After being robbed by COVID-19 of a chance to show what it could do in the post-season last year, the Ewing High School girls’ basketball team was thrust onto center stage this year.
And the young Blue Devils put on a show.
Ewing finished 25-2 and reeled off a 17-game winning streak that included its first Mercer County Tournament championship since 1992 and second Central Jersey Group 3 title in the past three seasons the state tournament was held.
All with four sophomores in the starting lineup.
“When I look back at this season, it meant being able to get over the obstacles that other teams would get nervous about,” senior captain Jamie Allen said. “We were confident, that’s what I really liked about the team. I look back on the team bonding we had, and how we worked together to try to win games.”
And oh, did they win games.
“This year was a lot of fun with these girls,” coach Dan Montferrat said. “I’ve been around some really special groups of kids in my time as an assistant coach at the shore and up here with Shelly (Dearden) with the Trey Lowe teams. This group ranks right up there with them. They’re gonna be a lot of fun to watch and coach and be around for the next couple of years, that’s for sure.”
But first, it’s best to look back on this year, as it was one to cherish.
The team was coming off a 13-0 season that provided little in terms of championships except for the Colonial Valley Conference pod tournament. There was no state our county tournament due to COVID.
Ewing started this year 8-0, for a 21-game winning streak that was snapped by a powerful Saddle River Day team. SRD also finished 25-2 and lost to Rutgers Prep in the NJSIAA Non-Public B championship game.
Ewing would not lose again until the Group 3 semifinals, when Mainland took a 54-50 victory in a game Ewing led by six entering the fourth quarter. Montferrat felt the fact Ewing stopped going to the foul line in the second half had a negative impact, but realized it was one of those growing pains that a young team has to endure.
“It’s a positive learning experience,” the coach said. “There’s a lot to learn from that game. A couple things here and there in terms of rebounding and execution and little mini-lessons like responding to that adversity.”
Close games were not the norm for Ewing, as only three of their victories were by less than 10 points. Its average margin of victory was 31.6 points.
That’s what happens with three players in the starting lineup who made first-team on the Colonial Valley Conference Coaches’ Association All-Star team. Sophomores Joi Johnson, Rhian Stokes and Te’Yala Delfosse all received that honor.
Johnson and Stokes were already returning stars after outstanding freshman campaigns. Joi averaged 15.6 points and a team-high 11.7 rebounds and 5.5 blocked shots per game. She was also third in assists (53) and steals (65). Rhian led in scoring (18.6 ppg), assists (181) and steals (204) and was third in rebounds (7.2 per game).
“They played up to, and exceeded, our expectations,” Montferrat said. “They’re on everybody’s scouting report, Rhian is dynamic, you have Joi and what she does. And yet they’re still able to do all the things that make them such fantastic players and fantastic teammates.
“Rhian was one of the state leaders in points, steals and assists. Joi was one of the state leaders in rebounds and blocked shots. They just do so much more than just score.”
Delfosse came into the season as an unknown quantity after missing four games last year with a concussion. She was tied with Johnson for second in scoring (15.6), and was second in rebounding (9.4), assists (93), blocked shots (43) and steals (121).
“She had an astronomical year,” Montferrat said. “When people came in our gym this year from the CVC, they’d say ‘Hey I don’t remember her.’ I was like ‘Oh you will after this game.’”
The fourth sophomore starter was Shawnae Biggs, who wasn’t a big scorer but collected 132 rebounds, 71 steals and 60 assists.
“For somebody who’s as tiny as she is, she had more games of five-or-more rebounds than some of the bigs I’ve had in previous years,” Montferrat said. “She is always on the other team’s best offensive player, so no matter what, she’s a plus player.”
Rounding out the starters was Allen, who did much of the dirty work in averaging 6.1 rebounds and producing four games of 10-plus boards.
“She embraced that role,” Montferrat said. “This year was an adjustment for her. She was used to coming off the bench, playing underneath, and having to score four, six points. I told her this year ‘If you score six points that’s a huge win for us because you’re underneath hustling, grinding, playing great defense.’ Defensively she would cover one of the other team’s better post players.”
“I really liked being the foundation for my team,” Allen said. “That meant the most to me. That meant more to me than being in the spotlight or being a scorer. I wanted my team to know they could count on me.”
They sure could.
“She was a real strong backbone for the girls,” Montferrat said. “Kind of like that mother in the locker room. They would follow her lead.”
The fact that the star sophomores were willing to be led speaks volumes of their maturity. Oftentimes when young players have instant success, they feel like they don’t have to listen to anyone.
“Despite those kids being the superstars, they are the most humble, hard-working group of kids,” Montferrat said.
Allen agreed, saying “They bought into the whole thing about being able to trust each other, so there weren’t any ball hogs or anything like that. We all made sure everybody got a chance to score and everybody got a chance to feel as though they’re not just a body on the team.”
Coming off the bench to provide a spark was freshman Mekyla Durham, whose family just moved to Ewing from Passaic last summer. Durham provided a fourth option when it came to scoring, averaging 5.4 points and scoring 20 against Robbinsville.
Also providing depth were senior guard Kalinka Menges and junior forward Sarah Ilesamni, who provided valuable minutes when starters got into foul trouble. A third senior whose playing time was limited due to health issues was Marlyse Gibson, who Montferrat said “was there every day being a great teammate.”
It was indeed a talented cast that provided plenty of thrills throughout the year. Montferrat considered the MCT title to be the highlight, considering he was in kindergarten the last time Ewing did that. And the CJ 3 title was close behind.
“Two out of the three boxes were checked off this season,” the coach said. “The girls had a really serious goal of winning that overall state title too. But this season was so successful for us. It was nice to be able to make a county run, to make a sectional run, to really just energize our community, our fans, our families. It was a huge win for everybody this year.”
And if the young players keep working hard, next year could be even bigger.
The EHS girls’ basketball team shows off the Central Jersey Group 3 championship trophy on March 7, 2022. The team defeated Colonia 69-46. Pictured in the back row are Coach Jamie VanHise (left), Mekyla Durham, Malayah Miller, Sarah Ilesanmi, Jamie Allen-Threadgill, Marlyse Gibson, Rhian Stokes, Shawnae Biggs, Busayo Aladewolu, Joi Johnson, Ginika Sibeudu and Coach Dan Montferrat. IN th emiddle row are Cristina Carmichael and Kalinka Menges. Kneeling is Te’Yala Delfosse. (Photo by Todd Cloward, pixelsbytoddc.mypixieset.com.),
