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***SC boys hoops' All-Essex sees sophomore duo leading way while the 'Team of Year' did not lose in SEC's top division and the Coach of Year had very cohesive squad!

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***Union County will be big part of 2024 Phil Simms North-South Classic including with linebacker from Linden who is run stopper. Learn more and see else is on the North roster in "Feature Articles"

***Future Monmouth University teammates Zach Garmont of the Verona Hillbillies and Caldwell's Julian Casale were among North all-stars at Simms Classic Media Day. Learn more in "The Buzz"

 

Junior Nila Giraud, who is SC's Essex County Player of the Year, and senior Brenae Jones (right) are both first-team selections on All-Essex teams to cap the 2023-2024 hoops campaign, while the Lions are also named SC's Essex County Team of the Year. (Sideline Chatter photo)

Immaculate’s Versatile Forward Leads Way
Among SC’s Girls Hoops All-Essex Selections

By Steve Tober
For sidelinechatter.com

Essex County Player of the Year: Nila Giraud, junior, Immaculate
As Immaculate coach Jimmy Kreie is quick to let everyone know, Giraud is the best ‘big’ in New Jersey and the 6-foot Division I prospect was the definitive ‘go-to’ girl for the Lions always coming up with a big basket or rebound for the now 3-time Essex County Tournament champions. She averaged 15.6 points and 10.7 rebounds per game and was the definitive glue for the county’s best team, also displaying an accurate touch from the perimeter and providing stellar defense. And, the best part for Kreie and Co. is that she has another season in order to lead the Lions while also continuing to attract D1 coaches to the Montclair Catholic school.  

Runner-Up Player of the Year: Paradise Fisher, junior, University
The Phoenix backcourt ace put together a superb all-around season as the No. 1 player on the best team in Group 1 for a third straight season as she averaged 14.3 ppg, 4.3 rebounds, 6 assists and 5. 2 steals per game and led her team through a dominant showing in the Group 1 state tournament.

Coach of the Year; Lashawn Williams, Newark Central
The Blue Devils’ head mentor is one of the impressive, up-and-coming coaches in Essex County and has been building a consistent winner at the Brick City school with 16-9 and back-to-back 18-10 campaigns in the past three seasons while directing this past season’s squad led by veteran standout Faith Fedd-Robinson to an 11-1 mark in the Super Essex Conference-Liberty Division while tying N2G1 runner-up Glen Ridge for top honors in the SEC’s second-best division. 

Runner-Up Coach of the Year: Pat Coyle, Verona
The Hillbillies had a very young squad entering the 2023-2024 season and had big adieu to a very good coach in Brian Dorf after a solid showing the season before and in stepped Coyle who immediately made an impact with the Hillbillies who were loaded with freshmen and other underclassmen such as sophomore Jada Bednar and junior Cali Giacomazza, both of whom had solid campaigns. Coyle’s ‘Billies finished 19-8 overall and were 12-2 in the competitive SEC-Colonial Division.    

Team of the Year: Immaculate
The Lions had very much of a new-look team this past season with a number of impact transfers and the good news was that the results included a very cohesive and chemistry-laden squad that enjoyed sharing the ball and passing with precision on the floor while also producing another banner campaign with a 25-5 record including an undefeated 10-0 mark in the Super Essex Conference’s top division, the American, in addition to rolling through the Essex County Tournament field while winning a third straight championship with a 75-65 victory over University at Essex County College. The Lions fell to No. 1 ranked Morris Catholic in a hard-fought and closely-contested Non-Public, North B state sectional final, but that did not take away from an overall superb season. Forwards Nila Giraud and Brenae Jones along with guards Lena Most, Camile Wiley, Mia Lewis and Nilah Rivera paced the deep and resilient team.

Runner-Up Team of Year: University
Veteran Coach Middy Baraka had to replace a couple of key pieces in the frontcourt on this season’s Phoenix squad but with its ultra-talented backcourt of junior Paradise Fisher and senior Morgan Marshall the Newark school put together another banner season finishing 27-3 with its only defeats coming at the hands of SEC and ECT rival Immaculate. Forwards Zahiyah Lindsay and Briana Holt were among the key forwards for the Phoenix which roared past Essex neighbor Glen Ridge, 86-52, in the North 2, Group 1 final and then steamrolled through Shore Regional, 85-55, in the overall Group 1 championship game.

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