December 15, 2011
2011/2012 Team Preview:
North Bergen Bruins
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How do you replace three four-year starters at guard? For North Bergen the answer is quite simple - size and plenty of it.
While the Bruins lost the trio of Ashley Vazzona, Ashley Heredia and Jazmin Palma to graduation, last season's Hudson County finalist will have one of their biggest lineups in recent memory.
“That’s tough to replace,” head coach Dan Reardon said about the loss of guards. “The good news is that we got some good inside play which we haven’t had for a while. We’re going in the other direction for a while.
“This might be the biggest team that I’ve had. Even when we had Lauren (Jimenez), there really weren’t any other (bigs) to speak of. With this group we have a couple 5-foot-9, 5-foot-10, 6-footers. This is the biggest team I’ve had.”
The key to that transformation is the duo of Nicole Paulino and Icies Hammer up front. Paulino, a 6-foot-1 senior, showed flashes of her offensive potential a season ago which was limited by a concussion.
“Nicole could be the difference,” Reardon said. “She’s got the big upside, but she basically lost the whole season. If she plays very well, she’s going to be tough. She shoots the elbow jumper and her best asset is probably offensive rebounding.”
Hammer, a 6-foot-0 freshman, is a good finisher with “a big upside” according to Reardon.
North Bergen’s size advantage goes beyond Paulino and Hammer with 5-foot-9 senior Kayla Muniz providing veteran experience off the bench.
Junior Doris Ilic, who saw time up front a year ago, moves over to her natural position of shooting guard. At 5-foot-9, Ilic will be a matchup nightmare and looks poised to be North Bergen’s top offensive threat.
“She’s got the whole package,” Reardon said. “She’s No. 1 in her class, she’s got a very high basketball IQ as well. She’s a deadly shooter who can go to the rim. She’s got the whole package.”
Junior Amanda Rivera saw plenty of action as a third guard last year, takes over as the point guard.
Reardon has a trio of different players competing for the third starting guard spot. Junior Tiana Nazrallah (5-foot-5) is a slasher. Junior Nerylix Cerda (5-foot-8), who last played in 2010 with High Tech, brings athleticism and the ability to play guard and forward. Senior Ceiline De La Hoz is the best outside shooter of the trio.
Seniors Raynelliz Carrillo and Stephanie Valencia will bring added depth on the wings.
2011-12 North Bergen |
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| Amanda Rivera |
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| 2010/2011: 23-4 |
| County Playoffs: |
First Round: vs Hoboken 61-33 (W)
Quarterfinals: vs St. Dominic 40-38 (W)
Semifinals: vs Secaucus 50-38 (W)
Finals: vs Bayonne 48-32 (L) |
| State Playoffs: (North 1, Group IV) |
First Round: vs Fair Lawn 60-50 (L)
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| Projected Starting Lineup (*RS) |
| PG |
Amanda Rivera* |
5'3" |
JR |
| SG |
Tiana Nazrallah |
5'5" |
JR |
| G/F |
Doris Ilic* |
5'9" |
JR |
| F |
Icies Hammer |
6'0" |
FR |
| F |
Nicole Paulino |
6'1" |
SR |
| Key Reserves |
| G/F |
Nerylix Cerda |
5'8" |
JR |
| F |
Kayla Muniz |
5'9" |
SR |
| G |
Ceiline De La Hoz |
5'4" |
SR |
| G |
Raynelliz Carrillo |
5'6" |
SR |
| G/F |
Stephanie Valencia |
5'7" |
SR |
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