset County Tournament.

Gill returns more than 75 percent of its scoring, including All-State center Gandy Malou-Mamel. The 6-foot-6 UConn signee led Gill with 16.5 points per game, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks.

The Knights pack even more punch this season with the addition of Pope John transfers Addy and Kaity Platt. The sisters combined to average 23.5 ppg last year and led the Lions to both North Jersey, Non-Public A and Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament crowns.

They’ve settled in at Gill, where their new team’s goal is hoisting trophies, too. Addy — the elder Platt — led Gill in the first game of its championship quest, collecting a team-high 12 points Saturday in a 58-31 win over Albertus Magnus (NY) at Lackawanna College in Scranton, Pa. Malou-Mamel notched her first double-double of her senior season, compiling eleven points, 12 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals.

Click below to hear Gill St. Bernard’s head coach Mark Gnapp talk with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Dom Savino about Tuesday’s battle with Rutgers Prep:

by Mike Pavlichko

SCT Girls’ Final Preview: Rutgers Prep goes for fourth straight while Gill St. Bernard’s looks to stop the juggernaut

Until someone can prove otherwise, there’s the Rutgers Prep girls’ basketball team, and there’s everyone else.

The Argonauts finished their second regular season in four years without a solitary single-digit win. Their closest margin this year was ten points, twice. They are unbeaten against New Jersey schools, and have won 50 straight against Somerset County competition.

Let that sink in for a moment, then you’ll know the task at hand when Gill St. Bernard’s takes the court at Montgomery Township High School Saturday afternoon for the Somerset County Tournament girls’ championship game against Rutgers Prep, which is seeking its tenth title overall, and third in a row.

Gill is the 6th-ranked school in the state. Rutgers Prep is No. 2. They’re not that far apart. Except Prep beat them twice this year: 71-46 on January fourth at home, and 68-35 on February 6th up in the Hills.

The Knights aren’t a pushover. Not by a longshot. They just make it look easy.

Central Jersey Sports Radio will have coverage of Saturday’s entire Somerset County Tournament Championship Doubleheader, with Mike Pavlichko and Chris Tsakonas calling all the play-by-play. Coverage starts at 12:40 pm for the girls’ game, with the boys final – between defending champ Rutgers Prep and first-time finalist Montgomery – tipping off at 3 pm. Click here to listen.

LaMonica’s injury aside – she won’t be available Saturday, though an X-ray on her ankle came back negative for a break – it has been the usual cast of characters, led by Vanderbilt commit and five-star recruit Mikayla Blakes, who leads the team at 20.4 points per game, with 73 assists and 79 steals.

And the future is now for the Argos, with two sophomores next in scoring: GiGi Battle at 11.7 points a game and LaMonica at 11.3 points a contest. They’ll have to make up for that somehow on Saturday, but there’s still three-point specialist Chloe Escanillas, at 11.1 points a game, with a team-best 59 treys. Add in the talents of junior Leah Crosby – who transferred in from St. Thomas Aquinas – and senior Zahra Alexander, there’s plenty of scoring to go around.

On the Gill side, they have an experienced lineup with balanced scoring. Junior Gandy Malou-Mamel is averaging a double-double this season: 17.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. Then, senior Brooke Baisley – A Boston U. commit – at 14.3 points and 6.7 rebounds a game, who can also hit the three with 41 on the season. Sidney Quinn, a junior, adds 10.2 per game. But they also have length, which Prep coach Mary Klinger says is one of the biggest challenges they present.

Click below to hear both coaches talk about the semifinal matchup, and scroll down for more info on the game:

Rutgers Prep head coach Mary Klinger
Gill St. Bernard’s head coach Mark Gnapp

MORE ON THE SOMERSET COUNTY TOURNAMENT GIRLS’ FINAL:

(1) Rutgers Prep (20-4) vs. (2) Gill St. Bernard’s (23-3)
When: Saturday, 1 pm
Where: Montgomery Township High School
Broadcast Team: Mike Pavlichko and Chris Tsakonas (LISTEN HERE)

COACHES: 

Rutgers Prep: Mary Klinger (40th season, 708-255)
Mark Gnapp: Mark Gnapp, 5th season (95-39)

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

Rutgers Prep: The Argonauts beat 8th-seed Ridge in the quarterfinals, behind 28 points from Mikayla Blakes and 17 points and six boards from GiGi Battle. Newcomer Leah Crosby added 8 points and 7 rebounds. In the semifinals the next night, Thursday night, the y beat fifth-seed and in-town rival Franklin, 57-24. The Argonauts held the Warriors to single-digit scoring in all four quarters, and Klinger was happy with he defensive effort. With Ava LaMonica going down early with an ankle injury, the rest of the team was balanced in scoring, with four in double figures. Chloe Escanillas had 12, while Leah Crosby chipped in 11, and Mikayla Blakes and GiGi Battle logged ten points apiece. Crosby finished one rebound off a double-double with nine boards.

