The Stockton women's basketball team improved by two wins over last season in head coach
Devin Jefferson's second year at the helm. Of the 10 wins that the Ospreys fashioned this season, five came in NJAC play.
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The squad relied on tough defense as evidenced by holding teams to 58.9 points per game (3rd in NJAC), producing a +3.2 rebound per game margin (3rd in NJAC) and blocking 4.1 shots per game (4th in NJAC). Stockton also pressured opponents with an average of 10.4 steals per game.
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Eight first- or second-year players, five freshmen and three sophomores, made up most of the roster. All 11 players saw action in 14 or more contests, with four playing in all 25 games. In addition to the two-win improvement, the Ospreys played a number of close games this season, with five losses by six points or less.
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Senior
Lajerah Wright led the way as the only Osprey to start all 25 games. Wright finished fifth in the NJAC in blocked shots (team-high 1.4 bpg) and tied for ninth in field goal percentage (.388). She was second on the team in field goal percentage, rebounds (6.8 rpg), assists (1.1 apg), steals (1.6 spg) and minutes played (31.5 mpg).
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Wright led the Ospreys with 85 field goals and averaged 8.8 points per game. She ended her career on a high note, potting a career-best 23 points and grabbing 10 rebounds against Rutgers-Newark in her final game for her third double-double of the season.
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Sophomore
Emily Donzanti tied for the team lead in scoring, averaging 9.8 points, while topping the squad in assists (3.3 apg), steals (2.6 spg) and minutes played. (32.0 mpg). The point guard placed third in the league in assists and steals. Donzanti finished strong, averaging 14.6 points and shooting 83.3 percent (25-30) at the line in the last seven games.
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Fellow soph
Kiley Gelston made a big jump in her second year, tying Donzanti for the team scoring lead at 9.8 points per game to go with 6.2 rebounds per game and 14 blocks. Gelston also finished second on the team in free throw percentage (.804) and shot a solid 37.7 percent from the field.
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Sophomore
Hailee Porricelli returned from last year's torn ACL and saw action in 24 games. Porricelli led the team in three-point shooting, finishing seventh in the NJAC in three-point field goal percentage (.305) and ninth in three-pointers (1.9/game). She also topped the squad by shooting 89.5 percent (34-38) from the charity stripe.
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Freshman
Ionyonia Alves had a tremendous first season in Galloway. The rookie topped the team in rebounding (7.1 rpg, 9th in NJAC), and scored 6.9 points per game with 20 blocks. Alves also led the Ospreys in shooting at 43.5 percent from the floor and her 3.3 offensive rebounds per game were fourth in the NJAC and second among all freshmen in the conference.
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Alves improved steadily over the course of the season and grabbed double-digit rebounds in five of the team's last nine games of the year. The late-season surge was highlighted by a double-double with career highs of 16 points and 14 rebounds against Kean two games before the season finale.
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In addition to Alves, four more freshman played roles for the young Stockton team.
Maddie McCracken gave the offense a boost by scoring 6.6 points per game in 14 outings after joining the team as a midseason transfer. McCracken also averaged 3.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists for the Ospreys.
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Rookies
Armanee DeBarry and
Aiya Underwood each played in 24 games. DeBarry provided intangibles with 29 steals and an average of 4.5 rebounds in addition to scoring 3.7 points per game while Underwood gave Stockton minutes in the paint. Freshman
Brittina Bulli pitched in on defense with 15 steals and five blocks in 16 games.
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Junior
Chyna Wooten played in all 25 games and made 17 starts in her first season at Stockton, contributing 4.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. Senior
Raquel Harris-Scott chipped in with averages of 4.0 points and 3.6 boards in 22 contests in her final college season.
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