What makes a successful high school basketball program is the ability to develop young players into the next generation of gifted female hardwood warriors.
Here is a list of four New Jersey high school underclass-women who are turning heads and taking names.
Christina Liggio — Red Bank Catholic — 2025
Liggio is a freshman combo guard at Red Bank Catholic High School who is already drawing the attention of fans and college coaches alike. She is just that talented.
Liggio scores in traffic with the help of an effective, high-arching shot. Plus, she often kisses off the glass to bang home buckets, something that seems to be a lost art these days.
Liggio, a gym-loving, lethal outside shooter, has improved her handle. And after an impressive AAU season with the NJ Shoreshots, she is on course to be one of the top 2025 high school female players in the Garden State.
Ella Inacio — Red Bank Catholic — 2024
Inacio is a 5-foot-11 player at RBC and also suited up for the Philly Belles U16 DeShields AAU team.
Inacio is a determined, competitive left-hander who moves well without the ball. This often enables her to get out in the open and fire wide open shots at the basket, especially when she wiggles away from the defensive, and winds up behind the three-point arc, drilling successful threes with regularity.
Inacio also owns active hands on defense, forcing the opposition in mistakes.
Inacio played with Ranney School as a freshman and scored 74 points in 12 contests.
Let’s not forget the fact that Inacio is an outstanding student, the most important part of student-athlete.
Carlie Lapinski — Ranney School — 2024
The first two things you notice about Lapinski is her size and strength. Then comes the way she uses the two attributes to dominate underneath the basketball, making her one of the best post players in the Shore Conference.
Next, Lapinski is tough, and scores most of points in the paint. But she has developed a nice mid-range jumper to go along with her excellent inside game.
The six-foot-one Lapinski dropped in 81 points in 12 tilts for Ranney, with a season-high 17 points in a 55-42 win versus Wall last season.
Addison Barrett — Chatham — 2024
Barrett, a sophomore guard, will play a major role in a young Chatham squad who looks to be a surprise team this coming season. And they have the necessary parts to upset the competition, with Barrett being one of the cogs in the Lady Cougar basketball machine.
Futhermore, Barrett is a smart player who possesses a solid all-around game. She can contribute in the scoring, rebounding, and defensive departments. She dropped in 72 points and grabbed 57 boards in 15 affairs in the 2020-21 campaign as a freshman.
Therefore, keep an eye on this young baller and her Chatham teammates as the season progresses.
— Jerry Del Priore
Brooklyn Sports World/NY NJ Sports World 