Taylor and GSB Roll to Wins

Simeon Pincus, mycentraljersey.com, February 22, 2014
This year, the Knights are proving to be just as dominant but are proving they can inflict pain from more than just their starting five.The Gill St. Bernard’s High School girls basketball team wrote a great story last season, winning the Somerset County Tournament championship despite a roster that featured just seven players.
While Gill St. Bernard’s got its customary effort from Stanford-bound senior and reigning Courier News Girls Basketball Player of the Year Taylor Rooks,  the Knights got it done with a little help from some uncustomary sources, as well.That was certainly the case Saturday, as top-seeded Gill St. Bernard’s put on an impressive display against a very good Rutgers Prep squad, with the top-seeded and two-time defending champ Knights scoring a 74-47 victory over the fourth-seeded Argonauts at Montgomery High School.Gill St. Bernard’s barely missed a beat, even with Rooks struggling from the field early in the contest.

While Rooks got it together midway through the second quarter and finished with a game-high 26 points to go with eight rebounds.

“We’re in a pretty good place right now,” said Gill St. Bernard’s coach Josuf Dema, whose team will face second-seeded Franklin for the title at 1 p.m. Saturday at Franklin High School. “The girls know what’s expected of them day in and day out. We were a little short today, but girls step up. Taylor missed a couple of shots and had some foul trouble early, but she did other things to help us in the game, like making a great pass, playing D or getting a rebound. “I wouldn’t say there’s a script,” Rooks said. “We’re just trying to come out and play as hard as we can. We want to make the championship game and win it.”

nj.com, February 20, 2014
Taylor Rooks scored 28 points to lead Gill St. Bernard's, No. 2 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, to a 74-46 victory over Watchung Hills in Warren.

nj.com, February 15, 2014
Taylor Rooks scored 29 points and had 10 rebounds to lead top seed Gill St. Bernard's to an 81-38 victory over Montgomery in the quarterfinal round of the Somerset County Tournament in Gladstone.