Top performers from South Jersey girls basketball over fourth week of January
As the calendar gets ready to flip to February, South Jersey girls' basketball closed out January with some impressive performances.
Here's a list of the top players from games in the fourth week of January.
Records and stats are through Sunday's games.
Vote for your choice in the poll at the bottom of the story.
Burlington County League
Gabby Harvey, Cinnaminson. The freshman delivered 12 points as the Pirates checked into the Elite 8 of the South Jersey Invitational Basketball Tournament with a 48-28 victory over Clearview on Saturday.
More: Top performers from South Jersey girls basketball over third week of January
Akeelah LaFleur, Westampton Tech. The junior posted a triple-double with 10 points, 13 rebounds and a whopping 13 blocks to highlight Westampton Tech’s 61-38 victory over Cinnaminson. It was LaFleur’s third triple-double of the season and she owns six double-doubles. She’s also averaging 5.6 blocks per game this season.
Madelyn Szafran, Northern Burlington. The Greyhounds rattled off their first three-game winning streak of the season and Szafran played a pivotal role over the stretch. She posted a pair of double-doubles in wins over Medford Tech and Delran and missed a third by two rebounds in a victory against Burlington Township. Over the three games, Szafran had 45 points, 36 rebounds and seven assists.
Colonial Conference
Marlina Kadar, Haddonfield. The Haddons picked up a pair of wins over Audubon and Haddon Heights and this sophomore contributed a combined 23 points. She knocked down a career-high 14 points to polish off the rival Garnets on Thursday.
Lexi Kuhn, Sterling. Before a loss to Timber Creek in the SJIBT on Saturday, the Silver Knights had rattled off eight straight wins and this sophomore guard played consistent basketball over the stretch. Kuhn sank 15 points in a win over Glassboro on Jan. 22 and added 16 more in a victory over West Deptford three days later.
Dasani Talley-Dorman, Woodbury. The senior continues to deliver consistent production for the Thundering Herd. She posted 11 points and six rebounds in a win over Gateway, added eight points and eight rebounds in a triumph against Haddon Township and tied a season-high with 14 points in a victory over Penns Grove last week. Woodbury has chalked up seven straight wins since Jan. 5.
More: Top performers from South Jersey girls basketball over second week of January
Olympic Conference
Brielle Alaba, Cherokee. The sophomore averaged 17.3 points over a three-game stretch last week, powering Cherokee to three wins. Alaba knocked down 23 points, two off her season high, in a South Jersey Invitational Basketball Tournament victory over Highland on Jan. 22. She collected 13 points, six rebounds and three assists in a 39-31 triumph over Lenape on Thursday and had 14 points in a W over Wiliamstown two days later.
Kiyanna Blacks-Stewart, Shawnee. The Eagles earned their first-ever trip to the Elite 8 in the South Jersey Invitational Basketball Tournament with a 59-33 triumph over Shawnee on Saturday. Blacks-Stewart led Paul VI with 13 points, two off her season-high, and five rebounds in the game.
Remi Cherkas, Eastern. The senior delivered double digits in points in all three of the Vikings’ wins last week. She collected 11 points and nine rebounds in a win over Winslow, 11 points and three rebounds in a 35-34 triumph over Cherry Hill East and 15 points in a win at Seneca.
Tri-County Conference
Kezia Brackett, Glassboro. The freshman powered the Bulldogs to consecutive wins over Pitman and Penns Grove to close out the week. She posted 25 points, 15 rebounds and 13 blocked shots combined in the two games. She also started January off with three straight games with 20 or more points.
Jahzara Green, Gloucester Catholic. The sophomore knocked down 11 of 12 foul shots en route to a game-high 23 points the Rams eliminated Lenape from the SJIBT with a 51-49 decision on Jan. 22. She also had 25 points in a win over Salem Tech and 17 more in a losing effort against Red Bank Catholic. She’s averaging 17.4 points per game this season.
Alaina LaMonica, Washington Township. The Minutemaids got back on the right track, earning a three-game winning streak last week. LaMonica led the team in scoring in each of those games with 14 against Gloucester County Tech, 13 against Highland and 17 against Gloucester. She has a team-best 12.1 scoring average.
More: Top performers from South Jersey girls basketball over first week of January
Cape-Atlantic League
Avery Harding, Egg Harbor Township. The junior knocked down 25 points in a win over Cedar Creek and 20 more in a victory over Absegami. She’s chalked up seven 20-plus-point games this season, including monster 38-point, 14-rebound game against Haddon Heights on Jan. 13.
Khalia Lewis, Our Lady of Mercy. The freshman posted 43 points, 61 rebounds, 10 assists and eight blocks as the Villagers earned three wins, raising their record to 17-1. Lewis delivered a monster double-double in a win over Vineland with 20 points and 25 rebounds. She has had 20-or-more rebounds in seven games this season, including two last week.
Bridget Roach, Atlantic City. The junior collected a team-high 18 points as the Vikings shocked Wildwood with a 51-50 upset at the Calvi Electric Shootout on Saturday. Roach also had 19 points in a victory against Absegami the night before. She has scored double-digit points in 12 games and boasts a 14.3 scoring average.
Tom McGurk is a regional sports reporter for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 30 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him at (856) 486-2420 or email tmcgurk@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @McGurkSports. Help support local journalism with a digital subscription.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Top performers for girls basketball in South Jersey for fourth week of January
