TCA’s Custis, Pennington’s Blunt headline Area and Prep teams
Three of Mercer County’s strongest girls’ basketball teams from the 2018-19 season were Stuart Country Day School, the Pennington School and Trenton Catholic Academy.
Whether taking on teams from the Colonial Valley Conference or strong squads from around the state and country, this trio of teams continually flexed its muscle to go a combined 67-19 this season with each reaching a state final.
Behind the strength of its lone senior, Bey-Shana Clark, and a talented group of underclassmen, Stuart won the New Jersey Independent Schools Athletic Association Prep B state title a second year in a row.
With Clark finishing her career with 1,525 points, sophomore guard Nia Melvin leading the team with 14.9 points per game and 6-foot-4 sophomore transfer Laila Fair getting stronger each game, head coach Justin Leith’s Tartans advanced to the Mercer County Tournament semifinals after defeating Morristown-Beard, 71-63, on the road to win their second straight Prep B crown during their 17-10 campaign.
Leith and Pennington head coach Jeff Eckerson had their teams focus more on defense this season, and the move paid big dividends. Their efforts earned Leith and Eckerson The Trentonian’s Prep Coach of the Year honors.
With 1,000-point scorers Leah Johnson, Diamond Christian and Taylor Blunt, The Trentonian’s Prep Player of the Year, in its fold, Pennington finished its season in style after losing to TCA in the MCT final for a second consecutive winter.
Eckerson’s Red Raiders headed south to Mooresville, N.C. to win the Independent School Gold Division National Championship before heading north to Blairstown, NJ and rallying in the fourth quarter to upset Blair Academy, 72-68, in the NJISAA Prep A state final. It marked the second straight season Pennington won the Prep A crown on the way to a 25-5 finish.
Trenton Catholic Academy proved to be the best team in Mercer County for a second year in a row under head coach Bob Fusik.
With junior stars Giana Boulden, Maniya Custis and Leianya Massenat, plus senior standouts Naomi Shorts and Habiba Elgizawy leading a tireless defense, the Mikes surged to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association NonPublic B state final before losing to Saddle River, 7967, to finish its 25-4 campaign. It was the first time TCA had won Non-Public B South and reached a state final since 2013.
Boulden, Custis and Shorts received first team, All-Area honors from The Trentonian, along with Johnson and Blunt from Pennington, as well as Ewing High senior Jaycee Lowe and Notre Dame High junior Erika Porter.
Custis earned Area Player of the Year. Fusik was chosen as The Trentonian’s All-Area Coach of the Year for a second time after steering the Mikes to a 51-7 record over the last two winters.