Gill St. Bernards: The Knights also cruised through two games in the SCT, beating 7th-seed Somerville in the quarterfinals Wednesday, 47-31. All five starters scored in double figures, led by Brook Baisley’s 17 points. Gandy Malou-Mamel and Tessa Lozner each had 12, while Maya Abramson had 11 and Sindey Quinn scored 10. Thursday, in the semis, they beat third-seed Hillsborough, 76-47, led by 18 from Quinn, while Malou-Mamel registered a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds, her 15th such feat in the 25 games she’s played this season.

TOP SCORERS:

Rutgers Prep: Mikayla Blakes (20.4 ppg, 51 treys), GiGi Battle (11.7 ppg, 12 treys), Ava LaMonica (11.3 ppg, 10 treys), Chloe Escanillas (11.1 ppg, team-best 59 treys)
Gill St. Bernard’s: Gandy Malou-Mamel (17.5 ppg), Brooke Baisley (14.3 ppg, team-best 41 treys), Sidney Quinn (10.2 ppg, 21 treys)

TOP REBOUNDERS:

Rutgers Prep: Leah Crosby (6.8), GiGi Battle (6.2)
Gill St. Bernard’s: Gandy Malou-Mamel (10.2), Sidney Quinn (6.8), Brooke Baisley (6.7)

RECENT MEETINGS: Rutgers Prep has won 22 straight against Gill St. Bernard’s – including the last two county title games – and 24 of the last 28 in the series going back to 2010. The average margin of victory for Rutgers Prep in those two finals was 27 points.

SCT HISTORY:

Rutgers Prep: Rutgers Prep coach Mary Klinger won her first Somerset County Tournament title 20 years ago, in 2004. That was her 20th season. The Argonauts have a total of nine titles, also winning in in 2008, 2011, three straight from 2015 to 2017, and three more in 2020, 2022, and last season. (In the COVID-shortened 2021 season, there was no county tournament, but there was a Skyland Conference pod series, and Rutgers Prep won the top pod over Gill, 69-41 in the final, finishing 13-0 on the season. The last time Prep lost in a final was in 2019 to Franklin; that’s also their last loss against a Somerset or Skyland Conference opponent. Overall, Rutgers Prep is 9-5 in the SCT championship game.

Gill St. Bernard’s: The Knights are no stranger to the Somerset County Tournament final. Since their first appearance in 2009 – when they beat Somerville to win it – they took four more titles, in 2010, and then three more from 2012 to 2014. Overall, they’re 5-4 in the SCT finals.

Notable: Go back to that last loss Rutgers Prep had to a Somerset County or Skyland Conference opponent. It was the 2019 Somerset County Tournament final. The loss came to Franklin, which went 32-0 that year, and won the Tournament of Champions with Diamond Miller, who’s now with Minnesota in the WNBA. She was the last five-star recruit to come out of Somerset County. That is, until Mikayla Blakes, who announced last month she’ll be taking her talents to play college ball at Vanderbilt, where she’ll also be studying to be a doctor.

by Mike Pavlichko

Will this be the one? No. 3 Gill St. Bernard’s girls look to snap long streak vs. No. 1 Rutgers Prep

Call it a rematch of last year’s Somerset County Tournament Final. Call it an undefeated team looking to pull an upset.

Whatever title you give it, know this: The Gill St. Bernard’s girls’ basketball team battles it out time after time with Rutgers Prep. But in their last 20 meetings? It’s all gone the way of the Argonauts.

Third-ranked Gill is 8-0 on the season, with No. 1 Rutgers Prep coming in at 5-2, with those losses coming by a combined five points at the esteemed John Wall Invitational in North Carolina over the holiday break.

While Mikayla Blakes’ status due to injury is unclear for Thursday’s 5:30 pm meeting in Somerset, but what’s certain is that Gill St. Beranrd’s has a lot of continuity in head coach Mark Gnapp’s rotation.

They’re led by the frontcourt duo of Gandy Malou-Mamel, who’s averaging 16.5 points and 10.9 rebounds per game, while Sidney Quinn chips in 9.9 points and 8.5 boards per contest. Then, on the wing, it’s senior Brooke Baisley with 14.3 points per game and a team-leading 13 three-pointers.

