Girls' Notebook

Inside presence.

Highland coach John Senft says he gets "nightmares" thinking about Clearview's twin towers of 6-1 senior Noelle Hogan and 6-2 junior Kiley Grabbe.

In a guard-oriented conference, Hogan and Grabbe give the Pioneers the kind of inside presence that will be tough to beat.

Delsea's Sarah Gardenhire is another top inside player. She averaged 14.9 points and 8.5 rebounds last season. Highland has a top forward in veteran Radiance Felton. Glassboro will make a run in the Diamond in large part because of junior forward Kendra Garrison, a top rebounder and Division I prospect.

Forward Portia Sackes will help Penns Grove challenge Glassboro and Gloucester Catholic in the Diamond. Sackes is a top athlete who has 15 points and 21 rebounds in a victory over Kingsway last season.

Clayton will contend in the Classic thanks to junior forward Sharele Anderson, who averaged 14.3 points last season and likely will pass the 1,000-point barrier this season. Salem has a top inside player in veteran forward Che'Na Thompson, another voracious rebounder.

Dialing from distance.

Gloucester Catholic's Meghan Shaughnessy is a top three-point threat who should help the Rams contend in the Diamond. Caitlin Sweeney also is a sharp shooter for the Rams.

Clearview's Melanie Mahan, who has committed to Kutztown, can hit from distance as can Gloucester's Kaylee Conner. Salem's Jordan Cline hit 31 three-pointers last season. Kingsway's Liz Faulkner is another top shooter.

Playmakers.

Gloucester's Erin MacAdams is a four-year starter at point guard. She can create her own shot, find open teammates and bury the three-pointer. She averaged around 12 points per game last season and should reach the 1,000-point mark late in the season.

"She hasn't plateau-ed," Gloucester coach Sean Gorman said of MacAdams. "She seems to improve her skills every year. And this year she looks stronger than I've ever seen her."

Williamstown's Devon Solari is another top play-maker and one of the Braves' few veterans. Glassboro senior Ashlee Willis is closing on 1,000 points as is Clayton's Chavone Shepherd.

Penns Grove's Shalisa Hill can create her own shot and is dangerous in transition and the same goes for Deptford's talented Sam Morris.

"She's right-handed but I think she goes better to the basket going left," Deptford coach Mark Petito said of Morris, a junior who averaged 17 points per game last season. "She's a great ballhandler. She can stop and pop and she can take it to the basket."

Top defenders.

Delsea's Damarise Hunt is one of the conference's best defenders. Williamstown will pressure the ball with athletic sisters Amanda and Jess Martinez.

Kingsway's Alyssa Wiggins is a top defender along wih Glassboro's Stephanie Gardner and Salem's Theresa Krawiec.

Gloucester might be the favorite in the Classic division thanks to a tough senior class that includes strong defenders Marissa Cooper, Jessica Lindsay and Kristin Jacobs.

- Phil Anastasia