Star Albertus Magnus sophomore leads Rockland girls basketball all-stars

She stands 6-foot-3 and she might still be growing.

But what's not in doubt is that Julia Scott's already-high-level game is growing. And that's bad news for anyone playing against her Albertus Magnus High School girls basketball team.

Last month, with Scott as the lynchpin, the team won its first state championship in more than two decades.

The Journal News/lohud Rockland County Girls Basketball Player of the Year, who was also the Section 1 Conference III League B Player of the Year, had already attracted the attention of Division I college scouts well before the championship and even well before the season began. But now?

She's the player you want with the ball when the game is close.

Last year, the then-freshman played alongside Karly Fischer, who went on to Divisioin I Fairfield. Scott averaged 15.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. This year, her numbers jumped to 22.2 points, 13.6 rebounds and three blocks per game.

There were games she flat out dominated, including the Falcons' state semifinal win over East Meadow. Scott led all scorers with 37 points. and had nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals in an 89-51 win.

They went on to beat Section 5 Hilton, 67-50, for the Class AA state championship.

"My happiest moment (in basketball) was when me and Allie (senior Allie Falesto) were subbed out (of the game). ... It was a surreal moment, like, 'We made it!'" Scott said.

The 16-year-old, who gets her height from her 6-7 dad, John, (her mom , Mary, is 5-4), played CYO ball until eighth grade with her dad as her coach. Currently, outside Albertus Magnus, she plays on the star-laden Empire Blue Flames club team, whose home gym is at Hackley School in Tarrytown.

Scott credits her Blue Flames coach, Kelly Guarino, a former Magnus player, who went on to play Division I college ball, with passing along advice that has helped improve her play.

Guaranio, who's also the Pleasantville High varsity girls coach, tells her players, "Just control your controllables."

Wth that advice, Scott's emotional approach to games improved.

"Last year, I would get a little more flustered if things were not going my way," she said.

Albertus Magnus will lose four seniors, all contributors, the most notable being Falesto, who had 21 points and six rebounds in the championship win and who will play in college next year.

But Scott will be back, as will multiple others, including members of what was a deep bench this season. Scott thinks her team can win another state title.

Coach Pat Buckley said adjustments will have to be made, but "that's the plan."

"Julia getting even better will only help."

Predicting when Scott graduates in a couple of years she'll "be in the conversation" as one of the best ever players to come out of Section 1, Buckley said of his young star: "She's only going to get better and better and better."

Coach of the Year

Pat Buckley, Albertus Magnus: Buckley's team, which was clearly the best in Section 1 even before the season's first tipoff, won its first state championship in more than two decades. It did so because Buckley fashioned the team, whose players all come from various communities in Rockland County, into a real team full of depth that knows any one of multiple players can be the contributor , the reason for a win on any given night. Undefeated in Section 1 and, of course, in the state playoffs, the Falcons dropped four regular-season games to superior out-of-area opponents. Without those losses and what was learned during them, maybe Buckley's kids aren't the state Class AA champions.

The rest of the first team

Allie Falesto

School : Albertus Magnus

Year: Senior

Position: Guard

Highlights: The Belmont Abbey-bound guard played a big role in the Falcons claiming their first state championship in more than 30 years. Falesto, who has a sweet pull-up jumper and can hit from the outside, averaged 15.7 points and four rebounds per game. She drained 77 threes during during the season and scored 21 points in the state title game.

Sarai Gurley

School: North Rockland

Year: Senior

Position: Guard

Highlights: The Conferene I League B Player of the Year was Ms. Reliability. She averaged 14.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game

Kelsey Miedreich

School: Pearl River

Year: Junior

Position: Forward

Highlights: The Conference II League A Player of the Year is also one of the area's most talented all-around players. She averaged 16.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 blocks per game

Kristen Phelan

School: Tappan Zee

Year: Junior

Position: Guard

Highlights: Phelan was a consistent offense force who's expected to only get better. She averaged 15.5 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists per game.

Second team

Gianna Longo, Sr., G, Nyack

Mady Moroney, Sr., G, Pearl River

Emma McHugh, So., G/F, Tappan Zee

Carley Voce, So., G, Clarkstown South

Maddy Zuppe, So., G, Albertus Magnus

The best at season's end: Final Journal News/lohud girls basketball rankings of season with no doubt No. 1

Honorable mention

Lottia Barnes, Jr., G, Suffern; Mikaiya Beasley, Fr, C, Albertus Magnus; Zoe Brodsky, So., F, Suffern; Aniya Celestin, Fr., F, Nyack; Natalia Clemente, Fr., G, Clarkstown North; Kiki Daly, So., F, North Rockland; Sarah Donohoe, Sr., F, Pearl River; Amelia Layden, Jr., G, Pearl River; Ava Letizia, Sr., G/F, Suffern; Sophia Malpeli, Sr., G, Albertus Magnus; Karlie Maye, Sr., G, Clarsktown South; Charlotte March, Jr., G, Tappan Zee; Karlie Maye, Sr., G, Clarkstown South; Gloria Mitchell, Sr., F, Cl arkstown North; Gaby Sanchez, Sr., G, Clarkstown South; Julianna Simone, Sr., F, Nanuet

Nancy Haggerty covers cross-country, track & field, field hockey, skiing, ice hockey, basketball, girls lacrosse and other sporting events for The Journal News/lohud. Follow her on Twitter at @HaggertyNancy .

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Star Albertus Magnus sophomore leads Rockland girls basketball all-stars