With the 2022-23 girls’ high school basketball season heating up while teams jockey for top position, the cream of the crop is rising to the top, as the finest New York players do their best in an attempt to help their respective squads reach the promising land in the end.
Here are six players to eye as the girls’ hoops campaign heats up and nears its end, with the postseason looming soon thereafter.
Nicole Melious — Wagner High School — Staten Island, N.Y.
The La Salle commit dropped in 34 points, handed out 12 assists, snatched 11 rebounds and made three steals in Wagners’ triumphant over Francis Lewis today at home.
Also, Melious drained 41 points, grabbed 15 boards and dished out seven assists in Wagner’s 76-33 win over CSIC/McCown Monday night on the road.
Melious leads the nation and PSAL (NYC Public School Athletic League) in scoring with 43.8 points per game and is getting closer to 3000 high school career points with each passing tilt.
Arianna Mercado — East New York Family Academy — Brooklyn, N.Y.
The dynamic sophomore dropped in 40 points, collected nine rebounds and had four dimes in East New York Family Academy’s 74-68 non-league defeat to host Staten Island Academy on Friday. Mercado also scored 26 points and collected 10 boards, as the Eagles edged ultra-competitive Wagner, 72-68, last Saturday.
Allie Falesto and Karly Fischer — Albertus Magnus — Bardonia, N.Y.
Junior Allie Falesto and senior Karly Fischer (Fairfield University) scored 18 and 16 points, respectively, as a gifted Albertus Magnus squad took down Ketcham, 57-49, to claim the No. 1 spot in the Section I Class AA group in Upper New York.
Jordanna Schrecker — New Dorp — Staten Island, N.Y.
Sophomore sensation Jordanna Schrecker put up 27 points in New Dorp’s 48-36 victory over Port Richmond on the road. She is with 25 points per game, according to her AAU coach, Dan Melious at Hoopers NY.
Veralyn Aviles — Murry Bergtraum — Manhattan, N.Y.
The sophomore poured in 45 points, grabbed eight boards and six helpers in the Blazers’ 74-31 win over Lab Musuem United on January 19th.
— Jerry Del Priore
Brooklyn Sports World/NY NJ Sports World 