The Kevin Williams Christmas Classic will take place on December 26th through December 30th on the campus of Toms River North High School.  The girls’ tournament is broken down into two sections: The Ray Cervino Bracket, which is comprised of the top 8 seeds in the tournament, and the Kathy Snyder Bracket, made up of the bottom 8 seeds in the tournament. Below are the first round games for the Cervino Bracket, including our predictions.

(1) Rumson Fair-Haven vs (8) Manchester 12/26 1:30 p.m.

Records: RFH 3-0; Manchester 1-2

Key Players: RFH– Erin Reid (Sr., 19 ppg, 11 rpg); Grace Smith (Jr., 9.7 ppg, 6 rpg); Chloe Kelly (Jr., 9.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg) Manchester- Madeline Nolan (Jr., 16.3 ppg, 5 rpg); Jesse Sarana (So., 12.7 ppg, 10 rpg);

Notes: Rumson-Fair Haven comes into the Kevin Williams Christmas Classic on a roll, having won their first three games, including a win over Colts Neck, who was ranked fifth in the SSI Top 10 at the time. RFH will continue to ride the hot hand of senior Erin Reid, who is averaging a robust 19 points and 11 rebounds per contest. Reid’s front-court mate, junior Grace Smith, is a tough matchup inside for Manchester. Smith is coming into the tournament averaging close to 10 points and 6 rebounds per game. Junior guard Chloe Kelly has so far doubled her scoring average from last season, and can get to the basket using her athleticism and strength. Manchester has two familiar names leading them this season, as junior Maddy Nolan and sophomore Jesse Sarana are a tough tandem to stop. Nolan is a consistent scorer, averaging 16.3 points per game. Nolan can score from all three levels, as can Sarana, who is averaging close to 13 points per game. Manchester will have to cut down on turnovers against a strong, physical Bulldog team if they want to have a shot at upsetting the top seed.

Predictions: Doug- RFH  Nick- RFH

 

(2) Howell vs (7) Central 12/26 10:30am

Records: Howell 2-0; Central 2-0

Key Players: Howell- Kylee Beam (Jr., 21 ppg, 8 rpg); Bella Rose Marino (Sr., 15 ppg, 7 rpg) Central- Emma Christensen (Sr., 12 ppg, 6 rpg); Addison Anacker (So., 10 ppg); Brianna Nelson (Sr., 10 ppg)

Notes: Howell, ranked ninth in the SSI Top 10, comes in with a record of 2-0 with wins over Freehold Twp. and Middletown North. The Rebels are led by junior center Kylee Beam, who is averaging 21 points and 8 rebounds per game. Beam has improved year to year, as has her teammate, senior guard Bella Rose Marino. Marino, averaging 15 points and 7 rebounds per game, has become more than a deep threat, becoming a slashing guard who can finish at the rim. Central enters the tournament with a 2-0 record as well, with wins over Toms River North and Lacey. The Golden Eagles are led by multi-sport star, senior Emma Christensen. Christensen is tough and athletic, and at 12 points and 6 boards per game, is a tough matchup. The backcourt duo of senior Brianna Nelson and sophomore Addison Anacker are both contributing 10 points per game for a Central squad looking to make a run in the Kevin Williams Christmas Classic.

Predictions: Doug- Howell Nick- Howell

 

(3) Brick vs (6) Middletown North 12/26 9:00am

Records: Brick 2-1; Middletown North 0-3

Key Players: Brick Twp- Ariana Wissen (So., 23 ppg); Ily Pozo (So.); Kendall Fredrickson (S0.); AnnaClaire Stoudt (Jr.) Middletown North- Danielle Gonzalez (Sr., 14 ppg); Kaelyn Gibson (Jr., 9 ppg)

Notes: Brick, ranked seventh in the SSI Top 10, comes in on a two-game winning streak, having defeated Toms River East and Manchester. The Dragons’ lone loss was to Red Bank, ranked fourth in the SSI Top 10, in the opening game of the season. Brick is led by a talented group of underclassmen, including sophomore guard Ariana Wissen and her 23 points per game average. Wissen put up a career-high 35 points against Manchester. Wissen’s backcourt mate, fellow sophomore Kendall Fredrickson, is running the show for the Dragons. AnnaClair Stoudt, a junior, is a force in the paint for Brick.  Middletown North is off to an 0-3 start this season with losses to three tough teams in Howell, Toms River South, and Manalapan. The Lions are led in scoring by senior Danielle Gonzalez, averaging 14 ppg. Junior Kaelyn Gibson has also given her team a boost, scoring at a 9 ppg clip. Middletown North is in for a tough test, and will need more players to step up, as Brick can score in bunches, and is relentless on the defensive end.

Predictions: Doug- Brick Nick- Brick

 

(4) Toms River East vs (5) Middletown South 12/26 Noon

Records: TRE 1-1; Middletown South 1-1

Key Players: Toms River East- Ciley Francis (So., 16 ppg, 13 rpg); Libby Dickman (Jr., 12 ppg); Brooke Gathman (So, 8 ppg, 5 rpg)  Middletown South- Madison Lane (Jr., 10 ppg, 4 rpg); Megan Moller (So., 10 ppg) Ava Loucopoulos (Sr.)

Notes: After suffering a loss to Brick on opening night, Toms River East rebounded with a win over crosstown rival Toms River South. The Raiders are led by sophomore Ciley Francis, who comes in averaging a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds per game. Francis is also doing it on the defense end, snatching five steals per contest. The Raiders also rely on junior Libby Dickman and sophomore Brooke Gathman, who can both score inside and out. Middletown South picked up their first win under new head coach Dan Werner when they defeated Manalapan in their second game of the season. The Eagles also hung tough with Manasquan in their opener. Middletown South is led by junior forward Madison Lane and her 10 points and four boards per game. Sophomore Megan Moller has given the Eagles a solid one-two punch, also scoring at a 10 ppg clip. Senior Ava Loucopoulos will be counted on for her tough work ethic and leadership. On paper, this seems like the best matchup of the first round.

Predictions: Doug- Toms River East Nick- Toms River East