Here are 18 girls' basketball players to watch in Monroe County
Girls' basketball in Monroe County is in a uniquely positive place, with talented senior guards who'll lead their teams, along with promising juniors who have yet to reach their ceiling. Every team is represented with players who can hold their own, including one who is the undoubted best player in the area.
Here are 18 girls basketball players to watch in Monroe County this season:
Ayla Hashway, East Stroudsburg North, guard, Jr.
The Timberwovles are under new leadership with Jerome Taylor as the new head coach. He'll have plenty of size on his roster, but Hashway is the team's best shooter, a skill that will help spread the floor and keep the defense from packing the paint.
Amber Beckworth, East Stroudsburg North, forward, Jr.
Beckworth, who's also a volleyball player, is one of two frontcourt players that'll be in Taylor's rotation. Though she is raw, her basketball ceiling is high. She already has a soft shooting touch, and her growth will be aided by the experience she'll gain this season. If Beckworth continues to grow, she'll be one of the better players in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference next year.
Jasmin Romano, East Stroudsburg North, guard, Sr.
Romano will have leadership responsibilities as the senior of such a young team. But she also has something to prove in her final season. Romano is the team's best ball handler and a capable shooter, meaning she'll have a large role in the offense this year.
Layla Hernandez, East Stroudsburg South, guard, Sr.
The senior guard is the best player in Monroe County and the only returning EPC All-Star among the six mountain schools. Hernandez is also on watch to reach 1,000 career points.
She's also a strong two-way player with great size for a guard. Romano will likely be in contention for EPC Player of the Year.
Rylee Davis, East Stroudsburg South, guard, Sr.
Davis gives Hernandez flexibility by defending the opposing team's best player. Her energy is also a driving force behind the team's success this year.
Cynindia Gray, East Stroudsburg South, guard/forward, Sr.
Gray is the third senior player of the Cavaliers, and she's one of the leaders as well. Gray patrols the interior on defense, but she's mobile enough to switch on guards, and she can attack off the dribble on offense.
Thandiwe Ramone, Notre Dame East Stroudsburg, guard, Jr.
Ramone will be the lead guard for a Spartan team looking to improve under second-year coach Eileen Wurz. She'll have the duty of running the offense, but with two frontcourt players beside her, it should make her job easier.
Isabella Siciliano, Notre Dame East Stroudsburg, forward, Sr.
Siciliano serves as one of the leaders for the Spartans along with being a solid rebounder and inside presence.
Natalie Van De Loecht, guard/forward, Notre Dame East Stroudsburg
Van De Loecht is probably the best all-around player on the Spartans this year, and while the roster is young, she, along with Siciliano and Ramone, should be enough to make the team competitive.
More: Here are 21 boys' basketball players to watch in Monroe County in 2023-24
Aryn Stivala, Pleasant Valley, guard, Sr.
The Bears' two best players complement each other, starting with the sharpshooting Stivala. In addition to being a solid shooter, she also has great confidence from deep, and isn't afraid to put it on the floor.
Seree Gaddist, Pleasant Valley, guard, Sr.
While Stivala mainly scores from the outside, Gaddist prioritizes slashing and scoring near the rim. Her relentless effort allows her to constantly apply pressure on the defense.
Gaddist has been hesitant to shoot perimeter jumpers, but if she can find the confidence to extend her game, she'll be a tough matchup in the EPC.
Farrah Shaheen, Pocono Mountain East, guard, Jr.
In a word, Shaheen is "pesky" on defense. She can use her quickness to apply some serious ball pressure, but she's only scratching the surface in that area.
She'll be under first-year coach Helena Gemmell, who was a standout defender at East Stroudsburg University. Under her tutelage, Shaheen has significant potential as an on-ball defender.
Zaniyah Days, Pocono Mountain East, guard, Jr.
The Cardinals are another rebuilding program, and Days will be a feature player on offense. In scrimmages against Elk Grove and Wallenpaupack, she showed her aggressiveness to score.
Days is another player that could reach another level under Gemmell.
Alyssa "Apple" Ford, Anai'sah Malone, Sehalia Jones, Pocono Mountain West, guards, Srs.
First-year coach Jim Dempsey and the Panthers look to maintain success after Vataijah Davis graduated. There's plenty of young talent, but the three senior guards will be the core of this year's squad.
Jones, Malone and Ford are all starting for the third consecutive year on varsity, so their leadership and experience will be heavily counted on.
McKayla Strunk, Stroudsburg, forward, Jr.
Strunk is the most challenging matchup in Monroe County thanks to her size and shooting. She's also a much improved shooter, adding to an already good arsenal. If anyone can challenge Hernandez for the best player in the area, it's her.
Zoe Brown, Stroudsburg, guard, Sr.
Brown was the leading scorer last season, and while the goal is to have a more balanced offense, the Mounties will need her to effectively facilitate to keep everything in order.
This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: Here are 18 girls' basketball players to watch in Monroe County
