Girls Basketball: Pre-States Update

At the end of the regular season, the Lady Bears finished 15–4, a significant improvement from last year. Depending on how the rest of the division plays out, the Bears are poised to be UCC–Valley champions, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since 2019. All year they have been led by key contributors, and they hope to carry this momentum into the postseason. Now that the state tournament is approaching, here are players to watch.

As they have all season, Georgia Sode (30) has been a presence in the paint on both offense and defense. She surpassed the 1,000-point mark in her career against North Plainfield on Thursday — a major achievement. Through 19 games, Sode has averaged 25 points per game and nearly 15 rebounds per game. To put it lightly, she’s been everywhere and a key contributor to Brearley’s success this season. She’s a player to watch in the state tournament, and it won’t take long for her impact to be felt on the court.

Senior guard Mackenzie Seifried (1) has averaged nearly 10 points per game and 3 steals per game; she can score from all three levels. Her quickness on both ends allows her to beat defenders off the dribble and to pick off passes that she converts into easy points or assists. Amber Zawacki (2) has also emerged as a standout in her senior year, averaging 2 steals and 6 rebounds per game. Contributions aren’t limited to these three players — the rest of the team is well balanced, knows their roles, and can provide the spark the team needs throughout a game.

Now that the regular season is over, it’s time for the Lady Bears to turn their attention to the state tournament. As of 2/17, they sit as the No. 5 seed in Central Jersey — Group 1. Their first-round game in the state tournament will be on 2/25 at home against Highland Park, the No. 12 seed. Show up and represent Brearley as the Lady Bears hope to make a deep run this year. Go Bears!