Taylor Rooks of Gill St. Bernard's named Courier News Girls Basketball Player of the Year

Simeon Pincus, mycentraljersey.com, March 24, 2014

Taylor Rooks is certainly ready for the next level. And while the Gill St. Bernard’s High School superstar is looking forward beginning her collegiate career at Stanford University next season, first there was the matter of her senior varsity season to attend to, and, for the second straight season, nobody did it better.

Since joining the Knights as sophomore, after her family moved back to Central Jersey from Western New York State, the Princeton-born star and, now, two-time Courier News Girls Basketball Player of the Year, has made her presence felt, leading Gill St. Bernard’s to the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions final two years ago, and back to the sectional final last season.

This year, Rooks capped her varsity career with another highly successful campaign, as the Knights finished 26-4, winning their third consecutive Somerset County Tournament championship, sharing the Skyland Conference Delaware Division crown with Franklin, and returning to the Non-Public B South sectional final.

And while her attention will soon be turning 3,000 miles west, Rooks not only finished the year averaging 23.6 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, but having a great time doing it.

“This year was definitely the most fun year,” said Rooks, who has referred to this year’s edition of the Knights as her favorite team she’s ever played on. “I really enjoyed playing with my teammates, and my coaches. It really made it special and fun. I feel really connected to all the players this year, especially. It just makes every practice, every game and off the court in school so much more fun, because they’re your best friends. This year was just so much fun. It was great.”

And although players of Rooks status can sometimes not only be intimidating to opponents, but even their teammates, that was never the case with Rooks, who has had no trouble fitting in. And while she often goes about her business on the court in a predominantly quiet and almost effortless sort of way, her presence is never absent, her play always unselfish and her leadership invaluable.