Monroe-Woodbury High School girls basketball standout Willow Duffell commited to Marist College.
The Marist College women’s basketball team officially announced Thursday three additions who signed National Letters of Intent this week.
The Red Foxes will add next season Allie Best, a guard from New Jersey, Willow Duffell, a power forward from Harriman, and center Gabi Redden from New Jersey.
The signings were a silver lining in what could be a troubling week for the Red Foxes. Guard Allie Clement suffered a right knee injury in Marist’s home opener on Tuesday. The junior underwent an MRI on Thursday and the athletic department said it planned to issue a release on Friday, once the results have been reviewed.
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The Clement injury, if severe, would be another difficult blow to a rebuilding team that already is short on experience and has lost its first three games. In addition to being one of two juniors on a roster with no active seniors, the starting shooting guard leads the team with 12.3 points per game this season.
All the more reason the signings of these high school seniors was welcomed.
“All three of them bring something that we need in the program,” Red Foxes head coach Brian Giorgis said in a statement.
Giorgis called Best a “pass-first point guard.” As a junior, she averaged 11.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists, helping lead Voorhees High School to a Hunterdon Warren Sussex county championship.
Duffell, a 6-foot-2 forward, led Monroe-Woodbury High School to a Section 9 title last season. She averaged 10 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks.
“She could switch onto guards and stay in front of guards,” Giorgis said of watching Duffell play AAU. “She gives us some really good athleticism up front.”
Duffell also led the Monroe-Woodbury soccer team to a sectional title. The Crusaders eventually lost, 5-2, to Arlington in a Class AA regional final two weeks ago, but Duffell scored a goal.
Redden, a 6-foot-1 center, led Rutgers Prep School to a 29-2 record last season. She averaged 12 points and 10 rebounds.
“Gabi Redden is a very powerful post player whose potential is unlimited,” Giorgis said. “Her game just keeps getting better and better.”
Marist awaits Clement’s status after sloppy loss
Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4