You can listen to Thursday night’s contest, with Mike Pavlichko and Chris Taskonas calling all the action. Pregame is at 5:15 pm, with tip-off at 5:30. Click here to listen.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Chris Tsakonas talk with Gill St. Bernard’s head coach Mark Gnapp:

by Mike Pavlichko

Rutgers Prep seeking third straight SCT girls’ title is a huge mountain to climb for Gill St. Bernard’s

The Rutgers Prep girls’ basketball team has been dominating the Skyland Conference for years, but for the last few, the Lady Argonauts have stood alone. They’ve won two straight Somerset County Championships by an average of almost 28 points, sandwiched around a one-off Skyland Blue Pod Championship in the COVID-shortened season by another 28 points.

In their last 108 wins – dating back to the start of the start of the 2017-18 season – only eight of them have come by fewer than ten points.

That’s the challenge Gill St. Bernard’s will face when they bring they’re very good basketball team to Montgomery High School Saturday afternoon for the Somerset County Tournament Championship Game. Sure, they have some scorers, and some balance, and some depth, too. But can they crack Rutgers Prep, which has beaten them by more than 31 points a game – none closer than 28 – in their last four meetings

You can hear Saturday’s entire SCT Championship Doubleheader presented on Central Jersey Sports Radio, as Mike Pavlichko and Chris Tsakonas call all the action. The girls game starts at 1:00 with pregame at 12:45; the boys’ final starts at 3 pm with the same teams. Click here to listen to the live broadcast for free.

Here’s a complete preview of the championship game, with audio from both coaches, analysis, stats, notes, nuggets and more.

SOMERSET COUNTY TOURNAMENT GIRLS’ FINAL:
#1 Rutgers Prep (19-4) vs. #2 Gill St. Bernard’s (17-6)
When: Saturday, February 18 at 1 pm
Where: Montgomery High School
Listen Live: Central Jersey Sports Radio, pregame begins at 12:45 pm

The Rutgers Prep girls’ basketball team hosts Gill St. Bernard’s on January 24, 2023 in Somerset. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

#1 Rutgers Prep
Head Coach: Mary Klinger – 39th season, 652-247)
2021-22 NFHS Coach of the Year

Though her team wound up winning big yet again, 67-38 in the semifinals of the SCT Thursday night against Franklin, Klinger was less than satisfied with the defensive effort, particularly in the half-court. It didn’t help that the shots weren’t falling early on either for the Argonauts. But defense is what you can control, it’s what Klinger preaches, and what they will have been working on to straighten up for Saturday’s SCT final against Gill. That said, they’ve had an excellent season, challenging themselves with stiff out-of-conference competition, only taking two losses to New Jersey opponents this year: Paul VI and Morris Catholic.

Junior phenom Mikayla Blakes runs the show; she’s the team’s top scorer and leads in assists and steals, as well as three-pointers made, with 55 on the year for a team that has hit 148 in just 23 games. Katie Ledden is a veteran steadying presence, the only senior in the starting lineup, a scary proposition down the road once she heads off to Rhode Island next year. Freshman GiGi Battle has been a starter since she set foot on the Rutgers Prep campus, and fellow freshman Ava LaMonica is contributing, too. Zahra Alexander and Chloe Escanillas are key parts as well. This team is so deep and talented, they’re the team to beat until someone does. No one in Somerset County has really come that close in quite some time.

Follow Sportsplex at Metuchen on Instagram for the latest on open gym sessions on their courts and turf!

Projected Starting Five:

  • PG Mikayla Blakes (5-8, Jr): 22.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 55 treys, 81 assists, 73 steals
  • G/F Katie Ledden (6-1, Sr): 14.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 26 treys, 43 blocks, 45 steals
  • G/F Gigi Battle (6-0, Fr): 9.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 13 treys, 30 steals
  • G/F Zahra Alexander (5-8, Jr): 7.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 52 assists
  • F/C Alex DeIasi (6-0, Jr): 2.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg

Coach’s Interview:

Rutgers Prep Head Coach Mary Klinger

SCT History (7-5):

2005 – #1 Hillsborough 40, #3 Rutgers Prep 29
2006 – #5 Hillsborough 51, #2 Rutgers Prep 45
2008 – #1 Rutgers Prep 38, #2 Watchung Hills 34
2011 – #1 Rutgers Prep 62, #6 Bridgewater-Raritan 56
2012 – #1 Gill St. Bernard’s 57, #6 Rutgers Prep 45
2015 – Rutgers Prep 52, Franklin 46
2016 – Rutgers Prep 41, Gill St. Bernard’s 28
2017 – Rutgers Prep 62, Gill St. Bernard’s 35
2018 – Franklin 68, Rutgers Prep 49
2019 – Franklin 63, Rutgers Prep 45
2020 – Rutgers Prep 60, Watchung Hills 34
2022 – #1 Rutgers Prep 64, #2 Gill St. Bernard’s 35

How they win: They can still win easily otherwise, and they often do, but getting out of the gate hot will make life a whole lot easier for Rutgers Prep. Don’t let Gill hang around. Get out early with the full-court press, force turnovers, and turn them into buckets.

