When the eight players on the Harrison girls basketball team looked around and saw just themselves during the first preseason practice there weren’t feelings of despair. Instead, the lack of numbers served as an even greater motivation to bring the program back to a level of success it hasn’t reached in nearly a decade.
“The girls that have been in the program, they understand the situation,” head coach Jennifer Caliendo said. “We all looked left. We all looked right. We saw who was here and who was here to stay. And since day one, we’ve just understood that we’re going to take this to new heights and we’re locked in.”
The Blue Tide look poised to do just that as it heads into 2026 with a perfect 3-0 record after blowout wins over Saddle Brook, Paterson Charter and Ridgefield.
The start has been a nice momentum builder from last season’s finish when they won their last six games to go 9-11.
While the season is just starting, the early win streak adds to the confidence that this group can qualify for the state tournament for the first time since 2020
“We came into the season with a lot of unknowns, but genuinely saw the focus, the determination, the grit and the belief (to be successful),” said Caliendo. “We couldn’t be more proud of them because we’ve seen it since the beginning.”
Despite the lack of depth, Caliendo and Harrison have been employing a full-court press on defense, something that’s been a staple of the program dating back to its days as a state power under the legendary Jack Rodgers.
The defense has proven to be an especially good fit for the athleticism Harrison has in its lineup, particularly at guard with seniors Mya DeJesus and Danna Gomez.
DeJesus, better known for being one of the state’s top flag football players, is a four-year starter and has gotten off to a huge start on hardwood, recording an astonishing 29 steals this season while also averaging 17.3 points and 4.3 assists per game, all team highs.
“She’s all over the court offensively and defensively,” said Caliendo. “Defensive players like Mya don’t come around often.”
Gomez, a soccer standout, is often matched up against the opposing team’s top offensive player, while also recording 10 steals.
“It’s really fun to watch when they play defense,” Caliendo said. “They know that they can handle the best players on the other team. Their basketball IQ and their confidence allows them to play 32 minutes and not foul out.”
Also starting in the backcourt is Hanna Medina, the team’s top 3-point shooter with four. The senior is averaging 5.3 points and 3.0 steals per game.
“Hanna came to us her sophomore year, not knowing much about basketball, but we knew that she was fast and very smart,” said Caliendo. “She understands how to find space on the floor.”
At one forward spot is Laila Harvey, the lone junior in the starting lineup. Despite being just 5-foot-5, she’s been the team’s leading rebounder and shot blocker, while also averaging 11.0 points and 4.0 steals per game.
“Laila’s a ball player,” Caliendo said. “When you watch her, she has skills where you can tell that she grew up playing in the Harrison Courts.”
The other starting forward, senior Alisson Torres, is also undersized at 5-foot-6, but has enjoyed a breakout season, averaging 10.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
“She’s done a lot of offseason work and you can see a huge difference,” said Caliendo. “She was great for us last year, but you can really see the benefits from her work.”
Sophomore Julia Martins is the first girl off the bench and is a skilled ball-handler at guard. Junior Emmily Guaman is a capable shooter, while senior Isabella Tobon is a first-year player and a source of energy on and off the court.
Harrison returned to action on Jan. 5 against Dwight-Englewood. Monday’s game is the first of four straight home games as it hosts Weehawken on Wednesday, Palisades Park on Friday and Wallington on Monday, Jan. 14.
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Jason Bernstein | Observer Sports Writer
Jason Bernstein joined The Observer as its sports writer in March 2022, following the retirement of Jim Hague. He has a wealth of sports-writing experience, including for NJ Advance Media (nj.com, The Jersey Journal, The Star-Ledger.)