South Plainfield’s Harris Headed to Kean

Lady Tigers Standout Led Team to Solid GMCT Run

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ—This past season, the Kean women’s basketball team didn’t have a single player from the Greater Middlesex Conference.  Next year, things will be different.  Brianna Harris, who helped lead 18th seeded South Plainfield to a solid 2022 GMCT Run, will be playing for the Lady Cougars next winter.  Harris guided the Lady Tigers to an upset over 15th seeded Piscataway, and a competitive loss to 2nd seeded Monroe.

A little over a month ago, Harris competed in the 2022 GMCBCA Senior All-Star Game at Woodbridge High School.  Scoring a game high 12 points on 5 total field goals including a three along with a free throw.  Harris scored five points on a three and a layup during Team White’s early 12-5 run, but in the end Team Black prevailed.  Leading 57-55 early in the fourth, Team Black finished the game on a 23-4 surge for an 82-59 victory.

Harris played four years of varsity girls basketball at South Plainfield.  This past season she played in 27 games for the Lady Tigers, and made 110 total field goals including 17 threes along with 46 foul shots for 283 points.  In addition, Harris collected 79 rebounds, 67 assists, 61 steals, and 5 blocks.  She averaged 10.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.3 steals per contest in 2021-22.

South Plainfield benefited from Harris’ play with a 14-13 overall record including a 7-6 mark in the GMC White.  After losing to Monroe (53-43) in the GMCT First Round, the Lady Tigers lost to Robbinsville (45-24) in the opening round of the of 2022 NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 3 State Tournament.  The Lady Tigers improved from a 6-9 record during the COVID shortened season in 2020-21.

Over her four year varsity career at SPHS, Harris played in 94 games and scored 739 points on 279 total field goals including 39 treys and 137 free throws.  In addition, Harris collected 337 rebounds, 161 assists, 148 steals, and 13 blocks.  She averaged 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.6 assists.  She lead the team in scoring this past season, and in 2020-21.

Harris scored a career high of 20 points twice during her time at South Plainfield.  The first time was two years ago as a sophomore when she connected on 8 field goals and 4 foul shots in a 41-14 victory over Rahway on December 28, 2019.  Harris repeated the feat with 7 field goals included a trey and five free throws in a 50-38 victory versus Woodbridge on February 23, 2021.

Scoring in double figures 32 times during her career, Harris recorded three double-doubles.  Two of those double-doubles occurred during the curtailed 2020-21 season.  Harris recorded a career high 14 rebounds in the Lady Tigers 53-42 victory at Woodbridge on February 6, 2021.  She also had a career high 8 assists in a 60-11 win over Carteret on January 21, 2022, and 6 steals versus Piscataway the day before.

During her four years at South Plainfield High School, the Lady Tigers compiled an overall record of 45-50 including a 29-27 mark in the GMC White Division.  South Plainfield qualified for the state playoffs in three of those years.  The SPHS girls hoops team also reached the GMCT Round of 16 three times as well.  Harris also plays on the girls soccer team during the fall and track in the spring.

Like basketball, Harris played varsity soccer all four years as well for SPHS.  She scored 8 goals and had 5 assists for 21 career points for the Lady Tigers.  Harris scored half of those eight goals during her sophomore season in 2019-20.  She had two assists in both her sophomore and junior years.  Harris will be joining a Kean women’s basketball program that is in good shape.

The Lady Cougars finished with a 17-8 record overall including a 16-2 mark in the NJAC in 2021-22.  Kean managed to rebound from a 3-7 record in the COVID abbreviated season a year ago.  Two years ago, Kean finished 17-9 overall and 13-5 in conference.  The Lady Cougars were 14-14 overall and 9-9 in league back in 2018-19.  Over the past four seasons, Kean was 51-38 overall including a 40-22 mark in the NJAC.

Congratulations Brianna, and best of luck at the next level.