Past Coverage:

Gill st Bernard’s takes on Watchung Hills in the Somerset County Tournament semifinals in Gladstone on February 16, 2023. (Photo: Chris Tsakonas)

#2 Gill St. Bernard’s
Head Coach: Mark Gnapp – 5th season, 80-36

There’s no secret who the star is for Gill St. Bernard’s: Brooke Baisley makes the offense go. The junior had a fantastic sophomore campaign and hasn’t disappointed in her junior season, leading the team in scoring, rebounding, three point shooting and steals, so she can play offense and defense. There is some balance, though on the rest of the team, from second-leading scorer and sophomore Maya Abramson – who contributed on a young team as a freshman last year – and fellow sophomore Sydney Quinn, the top scorer in the Knights’ semifinal win over Watchung Hills.

From Abranmson down to the third player off the bench, they range in scoring from 9 to 5.1 points per game. That’s good ball distribution, and good sharing. They’ll just need to take care of the ball against Rutgers Prep, something that’s easier said than done. They have some height, with 6-5 Gandy Malou-Mamel – another sophomore – in the middle and on the blocks, a matchup problem for Rutgers Prep, which has no one in the starting lineup taller than Katie Ledden, at 6-1.

Projected Starting Five:

  • G Brooke Baisley (5-10, Jr): 13.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 30 treys, 57 assists, 64 steals
  • G Tessa Lozner (5-3, Soph): 5.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 80 assists, 11 treys
  • G Jennah Johnson (5-9, Jr): 7.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 10 treys
  • F Sidney Quinn (Soph, 6-1): 8.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 6 treys
  • F/C Gandy Malou-Mamel (6-5, Soph): 6.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 48 blocks

Coach’s Interview:

Gill St. Bernard’s Head Coach Mark Gnapp

SCT History (5-3):

2009 – #2 Gill St. Bernard’s 57, #4 Somerville 55
2010 – #2 Gill St. Bernard’s 64, #1 Bridgewater-Raritan 44
2012 – #1 Gill St. Bernard’s 57, #6 Rutgers Prep 45
2013 – Gill St. Bernard’s 63, Franklin 57
2014 – Gill St. Bernard’s 55, Franklin 51
2016 – Rutgers Prep 41, Gill St. Bernard’s 28
2017 – Rutgers Prep 62, Gill St. Bernard’s 35
2022 – Rutgers Prep 64, Gill St. Bernard’s 35

How they win: Gill will have to bring it’s A++ game. Take care of the basketball, and if you can get Rutgers Prep miscues, take advantage. Don’t fall behind early; it’s extremely tough to come back against the Argos, especially when they run that relentless full-court pressure that can swing the score or build a lead in the blink of an eye. Using their size advantage with Malou-Mamel would be a plus, too.

by Mike Pavlichko

Gill St. Bernard’s girls move on to SCT title game with 76-47 win over Watchung Hills

It started as a defensive battle, then things opened up.

And when the dust settled, second-seed Gill St. Bernard’s had a 76-47 Somerset County Tournament semifinal win over third-seed Watchung Hills, to move on to its second straight title game.

Four Knights finished in double figures – and Sidney Quinn led the offensive effort with a career high 16 points in the win.

Also finishing in double figures for Gill (17-6) were Brooke Baisley with 14 points, Jennah Johnson with 11 and Maya Abramson with 10. For Watchung Hills (17-6), Claire Gillenwater and Giana Lobozzo finished with 11 points each.

After a defensive-minded opening quarter ended 12-5, Gill began to pull away late in the half, going into the locker room up 32-20. That momentum carried over into the third quarter, where Gill outscored Watchung Hills 29-11.

With the semifinal in the rearview mirror, the stage is set for rematch against Rutgers Prep with a county title on the line this Saturday at 1 pm at Montgomery High School, a game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Gill lost both meeting with Rutgers Prep this year.

Click below for postgame reaction sponsored by SportsPlex at Metuchen:

Gill St. Bernard’s sophomore Sydney Quinn
Gill St. Bernard’s Head Coach Mark Gnapp